Friday 5 Answers

Friday 5 for January 27 - Storage

2012-02-03T05:00:00.001-10:00

A week late but hey, no Friday 5 for this week is posted yet.

1. What are your favorite storage containers like?

Sterilite Show Offs exactly like the one shown above with different colored covers. They're great for storing stuff like CDs, DVDs, small objects, etc.

2. What seems to require more time and energy to store than it’s worth?

I'm kind of a pack rat. Everything has some kind of value... though my floor seems to be a storage area for stuff with nowhere to go.

3. What unusual container are you storing something in?

Long cylindrical cookie can with a rubberized eyeball in it.

4. What packaged product has a container you really like?

Apple products such as the iPod Touch and iPhone. Nicely packaged. Even their computers are nicely packaged.

Ask me about product containers I hate -- I have two words for you: Blister Pack.

5. If you suddenly had some new storage space in your home, what would likely go there?

Most of the stuff I have on the floor (see #2 above).

Friday 5 for January 20, 2012 - A Stitch in Time

2012-01-20T05:30:00.000-10:00

The Video: "A Stitch in Time" by Smashing Pumpkins

The Meme: From Scrivener's Friday 5 - A Stitch in Time

Q & A: My responses

1. What was your first wristwatch like?

I think it was a Timex.

2. What lately seems to have been a thief of time?

Paperwork, computer graphics & layout, photo and video editing.

3. What were yesterday’s quietest five minutes like?

Sleepy

4. In what way have you lately been saving time?

Going to work early.

5. We are often charged hourly rates for labor, but we never get to reciprocate in kind when promised completion times don’t match actual completion. If you could bill people for the time you spend waiting, what would be a reasonable amount?

$1 a minute for the first 10 minutes... $3 a minute any time beyond that.

Friday 5 for January 13, 2012: Type

2012-01-15T11:30:00.002-10:00

1. What’s a decorative font you really like?

I've used Snell Roundhand on stuff like wedding invitations.
I don't really have a favorite but that is the script font I use for that rare thing which looks good in script.

2. MS Word uses Times New Roman as the default plain font; Apple Pages uses Helvetica. Is there a plain font you like better?

I like Helvetica. For some reason my copy of Word 2008 on the Mac defaults to Calibri. I think it is the same on the office PC with Word 7 or whatever it is that is on Windows 7.

As an alternate I also like Franklin Gothic and to fill space up, Bookman.

3. In words per minute, how fast do you type? (if you Google “check your typing speed” or something like that, you’ll find many online options for testing yourself)

If I did not go back and correct mistakes as I typed perhaps a dismal 55 words per minute... of course that is looking at text someone else first wrote. I think I type a little faster if I am just writing from the top of my head without a text to look at.

4. Who in your life is just your type, but for some reason not romantically compatible with you?

There is no one in my life except the various Macintosh computers and cameras I own. They don't qualify as people, so there you go.

5. What’s your blood type?

B+

By the way I come from the old school of computerized typesetting when it was a highly specialized skill utilizing expensive, proprietary systems such as the Compugraphic or the Itek Quadritek. I spent several years typesetting for our school, a small printing firm and an ad agency before I and everyone else moved on to the Macintosh platform.

Today any schmuck can set type on their Windows PC or Macintosh computer. If they don't know much about type they usually end up with shoddy, crappy looking type.

The video shown above is a glass font wafer that was used on the old Itek Quadritek machine of which I have a page for on the my website.

Friday 5 questions from Scrivener's Friday 5 site.

Friday 5 for January 6, 2012 - Inventions

2012-01-06T22:00:00.006-10:00

1. If they could invent a remote control for something in your house that doesn’t have one, what would you wish it to be?

A remote control that would find the missing remote controls for my devices. What I envision is a remote control that sits stationary. You clap your hands in its direction and the device locates the regular, missing remotes by activating their infrared signals and showing the location on my TV or computer screen.

2. What could your car really use that they just hasn’t invented yet?

The ability to jump over obstacles and traffic like Speed Racer's Mach 5. Also the ability for the car to have power saws to cut new roads while on the go... just like the Mach 5.... Also a car with a remote homing device camera to enable the driver to see objects way ahead of or behind him... just like the Mach 5. In fact just about everything the Mach 5 can do, I wish my car could do too. See video at top.

Of course one thing that would make cars and even some flying machines obsolete is the invention of the TRANSPORTER like they have on Star Trek. Beam me up Scotty!

3. Who among your friends could probably be a great inventor if he or she had enough funding to do it?

No one.

4. What invention seems to do its job in a less-satisfying manner than the old-fashioned way?

Mac OSX Lion - I like Snow Leopard better. Too much dumbing down of the Mac OS to make it more like iOS.

5. Lately, vending machines have gone beyond drinks and snacks: you can rent DVDs from them or even purchase iPods from them. What’s something your life could be improved by if it were available in vending machines?

Maybe one that could sell you gift cards for iTunes Store, Amazon.com, WalMart, Outback Steakhouse, and other merchants. I'm not that big on vending machines, but that could probably be popular. Never seen anything like that... though I would think someone already invented it.

Another good one would be a vending machine that sold airline ticket coupons.

Questions generated from Scivener's Friday 5 blogsite.

Friday 5 for December 30: Closing Time

2011-12-30T17:16:00.001-10:00

WalMart's always open. This is good when you have to buy stuff at 2 in the morning.

From Scrivener's Friday 5 website:

1. What business establishment’s recent closing was the most disappointing for you?

Rainbow Records near University Ave. They were around for a very long time. Used to sell a good selection of used books, records, CDs, and videos. Now gone. Jellys' remains the biggest retailer of used books, records, CDs and videos in Honolulu. Online is killing brick and mortar music, video and book stores.

2. At what place of business or service are you most likely to be the day’s last customer out the door?

Perhaps McDonalds' -- my friend and I spend some time there because of the free wi-fi access.

3. What place of business or service seems to be closed at times inconvenient to you?

Hawaii State Library system.

4. Where in the real world (not online) will you most likely spend your last 2011 money?

More than likely Don Quijote store at Kaheka in Honolulu. I have to buy groceries after I get back to Honolulu tomorrow.

5. What business or service has been the biggest blessing to you because it is always open?

WalMart

Friday 5 for December 16 - Award Season

2011-12-16T06:45:00.004-10:00

Golden Globes nominees were announced this week, and while it should be clear by now to anyone paying attention that they are fully irrelevant, they do kick off the season for reflective retrospection, at least in certain parts of life. In that spirit, please announce your awards for the year 2011 in these categories!

From Scrivener's Friday 5:

1. What wins your award for Best Supporting Household Appliance?

Rice Cooker.

2. What wins your award for Outstanding Performance by Something that Comes in a Bottle or Can?

Bottled Water

3. Who wins your award for Excellence in Poor Timing?

Anyone who brings in something for me to do at the last minute and wants it an hour from now... or even tomorrow. Depending on what it is. I hate to produce last minute stuff, unless I know well in advance that there could be last minute stuff in the workflow... like breaking news for example.

4. What wins your award for Wardrobe Newcomer of the Year?

Nothing. I'm not big on fashion.

5. What wins your award for Outstanding Achievement in Stealing Time?

Angry Birds - It's a good thing I have it on only one Mac!

6. (bonus question!) The American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences calls its trophy the Oscar. The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences calls its trophy the Grammy. What do you call yours?

The Grouchies

Thanks for participating, and have an award-winning weekend!

Friday 5 for December 9: Toppings

2011-12-09T01:00:00.003-10:00

From Scrivener's Friday 5: When in doubt: go to food.

1. What’s your favorite ice cream topping?

Chocolate hot fudge... any type of chocolate hot fudge sundae is good.

2. What’s your favorite pizza topping?

Supreme - pepperoni, olives, bell peppers, onions, hamburger beef, cheese

3. What’s your favorite thing to sprinkle cocoa powder on?

Probably mix it up in ice cream or make a chocolate milk shake. Isn't this kind of like Nestles' Quick or Ovaltene? Hot chocolate is nice.

4. What’s your favorite thing to put whipped cream on?

Um... Chocolate hot fudge sundae (see top photo) or any kind of marangue or pumpkin pie... or maybe.... like her... below...

5. What do you like to put upon a cracker?

Toasted with butter and cinnamon.

http://macpro.freeshell.org/crackertoast.html

Friday 5 for November 25: Leftovers.

2011-11-25T17:37:00.000-10:00

From the Friday 5 website: LEFTOVERS.

1. Leftover from April 17, 2009: What’s a creature comfort (practically unnecessary) you must take with you on an overnight trip in the great outdoors? Please consider a phone something that has practical necessity!

iPod Touch and another camera. I don't own a cell phone. iPod Touch comes in handy for listening to music, taking pictures or video, light reading, video viewing and more. Camera... well I use that to take pictures.

2. Leftover from August 31, 2007: What did yesterday cost you? Thanksgiving in the U.S., but answer it for wherever you are and whatever you did!

For starters $210 round trip fare from Honolulu to Big Island of Hawaii and back. Travel cost to get to Honokaa from Hilo + meal costs contributed to family meal.

3. Leftover from January 25, 2008: What was your excuse the last time you were REALLY late for something?

Could not find my keys.

4. Leftover from February 18, 2011: What was your first online purchase?

It was probably a CD from Amazon.com in 1997.

5. Leftover from December 25, 2009: Which of your gifts do you think you do not put to its best, fullest use?

Color rotating light fixture. It's still in the box from the person I got it from. Haven't used it.

Friday 5 for November 18 - Moving

2011-11-18T01:45:00.003-10:00

You have to get up early to get pictures of cruise ships coming into Honolulu Harbor.

From Scrivener's weekly Friday 5 website (which moved to a new, strange URL this week) comes this week's meme... Moving... what else?

1. When did you last move residences?

1984.

2. What song leaves you completely unmoved even though it seems everyone else is moved by it?

Anything by Glee Cast. I don't see the point in people getting excited by this TV show or all of the lame cover songs that sell in the millions and make the charts with regularity. Glee Cast.... lame, lame, lame.

3. On what kinds of mornings is it easiest for you to jump out of bed and get moving?

When I know some nice ship is coming in like the MS Queen Mary. All of the cruise ships that come into Honolulu Harbor tend to be here just before or during sunrise. Gotta wake up early to get a good picture of these. Another thing that gets me moving early is if I have to catch an early morning flight to somewhere... and once I had to catch an early morning ride on the Hawaii Superferry. Getting a good sunrise picture or photographing a rare celestial event requires an early rising.

4. What object do you get most annoyed about when people move it without letting you know?

My wallet, comb, keys, scissors, scotch tape or iPod Shuffle... Of course since I live by myself, I only have me to blame for this.

5. In what way are you waiting on someone else to make a move?

I wait for an eternity, don't initiate much and let the person get away.

Friday 5 for 11-11-11: What to Take

2011-11-11T03:45:00.010-10:00

What to Take - the latest topic from Scrivener's Friday 5 website.

Let's face it, I take a camera just about everywhere I go.

1. What do you usually take to the beach?

Camera

Yes, there are a lot of sights to see and photograph at the beach! Camera is essential.

2. What do you find essential for a trip to the mall?

Money and camera

I often carry a small camera such as this one on my trips to the mall, even to the beach and elsewhere. I like this camera because it is stealthy.

3. What’s something you take to the ballgame?

Camera

It's been a long time since I been to a ballgame.

4. What do you take to the movies?

Money, ticket, iPod for listening to music before the movie starts. And yes a small camera.

Here's a photo of the old Peoples' Theater in Honokaa Hawaii that is still in operation.

5. This one may not have broad enough a relevance, but what do you take when you go to the symphony?

If I went to the symphony, I'd take my camera. Also the ticket to get in.

A small non-SLR camera with a good long lens may be ideal to take to symphonies and other types of concerts where the long zoom and silent mode may come in handy.

Friday 5 for November 4: Hanging Out

2011-11-04T02:45:00.003-10:00

From Scrivener's Friday 5 site, the topic this week is "Hanging Out".

1. Where did you hang out with friends when you were a teen?

Mostly at school. I was mostly a stay at home kid.

2. Where did you hang out with friends when you were in your twenties?

School, workplace and record stores.

3. Where do you hang out with friends now? If you’re still in your teens or twenties, where do you imagine you’ll hang out with friends when you’re older?

Facebook. Twitter. Workplace. I mostly stay at home. I'm an old fart. Don't go out much.

4. What’s great hanging-out memories do you have?

Scouring through stacks of records and later CDs with my friends and deciding what we wanted to buy, trade and make mixed tapes with.

5. What ingredient makes hanging out better sometimes than others?

Food and music? Girls?

Not too sure which in priority.

