Tommystorm

We’ve started planning an RV trip around the western us. Check out the route so far!

Zoom out to see the whole route. I cant figure out how to set the default zoom level on the embedded google map.

Route highlights:

• Portland, OR
• Crater Lake, OR
• Lava Beds National Park, OR
• Mount Shasta, CA
• Yosemite National Park, CA
• Death Valley, CA
• Las Vegas, NV
• Grand Canyon, AZ
• Meteor Crater, AZ
• Petrified Forest, AZ
• Paunted Desert, AZ
• Mesa Verde National Park, NM
• Canyonland National Park, UT
• Arches National Park, UT
• Bryce Canyon, UT
• Zion National Park, UT
• Grand Teton National Park, WY
• Yellowstone National Park, WY
• Glacier National Park, MT
• Scablands and Snake River Valley, WA
• Mount Ranier, WA
• Mount St Helens, WA
• Seattle, WA
• Astoria, OR and the giant Pacific Ocean cliffs
• Portland, OR

View Larger Map

I wish i could be this enthusiastic about stuff.

I received an email from Facebook telling me about the “New and improved” privacy features they were adding, and recently when logging in, was prompted to take action on setting my privacy settings.

Then my friend Sue showed me this article: Privacy Advocates Slam Facebook . I was shocked to read that when your friend chooses to use an application that your friend is giving away to that application’s system all personal information about you that your friend can see. WTF? This isnt a new thing either, Facebook’s application policy has been like this forever.

Ok so i went to revisit my privacy settings today. Imagine the horror when i saw what my current settings are for applications:

So basically, if one of your friends installed one of those sketchy, annoying, add-on apps into their facebook profile, they are giving that same sketchy application (THAT YOU DECIDED ALREADY WAS SKETCHY AND DIDNT WANT FUCKING WITH YOUR PROFILE) full access to your profile.

I don’t know about you, but i don’t delegate decisions like this to my friends. As much as I may love them.

Wow.

Danny stumbled upon this YouTube video and shared  it with me.  I was absolutely dumbfounded!   This is the most amazing art-over-time work i’ve ever seen.  Watch it!.

Thank you for calling Tommy’s Psychiatric Hotline.  Our menu options have changed, so please listen carefully to the following options:

• If you are obsessive-compulsive, please press 1 repeatedly
• If you are codependent, ask someone to press 2 for you
• If you have multiple personalities, press 3 4 5 and 6
• If you are paranoid, we know who you are and what you want, please stay on the line and we’ll trace your call.
• If you are delusional press 7 and your call will be transferred to another ship
• If you are schizophrenic, listen carefully to the small voice in your head who will tell you which button to press, so please press it, though it doesn’t matter which button you press, because no one will answer you.
• If you are dyslexic press 6969696969.
• If you have a nervous disorder, please fidget with the hash key until you hear the beep.  After the beep, please wait for the beep.
• If you have short term memory loss, please try your call again later
• If you are suffering from low self-esteem, please hang up now because all of our operators are too busy to talk to you.

Please press zero to listen to these options again.

Goodbye.

What an historic day!   I am spending time at my parents - carrying over from the holidays - and we spent the day watching the inauguration and related events on TV.   I’ve got to say that i’m more impressed with Obama today than i have ever been.  He is likely the most intelligent, practical, and empathetic president we have seen in our lifetimes.

Obama’s address had me choked up at times.  I think for the first time in a long time, the citizens of this country feel like they have a voice, and that they can make a difference.  I was particularly struck by an interview with a kid who was riding a bus with his marching band on the way to the inaugural parade.  He said that a common dream for his fellow high school students was to be rap stars or football players.  Now, he says that his fellow students aspire to become involved in serving the nation or “to be president when I grow up.”  I feel that sentiment all around me now.  It’s amazing.

Acting on my inspiration, I have pledged to do 50 hours of community service in 2009. Don’t know what i’ll do yet.  But I’m gonna do it.

John Cleese has to be one of the more observant public figures on the planet - in this interview, he provides down-to-earth insights about how utterly tragic it would be to have the McCain/Palin three ring monkey fuck move in to the White House.

Interesting online site that compares your facial features to celebrities amused me for about 10 minutes.

MyHeritage: Celebrity Morph - Family search - Ancestory

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebrities

I ran across this photo today.  About 4 hours ago.  And i’m still LMAO.

Well, for the second time in my life, i managed to break my left leg. This time from a far less dramatic cause - a bad ankle-twisting whilst stepping off of the back porch. A break to the lower part of my fibula was the result, and fortunately all i need to do is wear a removable brace for a few months. I am pretty much able to walk around normally.

For those of you who know me, you may recall the story of my first broken left leg. It was a snow-covered January day at the Farmingdale NY airport, and while waiting for the frost to melt of the wings of my airplane, I slipped on the ice and “twisted my ankle badly.” I was limping, but it didn’t hurt that much … so i hopped in my plane and flew home. Halfway thru the flight, i realized that it hurt like hell to depress the left rudder pedal. That’s when i realized it was broken. I managed to land the plane at my home airport - luckily the winds were calm and not much rudder was required to land safely.

I was in a cast for 3 months.