At the End of the Desert...

National Veterans Day Observance

2009-11-14T13:17:00.002-07:00

Canada's Socialism Imported from America

2009-11-09T10:29:00.000-07:00

2009-09-28T13:39:00.000-06:00

In January 1926, Time magazine reported: “Having used the motor car for almost every other conceivable purpose, leading Detroit automobile makers have now organized a company entitled "Snow Motors Inc.," to put out a machine which will negotiate the deepest snowdrifts at six to eight miles an hour. The new car will consist of a Ford tractor power-plant mounted on two revolving cylinders instead of wheels—something on the order of a steam roller. Source: Wikipedia
Armstead Snow Motors from Seeking Michigan on Vimeo.

2009-09-21T18:27:00.000-06:00

Sept 21, 09 - Colorado Monument

Bob Hoffman, Lucy Hoffman, Sandy Rolling and Wendy and Jim Hoffman

Operation Melody donates musical instruments to vets

2009-09-15T16:31:00.000-06:00

"By MELINDA MAWDSLEY/The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel"

Friday, September 11, 2009 Earlier this summer, veteran Randy Williams attended the American National Bank Downtown Farmers Market and saw a booth advertising Operation Melody. The program was created about three months ago to pair veterans with musical instruments. Williams filled out an application to receive a free instrument donated by a member of the public. “When I heard about it, I couldn’t believe it,” said Williams, who served in the U.S. Navy from 1987 until 2007. “I’ve been learning to play the fiddle, but I want to learn to play the guitar.” Williams will soon get that chance. Sept. 1, Williams picked up his tuned guitar from Wendy Hoffman, president of the Grand Valley Blue Star Mothers. The Blue Star Mothers is overseeing the program. Although the local chapter of Blue Star Mothers is accepting donated instruments from the public and applications for instruments from area veterans, Hoffman did not take credit for creating Operation Melody. That idea, Hoffman said, came from Doris Harper of Fruita, a 74-year-old musical fanatic who called in June to donate her used guitar, banjo, mandolin and accordion to veterans."
More... Operation Melody donates musical instruments to vets:

2009 hurricane predictions, plus storm names | Yahoo! Green

2009-06-01T23:00:00.000-06:00

"2009 hurricane and tropical storm names - Atlantic
Ana
Bill
Claudette
Danny
Erika
Fred
Grace
Henri
Ida
Joaquin
Kate
Larry
Mindy
Nicholas
Odette
Peter
Rose
Sam
Teresa
Victor
Wanda

2009 hurricane and tropical storm names - Eastern North Pacific
Andres
Blanca
Carlos
Dolores
Enrique
Felicia
Guillermo
Hilda
Ignacio
Jimena
Kevin
Linda
Marty
Nora
Olaf
Patricia
Rick
Sandra
Terry
Vivian
Waldo
Xina
York
Zelda"

The Rev. Hermon Gaylord Wood | Parish History | St. Andrew's Episcopal Church - Ayer, Massachusetts

2009-05-26T11:23:00.001-06:00

"HERMON GAYLORD WOOD, son of Hiram and Mary (Sprague) Wood, was born 19 Jan 1831 in Camillus, New York. He was known throughout his life as either H. Gaylord Wood or simply, H. G. Wood. His father was a farmer and a miller, and for nearly 40 years Senior Warden of Trinity Church in Fayetteville, New York. He prepared for college at Cortland Academy in Homer, New York."

The Rev. Hermon Gaylord Wood Parish History St. Andrew's Episcopal Church - Ayer, Massachusetts:

Tornado briefly touches down in Mesa County

2009-05-20T16:32:00.001-06:00

"GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) Meteorologists have reported a rare occurrence in Mesa County: a tornado.
The National Weather Service in Grand Junction says a tornado briefly touched down in a rural area near Mount Garfield before dissipating shortly before 3:30 p.m. Tuesday. Mount Garfield is northeast of Grand Junction.
Meteorologist Jeff Colton says a Weather Service employee was driving in the area and saw it happen. No damage or injuries were reported.
Colton says it's just the ninth tornado to be documented in Mesa County since 1950.
The Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for northern Mesa County and southern Garfield County but canceled it around 3:50 p.m."
Colorado Wire - cbs4denver.com:

Its a.... BABY!

