Sunday 25 May 2008

The Death of a Common Man






JR Simplot died today at the age of 99. If I accomplish in my entire life what he did before the age of 21, it will be a miracle. "JR" as he was known by everyone in Idaho was the epitome of the self-made man, a humble family man who had the respect and admiration of those who came across him in one way or another.

His innovation just in the frozen potato (french fry) business would have been enough to satisfy any one person, but not for JR. He branched out into all areas of food processing, both meat and vegetables, but locally, most children know him for what he gave back to the community. From the Simplot athetlic fields in the Columbia Village subdivision to Simplot Stadium in Caldwell, and so much more than can be mentioned here, JR believed in Idaho and Idahoans.

He lived a rich life, and not just with dollars. He will be missed by family, friends and strangers alike.

An alternative to Television II

Web TV provided by Ustream

An alternative to Television

.... or ... what to do if you are bored...



As I've said before, I'm a G.I.T. (a Geek in Training) and I love discovering new sites on the web. Thanks to my Twitter friends, I've disovered ustream.tv which has an array of live shows at any particular time of day. Some are pretty cheezy... such as live cam of some college kid sleeping, but there are some pretty interesting shows also.



For example:

Fr. Roderick, who does quite a few podcasts for his SQPN network, keeps his cam going while going about his daily routine. Sometimes you can watch him recording his podcast The Daily Breakfast, to name one in particular, but often he is just in his office doing paperwork, working on his next sermon, or rearranging his office computer equipment.

Fr. Roderick is such a regular guy, it doesn't matter if you are Catholic or not, you can enhance your life knowledge just by listening/watching. His enthusiasm for all things geeky is contagious. Catch the bug!!

His other podcasts include The Secrets of Harry Potter, The Secrets of Narnia, The Healthy Catholic and others.



You can also watch a live fish tank and a hamster habitat, but one of my favorite live cams is from the Canadian Peregrine Foundation, which has been following the development of falcon eggs in a nesting box outside the window of an office building.

The chicks are several weeks old now, and have ventured out of the box (so to speak), but are still on the ledge. You can tell from the video that this is not a ground floor window.

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/392127

Discover ustream.tv! It's fantastic. Follow them on twitter at http://twitter.com/UstreamTV or me at http://twitter.com/tiggr or Fr. Roderick at http://twitter.com/FatherRoderick

Friday 23 May 2008

Ford's Theater

A simple sign in front of a historical landmark. The play that night was "Our American Cousin".




Directly across the street from Ford's Theater, where the President was taken after being mortally wounded.


The Presidential Box, (minus the modern speakers). John Wilkes Boothe opened the door behind the President and First Lady, and fired.


If you are in Washington D.C. and have the time, participate in the the History on Foot program. Get off the Greyline bus, explore the living history that has made our Nation's Capitol such a wonderful city to visit and get to know.


(The following is shamelessly copied from http://www.fordstheatre.org/Performances/)




"On the night of April 14, 1865, Detective James McDevitt was on duty at the Washington Metropolitan Police headquarters at the corner of 10th and E Streets. Just before 10:30 p.m., frantic witnesses rushed in with news: President Lincoln had been shot at Ford’s Theatre. Before long, other rumors swept the streets: the Secretary of State, the Vice-President, General Grant – all dead. Southern prisoners freed; Confederate cavalry converging on the city. Join Detective McDevitt to revisit and reexamine the sites and clues that separate fact from fiction in a first-hand look at the investigation into the Lincoln Assassination Conspiracy and the events of April 14 and 15, 1865.
History on Foot lasts approximately 90 minutes and makes at least 8 stops throughout the story. The distance walked is approximately 1.4 miles, an easy walk to follow the most exciting night in our nation's history!
History on Foot Walking Path
Tour Dates Available:
Friday, June 20 at 7 pm
Friday, June 27 at 7 pm
Friday, July 11 at 7 pm
Friday, July 18 at 7 pm
Friday, August 1 at 7 pm
Friday, August 8 at 7 pm
Saturday, August 16 at 7 pm
Saturday, August 23 at 7 pm
Space is limited, so make your reservation today!!!

Now Offering Private Tours of History on Foot :
Private tours of History on Foot are available by request and based on availability. Private tours can be requested for any time, on any day of the week based on availability. There is a flat fee of $500 for a private tour for a group of any size -- 2-40 people. Payment in full is due at the time of tour confirmation. Tours are approximately 90 min. and travel about 1.4 miles beginning at Ford's Theatre and ending at the White House. For more information or to book a tour please contact the Group Sales office by calling 202.638.2367 or email groups@fords.org. In order to facilitate scheduling of the tour. please be prepared to provide us with your first, second and third choices of dates and times for the tour, as well as the number of people and a very brief description of the group. We will make every effort to accommodate your first scheduling choice. Thank you for your interest. We look forward to seeing you at History on Foot!