Friday 5 for September 23: To The Table

2011-09-23T06:45:00.006-10:00

1. Some friends have invited you over to watch the big game. What do you bring for the snack table?

Anything that is already made that I can conveniently buy from a store... cookies, chips, other snack food types.

2. What do you bring for a potluck lunch at work (or school)?

We usually just buy pizza from Pizza Hut. Easy and they deliver. No need to bring anything. Can buy pizza online too.

3. It’s a regifting party! Everyone brings some gift they never opened or used and leaves with someone else’s. What do you bring?

Star Wars lego spaceship thing that I never opened.

From Friday 5 Answers

4. You’re going camping for a long weekend with a bunch of friends. Everybody agrees to bring one thing that others often don’t think to bring. What’s your contribution?

AM / FM radio with VHF weather band. Comes in handy if you want to know what the forecast may be. (The thing could also receive TV audio but after conversion to digital that part of the radio is now blank).

5. Road trip! The car in which you’re going to spend twenty hours with your closest friends only has a CD player. What do you bring?

Mixed CDs that I made on my Mac, The Beatles #1s, Fleetwood Mac Rumours, Dengue Fever CDs, anything else from my collection that can fit in a small carryon case.

Questions from Scrivener's Friday 5 blog.

Friday 5 for September 2: Falling

2011-09-02T04:31:00.000-10:00

From the Friday 5 website:

"Hello, and welcome to this week’s Friday 5. Please copy these questions to your webspace. Answer the questions there; then leave a comment below so we’ll all know where to check out your responses. Please don’t forget to link us from your website!"

1. What were the circumstances surrounding your most embarrassing (physical) stumble?

I fell in the mud more than 30 years ago while taking a picture at an amusement park in California.

2. As summer winds down and autumn makes its approach, what are you most looking forward to in the changing of the seasons?

Sunsets that set back in the water instead of behind the Waianae mountains from this part of Honolulu. (See photo above)

3. What’s something you’ve recently fallen for?

MacBook Pro 13 inch. Bought it in June.

Last week I bought a new Canon 600D - Rebel T3i camera body because my only DSLR body, an 8 year old Digital Rebel 300D broke! Awaiting the new camera from Amazon.com.

4. Of what has there been a shortfall in your life recently?

Time, maybe money... but time mostly to do stuff I need to do.

5. Has there been any kind of windfall in your life in the past few months?

If it is money.... no. Can't think of anything else.

Friday 5 for August 12: Evidence

2011-08-12T07:30:00.003-10:00

A photograph that is not in focus.

1. What could serve as physical evidence that you sometimes lose focus?

When I take a photo (like the one shown above) that is not in focus.

2. What could serve as physical evidence that you are loved?

My mother.

3. What could serve as physical evidence that you’re from wherever you’re from?

Property tax bill.

4. What could serve as physical evidence that you went anywhere this past week?

Gas station fuel receipt from Lex Brodie's.

5. What could serve as physical evidence that you recently caved in to temptation?

My weight.

Friday 5 for August 5: Lifelong Learning

2011-08-11T22:59:00.004-10:00

A week late and probably a dollar short, but here's last week's answers to the Friday 5.

1. What’s something you recently learned how to do on a computer?

How to download YouTube videos so that I can play them offline with Quicktime, iTunes and on my iPod Touch. Thanks Srivenrer for the link to Evom - http://thelittleappfactory.com/evom/

2. What’s something you recently learned in the kitchen?

To generally avoid it.

3. What’s something you recently learned about the town where you live?

That it costs more as a local resident to subscribe to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser than someone who lives out of town, off island or elsewhere in the world. As a result I ain't subscribing. I already found other news and opinion sources.... for free.

4. What’s something you recently learned from television?

Um... to unsubscribe to Time Warner Oceanic Cable TV after the rates went up earlier this year again. I get a satisfactory amount of decent content from OTA, internet and DVDs.

5. What’s something you recently learned the hard way?

Nothing recently....

Friday 5 for July 29, 2011 - Public Options

2011-07-29T21:30:00.009-10:00

1. When did you last use a public restroom?

Today at work.

2. When did you last ride public transportation?

Airlines are a form of public transportation run by private companies. That was the last time I rode public transportation. Specifically it was done on a Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 717 in June 2011. Plan to ride again in August.

3. How far away from your home is the nearest public housing?

Several miles away from the Next Step Homeless shelter and Mayor Wright Housing.

4. Which of your public utilities is the least reliable?

While I have not had a water main break in my area for ages, our city's water system is subjected to frequent pipe breakages every week.

5. What did you last view on public television or listen to on public radio?

For TV that was probably sometime in January. More than likely I watched the show "Nova" on PBS. My TV broke since that time, I dis-contiued cable, haven't bought a new set yet, and watch available TV content online or on DVD. As for public radio, I rarely listen, and when I do it is either "Bytemarks" on Wednesday afternoons or the BBC News.

These questions were generated from Scrivener's Friday 5 weblog.

Friday 5 for July 15: Long Journeys

2011-07-15T03:54:00.003-10:00

1. What is the longest distance you’ve traveled (in one trip) by foot?

I think the longest was way back in 1981 when a friend and I hiked from the Laie Cemetery up to Laie Falls. That's what 4 miles uphill and then back down??? Don't know. Maybe it's only 2 miles each way.

2. What is the longest trip you’ve taken by car?

Driving around the island of Hawaii (Big Island) - Honokaa to Hilo to Volcano to Kailua-Kona to Waimea back to Honokaa. A few times in the last 40 years.

3. What is the longest trip you’ve taken by plane?

Honolulu to Seattle on a Pan Am Boeing 707. Later Honolulu to Las Angeles and back in a United Airlines 747. Also flew across the U.S. to Boston but made a few stops for several days between points. This was a couple of decades ago.

4. What is the longest trip you’ve taken on some kind of water craft?

Honolulu to Kahului Maui and back on the Hawaii Superferry, December 2007.

Photo: On the open ocean in the Hawaii Superferry. More photos.

The second long trip was last year, 2010 - a trip from Pearl Harbor out to nowhere 250 miles south of Honolulu aboard the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier. Flew back to Hickam AFB on a U.S. Navy helicopter. All in one day. Reported for online news source. More photos. The photo above was taken in the open ocean far away from land from the bridge deck of the aircraft carrier.

5. What is the longest trip you’ve taken aboard a bus or train?

6 miles on the old Lahaina railroad for tourists.

Around the island of Oahu several times on either TheBus #52 or #55 (back in the 1970s when I used to live way up there).

A trip from Edmonton Alberta to Banff National Park, 1974 on a "Motorcoach" (fancy tour bus).

Questions compiled from the weekly Friday 5 weblog.

Friday 5 for June 24: Summer Blockbusters

2011-06-23T17:30:00.005-10:00

Here is the perfect summer song for 2011:

Hello, and welcome to this week’s Friday 5! Please copy these questions to your webspace. Answer the questions there, then leave a comment below so we’ll all know where to check out your responses. Please don’t forget to link us from your website!

1. What transformation do you undergo on summer Fridays at midnight?

I stay up later? I usually stay up after midnight on Fridays summer or not.

2. What super power do the kids in your neighborhood seem to have?

The power to annoy us old folks on their skateboards and loud rap music.

3. Who (or what!) is your nemesis in these warm summer days?

Cockroaches.

4. What is your trustiest weapon against the evil heat monster?

The air conditioner and if outside, more ice, more water.

5. What seems to be invading your life lately, and how will you fend it off?

Clutter - need to toss some of it out.

Friday 5 for June 3: Summer

2011-06-03T05:15:00.003-10:00

On the beach at Waikiki, visit Hawaii this summer!

1. What was your best summer vacation like?

Taking a tour on the U.S. mainland (West to East Coast) back in 1974 and meeting some interesting people and seeing different places.

2. What was your worst summer vacation like?

Probably the year my sister got mortally sick and eventually died 8 months later.

3. What food or drink reminds you of a particular summer?

Nothing in particular.

4. What summer-only activity do you now look most forward to every year?

Probably 4th of July fireworks.

5. What summer movie or summer reading are you most looking forward to this year?

No movies in particular. My previous summers were filled with great sci-fi and fantasy movies such as "Star Wars," "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and the "Star Trek" movies... nowdays, not too many movies prompt me to part with my money. Ticket prices are too high.

I plan to finish reading "Atlas Shrugged" among other books I own.

Friday 5 for May 27 - In the Mood

2011-05-28T08:45:00.005-10:00

From the Friday 5 blog:

"Hello, and welcome to this week’s Friday 5! Please copy these questions to your webspace. Answer the questions there, then leave a comment below so we’ll all know where to check out your responses. Please don’t forget to link us from your website!"

It's Saturday, a day late and a dollar short!

1. What puts you in a creative mood?

Sometimes when I am working on my computer with Photoshop or maybe even writing. I sometimes draw stuff. I don't usually publish it.

2. What puts you in a silly mood?

Want silly? Play the video above.

3. What puts you in a contemplative mood?

When I am thinking about some serious stuff... death, taxes, the future....

4. What puts you in a competitive mood?

Finding a parking space at a busy shopping center during the holiday season. Also not letting those pesky, last minute lane divers into my lane when I am at the intersection with the left turn arrow traffic light.

5. If you’d call yourself a talkative person, what puts you in a quiet mood? If you’d call yourself a quiet person, what puts you in a talkative mood?

I would say I am mostly quiet unless I am talking about stuff that interest me like music, movies, politics, technology, Macs, or answering some trivia questions.

About the video: This computer animation was created over the old Glenn Miller song "In the Mood". This however is a cover version done by Ray Stevens, who is well known for many novelty songs. In 1977 he covered "In the Mood" but billed himself on the record as "Hen House Plus Five Too"... hence the chicken noises.

Friday 5 for May 13: Food Treatments

2011-05-13T17:39:00.002-10:00

1. What’s your favorite pickled food?

Just plain old pickles.

2. What’s your favorite dehydrated food?

If Kellogg's Pop Tarts count, then this would be it.

3. What’s your favorite covered-in-chocolate food?

Chocolate cake, chocolate custard pie, hot fudge chocolate sundae

4. What’s your favorite sauteed-in-garlic-and-butter food?

Garlic chicken, garlic fish, garlic fried rice

5. What’s your favorite order-at-the-drive-through food?

McDonalds' - Quarter pounder meal with fries

Burger King - Whopper with onion rings

Jack in the Box - Jumbo Jack and 2 tacos

all with some kind of soft drink.

Questions taken from the Friday 5 weblog.

Friday 5 for April 22: Tee Vee!

2011-04-21T22:45:00.003-10:00

Friday 5 questions for April 22.

Let me premise this by saying that my TV broke a few months ago. I have decided not to buy one for the time being. I have also discontinued my cable TV service and don't intend to re-up once I get a new TV.

That said most of my "TV" viewing is now done online with my computer, and much of it is free except for my monthly internet access fee.

1. What are your thoughts on late-night television talk shows?

Never watched any of the late night talk shows with regularity. If I did it was boring old ABC News Nightline or something on Fox News Channel.

2. What television program is so bad you can’t believe anyone watches it?

The following are current TV shows that stink:

ABC TV - The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, True Beauty, Wife Swap, Wipeout

CBS - Big Brother, Amazing Race, Arranged Marriage

NBC - most of their shows stink lately except for most of the Law & Order franchise.

Fox - Glee, Family Guy, So You Think You Can Dance, American Idol

CW - Everything on that network stinks.

Syndicated - Oprah, Judge Judy, most daytime talk shows, reality shows.

Cable - All of MTV and VH1 suck - they don't play music videos anymore.

Cable - Lifetime network, all shopping channels, many more.

One of the main reasons why I canceled my cable is because I hate paying for junk I never watch. Why subsidize this crap when I only want to watch a few shows on some channels? I can find several good shows for free online via some of the networks and places like Hulu.com and YouTube. Besides standard TV shows, there are many types of unique videos hosted on YouTube and other services such as Vimeo and UStream.

3. In what way have your television-viewing habits changed over the years?

Since I stopped subscribing to cable I watch way less TV and get most of my content from the internet. Plus I have more time to watch my DVD collection.

As a general thought over the years I have tended to watch more Fox News, C-SPAN, some Discovery and History Channel and occasionally Animal Planet.

I used to subscribe to HBO a long time ago, but after my Betamax died, I discontinued. Back in the 1980s the VCR and HBO (as well as other pay movie services) were a great way to record movies to build a relatively cheap collection.

DVD and DRM changed all of that. I like DVD and maybe will like Blue Ray too. But I absolutely hate DRM. Don’t know what DRM is? Look it up! I'm not a fan of DRM.

When I do get a set again, the computer will be hooked up to it , as well as the DVD player. I have decent over the air digital TV reception, so definitely an antenna set up will also do. Plus I may get either a Roku Box or Apple TV… anything that doesn’t require me to pay additional monthly fees is game for me.