2009-05-20T05:19:00.003-06:00

11 weeks 6 days

Grandchild number 4

Spring snowstorm shuts down Colo., Wyo. roads

2009-04-18T03:20:00.001-06:00

"DENVER (AP) — More than a foot of wet, heavy snow closed highways and canceled flights in parts of Colorado and Wyoming on Friday, snarling traffic and forcing school closures and flight cancellations.
The American Red Cross was looking for more space Friday night after the shelter it opened for stranded travelers in Idaho Springs filled to capacity with more than 200 people.
Power lines weighed down by snow tripped system circuit breakers and knocked out electricity for more than 16,000 customers in Colorado.

Up to 3 feet of snow was expected by Saturday night in the mountains above 6,000
feet, forecasters said. Nearly 3 feet already had fallen in Rocky Mountain
National Park about 60 miles northwest of Denver. "

The chilly weather forced a return to heavy coats and snow boots for some who
already had packed away their winter clothes.

The Associated Press: Spring snowstorm shuts down Colo., Wyo. roads:

More People Want to Pack Heat on Streets

2009-03-14T20:17:00.001-06:00

"In Mesa County close to 3,000 people have been issued a concealed weapons permit. But while Amanda Davis and her dog Heineken aren't packing heat today she could if she wanted to.
'I do think they are a good idea, I have one of my own,' says Davis.
And she is not alone. 'My husband just got a concealed weapons permit,' says Tammy Reece.
In February of last year 53 people applied for concealed weapons permits. Last month that number almost tripled to 147. Heather Benjamin with the Mesa County Sheriff's Office says, 'there is absolutely no concern.'" Video

More People Want to Pack Heat on Streets:

Radon: The Silent Killer

2009-03-14T01:16:00.002-06:00

"Every year more than 20,000 Americans are diagnosed with a terminal disease caused by a radioactive gas known as radon. Experts say in most cases those people didn't even realize they were being exposed to the gas, or that it was happening right in their homes. While deadly if left untreated, they say it can easily be fixed.
Radon -- it's odorless, tatsteless, colorless, and deadly.
'It is the second leading cause of lung cancer, first for non-smokers,' said Anna Maylett Rice, Mesa County Indoor Air Quality Specialist.
Health experts from Montrose to Mesa County say it's all around us here in Western Colorado. They say radon forms as uranium decomposes below the ground -- and because the Western Slope has a lot of uranium in the ground naturally, the chances of residents being exposed to radon is much higher than other parts of the country."
More
Radon: The Silent Killer:

Proud of your name? Join the club

2009-03-06T15:32:00.001-07:00

"HAYLEY MICK
From Friday's Globe and Mail
March 5, 2009 at 9:59 PM EST
Wendy Russ says it started back in elementary school. Classmates chimed 'Wiinndy' every time it got blustery outside. After that, it only got worse.
Teenage boys snickered when the Wendy's fast-food chain came out with the slogan: 'Where's the beef?' Then came the 'hot, juicy burger' campaign. 'You can imagine how that went over,' says Ms. Russ, who lives in Arkansas.
Still, she loved her name because it's different 'but not weird.' So as the Internet heated up in the early 1990s, she snapped up wendy.com — which soon became a beacon for Wendys worldwide."

"So those Freds are going to have to watch out," Ms. Russ says.

The site now represents an organization of 90 members who've bonded over nicknames (Wendikins, Wendorama, Wendy Lou Who) and favourite movie characters (Wendy Darling of Peter Pan). A revamp of the website is now in the works; there's even talk of a Wendy convention.

globeandmail.com: Proud of your name? Join the club:

(Note: I have been a member of the World Wide Wendy's since 1996 -- http://www.wendy.com/)

The Canadian Solution

2009-02-15T01:23:00.001-07:00

"Canadian banks are typically leveraged at 18 to 1--compared with U.S. banks at 26 to 1.
Published Feb 7, 2009
From the magazine issue dated Feb 16, 2009"

The legendary editor of The New Republic, Michael Kinsley, once held a "Boring Headline Contest" and decided that the winner was "Worthwhile Canadian Initiative." Twenty-two years later, the magazine was rescued from its economic troubles by a Canadian media company, which should have taught us Americans to be a bit more humble. Now there is even more striking evidence of 's virtues. Guess which country, alone in the industrialized world, has not faced a single bank failure, calls for bailouts or government intervention in the financial or mortgage sectors. Yup, it's Canada. In 2008, the World Economic Forum ranked Canada's banking system the healthiest in the world. America's ranked 40th, Britain's 44th.

