Thursday, May 24, 2007

Wednesday Hero

Been out of town so I'm a little late with this posting...

Pfc. Joseph Allen Jeffries
Pfc. Joseph Allen Jeffries
21 years old from Beaverton, Oregon
Army Reserve’s 320th Psychological Operations Company
May 29, 2004


Below is all the information that could be found on Pfc. Joseph Jeffries.

Pfc. Jeffries was killed with two fellow soldiers, Capt. Daniel W. Eggers and Sgt. 1st Class Robert J. Mogensen, and an unnamed sailor, when their vehicle drove over an IED in Kandahar, Afghanistan. All four service members were attached to the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – Afghanistan. He is survived by his wife, Betsy, and his parents Mark and Linda Jeffries.


These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesay Hero, you can go here.

Monday, May 21, 2007

Only in San Francisco



I went with some friends this Sunday to the world famous Bay to Breakers race. This is an annual 7.5 miles run/walk "race" across town. Actually, I should call it an annual anything goes party for 60,000 attendees. Mobile bars broke out every few blocks handing out free booze to runners or walkers alike. People streamed from their houses and made impromptu bar stands for passers-by. Bands setup every few blocks blaring our their tunes.

Every costume or lack their of you can imagine was probably present. What I mean is the naked men & women who love to show off their bodies in public. They were a sight not to see! Hahaha!

I love the Salmon Centipede where they run from the Finish Line to the Starting Line every year. It's their simulation of salmon swimming upstream. There were the gorillas chasing the bananas centipede.

How did I do? This was my 2nd time walking. I did about the same as last year 2:50 versus 2.48 this year.

- AV

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Save Internet Radio

SaveNetRadio.org

How many people listen to internet radio?

My regular radio stations have too many commercials and almost never play my favorite tunes. And, I'm too cheap to get satellite radio. So, I normally turn to my favorite online channels.

Lo and behold, I logged onto my favorite site yesterday, Live365.com and found out that beginning July 15th (retroactive to January 1, 2006), royalty rates for webcasters will go up 300% to 1200% which means many internet radio sites will go out of business.

Senators Ron Wyden and Sam Brownback have introduced legislation called the "Internet Radio Equality Act" which would prevent this from happening. To found out more on how you can help, go to SaveNetRadio.org

Okay, I'm getting off my soapbox now.

- AV

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Soldier Was Suggested By Cindy

Lance Cpl. Steven Chavez
Lance Cpl. Steven Chavez
20 years old from Hondo, New Mexico
2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force
March 14, 2007


Tears ran down cheeks and strong men choked back emotion as the city of Hondo, NM payed tribute to fallen Marine, Steven Chavez. LCpl. Chavez lost his life on March 14, 2007 in a non-combat incident in which he was accidentally shot.

Chavez enlisted in the Marine Cops. right after he graduated in 2005. "You pray and you pray that the day never comes, and then it does," said Novelda Chavez, Chavez's mother. "Your emotions are mixed — it’s not true, it’s a bad dream, a bad dream you never wake up from."

In a letter Chavez wrote before he was sent to Iraq, he wrote:
"First of all I would like to thank everyone for your support. When I'm home on leave and when I'm away. That is so important to me. Thank you for your kind, supporting words in your letters and for the packages I've received. Those are awesome.

I've been through some pretty hard times, in the short time I've been in the Marine Corp. None harder then what I'm about to face. Yes I'm scared; nothing is scarier than the uncertainty of what your future holds for you. I'm prepared to face whatever lies ahead.

I put my life in the hands of the Lord. And pray that He guides my fellow soldiers and I down a safe path, that He will calm our fears, and give us the strength to do the job we have been trained to do, and to do that job well.

There are many lonely nights, when you're lying in your bunk thinking of family and friends, wondering what they are doing at that very moment. Wondering what mom is cooking for supper. I can almost taste the tortillas on the griddle.

I want to say to all of you tonight, I wouldn't change one thing about my life.

I've never been more proud of the choices I made in my life than the day I graduated from basic drill instructor placed that Anchor, Globe and Eagle Pin in my hand I knew then I was a UNITED STATES MARINE!

I'm Proud to protect and serve My Country

I'm Proud to protect and serve My Community

I'm Proud to protect and serve you

Thank you so much for your Support. Keep those letters coming. Mail is a precious commodity when you're so far from Home.

YOUR U.S. MARINE

LANCE CORPORAL STEVE CHAVEZ"


These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesay Hero, you can go here.

Monday, May 14, 2007

Bidet Anyone?

When I first started blogging, I always liked looking at strange or unusual pictures bloggers took and posted on their site. Although a bidet is not unusual, I thought it was strange to have it in a company bathroom.

Has anyone used one of these? I have not especially not in a public bathroom in case the water doesn't spray out correctly. ;P And, I have 2nd thoughts of using "clean" water coming out of a toilet. There are no instructions. Are you suppose to sit or stand for this? It looks like sitting in the picture. How much water pressure are you suppose to use? Any experienced people who can enlighten me?

Side Note: I'll be busy the next 2 weeks so you will probably see new updates only sparingly during this time.

- AV

Friday, May 11, 2007

The Honor System

Because my workplace doesn't have a vending machine, the company has been providing sodas & juices free of charge to its employees. Now management is complaining that the sodas are too expensive and can no longer be complimentary.

The box you see was put up 2 days ago to encourage employees via an honor system to pay 25 cents per can they consume. Now we need a change machine.

In the end, the company is now coughing up 20 cents per can instead of 45 cents everyone pays.