4. If you were in charge of the universe, what changes might you make to television?

Too many that I could think of, but a few that I would implement include:

Allowing viewers to have ala-carte cable. Offer that as an option instead of bundling everything as a package. Let the buyer pick and choose what they want. If no one actively subscribes to a network, then let that network go out of business. TV networks that don’t get viewers should not be allowed to stay in business.

I think they future of TV lies mostly with the internet. We will get ala carte TV as more and more people slowly drift away from the current cable TV and satellite offerings. Hulu, YouTube, NetFlix, and other services are in the wings ready to eventually become mainstream.

5. What is most likely the very next thing you will be watching on television?

Nothing! My TV is broken. I’ll be watching something on my computer -- more than likely a music video on YouTube, a local newscast snippet or a clip from Fox News TV.

Anyone who wants to suggest more online places where we can get interesting content let me know. Leave a comment below.

Friday 5 for April 15 - Unwanted Attention

2011-04-15T04:20:00.001-10:00

I try not to draw attention to myself.

1. Among people you know, who seems to be most attractive to mosquitoes?

Not too many mosquitoes in my area.. so no one in particular. You need a source of standing water nearby to attract mosquitoes.

2. Among people you know, who seems to be most attractive to illness-causing viruses and bacteria?

Illness attack people I know at random. There is no one person that can be singled out.

3. Among people you know, who seems to be most attractive to rip-off artists?

A few years ago I would have said my mother. Not anymore. She learned.

4. In what way were you recently the object of unwanted attention?

A few years ago a photo of myself was maliciously used on a website. I hate having my picture taken.

5. When you go out with friends, which of you is most likely to be flirted with?

No one. I rarely "go out".

Friday 5 for March 25: March Madness

2011-03-25T03:45:00.003-10:00

My March is not as "mad" as most other peoples' Marches. These are my answers to the latest Friday 5 meme questions.

1. When did you last have occasion to march anywhere?

I marched in several parades while playing trumpet for our high school band... not to mention also marching on the football field during halftime performances... this was many decades ago in a previous life. No photos exist.

2. What kind of hula-hooper are you?

I don't do that, but I would suspect I'd be extremely lousy.

3. What kind of madness is most likely to infect you this weekend?

Nothing very critical unless I get upset about hand coding an html page or something like that.

4. Under what circumstances this past week might you have had reason to shout, “SCORE!”

Hasn't happened this week.

5. When did you last inadvertently dribble, drool, or otherwise let liquid escape your mouth while trying to keep it in?

Probably when I was asleep or brushing my teeth. Luckily none of this occurred in public. I was at the car show last weekend, but none of the vehicles made me drool after looking at the prices.

Drool....

Friday 5 for February 18: Connections

2011-02-18T21:30:00.003-10:00

These are my answers to this week's questions on "Connections" for the Friday 5.

1. Nowadays, just about everyone knows a couple who first met online. Among couples you know, who has the best story?

No one I can think of who met online. Hey, I'm old. I'm not "just about everyone".

2. Who among your real-life acquaintances might you never have been friends with if you hadn’t gotten to know each other online first?

A friend that I met on a BBS many years ago.

3. Of people you know online only, who would you most like to meet in real life?

Not naming any names here... sorry.

4. In the past 365 days, what’s the longest you’ve gone without connecting in any way to the Internet, including email?

From November 17 to December 3, 2010 I was mostly offline due to the fact that I spent most of the time at Hilo Hospital watching my Dad slowly wither away and die. Sad times indeed.

5. Who is the least-connected person you know in real life?

My Mom in so far as not being online.

Friday 5 for February 11: Late Nights

2011-02-11T22:00:00.020-10:00

Here are my late night answers for this week's Friday 5:

1. What’s the best thing about being awake when the rest of the world seems to be sleeping?

Not very much traffic in the wee hours of the night. Love that. Roads are not crowded and it is easy to find parking at most places.

2. Where can you go when you get a case of the late-night munchies?

Here in Honolulu my favorite places to go are Zippys' Restaurants or Like Like Drive In for a meal.

For fast food, most of the McDonalds' and Jack in the Box places have a 24-7 drive thru.

For take home food, we have grocery stores, a big box and drug stores open 24-7...

WalMart, Foodland, Safeway, Don Quijote, Longs' Drug, Walgreens come to mind.

3. What open-all-night establishment has saved you from catastrophe, and what were the circumstances?

Probably WalMart when I needed something for late that night or early the next morning.

4. What’s the worst thing about being awake when the rest of the world seems to be sleeping?

Missing the sunshine and seeing your daytime friends.

5. When you are up all night at home for whatever reason, what’s most likely to be on the television to keep you company?

Security camera image from our main lounge or Fox News. Mostly late night I rather listen to the radio... Coast to Coast AM with George Noory or iTunes.

Zippys' is one of the good places to get late night munchies.

Too Much Not Enough - F5 for Feb 4

2011-02-04T04:20:00.007-10:00

Answers to this week's Friday 5!

1. Who’s not as funny as he or she thinks?

I don't think David Letterman's very funny. But then is he really a comedian? Probably not.

2. What’s not as big a deal as everyone else seems to think?

Global warming, climate change - biggest pile of bullshit since the bull. People on the mainland are freezing their asses off, shoveling snow and skidding on icy roads. Temps way, way down. Global warming my ass.

I'd put President Barrack Obama right behind that or maybe even in the same place. Full of bull again.

3. What’s something people aren’t concerned enough about?

Taxes and the high cost of living in Hawaii. Sadly people are not concerned about this enough to get rid of the local politicians who implement more taxes upon us every year. We need more fiscal conservatives who can cut the budget and wasteful spending. Reduce taxes. No New Taxes!

4. What’s something in the grocery store that’s underrated?

Batteries - you take them for granted, but when you need them, you are happy to find them in a grocery store even if you have to pay more than in a discount or electronics store.

5. What do you pay too much attention to?

Politics

Friday 5 for January 28: Unrelated

2011-01-29T07:50:00.002-10:00

It's Saturday and I'm answering The Friday 5!

Please copy these questions to your webspace. Answer the questions there, then leave a comment below so we’ll all know where to check out your responses.

1. What’s your favorite kind of cracker?

What was my favorite kind of cracker... Hilo Macaroni Factory Brand Salon Pilots... long gone since 2003. Cracker factory went out of business. Sad. On another note visit this link to get my recipe for "Cracker Toast".

2. What part of your residence gets the best natural lighting?

The front of my building during the afternoon.

3. What song have you frequently listened to lately?

According to my Last.FM song tracker that would be "Heart of Stone" by the Raveonettes for this week.

4. What could you use a little break from?

Work.

5. What’s going on in your town this weekend?

Chinese New Year. Kung Hee Fat Choy. Year of the Rabbit.

Friday 5 for January 21: Super

2011-01-28T04:34:00.001-10:00

It's 4:23 AM Hawaii time and the January 28 Friday 5 has not been posted. I'll answer the January 21 edition.

1. There are superheroes named Superman, Superfly, and Supergirl. Based on your performance this past week in whatever you do, what would have been your Super_____ name?

My super name? This past week it would have been Superoverworked.

2. This week, what has been superterrific and what has been superlame?

Superterrific - a cool picture I shot of Shiro Matsuo, Hawaii's Saimin King on Jan. 27.

Superlame - The Governor's State of the State address.

3. Which of Superman’s abilities would have been the most useful this week?

X-ray vision could always be useful.

4. What do you most expect will be super this weekend?

Nothing much.

5. What are your thoughts this week about the coming Super Bowl?

I wonder who will have the best multi-million dollar commercial on Fox TV.

Friday 5 for December 31: Saving

2010-12-31T09:03:00.000-10:00

1. When dining out, do you usually save room for dessert?

Sometimes.

2. How do you feel about saving places in line or saving seats in theaters?

I generally don't like it.

3. What’s one thing you did to save money this past year?

I have regular savings accounts that are routinely updated on a regular interval.

4. Besides money, what’s something you’re saving for later?

A small emergency supply of water and food.

5. In what way did you recently save the best for last?

Can't think of anything recent.

These are answers to questions posted at the weekly Friday 5 blog.

Happy New Year.

Catching Up with the Friday 5

2010-12-17T05:30:00.001-10:00

Haven't done this in weeks due to a death in my family.

Friday 5 for December 17: Excursions

1. Of excursions you remember taking in elementary school, which was your favorite?

JPO excursion to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park while in the 5th grade.

2. Of excursions you remember taking in elementary school, which was your least favorite?

Can't think of any - all excursions were good because we got out of regular classwork.

3. What seems like a really good school excursion destination that nobody seems to take?

Mortuary

4. Which of your recent activities might pass for an educational excursion?

Preparing and arranging for a funeral. Learned a lot from a recent experience.

5. When a sack lunch was needed for a field trip, what was most likely in your brown paper bag? How about now?

Generally food that I like.

Friday 5 for December 10: Rain

1. What’s the worst thing about really bad rainstorms?

Flying in a heavy rainstorm, flooding - damage to homes and businesses, loss of lives, catastrophic landslides, cars getting stuck or getting into a rain related accident, power outages

2. What’s the best thing about really bad rainstorms?

Perhaps staying home and watching videos - if the power stays on.

3. What’s your favorite (be honest!) way to pass the time when the power’s out?

Listening to the radio to find out if the power outage is localized or widespread, and find out what time the power may come back on. Also calling friends and relatives to see if they have power or not.

4. In what ways are you always prepared for a bad storm?

I live in a condo - I have food, flashlight, radio, videos, - I stay home if at all possible.

5. What’s your favorite song with the word “rain” in the title?

1. "Rain" by The Beatles

2nd favorite "Rhythm of the Rain" by The Cascades.

Friday 5 for November 5: Packing

2010-11-05T04:45:00.003-10:00

Questions from the Friday 5 blog.

1. How far ahead of time do you begin packing for a weekend trip?

Usually the day or night before I leave. I only travel to one island usually, and I already have stuff there, so packing is minimal when it comes to clothes. Only additions are camera and laptop computer. Gotta have those.

2. What was your most recent purchase of a six-pack?

I've drastically cut down on buying anything in bottles or cans because of the bottle tax.

3. What do you look for in a good everyday backpack?

I don't own a backpack, and I don't like being near people with dirty backpacks.

4. Among people you know, who’s the worst packrat?

Myself.

5. How do you know when it’s time to pack it in each evening?

When I start cussing the computer when something goes wrong.

Friday 5 for October 29 - Excess

2010-10-30T17:15:00.004-10:00

It's Saturday and here's the Friday 5 for October 29. Whoopeee!!!!

1. What has there been too much of in your life lately?

Junk food. Need to cut back.

2. In what areas of your life might you currently be overextended?

Keeping up with managing and editing several websites including this one.

3. What seems about to be going into overtime?

Lack of sleep.

4. In what way does your cup runneth over?

When I forget to turn off the faucet while filling up a cup.

5. What’s your favorite INXS song?

And this is the question I wanted to answer. My favorite INXS song? Easy - "Ordinary Sin" has been my favorite song by this Australian band since I first saw the video (posted above) on WTBS Night Tracks way back in around 1983! Boy does that date me. A lot of music that I like date me.

Anyways, my top 5 INXS songs just on a whim are...

1. Ordinary Sin
2. Need You Tonight
3. Calling All Nations
4. Suicide Blonde
5. I Send A Message

Friday 5 for October 22: Holy Moly

2010-10-22T20:15:00.008-10:00

Photo by WmJs. See this picture super sized.

"Hello, and welcome to this week’s Friday 5! Please copy the questions to your webspace. Answer the questions there, then leave a comment below so we’ll all know where to check out your responses. Please don’t forget to link us from your website!"

1. What gives you the heebie-jeebies?

COCKROACHES... especially the big, flying "B-52" sized American Cockroach just like the one pictured above. Horrible creepy creatures. I hate them when they fly. I hate them when they are on the ground. They give me the creeps when I try to kill them... stepping on them makes a horrible crispy cornflakes like crushing sound... and they still get up! And try to run. Repulsive sons of bitches these things are. They might as well be like that big Alien Ripley was trying to kill in those famous movies... yeach!

2. When were you most recently in double trouble?

Nothing recently or even in the not so distant past.

3. What puts you in the mood for some hanky-panky?

I'm a boring person. I don't engage in such activities.

4. What easy-breezy task is still a pain in the neck to accomplish?

Christmas shopping.

5. What area in your life seems especially rife with mumbo-jumbo?

Politics from the other side of the aisle. Some of those people on the other side are like cockroaches.