I could go on. The U.S. currently has a brain-dead immigration system. We
issue a small number of work visas and green cards, turning away from our shores
thousands of talented students who want to stay and work here. Canada, by
contrast, has no limit on the number of skilled migrants who can move to the
country. They can apply on their own for a Canadian Skilled Worker Visa, which
allows them to become perfectly legal "permanent residents" in Canada—no need
for a sponsoring employer, or even a job. Visas are awarded based on education
level, work experience, age and language abilities. If a prospective immigrant
earns 67 points out of 100 total (holding a Ph.D. is worth 25 points, for
instance), he or she can become a full-time, legal resident of Canada.

More... Zakaria: The Canadian Solution Newsweek Voices - Fareed Zakaria Newsweek.com:

(Rockport) Local artist paints White House holiday card - Community - VillageSoup

2008-12-19T14:38:00.002-07:00

I suppose this might be my last year on the list -- but at least it has the correct address and no forwarding sticker.

Rockport) Local artist paints White House holiday card - Community - VillageSoup: "ROCKPORT (Dec 19): Each December, envelopes of yuletide cheer make their way across the country's small towns and big cities. This year, the White House holiday card, designed by one local artist, will grace the mailboxes of millions."

Lawson was recognized for his work designing the 2008 holiday card during a
reception at the White House on Dec. 3. He said the White House was
spectacularly decorated with 29 Christmas trees and breathtaking ornamentation.

Christmas Shopping

2008-11-17T05:57:00.002-07:00

At the Christmas Toy Store

I voted

2008-11-03T22:54:00.001-07:00

Subsidized Health Care

2008-09-25T12:59:00.000-06:00

"Canadian Man Dies After 34-Hour Emergency Room Wait, Paper Says

By Alexandre Deslongchamps
Sept. 23 (Bloomberg) -- A Canadian man died after spending 34 hours unattended in the emergency room of a hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the Winnipeg Free Press reported today, citing a city health official.
The 45-year-old was dropped off at Winnipeg's Health Sciences Centre on Sept. 19 and found dead on Sept. 21, the paper reported, citing Brock Wright, the Winnipeg Regional Authority's chief medical officer."

Bloomberg.com: Canada:

U of L Theo Tams wins Canadian Idol

2008-09-23T11:55:00.001-06:00

Tams turns Idol into a personal showcase: "In the end, it really was no contest.

University of Lethbridge student Theo Tams was consistently the top performer throughout the 2008 Canadian Idol competition and he was justly rewarded with the Idol title Sept. 10.

It took almost five million votes to put Tams over the top, as he became the sixth winner of the popular television event. Viewers of the competition saw Tams, a 23-year-old Coaldale/Lethbridge resident and U of L student (psychology/music) perform consistently to a point where he and Mitch MacDonald, a 22-year-old carpenter from Port Hood, NS were the last musicians standing."

The Yahoo! Saga

2008-09-13T15:53:00.008-06:00

I am still waiting to be able to say this issue, after 2 long months, has finally been resolved but we're not there yet. Its closer -- but still not resolved.

On 8-15-08 I called in again to billing because I have determined they are the only department that seems to actually answer a question and not just read a scripted reply. I was pretty much told the same as always. It is still showing up as an abuse issue but it is being researched. That was about the farthest ahead I had been to date. I mentioned it had been over a month since I had been able to access the email on a mail server I pay for, on a domain registered in my name.

There was a mention of eventual compensation but the situation was currently still being researched.

I asked again if I could at least have my other Yahoo account added as an administrator on my Jim and Wendy email server so I could get in and check my mail. Some serious events in my family had resulted from my not being able to check my mail -- and some drastic oversights in an organization I am in due to emails that did not get delivered. I was still outraged at the whole scenario but even more at the insistance of everyone I talked to that they have no communication with the Abuse department. My only communication with abuse was the replies I got to my online form submission that this was a billing issue.

So one 8-15-08 I again submit a report asking for answers, and I again submit a password reset request. In the middle of the strangeness I received the standard verification email asking for my security answer. I submit the same answer and was more than a little surprised to receive an email shortly after with a password in it. I was almost hesitant as I went to yahoo, entered my user name and the new password and was suddenly in my mail box. I checked the small business server and had access to my domain plan -- and access to my email server. I turned off the catchall mailbox that had been switched on shortly before the incident a month prior.

I went into my mail server and reset my email account password to make sure it had not been changed.