- AV

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Addendum to Wednesday Hero

Chris Cooper Jr is currently stationed in Iraq. His father passed away from cancer last month, and the combination of loss of income, medical bills and funeral expenses has practically wiped the family's finances out. Cooper has had to take out a loan against his military pay to help pay for the funeral and other bills.

Read about Chris and his family's plight on the local Magnolia, TX newspaper.



To read more, click HERE

- AV

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Wednesday Hero

Submitted by Melodye - http://songofthemorning.blogspot.com


Spc. Josiah H. Vandertulip
Spc. Josiah H. Vandertulip
21 years old from Irving, Texas
2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division
October 14, 2004


Louise Vandertulip fussed at her son about his spending. He bought wild, overpriced hats that had flames on them or horns coming out of the top, she said.

While in Army basic training, he bought portraits of himself. His mother told him to save his money.

She's glad he didn't listen.

The hats and the pictures are all a part of her memories now.

Spc. Josiah H. Vandertulip was killed in Baghdad when his patrol came under small arms fire.

Josiah Vandertulip joined the Army right after his graduation from Irving High School in 2002. He spent a year in South Korea before being stationed at Texas' Fort Hood in February. Against his mother's advice, he volunteered to go to Iraq. She told him to wait, to go to college.

"When he was determined to do something in his heart, he would do it and hell or high water couldn't keep him from it," she said

By going, he knew someone else with a young family could be saved from serving, relatives said.

He always had the important things right, Louise Vandertulip said.

"There's a lot of rest in knowing that he died doing what he believed in and doing what he thought was right," she said.

"We have a much more real sense of the cost for the freedom that we enjoy now," said his father, Robert Vandertulip.

"Josiah was the first brand new soldiers I recieved as a dismounted team leader in Korea. He was one of the Best soldiers I have had the honor to train and work with. He loved being a soldier as much as any guy I have met. He was a great leader in the absence of his superiors. I could always count on him to make sure the mission was accomplished. I watched him change over the year I had him from a goofy kid, to a hard charging soldier."
Sgt. Nickolas Faul


These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesay Hero, you can go here.

Monday, May 07, 2007

Won 2 Ribbons



As I mentioned a few posts ago, I entered 4 prints in my camera club's annual photo competition and I won 2 Honorable Mention ribbons for the photos displayed above. Not bad since I didn't have time to really try too hard and the competition was fierce. :)

The "Northern Red Anemone" was taken with my slim Casio digital camera during my recent trip to Boston's New England Aquarium. The "Chopsticks" photo was my first attempt to take a still life photo. I saw these colorful chopsticks at a store and I knew there was a picture in there somewhere. However, after I purchased them and brought them home, I photographed them at every angle with my Canon 20D digital camera, but wasn't satisfied with any of the photos. Finally, I thought about buying rice to "add" some extra effect. I would like to think that helped the image.

- AV

Saturday, May 05, 2007

Going Across the Bay



I had to go across the Golden Gate Bridge today for an event. And, for those of you that have never crossed it, here you go. As you can see, there are no barriers between on-coming traffic which makes driving very dangerous.

It was a beautiful day and lots of people were walking and biking along the bridge. I never had the pleasure of doing either here.

The 2nd photo is waiting to pay toll after going over the bridge. It's always exciting driving across this world famous bridge, but one thing I dread is paying the $5 toll.

Have a nice remainder of your weekend.

- AV

Thursday, May 03, 2007

Reading Stall


I was at a local ice rink this past weekend and saw this reading material on the bathroom door of the women's restroom captured by my handy-dandy camera phone.

Nothing but advertisements. I wonder if these companies know their ads are ending up in a bathroom stall. Are they getting additional business because of these ads since they have a captured audience? Hmmm, one wonders....

- AV

I Did It

After many months of soul searching, I decided to put in my 2-weeks notice at the work the other day. No, I do not have another job to go to, but I have the luxury to do so at this juncture in my life. I hope to eventually go back to work after I find a job I really like to do.

Current management is trying to offer me all these different incentives to get me to stay. One being a monetary incentive, but won't tell me how much unless I decide to stay. That is plain wrong! I have never heard such a thing, but coming from this company doesn't surprise me. In any case, there isn't a reason to stay unless I want to torture myself.

I have lots of plans to keep busy during my time off. Previous to this job, I took almost 2 years off, but that was a little excessive. I hope to start working again November/December timeframe or early next year.

- AV

(Illustration by Uttam Ghosh)

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Soldier Was Suggested By Echo9er

Hospitalman Luis E. Fonseca Jr.
Hospitalman Luis E. Fonseca Jr.


On August 11, 2004, Navel Hospitalman Luis E. Fonseca, Jr. was awarded the Navy's second highest decoration. The Navel Cross, which is awarded for extraordinary heroism while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States and must be performed in the presence of great danger or at great personal risk, was awarded for his actions while serving with Amphibious Assault Vehicle Platoon, Company C, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, Task Force Tarawa, II Marine Expeditionary Force.

On March 23, 2004, Fonseca, Jr.'s unit were trying to take the Saddam Canal Bridge. Five Marines were injured when their vehicle was hit by an RPG. Fonseca, while still being fired upon by machine guns and RPG's, pulled the Marines to safety and established a casualty collection unit inside his own medical evacuation vehicle. After his vehicle was hit once again, Fonseca organized litter teams and directed the movement of four of the Marines, while personally carrying one wounded Marine over open ground to another vehicle. On November 15, 2004, Seaman Fonseca was awarded the "Grateful Nation Award" from the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs for his actions.

"I was doing my job," said Fonseca. "I wish I could have done more."


These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. If you would like to participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by going here.