Catching Up with the Friday 5

2010-10-15T00:01:00.004-10:00

This week I have answers to 2 Friday 5's. I looked at last week's 5 and thought they were good enough to answer one week late. I was not near the internet too often last weekend.

Friday 5 for October 15

Every Sha La La La... it's Yesterday Once More...

The Carpenters... Karen and Richard. Unbelievable that Richard is now 64. Wow.

I totally relate to their music since my long ago deceased sister first became a fan. "Now and Then" with the extended "Yesterday Once More" medley combined with 60s oldies is my favorite Carpenters song / side... great stuff!!!!

1. Why do birds suddenly appear every time you are near?

They long to be "Close to You" and looking for a free handout!!!!

2. What always gets you down? Paying taxes.

3. If you had to live yesterday once more (literally yesterday, as in Thursday the 14th), which part might be worth writing a pretty pop song about?

"Resizing Photos with Malia"

4. Where’s the coolest place you’ve been where you could look “down on creation?”

That would have to be Volcanoes National Park - Looking at hot lava oozing out of a crater is the ultimate rush in seeing something being created

5. What’s something in your life that has only just begun? Diet.

Friday 5 for October 8

Mementos

1. Do you still have your senior yearbook? Where is it?

Yes. It's at my parents' place. I have a photo of it and the previous year. See above.

2. What souvenir did you bring back from your last trip?

Pictures and a video clip of my Dad.

3. What visible signs are there of your most recent injury?

Scratch on my knee from Poof the Cat.

4. What’s the neatest wedding favor you’ve ever seen?

Can't recall any recent or distant ones.

5. What do you do with playbills and movie-ticket stubs?

I've kept some of them... Rolling Stones ticket stub from 1998.... movie stubs from Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back. Several others. Sadly others have been lost.. Fleetwood Mac 1977 and 1979 concerts.... Eagles 1976 concert.... Elton John 1980 concert...

Friday 5 for October 1: Drops

2010-10-01T07:00:00.004-10:00

Hello! Welcome to this week’s Friday 5! Please copy these questions to your webspace. Answer the questions there, then leave a comment below so we’ll all know where to check out your responses. Please don’t forget to link us from your website!

1. What was the last thing you dropped on the kitchen floor? Ice cubes.

2. What cough drops do you like, and do they work very well?

Halls mentholyptus - the red, blue or clear white ones. They provide temporary relief form sore throats and coughing, but no cure.

3. Who was the last person you dropped off somewhere? My boss at the airport.

4. When were you ever dropped like a bad habit?

In May 2010.

5. What are your favorite kind of raindrops?

The ones that drizzle, barely touches the surface and then instantly evaporates.

One of my favorite songs about "drops":

Kenny Rogers & the First Edition
Just Dropped In (to See What Condition my Condition was in)

Friday 5 for September 17: Nagging

2010-09-17T08:12:00.000-10:00

1. What kinds of nagging injuries do you have? Pain in my right shoulder that has persisted now for more than 2 months. Doctor just gave me pain reliever so far.

2. What long-procrastinated task is nagging at you lately? Taxes usually.

3. In what way have you been a nag to someone else? n/a

4. Who in your life is a world-class nag? No one I can think of.

5. Nag is such an ugly word. What would be a nicer way to describe someone who exhibits nagging tendencies?

Negative persistence.

While "Nag" is such an ugly word, it makes for a great rock n roll song. See video above.

Questions from Scrivener's Friday 5

Friday 5 for September 10: Fields

2010-09-09T21:30:00.002-10:00

Friday 5 for Sept. 10: Fields

Questions from the weekly Friday 5 website.

1. What is the field nearest your home like?

There are a couple of scrawny baseball fields in Ala Moana Park. That's about the nearest "field" to my home. I live in urban Honolulu. As far as fields go, my favorite is Kapiolani Park - the place has a big, expansive field that can be used for multiple events at the same time. However the best time for me to go there is when hardly anyone is using it. I just like to simply walk through it and admire the not so distant landmarks from there... Diamond Head to the east and Waikiki's urban jungle to the west.

2. How did you get into the professional field you’re in? If you’re not working, what field are you most likely to find yourself in some day?

Currently I'm an administrative type of person, but I spend a lot of time creating, modifying, editing various media projects for my employer as well as a handful of other individuals and organizations. Those media things are usually web pages, blogs, photography, news writing and some graphic arts. These learned skills have been applied to my job in the political field.

3. What’s the most interesting sight within your current field of vision?

Not much in my cluttered apartment... so the most interesting sight within my current filed of vision is the MacBook Pro computer I'm typing this entry on.

4. Where were you the last time you fielded questions from several people in turn?

A few months ago at work, and occasionally during the slow season, a few phone calls from people with questions on procedure, process and issues.

5. How are you feeling right now?

Ho-hum (9-9-10) because I was not feeling very well for part of the day. Had a medical problem recur. Will be talking to my doctor tomorrow (9-10-10).

Friday 5 for Sept. 3 - Ink

2010-09-03T20:15:00.013-10:00

Photo by Matthew Cook as seen on Flickr

Friday 5 for September 3: Ink

From Scrivener's Friday 5: "Hello, and welcome to this week’s Friday 5! Please copy these questions to your webspace. Answer them there, then leave a comment below so we’ll all know where to check out your responses. Please don’t forget to link us from your website!"

1. What are the coolest and ugliest tattoos you’ve ever seen?

I have no tattoos, and am not a fan of them. Therefore I don't have much of an opinion of them as art one way or another. I just personally don't like them.

2. Have you ever had a meal in which squid ink was an ingredient? How was it?

No to the first question and can't answer the second.

3. Are you one of those people who has a favorite pen, or one of those people who just uses whatever’s at hand? What’re your favorite pens like?

I have long ago given up on "favorite pens" because back in the day when I did have a few good ones like Parker or Sheaffer fountain pens, they only got lost or stolen. Although now after thinking about this I want to run out to the store and get myself another nice pen.

Back in the olden days of manual paste-up I used also use a Rapidograph pen to draw fine, straight, black lines. Those were nice and costly.

4. There’s a box of colored markers on the table, and someone tells everyone assembled to grab one. If you have first pick, what do you take?

Black because it is a good place to start and perhaps finish too. Hopefully it's a fine point Sharpie.

5. Have you ever written on a wall in a public place?

Not really, I respect public and private property. I think graffiti should not be promoted as "art" if it ambushes property owners. People who dwell in illegal graffiti ought to be put in jail, pay a hefty fine and paint the graffiti over at the place they committed the crime using their own funds. Grafitti is just trashy, unauthorized art especially when done to just to mark territory like dogs. Despicable.

Friday 5 for August 20: Mint!

2010-08-20T15:15:00.002-10:00

Friday 5 for August 20 - Mint!

Questions from Scrivener's weekly Friday 5 site.

1. How picky are you about toothpaste?

I usually stick with Crest Regular.

2. What’s the best cooked dish you’ve had that included mint?

None that I can think of.

3. How far would you have to go from where you are right now to get a breath mint?

About 1 block away from my home to the store.

4. Got any gum?

No.

5. What’s something you keep in mint condition?

A few of my coins that I have kept are in mint condition as well as the two-dollar bills shown above.

Friday 5 for July 30: Oceans

2010-07-30T00:01:00.018-10:00

From Scrivener's Friday 5 website, this week's questions deal with oceans.

"Hello, and welcome to this week’s Friday 5! Please copy these questions to your webspace. Answer the questions there; then leave a comment below so we’ll all know where to check out your responses. Please don’t forget to link us from your website!"

1. When were you last in ocean waters?

On July 6 I went on a trip to nowhere aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan. You can read about it here and also see more photos here. The photo above is of the open ocean as seen from one of the hangar decks aboard the huge aircraft carrier. By the way I am not in the military. I was invited to go on this trip as part of a media tour for the first day of RIMPAC operations.

2. When did you last fly over ocean waters?

I rode a U.S. Navy Seahawk helicopter over 50 miles of open ocean from the USS Ronald Reagan back north to the island of Oahu and Hickam Air Force Base on July 6. I will be taking a 400+ mile jet round trip from Oahu to the Big Island of Hawaii in August.

Here's a view of the open ocean and the island of Oahu in the distance as I flew back on the Seahawk helicopter. The entire trip from carrier to base took about 35 minutes flying at an altitude of about 600 feet.

3. What ocean sports activity seems like the most fun?

Probably surfing but I am not a surfer. Would be nice if I had learned because it looks like a great place to take pictures from. But alas, I am way too old and out of shape for that kind of stuff today. I prefer to stay safely on shore and just watch the waves.

A surf shot I took several months ago.

4. What are your thoughts or feelings about public aquariums?

They are great places to look at fish and other lifeforms in an underwater environment without risking your life and limb. Just pay the admission and walk through the many displays.

5. What are your thoughts or feelings about sushi?

I love it especially with pieces of raw fish in it and wrapped in nori. Great rice alternative. Try it if you ever have a chance.

Friday 5 for July 16: Legend and Lore

2010-07-17T12:45:00.008-10:00

Hey, it's Saturday and here are my answers to yesterday's Friday 5!

1. Most neighborhoods have at least one place that’s (according to lore) haunted. What the haunted place in your neighborhood (or in the neighborhood where you grew up), and what’s the story?

See the story in #2 below (haunted and stupid combined).

2. Most neighborhoods have at least one place where some kid (according to legend) did something daring, dangerous, and most likely stupid. What’s the place in your neighborhood (or in the neighborhood where you grew up), and what’s the story?

Can't remember the name of this church right off hand. It is located near a former cane field that is now surrounded by an agricultural forest. For the most part this church is not known to be haunted.

About 25 years ago my kid brother and his friends went up to the church after a party one night and fooled around inside the structure and in the cemetery next to it. They had broken into the church and vandalized it. My brother told me that some kind of haunted spirits came after them. He said one person was levitated and thrown in a truck. The others were scared and ran out of the church and property. I forget most of the details of his story, but needless to say these young teens (at the time) got out of Dodge on their vehicles and went home.

While they were at home, many of them could not sleep and had other emotional problems for days. One day they had to confess to someone and upon doing so had to get the situation remedied. So they had to meet the caretaker of the church, an older Hawaiian man and got a Hawaiian blessing to chase the spirits away from them and apparently make everything “pono” again. After that they were apparently ok.

My brother told me the story in vivid detail but generally doesn’t like to repeat it. A picture of the church that I took in 1995 appears above.

3. Most neighborhoods have some lame building (like a bank or a gas station) where there used to be something much, much cooler. What’s the place in your neighborhood (or in the neighborhood where you grew up), and what’s the story?

I am still saddened that one of my favorite theaters of all time, the Cinerama on King and Punahou Streets in Honolulu closed in 1999 and became a Checker car parts store. That is the theater that I spent many of my college and later years watching first run movies such as Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back.

Another set of theaters that have closed are the old Waikiki #3 theater and the newer Waikiki #1 and #2 theaters. The Waikiki #3 was built in the 1930s and finally went out of business in 2002. I saw a lot of movies there including the re-edited Star Wars (1997) and many others. Last movie I saw at the Waikiki #3 was Lilo & Stitch.

All of the theaters mentioned here were single screen venues with very large screens, generally good, comfortable seating and fantastic sound for their time. The Waikiki #3 is especially known for its décor that featured palm trees, fake clouds and a real organ that if you were lucky enough, some guy was playing while you waited for the movie to start.

The Waikiki #3 was torn down and ritzy tourist trap shops were put in its place.

The Waikiki #1 and #2 opened in 1970 and closed in 2003. Those huge twin screen theaters remained vacant until this year when it was announced that they’ll be gutted and placed in its interior will be the largest Ross’s discount clothing store in Hawaii.

Fact is I miss most of the single screen, movie palace type theaters. The old New Royal Theater in Waikiki was razed many years ago and today a big concrete hotel sits on that property. The old Kuhio Theater in Waikiki was a nice single screen venue, that was split into 2 screens in the 1970s and torn down in the 1990s to make way for another development.

Such is the pace of progress….

4. In most neighborhoods of our youths, there are a few places that almost always cause us to say, “That’s the place where I _________.” What’s one such place in the neighborhood where you grew up, and what’s the story?

Back in my college days I spent way too much time hanging out in the darkroom and our college newspaper office putting the paper together in the old fashioned way without the use of any desktop publishing system and using chemicals to develop film and print pictures from that film of what we took. Plenty of hours, too much time to be efficient in today’s computer world. The college paper is still around in the same place today but of course everything is computerized.

5. Where in the neighborhood where you grew up would you most likely run into someone today who knew you when you were a kid?

If I go back to my hometown people are bound to run into someone they know at the post office or the local grocery store.

Friday 5 for July 2: Dog & Pony Shows

2010-07-02T01:30:00.031-10:00

Great questions from Scrivener's Friday 5 weblog....