Then I opened Outlook and reset my jimandwendy.com account to automatically check for mail and then I watched -- I watched the little indicator scroll through numbers as it downloaded more than 3000 emails that had been held hostage by Yah00! I cried as I saw how many of these were important requests from members of my org. I cried when I saw how many were from family -- family who thought I had actually received these. I watched, and waited until all of the emails had downloaded into Outlook. Then I began the process of reading through them. It was not easy to sit and look at an email that was a reply from a member, date the day the account was frozen, in reply to an email I had sent the day before. Her military son was home on leave. I had emailed her a detailed plan of how she could take him to dinner somewhere and I would gather up the rest of the members and we would surprise him with a welcome home at the restaurant. I asked her to email me back with the place and time and I would take care of the rest. She had emailed back with the place and the time. I did not take care of the rest. It had to have been heartbreaking for her.

There was an email from a member of my org that was having health issues. She was going in for surgery and asked for my support. There were other emails and as I read through I became more enraged at the fact that a company could simply cut off access, continue to bill me, and not even have the ability to explain why. I attempted to change my password I had been issued and was unable to access the password reset. My access was only partially restored.

On 9/11/08 Yahoo! phoned. I was told it had been determined that even though something had somehow triggered Abuse to suspend my account that it was not an actual Abuse issue. There was no clear explanation but the word 'error' was used. I was also told the investigation and research was still in process and until a clear determination was made there would be no compensation. I was to be satisfied that at this point I now had access to my domain manager and email server. My Yahoo account was active.

Active -- but with no ability to change the password from the assigned one. He tried to determine a technical reason and put me through to the department that would assist me in resetting my password. He stayed on the line and I think I have a sense of gratitude for that. The technician that was assisting me was rude and belittling. She would snarl statements like "close that window right now!" or "Click the little 'x' and close all the windows on your desktop - very good, now tell me what you see" 'I am not able to help you if you refuse to follow instructions." At that point I did not mention I am a certified technician but I did mention that what she thinks the results should be are obviously not. She left the line and was a little nicer when she came back. She said it would be escalated and I would have a reply in 3 to 5 days. We were ending the call and I asked if Billing was still on the line. She snarled "Of course not" and he answered that he was. I believe she left.

But -- this has not ended. My account is partially reactivated but I can't change my password. I can't change and other features although I can edit personal information. I can access my domain control panel and email server. I was told that they have to continue to investigate before they can offer any form of compensation. It was not an abuse issue but continues to be investigated by Yahoo! Abuse. The Billing department has been as helpful as possible -- and often just as frustrated. I sensed the difficulty he had telling me its not over yet -- for the good of the company.

Colorado

2008-09-02T16:33:00.000-06:00

The Code of Hammurabi

2008-08-14T21:38:00.002-06:00

Laws of justice which Hammurabi (ca. 1795 – 1750 BC), the wise king, established.
A righteous law, and pious statute did he teach the land.

These laws were written on a stone tablet standing over six feet tall that was found in 1901.

228
If a builder build a house for some one and complete it, he shall give him a fee of two shekels in money for each sar of surface.

229
If a builder build a house for some one, and does not construct it properly, and the house which he built fall in and kill its owner, then that builder shall be put to death.

230
If it kill the son of the owner the son of that builder shall be put to death.

231
If it kill a slave of the owner, then he shall pay slave for slave to the owner of the house.

232
If it ruin goods, he shall make compensation for all that has been ruined, and inasmuch as he did not construct properly this house which he built and it fell, he shall re-erect the house from his own means.

233
If a builder build a house for some one, even though he has not yet completed it; if then the walls seem toppling, the builder must make the walls solid from his own mean

Yahoo! 8 days later

2008-07-20T08:28:00.003-06:00

Nothing has really changed -- I still cannot use my Yahoo ID!
My website has been reinstated at www.jimandwendy.com but I cannot log in to the domain control panel or edit my pages or site.
My email server has been reinstated at jimandwendy.com and Jim, Dallas and Wildflower can send and receive email. I cannot. I am unable to access my email online or through outlook. I cannot administer my email server. Email sent to me is going to the server but I can't retrieve it.

One major spin off here is that most of my online subscriptions, along with accounts, warranty registrations, etc are all linked to my personal email address. Receipts for online purchases go to my personal address. In many cases I am able to log to the account and enter a new email but this only works if I have the password. If not -- it gets emailed to my personal address where I cannot access it.