Of course I'm spinning them in my own way! Enjoy....

Here's a zoo animal that costs the taxpayers too much money.

1. What’s your favorite zoo animal?

Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann is one of my favorite Honolulu zoo animals. The guy is a political bully and is largely responsible for the added tax burden upon the State of Hawaii's people. Why? Because we are and will be paying a huge cash outlay to fund his egotistic, unneeded, heavy gauge, fixed rail, choo choo train mass transit project. The thing will cost at least $6 billion to build and countless millions and billions to maintain and sustain. Plus it will be the biggest, ugliest blight ever constructed in the City of Honolulu. It will ruin our sense of place and divide communities.

Former U.S. Congressman Neil Abercrombie can rival any squealing or howling monkey at the zoo when giving a speech espousing his socialistic and collective views.

2. What’s your favorite circus act?

Democrats in the Hawaii State Legislature, Democrats in the U.S. Congress and President Barack Obama. All of these circus acts make great fodder for conservative talk radio. Sadly these circus acts cost the taxpayers way too much money while they take away more of our freedoms.

3. When did you last attend (or participate in) a parade?

The last parade I attended was the annual Downtown Honolulu Chinese New Year parade and festival. Check out the photo slideshow above.

4. When did you last attend a sporting event?

While waiting for a political meeting to start this past February at a local gymnasium, I watched a pretty good game of amateur, co-ed pick up league basketball.

5. What unique festivals does your area feature in celebration of some kind of food?

While I have never been to it, the Waikiki Spam Jam is quite notable and popular in these parts. It pays homage and celebrates the strange meat in the blue can. It is not a festival for junk emails.

Friday 5 for June 25: Breakfast

2010-06-25T17:30:00.002-10:00

I like pancakes and waffles for breakfast.

1. Oh my goodness! You have to run out the door right now and you haven’t eaten! Before dashing out, what do you grab to wolf down on your way?

Often I simply don't eat but grab a snack later at the store.

2. What’s a popular breakfast you dislike?

Easy over eggs. I don't like any eggs that seem to be raw. Scrambled eggs are just fine.

I also dislike raisin bran cereals - all types.

3. You’re going out for breakfast anywhere you want, and someone else is treating! Where do you go and what do you order?

No place in particular except maybe at my Mom's house. Air fare anyone?

4. What do you have when you need a simple, healthy (or healthy-ish, for those of you who just don’t do healthy!) breakfast?

Diamond Saloon Pilot Crackers with peanut butter. The old Hilo Saloon Pilot Crackers were better.

Check out my recipe for "Cracker Toast"

5. You’ve been invited to a breakfast potluck. What are you most likely to bring?

I try to avoid 99% of most potlucks.

I'm surprised there is no favorite breakfast food question. My favorite breakfast foods are waffles with butter & syrup, hot whipped chocolate or pancakes with bacon and scrambled eggs.

Friday 5 for May 14: Cookieeee!

2010-05-14T06:00:00.006-10:00

1. What is absolutely the best cookie you’ve ever had?

I think any cookie that is homemade, coming out warm, fresh from the oven is the best. My aunt used to make good cookies.

2. What is a cookie you really don’t care for?

Any cookie with raisins. I don't like raisins. Because of that I'll either break the cookie up to pick out and toss the raisins or not eat it at all.

I also don't like most of the cookies that get loaded into my browser cache that come from many websites - especially advertising websites. It is always a good idea to clear your brower's cache and history, especially on your work computer.

3. What are some other cookies you are rather fond of?

Many types, especially those that are coated with chocolate, wafers, Oreos, chocolate battered, chocolate chipped, etc.

4. Grocery-store cookies are, of course, never as good as anything that comes out of someone’s kitchen, but what’s a packaged cookie that’s still pretty good?

Lately my favorites are Tim Tams.

Tim Tam, originally uploaded by 스튜와트.

5. In general, do you think cookies should be chewy and gooey, or should they be crispy and crunchy?

I like chewy cand gooey but crispy and crunchy is OK too.

Questions from the weekly Friday 5 website.

Friday 5 for April 30: Red

2010-04-30T06:30:00.001-10:00

RED: The color a lot of people's bank accounts will be after the State of Hawaii and Federal Government tax increases take more of our money!!!

And now the questions as asked from the weekly Friday 5 website:

1. What is your favorite red food?

Probably some sort of sashimi dish or poki aku or ahi. For you mainlanders that is raw fish. Yum!

2. When were you last caught red-handed?

When I accidentally cut a finger with a knife a few months ago.

3. What's your nicest red article of clothing?

A shirt that I wore to the Tax Day TEA Party. That shirt symbolizes all of the red ink our wallets and bank accounts will incur after the tax increases passed by the Hawaii State Legislature and the Obummer administration kick in.

4. Who's got the loveliest red hair?

Can't think of anyone I know personally.

There are hundreds and thousands of famous personalities with that trait. I guess for me it would be Marcia Cross an actress who is on the TV series "Desparate Housewives". I think singer Neko Case is pretty too. Years previous, I'd also vote for actress Molly Ringwald. She was pretty sweet in the movie Sixteen Candles.

Of course who is a true red head these days since anyone can color their hair red or all other shades of the rainbow.

5. What are your thoughts on the 2002 Baz Luhrmann film Moulin Rouge!?

Never saw the movie.

Friday 5 for April 9: Multimedia

2010-04-09T02:30:00.002-10:00

1. What Rolling Stones song best summarizes the week you just had?

"Time Waits For No One", and it won't wait for me..... yes, I got sick this past week and missed a lot of things and had to catch up for a while on stuff. Actually a better song for me this past week would have been Aerosmith's "Sick as a Dog".

2. What movie reminds you most of your childhood?

Too many to mention... but probably the original "Planet of the Apes" with Charlton Hestion is my late childhood favorite since I saw that several times in the theater between 1968 to 1970, when it was double billed with “Beneath the Planet of the Apes”... The movie often brings back childhood memories for me when I think about the childhood friends that I went to the theater with to see this movie.

3. What part of the newspaper do you never (or almost never) read?

The classifieds, most of the sports section, some of the world news section, it depends on the paper. Classifieds are really a waste of time since there are hardly any ads other than those put up by car dealerships and real estate firms. We can all thank Craigslist for this since most of the real world classified ads now appear online at this free service.

I also never read horoscopes (waste of time and I don't believe in that crap), bridge column, Dear Abby, crossword puzzle, most of the liberal left opinion writers.

4. What television show is a lot better than you thought it would be?

The most recent one would have to be the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica which aired on the SciFi channel for the past 4 years between 2005 – 2009. It was based on the original series of the same name which aired in the late 1970s.

The new version blew that old one out of the water with a better, darker storyline that unraveled like a serial over its 4 year run. It had better character development , some twisted storyline sub-plots, a mythical ethos, death, destruction and better special effects.

The new version of V is also better than its 1980s original, though the original mini-series from 1983 that started it all still holds strong today IMO.

5. What station is the radio nearest you set on at this moment?

KHVH 830 AM News and Talk. I have several radios and most of the time when I listen to radio today, I am on KHVH. They air my most of my favorite conservative talk radio shows including the locally hosted Rick Hamada Show, and the nationally syndicated Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Coast to Coast AM shows. Yes, I am a Tea Party conservative and in this day and age when Obummer and his ilk are driving our great country further and further to the left in their unlentless march to socialism, it is conservative talk radio and Fox News Channel that we need the most in today’s twisted world.

Photo: Cast and characters of the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica TV series.

Friday 5 for April 2: Baskets

2010-04-02T06:33:00.004-10:00

1. What is your laundry basket like?

Plastic. 2 of them.

2. What in your life is threatening to go to hell in a handbasket?

Higher taxes, more cost and less freedom due to the liberal wackos in charge of running our country and the socialist state of Hawaii.

3. What was the occasion for your receiving your last gift basket, and what was in it?

Have not gotten a gift basket in recent years.

4. When could you last have been described as a basket case?

When I had to have an invasive medical procedure done on me last year.

5. How’s your bread basket?

I keep my bread in a cupboard. The green bread stays in the bank.

Answer these questions at the Friday 5 weblog.

Friday 5 for March 26 - Sleep

2010-03-26T13:00:00.001-10:00

Listening to music on iTunes sometimes put me to sleep.

1. How many hours’ sleep do you need in order to be at your best, and what’s the minimum you can get on a regular basis and still be functional?

8 hours is ideal, however 5 to 6 is ok.

4 hours just makes it, and anything under that is not so good.

2. What’s your favorite sleeping position?

Lying down.

3. What was the cause of your most recent difficulty sleeping?

Coughing due to a bad cold last month.

4. When you can’t seem to drift off to sleep right away, what are some things you do to bring about sleep?

Listen to late night talk radio or music on my iTunes/Power Mac G4.

5. When did you last doze off at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate place?

Recently for a few minutes at work.... mostly nodding off.

Friday 5 for March 19 - Chit Chat

2010-03-19T15:15:00.000-10:00

Totally useless Friday 5 questions, but here goes...

1. “Come here often?”

I don't have a "here" that I go to often that other people ask me about. And if they did my answer would be "no". Fact is the only "here" that I go to often is work and home. Home is my best "here".

2. “What’s new?”

That would depend on what was new at the moment. If there is nothing, then more often than not, "nothing new". But once in a while there is something new - like a new car, new computer, new song or a new place. "What's new" like most of these are just idle chatter topics people come up with when there is nothing to really talk about.

Currently the latest "what's new" for me is a $2 game I bought online for the Nintendo DSi called "Aura Aura Climber". Got it last week. Kind of cutesy game probably aimed at kids but a good pass time for a few minutes.

3. “[insert your recent weather condition here] enough for ya?”

"Rain" enough for you - maybe, maybe not. No one ever asks "hurricane" enough for you.

4. “How’s it hangin?”

I don't like that question, never ask it myself. Sounds so hip-hoppish.

5. “How ’bout them [insert local sports team here]?”

"How bout them Rainbow Warriors", which in most cases the answer is "not so good".

Friday 5 for March 12: Deadlines

2010-03-12T04:10:00.002-10:00

1. When was the last time you had a serious deadline to make, and did you make it?

We have frequent deadlines at my workplace. I have met all of them so far this year. I’ve been at this workplace for 10+ years.

2. Do you generally plan for deadlines, or are they more likely to sneak up on you until you’re frantic?

I generally plan for them. I generally like to start early and hopefully finish early. I am one of those types of people that I just have to be at the airport early for my flight. When I was in school and was the newspaper and yearbook editor (at different times), I always made the deadline… which of course meant staying up late into the wee hours. In those days we did not have Macintosh computers!

3. When did you last set a deadline for someone else, and did that person make it?

At work we have routine deadlines that not only I have to follow, but the rest of our staff. They usually make it.

4. How flexible and understanding are you when it comes to other people meeting your deadlines?

It depends on the task. If another department requires us to meet that deadline I am pretty stringent on us meeting it. Not very flexible in those occasions because the rest of the organization will just leave us behind.

5. What were the circumstances the last time you hung up on someone in the middle of a phone call, or the last time someone hung up on you in the middle of a phone call?

A few days ago someone hung up on me after calling me an "asshole".

Photo: An almost entirely forgotten song called "Mr. Deadline" by Vigrass and Osborne never made a dent on the charts back in its day of 1972.

Friday 5 for March 5 - Staples

2010-03-05T06:45:00.001-10:00

1. Of all the hundreds of sizes and shapes bread seems to come in, what is your favorite?

Whatever is affordable and tastes good.

2. What’s your favorite thing to eat with rice?

Any plate lunch or dinner type of foods - chicken, beef, fish, etc. Fried rice is a favorite.

3. What are your feelings about milk?

I like it with cereal, but I don't like it if the cereal gets too soggy. Best to eat milked cereal quickly.

4. What was wrapped in the tortilla you most recently ate?

Probably beef and beans, maybe cheese. Been a while since I had one.

5. How many staplers are there in your house and where are they?

I have 2 staplers in my house and right now I don't know where either of them are.

Photo above: Fried rice is one of my favorite rice dishes.

Questions taken from the weekly Friday 5 blog by Scrivener.

Friday 5 for February 19 - Rules

2010-02-19T06:30:00.000-10:00

1. Be honest: what are some rules you have for yourself that don’t
really make much sense?

Don't walk outside barefooted - you may step on glass, a bee or a sharp metal object.

2. What rules of questionable sense did your parents have for you when
you were young?

Probably going to bed at 8pm and missing some prime time TV that occurred after that. This was through my early elementary school years.

3. What’s a rule most people (if not all people) seem never to obey?

There are plenty...

a. Running red lights.
b. Crossing against the orange flashing light. Also J-walkers.
c. Running through crosswalks when the countdown timer says less than 5 seconds.
d. Drivers not using turn signals.
e. Drivers who talk on their cell phone while driving even though we have a law that prohibits that.
f. Drivers who do not yield the right of way for pedestrians at crosswalks.
g. Drivers who follow your vehicle too closely (tailgaters).

h. Idiots who burst illegal fireworks.
i. Idiots who burst legal fireworks on illegal fireworks days (about 360 days a year).
j. Smokers who smoke in "no smoking zones". The signs clearly say that. The law says so. Yet they smoke!!!!

k. People who let their cell phones ring at movie theaters or in church.
l. People who take cell phone calls while seated in the theater or church while the performance is going on.'

m. I hate people who try to sneak their small dogs into apartment/condo complexes that have a "no pets allowed" house rule.

n. People who go beyond the marked /signed barrier at lookout points near cliffs. Hello, the sign is there to protect you and the state from falling/liability.

o. People who talk on their cell phones and use their electronic devices on planes even after the announcement comes on saying turn off cell phones and electronic devices for takeoff and landing.

p. People who use the express line at the supermarket where the sign says 1o items or less and they have a cart load of more than 10 items. That irks me!
q. The check out clerk at the supermarket who allow the line violating scafflow (above) through with more than 10 items when the sign clearly says "10 items or less".

4. There are no rules governing the giving and receiving of Valentine’s Day gifts, but what rules should there be?

Never assume everyone likes Valentine's Day. I don't celebrate this non-holiday.

5. If the Golden Rule says you should do unto others as you’d have others do unto you, what would the Silver and Bronze rules say?

Do not tax us for more than we can afford.

Stop wasteful government spending.

Questions were originally posted at the Friday 5 website.

Friday 5 for February 12 - Warmth

2010-02-12T05:30:00.000-10:00

Warmth

I'm back with answering the weekly Friday 5. This week's topic, "Warmth" doesn't bring much to my table.

1. What is your favorite blanket like?

Old and worn.

2. What was the last thing you baked?

Nothing recently.

3. What television personality gets you most hot and bothered?

Barrack Hussein Obama - did not vote for him, don't support any of his policies and "changes" for a more liberal, left leaning, baby killing, same sex, socialistic America.

4. When did you last burn yourself?

Last year, slight minor burn on a finger while cooking something. Not a pleasant feeling.'

5. What are your feelings about hot sauce?

Not too crazy about it. Hardly use it.

"Fried Day" for February 5

2010-02-06T05:30:00.000-10:00

OK. So this is Saturday. I'm a day late and several dollars short, but who's counting or even cares? Missed last week, but now I am back. Bring on the questions.

1. When you come home from a long day of whatever it is you do and your brain is totally fried, what therapy do you normally seek?

Sleep!

2. Of the myriad of desserts made primarily of fried dough, what is your favorite?

Malasadas.

3. Most fried foods are best right out of the fryer, but what‚Äôs a fried food that you enjoy cold?

Fried chicken is okay when it is cold.

4. What's the most unusual deep-fried food you've ever tried?

Can't think of any.

5. Where can you get really good French fries?

McDonalds - consistent across most of all of their locations. I'm sure there are better fries elsewhere, but McDonalds comes to mind when I think about good french fry quality all around.

Friday 5 - January 22 - Personal Adds

2010-01-22T04:15:00.000-10:00

Can I have some whipped cream on this?

Hello, and welcome to this week’s Friday 5! Please copy these questions to your webspace. Answer the questions there, then leave a comment below so we all know where to check out your responses! Don’t forget to link us from your website!

1. What’s your favorite “just add water!” food?

Water is a great food in and of itself. Just add water and you get water!

2. What’s your favorite thing to add vinegar to?

Easter egg dye.

3. What’s something weird you’ve added to normal food?

Nothing. I prefer to keep my normal food, normal.

4. What’s your favorite thing to add whipped cream to?

Chocolate and hot fudge sundae, pudding, hot chocolate, pie, cake.

5. What’s something you refuse to add anything to, even though most people add something?

Poi. Plain is the best way to eat it.

Friday 5 for Jan. 15 - Misses

2010-01-15T05:30:00.003-10:00

I keep on misplacing my iPod Shuffles among other things.

This week's Friday 5 on misses....

1. What’s something you frequently misplace?

Many items including wallet, keys, comb, scissors. scotch tape, pens, pencils, checkbook, TV & DVD remote controls and iPod Shuffle. Most of this stuff gets misplaced in my small, cluttered home.

2. For whom are you often mistaken?

No one that I know of.

3. When were you last misinformed about something important?

Can't remember anything recently.

4. Where in your home do you have a seemingly random collection of miscellanea?

Desk drawers, closets, in boxes, in my car - yes, I have quite a collection of clutter. It is no wonder why there are so many storage facility warehouse places in Honolulu.

5. Upon meeting someone for the first time, what qualities in the other person are likely to cause you to misjudge him or her?

It depends on the person - perhaps their looks, what they have to say about certain issues....

Friday 5 January 8 - Last Resort

2010-01-08T06:00:00.001-10:00

1. What’s something you wear only when you’re just about out of clean clothes?

Clothes of colors I don't like. I usually do laundry once a week, so this rarely happens.

2. Who’s someone you hang out with only if nobody else is available?

Myself.

3. What’s something you eat only when the budget is really, really tight?

Vienna sausage or spam.

4. Who’s someone you call for help only if you absolutely must?

A friend.

5. What’s something you’ll watch on television only because it’s slightly better than watching nothing?

The TV security image of our front lobby in my condominium on Channel 57. It is interesting to see who is coming and going or if the security guard is asleep at his post late nights. Single camera only one angle 24-7-365 days a year; no sound.

Friday 5 Late: Newness

2010-01-05T17:48:00.005-10:00

OK. I did not do Friday 5 the week before last, and this one is 5 days late... January 5. I guess its a good day to do a Friday 5 on a Tuesday which is the 5th day of the month and the new year.

1. What’s something that’s better when the newness has worn off?

My vinyl record collection. I appreciate many of my old records more today than when they were new years ago.

2. What’s something you already own that could stand to be replaced by the newer version?

Um... yes.. I just bought a new MacBook Pro laptop computer that replaces my Power Mac G4 tower as my primary computer. While I love the new Mac, the old tower as well as my older G3 Power Macintosh iBook laptop still serves loyal duty as a file / music server (G4) and smaller road warrior (iBook).

3. What’s something that was better before someone made it “new and improved?”

Apple iPod Shuffle... I think the original gum stick design is the best. I have 2 of them and they still work fine. Apple really screwed up with the 3rd generation iPod Shuffle by making it too small (easy for me to lose) and moving all of the major controls to the ear bud cord... like um.. that is a bad idea because you cannot connect a third party headphone to the new iPod Shuffle without some kind of proprietary, Apple approved adapter or use the device to plug into a car audio or home stereo system... all of which I can do with my original model shuffle and 3 other iPods that I own without any proprietary adapter thingy.

4. Of geographic locations whose names begin with the word “new,” which seems like the most interesting place to visit?

I have heard that New Zealand is a very nice place to visit and take photographs.

5. On what date will 2010 no longer feel like the new year?

Probably around the end of January... like say, January 21 onward.

Friday 5 for December 18: Wrapping

2009-12-18T06:00:00.001-10:00

Once again Scrivener's Friday 5 site comes up with a timely topic.

1. How seriously do you take gift-wrapping when you give gifts?

Not very. Fact is if I buy a gift and take it on a plane to the Big Island of Hawaii for my family, federal airport security laws require that gifts not be wrapped!

Overall it is faster to just put gifts in a gift bags or give a gift certificate or money.

2. Do you save gift-wrapping to re-use later?

YES! Gift bags and bows are definitely saved and recycled for the next year. Cheaper than having to buy new ones. Ribbons and wrap are saved depending on the condition at time after opening.

3. How picky are you when it comes to selecting wrapping paper?

Not very. I wait for the AFTER Christmas blowout sales when all of that crap can be found for 50 to 70% off at some stores. Why spend big bucks on something most people just tear up on Christmas day? The main purpose of gift wrap is to keep the gift hidden until the big day. No one should be spending exuberant amounts of money on gift wrap.

4. How much attention do you pay to the way gifts you receive are wrapped?

Not much - the gifts just have to look good while sitting under the tree until the big day.

5. Among people you know, who is the most talented at wrapping gifts?

My mom, my sister and some women in general.

Photo at the top: My sister's cat "Poof" know what to do with gifts and wrap!
Below: Enjoy the Christmas video below. Aloha!

Friday 5 for December 11: Remorse

2009-12-11T06:30:00.001-10:00

From Scrivener's Friday 5 blog: Remorse - what a negative topic! Here goes....

Buyer’s remorse is a well-known condition that strikes us all, but what other kinds of remorse have you experienced?

1. When did you last experience emailer’s remorse?

I haven't sent out an offensive email that I was remorseful about in years... last time was probably in the 1990s.

2. When did you last experience diner’s remorse?

Once I had a bad reaction to macaroni salad eaten at a popular take out place... and another time I probably had bad poki... spent way too much time after these meals running back and forth to the porcelain throne!

3. When did you last experience movie-goer’s remorse?

I rarely go to movies at the theater anymore. The last time I had movie-goer's remorse was when I borrowed a copy of Borat (DVD) from a friend. That movie absolutely stunk. Luckily I did not pay to see it.

4. When did you last experience caring friend’s remorse?

Can't remember if I did.

alternate question in case that last one was too personal:

5. When did you last experience function-attender’s remorse?

I generally avoid crowded social situations (parties, etc) unless I have to be there taking photos of the function.

Friday 5 for December 4: The Middle

2009-12-04T07:30:00.000-10:00

Hello, and welcome to this week’s Friday 5! Please copy these questions to your webspace. Answer the questions there, then leave a comment below so we all know where to check out your responses! Please don’t forget to link us from your website!

1. What film have you seen in the past year that’s completely average?

The only movie I paid to see at the theater this year was way above average. That leaves me with DVD movies that I have. The most mediocre that I saw this year is one called The Virgin Chronicles which I bought for $5 as part of a double DVD in WalMart coupled with American Beauty. Not a bad movie, but not very good either. Mediocre at best.

2. Who’s the most average-looking person you know?

There are plenty, too numerous to pick only one.

3. In what area of your life are you performing just well enough?

My whole life is mostly average.

4. A new radio station features music you neither like nor dislike! What are three songs you’re likely to hear on it?

I don't know about "new" radio stations. Mostly our old ones get an occasionally makeover (format change). That said the current makeover of KPOI 105.9 FM (The Ride) has sunken to further mediocrity by playing predictable but average hits such as REO Speedwagon's "Time for Me to Fly", John Cougar Mellencamp's "Pink Houses" and "Roseanna" by Toto. They were good songs in the day, but today they are just part of a bigger, bland mix typical of most classic rock, oldies, 80s and AC formatted stations.

Most music radio stations are pretty bland overall because a lot of them opt to run computerized, voice tracked programming or syndicated content that sounds the same everywhere else in the U.S. Hardly any real time local DJs in many timeslots except for morning drive... usually.

Another bunch of bland radio stations in our market include KSSK AM & FM, KRTR 96.3 FM and KUMU 94.7 FM. They all feature an adult contemporary format and play mediocre tracks by artists such as Michael Buble, Celine Dion, Barry Manilow, Mariah Carey, Billy Joel, Michael Bolton, Kenny G, Leona Lewis, Alicia Keys, Whitney Houston, and Kelly Clarkson to name a few. A mix of the average to mediocre old stuff and new hits. Yawn.

KSSK is also very difficult to listen to during the holidays as they only play Christmas music for the entire season up to December 25. While I like Christmas music, I can't stand hearing it around the clock 24-7.

5. What game or sport are you just okay in?

I am a mediocre to terrible chess player. I like Stratego and Checkers but am rusty in both today. I don't do very well with some of the games I have on my Nintendo DSi or the various Macintosh computers I own.

I totally suck at all sports, which means I don't play any.

Friday 5 for Nov. 27 - Finale

2009-11-27T15:30:00.001-10:00

This week’s 5 are in honor of a certain award-winning American TV series finally coming to its quirky conclusion (this week and next, I think). What? You thought finale meant the bowing-out of Friday 5? Ha! In your dreams! Friday 5 cannot hope to be stopped; it can only hope to be delayed a few hours, as with this week’s questions!

1. What television series finale did you particularly enjoy?

"Sleeping in Light", the last episode of Babylon 5 that wrapped the 5 year story arc to the award winning science fiction TV series. 1993 - 1998. My favorite TV show ever.

2. What television series finale did you think was a disservice to the series as a whole?

Just about anything that was not a finale because the series ended due to low ratings and network cancellation. One of the worst for me...