In an outlook folder I have saved all emails to and from Yahoo! regarding this situation. There are 50 emails in the folder. Many from Yahoo! are the auto responder emails for a form submission. The replies are noted in earlier posts -- 'its a billing issue', 'its a known issue but has been fixed', 'your email is a forgery', 'your premium services have been suspended for a TOS violation' and the most popular 'We need more information.' There was also a mailer daemon message on one form submission that bounced.

My most recent contact was with billing. The billing department seems to be capable of thought. common sense and reason and logic. Unfortunately the billing department is not able to rectify the situation. One tech even tried a 3 way call to account verification to have my password reset but ran into the same scripted responses I continue to get. No one seems able to contact abuse.

At this point I am at a standstill. My last call was to billing, when I read the responses from the variety of replies including the mailer daemon error message. He discussed it with the tech lead and I was left with the promise that this was going to be looked into further and abuse would be contacted somehow. My number was taken and I was told I would get a call back in 1 to 48 hours. It is now 43 hours since that call.

AT&T, SBC and Yahoo! working apart

2008-07-17T10:36:00.005-06:00

I want to report that this morning Jim has his email back and http://www.jimandwendy.com/ is back up.
I can still not access this, check for my email or manage my hosted web account or servers. My Yahoo! ID is still not functioning and a call to have it activated resulted in the same thing I have been told since this started -- go online and fill out the abuse report form.

I sent an email to the address for abuse hosting-abuse@cc.yahoo-inc.com that I reported being given in my last blog entry. I did not receive a response. I sent several more -- I have not received a response for any of them.

I have, however, started getting responses from some of the online abuse report forms that I have submitted. Two of them suggested this was a billing issue and to contact billing. They gave me the online URL for contacting billing through the small business site (that I can't do because I have no Yahoo ID) and also a phone number because billing prefers to work on the phone. So I phoned the number I was given for billing.... after a few minutes on hold a recorded announcement came on and said my wait tile was approximately 30 minutes. After 10 minutes of this announcement periodically interrupting the silence a second announcement told of the high level of calls, long wait periods and suggested I access the billing information online. After the recorded announcement delivered the URL -- it disconnected. I called again 4 times -- I was diconnected after 10 minutes on hold 4 times.

I called the customer service/ password reset number. I was told again that I would have to go online and fill out the Yahoo abuse report. I explained that I had done this several times and was receiving the responses saying it was billing not abuse. I was told her report was showing both and she suggested I call the number for billing. I asked her to connect me since I was repeatedly disconnected after 10 minutes. She transferred my call and I was placed on hold. This time I at least got music -- and Jim and I listened to over 90 minutes worth of it before my call was finally answered. My immediate opinion,however, was that it could well have been worth the wait. Not only was he listening to the details of what happened but he was trying to determine why and come up with a fix. He determined immediately that there were no billing issues and discussed the sequence of events that had transpired. He located a note on his records that the account had been 'cancelled by user'. He attempted to reset the domain for jimandwendy.com and also the email servers but was unable to because my Yahoo ID would not allow access. He escalated the problem and said he would make sure it was looked at and resolved.
While we were on the phone he contacted password reset and asked them to reset my ID. Despite the fact that I had an email from abuse saying it was a billing issue, and I had the billing department requesting the account be reinstated, it still could not be done. This time we were both told to complete the online form to contact Abuse.
This morning Jim announced that his email was working again. I tried www.jimandwendy.com and it worked. An email sent to myself at wendy @jimandwendy.com has not yet bounced.

BUT, I still can not access my email. Outlook continues to report an error in logging in. When I go to jimandwendy.com and attempt to access my webmail I get a Yahoo login screen that does not accept my user name or password. I click the password reset link and I am told it can't be reset online. I call the help number and I am told my User ID was terminated by abuse for a TOS violation and to go to abuse and complete the online form. Repeated attempts at disclosing the fact that I have done this and have a handful of replies resulted in being told -- you will have to fill out the online abuse form and report this to them. I was told I would receive a reply in 24 hours.

At the time of this writing it has been 123 hours (6+ days) since the first time I was told this. Emails sent to my address are no longer bouncing but instead are going to aserver where they can not be picked up.

More Yahoo! Abuse

2008-07-14T11:28:00.003-06:00

This morning the remainder of the email addresses on the jimandwendyserver have stopped working.
An early call to Yahoo! was at least successful in getting me an email address for contacting Yahoo! instead of having to fill out the abuse claim form and report myself. I have not received a reply to the email.