The final scene in season 2 of Michael Mann's hard hitting NBC-TV series Crime Story. Lt. Torello and his nemesis Ray Luca are fighting in a plane that is in a steep nosedive and crashes into the water... umm... yeah are they dead or what? Did the producers know the series was going to end? Very disappointing end to an otherwise good series.

3. What is your favorite dessert?

Not in any order - pumpkin pie, chocolate cake, custard pie, ice cream, whatever.

4. What were the circumstances surrounding your most dramatic exit from a room?

An argument.

5. If you could choose any symbolic way to end 2009, how would you end it?

Kicking an effigy of Obummer in the butt.

Friday 5 for Nov. 20: Book Titles

2009-11-20T03:15:00.001-10:00

IMG_7762
Originally uploaded by Tyson Hamilton

I don't get this Friday 5 on Book Titles cause I never heard of any of these books and most of the questions do not apply to me.

1. What color is your parachute?

I don't skydive. I don't own a parachute. One is required if you plan to jump out of an airplane.

2. Who moved your cheese?

No one.

3. Where’s Waldo?

Not in my home.

4. Are you my mother?

No. I am not a female.

5. What’s happening to your body?

Getting older by the minute every day and every hour. Can't stop it. Sad.

Friday 5 for Friday the 13th - Shapes

2009-11-13T07:00:00.002-10:00

Happy Friday the 13th folks.

Hello! Welcome to this week’s Friday 5. Please copy these questions to your webspace. Answer the questions there, then leave a comment below so we can all check out your responses. Please don’t forget to link us from your webspace!

1. What is your favorite shape of pasta?

I like spaghetti, so I go with the long spaghetti noodles that I can pour onion mix meat sauce and meatballs over. The long shape is perfect to wrap around your fork.

2. Which of the Lucky Charms marshmallows is (or was) your favorite?

Never gave that much of a thought, but I guess I'd go with moon and stars. Not the biggest fan of that cereal.

3. Of people you know who are older than forty, who’s in the best shape?

Some of the people at work.

4. What shape is one of the more interesting scars on your body?

My birthmark is not a scar and maybe shaped like a pineapple.

5. Of a human’s internal organs, which you think has the most interesting shape?

Never gave that much thought but perhaps the brain. It has to fit in our head without oozing out through our eye, ear and nose holes.

In conjunction with this week's theme, I leave you this video from 2006 called "Pull Shapes" by the British rock group The Pipettes.

Friday 5 for November 6: Fall Classic

2009-11-06T09:15:00.002-10:00

This week’s (Friday) 5 honors the World Series. Yes, it is the second set of baseball-themed questions we’ve done in the past couple of years. It’s okay.

1. According to the cliche, if you “spare the rod,” you “spoil the child.” Who in your life was probably spared A Rod while growing up?

Perhaps my brother.

2. In how many directions this week did you feel you were being Yanked?

Maybe one or two, but not much.

3. On whom have you depended for relief this week?

No one.

4. Who deserves a standing ovation this week (or even a hip-hip Jorge)?

My Dad for just being so resilient and even stubborn in his old age. He lives life one day at the time.

5. When did you last have a taste of Champagne?

I don't drink alcoholic beverages - so the answer to this is "never". Remember folks, if you drink, don't drive!

Friday 5 for October 30: At the Movies

2009-10-30T05:15:00.002-10:00

1. What’s your favorite sports movie?

I am not a big sports fan, but I have several sports movies that I like. My current favorite is Rudy about the Notre Dame football player that never gave up until he played in the final game.

2. What’s your favorite romantic comedy film?

I always laugh at the old Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah classic, Splash! Eugene "behold the mermaid!" Levy was hilarious as the scientist who went out of his way to prove that Madison was a mermaid. John Candy was also great as the brother. This movie is romantic, funny and quite a fantasy.

3. What’s your favorite animated Disney movie?

Bambi was quite riveting when I was kid. Saw it only once. Still have a memory of this. Runner-up Lilo & Stitch, the only Disney animated movie I have in my DVD collection.

4. What’s your favorite non-Disney movie musical?

Grease is the word! Runner-up The Sound of Music.

And while it is not a flat out musical, I always loved George Lucas' American Graffiti... classic rock n roll music that was perfectly used in the storyline.

Oh yeah, gotta add The Wizard of Oz to this too.

I guess I could name other musicals or movies with music in it as the focus of the film... umm... A Hard Days' Night... yeah... The Beatles!!!!!

5. What’s your favorite stranger-in-a-strange-land / fish-out-of-water movie?

Planet of the Apes - the original version with Charlton Heston from 1968. One of my all time favorite movies... "Get your filthy paws off me you damn dirty ape!"

Runner up- The Time Machine from 1960.... the time traveler meets the Eloi and the Morlocks in the distant future. This is a great George Pal movie and HG Wells story.

Check out other people's responses at Friday5.org.

Photo: Planet of the Apes from 20th Century Fox.

Friday 5 for October 23: Resilience

2009-10-23T05:54:00.003-10:00

1. Who in your life seems especially resilient?

My Dad (photo) has been resilient and through a lot in more than 80 years.

2. What characteristics would a person need to develop in order to become resilient?

There are probably many characteristics - among them a person should be optimistic, able to withstand criticism, ability to bounce back from bad situations, have a sense of humor and not to take everything too seriously. I am sure there are more.

3. In what areas of your life do you think you’ve been resilient?

I've been able to bounce back from some bad situations like illness and unemployment. You have to in order to move on with life.

4. It is often said among educators that a strong indicator of resiliency in children is the presence of a “charismatic adult.” In your own childhood, who was the charismatic adult who inspired you to grow positively?

Not anyone in particular.

5. Can one be tough and resilient at the same time, or are they opposite traits?

I think you have to be tough in order to be resilient. I would add "strong" and "tough" to the characteristics in the question #2 above.

Check out more responses to these questions at Friday5.org.

Friday 5 for October 16: LOUD

2009-10-16T03:00:00.003-10:00

LOUD!

Friday 5 for October 16, 2009

1. When in the past seven days were you loudest?

Used to be whenever I played my old stereo. That broke, I gave it away with the large speakers. For now my computer is the loudest when I play music (it has an external speaker system) by groups such as Kiss, Metallica, Grand Funk Railroad, Led Zeppelin or The Who. Of course I can’t play my music too loud since I live in a building and the neighbors would complain. The last time that happened was several years ago when a neighbor came in late in the night complaining about the loud noise coming from my apartment. Was not music, but a loud movie also playing through that same old stereo.

I remember The Who was once named as the world's loudest rock group according to the Guiness Book of World Records.

2. In the past seven days, what was loud but not noisy?

I'm sure if I were closer to the airport to take the photo, this plane, the Antolov AN 225 would have been quite loud taking off. Shot 10-15-09.

Last month I enjoyed the loudness of the USAF Thunderbirds.

3. In the past seven days, what was not especially loud but quite noisy?

I live in a building near a fire station. There are always sirens going off every day and night near me. It's noisy but I've gotten used to it. Car alarms are also noisy too, especially when they go off late in the night and no one turns em off for an hour or more.

4. In the past seven days, what’s something that was not allowed?

Since July 1st, can't legally hold and use my iPods and digital cameras in my car while driving. This is a result of a cellular phone and text messaging law that was passed by the city council that also covered other electronic devices. I don't own a cell phone, so that part of the law does not impact me. But it is hard to not pick up that iPod while driving and skip over to the next song, or whip out the small digital camera to take a picture of the asshole driving in front of me.

5. What are those clouds gathering on your horizon for next week?

Maybe some rain clouds and stormy weather. We probably need some rain around here, but the forecasts for this winter don't look very good for that.

Here are more items that go along with "loud":

This is something I would love to see and hear:

Now this is loud:

Some people have a lot of time on their hands:

I recorded this video clip in January - downtown Honolulu

Someone's garage band takes on Metallica's "Master of Puppets":

OK, that's it. This topic was fun. I like LOUD!

Embedded videos from YouTube.com may be removed without notice by their respective publishers or the YouTube.com service itself.

Friday 5 for October 5: Similes

2009-10-09T06:45:00.001-10:00

I make it a policy that I not mention names of family, friends or associates in these posts. Therefore in answer to this week's Friday 5 questions:

1. Who in your life is as blind as a bat?

I don't know anyone who is legally blind, nor anyone that close. I have friends and relatives who wear glasses, but most can see.

2. Who in your life is as happy as a clam?

People who are too happy and too optimistic are suspect in my book at times.

3. Who in your life is as mad as a wet hen?

I don't like being caught in the rain if I don't have any extra clothes to change into nearby.

4. Who in your life is as stubborn as a mule?

I know some luddites who don't want to adapt to computer technology. Some of these luddites use computers but don't want to learn or use new stuff. It's hard having to work with luddites when you want to make work or file exchanges easier.

5. Who in your life is as quiet as a mouse?

Can't think of anyone who is very quiet at this moment. Perhaps it is a good thing for them as they are not noticed because of their quietness.

Photograph: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Friday 5 for October 2 - Stories

2009-10-02T03:45:00.005-10:00

DISASTERS MAKE GOOD STORIES

1. Which of your stories have you probably told the greatest number of times to the most people?

Disasters in my life or in Hawaii make for good stories in hindsight. I often tell friends about the big earthquakes I survived through my life in Hawaii.

The first one was the most exciting since I was a teenager caught in a big crowd at a public place during a school performance. We were in the audience and suddenly the building rolled and shook violently for what seemed to be an eternity.

Just like in a disaster movie, we all went into a panic and ran like idiots for the nearest door which of course was jammed with people. Meanwhile the plaster from the ceiling fell on us and on the floor as younger, elementary age kids got trampled on and separated. Fortunately after the shaking stopped, there were no serious injuries, but a lot of rattled nerves... and millions of dollars of damage to the entire island.

This all occurred on April 26, 1973 at 10:26 AM in Honokaa, on the Big Island of Hawaii. There is more to tell in the story, but that was the main highlight. The quake measured 6.25 on the Richter scale after all was tallied and done.

Two other major earthquakes that I was unfortunate enough to be caught in occurred during Thanksgiving 1975 at 7.25 magnitude and the 6.7 magnitude temblor on October 15, 2006.

Scary plane rides are also in my story arsenol.... Back in the 1980s I was on a Mid Pacific Air YS-11 turboprop night flight from Honolulu to Hilo... we flew into bad weather with rain, thunder, lightning and wind... that old turboprop shook us around in the violent sky, flashes of lightning coming into the window as the twin Rolls Royce turboprops strained to keep us aloft while the crew slowly descended in the angry clouds to our destination. Upon landing I wanted to kiss the ground.

In 2004 I was on an Aloha Airlines flight that had to abort its landing. The photo above is from another 737-200 Aloha Airlines flight that I was on.

In 1975 and 1976 I got into near deadly car accidents but escaped in the nick of time!

So there.. I just referred to several stories of which the earthquake ones are told the most often.

2. What’s a story someone else often tells about you, much to your chagrin?

I haven't heard too many stories about me told by other people which is a good thing in my book. If there are, I'd rather not hear them.

3. What oft-told story from a chapter in your life seems to be remembered differently by different people who were there?

Probably the different experiences of 9-11-2001 from different people, even here in Hawaii.

4. What are some of the details, without retelling the whole story, of a story you’ve told often but never to your parents?

Some stories are best untold.

5. What song would be an appropriate soundtrack to the story of your most embarrassing moment?

Song? "Here's Where the Story Ends" by The Sundays.

Have a wonderful Friday 5 weekend folks.

Friday 5 for September 25

2009-09-25T03:15:00.002-10:00

GETTING TO KNOW YOU
from Scrivener's Friday 5

1. What are the titles of the last three books you read all of?

The Hobbit by J.R. Tolkein
Outcast, Stallion of Hawaii by Harlan Thompson
Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media by John Stossel
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (read it twice in the last couple of months; its simple, nicely illustrated, will be a movie, how can it have more dialogue in a movie, there is not much in the book!)

2. What are the titles of between three and five magazines you subscribe to or used to subscribe to?

I used to subscribe to these at one time or another; today I have zero subscriptions. The web is more timely.

MacWorld
MacUser (defunct)
MacAddict (defunct)
Popular Photography
Modern Photography (defunct; merged into Popular Photography)
Hawaii Business
Consumer Reports

3. What’s on your night table? (we figured this one was borderline, since it involves the bedroom, but if the vibe is right and you preface the question with the background story I told above, you could make it work)

I live in a studio apartment so I don't have a night table, but a general table with too much stuff on it to mention. A laptop computer and my Nintendo DSi are couple of items that are on it.

4. What are the three best things that happened to you in the past seven days?

I woke up and did not die in my sleep
There were no earthquakes or other natural pheonomena that destroyed my home or killed me
I am still borrowing my friend's MacBook Pro and loving it.

5. What was your senior yearbook quote, and what would your yearbook quote be this year if there were such a thing?

I don't think I had a senior quote. Unfortunately my high school yearbook is like 250 miles away from me on another island at my parents' place. I was on the yearbook staff as sports section editor of all things. I am not a huge sports fan.

If there was a yearbook quote for this year... mine would be "Liberals are dangerous; America's going to hell because of them."

Friday 5 for Sept. 18: What's It Take?

2009-09-18T10:15:00.001-10:00

1. What does it take to get you to grab the mic and sing in a karaoke room?

MONEY and plenty of it. I won't do embarrassing stuff unless somebody pays me. Yes I'm no fun, but then I don't sing in public either.

2. What does it take to get you to give up a whole Saturday to hang out with people you don’t like?

Again, MONEY and plenty of it (more than pictured above). Why would I want to spend a whole day with people I don't like? Ugh!

3. What does it take to get you out of bed without your hitting the snooze button?

Not much for this. I am a relatively light sleeper. External noises early in the morning will get me up - car alarms, sirens, garbage trucks, rainstorms, thunder, lightning... you name it, I'll wake up. I don't have an alarm clock so I don't hit snooze either. I get up go on the internet to do stuff like answer these questions.

4. What does it take to get you to take someone else’s turn at a really unpleasant task at work or home?

MONEY is a good motivator.

5. What does it take to get you to eat something you really dislike?

MONEY and more of it the grosser the food is.

Questions from Scrivener's Friday 5 weblog.

9-11-09: Strange Days 9-11-01

2009-09-11T07:30:00.000-10:00

Original image from Brandon Loy's tribute page.

Found this most timely Friday 5 set at Cinn's Friday 5.

[01] Where were you on September 11, 2001 during the attacks on NYC, DC, and Pennsylvania?

I was at home asleep in Hawaii but woke up to unusual chatter on our talk radio station. Turned on the TV shortly after and "oh my God!".... For us in Hawaii the attacks occurred at the 3 or 4 am hour. Most people were asleep. After we got up, we were all glued to the TV with edgy caution, disbelief and fear that day.

[02] If you live in or near the three cities, have you been to the memorial sites?

Nope. I live too far away. We have a couple of memorials in Honolulu.

[03] Do you think our country is more or less safe than that date eight years ago?

Safer thanks to the efforts started by the administration of President George W. Bush.

[04] Do you think that the Obama administration will be able to keep terrorists at bay as effectively as the former administration?

I hope so. But I don't trust our current president.

[05] How will you spend this day today?

At work and perhaps reflecting on this later this evening.

Reply to the Other Friday 5

2009-09-10T22:00:00.001-10:00

Starting with this post, I'll make an occasional reply to this Friday Five.

Summer Travel

1. Will or did you go on vacation this summer?

I was planning a trip back home to the Big Island of Hawaii in July but I got sick on the day I was supposed to go. With great financial penalty from the airline, I had to cancel my trip. Good thing because I got even more sick after the cancellation. This was in July. I have since fully recovered.

2. Where will/did you go?

Planning to take cancelled trip in October. I always go back to the Big Island of Hawaii at least once or twice a year.

3. What do you like about the place?

My childhood home, my parents and most of my relatives also live there.

4. What don't you like about the place?

Employment opportunities are less than they are in urban Honolulu, and access to major medical care is limited and very expensive because people have to spend big money to come to Honolulu for better care.

5. Where do you want to go next summer?

The Big Island again. I haven't gone out of the State of Hawaii since 1993. Too expensive to travel and I don't like the thought of being on a two engine jet traveling for more than 5 hours over 2,200+ miles of water. In the olden days jet aircraft had 3 or 4 engines. Built in safety redundancy. Sure, today's twinjets are certified through ETOPS regulations... but still... 3 is better than 2 and 4 is better than 3. Give me the days of the Boeing 747 again.

That all said, I live in Hawaii so if I take a day off or get the weekend off, just going to Waikiki or the beach could be a vacation.

Friday 5 for Sept. 11: Bottles

2009-09-10T20:38:00.004-10:00

Better in the Bottle Originally uploaded by ɱΛ††

1. When did you last drink something out of a glass bottle?

Hamakua Soda Works on the Big Island used to sell glass bottled soda water in the 1960s and early 1970s. After they went out of business, perhaps in the 1970s I either drank a Coke or 7up out of a bottle last. I don't do beer or alcoholic beverages of any kind which means I don't drink out of any current glass bottles these days.

2. Whose energy would you like to bottle for those future listless days?

Reddy Kilowatt because he was so electric! I can't live without electricity.

3. How many plastic bottles are there in your shower, and what’s in them?

None at this time.

4. Who in your life could be described as lightning in a bottle?

I don't know anyone in my immediate circle that is much like lightning in a bottle.

5. You’re playing Spin-the-Bottle with your sixth-grade classmates. When it’s your turn, to whom do you want the bottle pointing?

Never played that game, which means I don't know what the significance of pointing the bottle at someone is. Sorry.

Questions generated from Scrivener's Friday 5 weblog.

September 4's Friday 5: More or Less

2009-09-04T00:05:00.000-10:00

THE FRIDAY 5

1. In what way this week were you reckless?

About the most reckless thing I do is eat too much of the wrong type of foods.

2. In what way this week were you shameless?

I took my own photo with my Nintendo DSi and modified it in "Flipnote Studio." I could upload the animated flipbook photo to Nintendo's partner site called Flipnote Hatena. I won't.

3. In what way this week were you fearless?

I generally refrain from doing really stupid and foolish things that require me to leave fear behind. No bungie jumping, pole vaulting, freeway racing or anything like that for me.

4. In what way this week were you thoughtless?

I am usually void of all thought when I am asleep.

5. In what way this week were you doubtless?

I know for a fact that whenever I turn on and use my Macintosh computers, I am confident beyond a reasonable doubt that I will never get a nasty Microsoft Windows malware virus or something.

Friday 5 for August 28: Tolerance

2009-08-28T03:45:00.003-10:00

Tolerance

Levels of tolerance differ among various issues.

1. How’s your tolerance for alcohol?

I don't drink, so zero for me personally. However if others want to consume alcohol, just don't drink and drive.

2. How’s your tolerance for noisy neighbors?

I am sometimes noisy myself (loud stereo music) so I don't complain about noisy neighbors. Our building is usually quiet.

3. How’s your tolerance for physical pain?

Not much.

4. How’s your tolerance for intolerant people?

It varies depending on issues and personal values.

5. How’s your tolerance for bad music?

I have almost no tolerance hip-hop and gangsta rap. Zero for opera too. Sorry.

Firday 5 for August 21 - States

2009-08-21T16:45:00.001-10:00

Today, Hawaii commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of its admission to the United States of America. It is a day of celebration for some, while for others it is a day of mourning. This week, the Friday 5 sidesteps the controversy but marks the day with five questions about statehood!

1. Who in your life is most likely at any time to be in a state of confusion?

Um… maybe it is myself!

2. Some people have described nirvana as a state of perfect nothingness. Which of the fifty United States could best be described as a state of perfect nothingness?

I haven’t been to many of the United States but one that comes to mind that has prefect nothingness could be Alaska. They have a lot of land that have barely anything on it except snow, bears, moose, and reindeer. Must be a nice place to visit or to drill for some much needed oil.

Hawaii is probably a runner up as we have a lot of ocean and northern atolls that are part of the state with hardly anything on them either.

3. When were you last asked to state your name and address?

Can’t remember… maybe when I last applied to get new checks from the bank and make sure that data was correct.

4. How many of the United States have you been in?

Let’s see – California, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, New York, Massachussetts, Pennsylvania, Florida, Maryland, Virginia and Texas… plus Hawaii! So that would be 12.

I only drove into Arizona for about 10 minutes after crossing the Hoover Dam and then turned around. Virginia and Maryland just passed through on a bus to Pennsylvania.. oh I guess we stopped in Virginia since Arlington National Cemetery is there. I remember visiting that. Texas only in the airport awaiting a connecting flight between Florida to Nevada.

5. Why does it seem harder to maintain a positive state of mind than to maintain a negative state of mind?

Because it is way easier to focus on the bad things in life and have those things bother the shit out of you. We often take the positive side of things for granted so much that we probably never notice it.

PHOTO CAPTION: Back in 1959 Hawaii became the 50th State of the Union. There was a huge public celebration. Parades, hula shows, speeches, entertainment, cannon fire and a fly-over where some of the aspects of the far off first celebration. Hawaii people voted for statehood by a 94% margin.

50 years later the celebration of Hawaii's statehood is mired in Hawaiian activist politics. The voices for Hawaii soverignty and secession from the United States is a small but loud minority. As a result the state in fear of not offending these loudmouths, have subdued the 50th observance of statehood.

I blogged about today's statehood here...

Hawaii Statehood Photos here

Friday 5 for August 14: U G L Y !

2009-08-14T00:30:00.004-10:00

U! G! L! Y! You ain’t got no alibi!

Welcome to this week’s Friday 5. Please copy these questions to your webspace. Answer the questions there, then leave a comment below so we all know where to check out your responses! Please don’t forget to link us from your website!

1. What’s so ugly it’s kind of cute?

The old Isetta bubble car that was built in the 1950s and 1960s for the European market. This is the kind of car the Obama administration and the environmental wackos want us to drive someday... except have it powered by some kind of expensive biofuel such as corn. Or maybe pedal power like The Flintstones!

The Isetta is so ugly that in a way it is kind of cute. But I'd never buy one. Get into a collision with an SUV and your guts and brains will be part of the pavement.

Runner-up: Nash Metropolitan. 2nd runner up: Scion xB

2. What’s the ugliest article of clothing in your wardrobe?

Socks and underwear with holes. Good thing WalMart is nearby and most of the time no one can see these items of clothing if I wear them.

3. What’s the ugliest car on the streets today?

I absolutely hate those big "hoochie mama", pimp-mobile, bling cars, trucks and SUVs. You know which ones I am talking about. They are usually Cadillac Escalades, Lincoln Navigators, Town Cars, Ford Crown Vics or large Lexus LS 460's that have excessive bling and after-market accessories tacked on to them. They are topped off with those oversize 22, 24, 26 and 30(?) inch tires with the rims that remain stationary or move very slowly even when the vehicle is in motion! And you can hear the worst ones from a mile away because the owner-drivers have the stereo blasting awful hip hop and rap music long before the vehicle can be seen. YUCK. UGLY!!!

Runner Up: Any remaining Pontiac Aztek still on the road. These monstrosities of automotive design need to all be scrapped as soon as possible. CASH for CLUNKERS folks!!!!

4. Under what circumstances are you most likely to whip out your ugliest behavior?

When I am at deadline and a last minute change takes place and I cannot deal with it simply by using a computer (or get others to do the same).

5. Which of the United States of America has the ugliest shape?

West Virginia because it was the hardest one to draw when I used to draw U.S. maps back in grade school for some assignments. Whoever created the borders for this state was probably drunk or owed too many political favors to congressmen from other states... or maybe the Indians still occupied lands that went zig and zag near there. Right next to it is Maryland which is also shaped goofy and a bitch to draw. They should have made all the states look like Colorado, Wyoming and Utah... yeah that would be easy!

OK, now I'll try to have a good weekend and look for a Pontiac Aztek or a bling vehicle to take a photograph of.

Friday 5 for August 7: Baseball Clichés

2009-08-07T17:45:00.000-10:00

These are my responses to this week's Friday 5, Baseball Clichés.

1. In what way this week did you strike out?

I may strike out if I am not fully prepared for the possible hurricane on Monday.

2. In what way this week did you hit a home run?

I only hit a home run once in my life during 4th grade P.E .baseball. Since then home runs for in my life are non existent. And definitely none this week!

3. In what way this week did you make a twin killing?

I smacked a big ass cockroach with my shoe in our parking garage. But that is only one killing. Not enough to do this question justice.

4. In what way this week did you make a diving save?

I save money every week by not going to the movies; they're too expensive. Cheaper to just wait for the DVD to come out and even after that wait a few more years before several movies that are hot now on DVD are selling for $9 or less at WalMart. And that is a long dive into saving.

I also saved several music and photo files to a new external 500 gig hard drive and some CDs.

5. Who saved the game for you in the late innings?

One of my doctors saved me from a misdiagnosed prescription product.

Friday 5 for July 31: Taboo!

2009-07-31T02:30:00.002-10:00

Taboo (Arthur Lyman), originally uploaded by s0ntee.

From Scrivener's Friday5.org, here are today's questions and situation:

Hello, and welcome to this week’s Friday 5! Please copy the questions to your webspace. Answer the questions there, then leave a comment below so we all know where to check out your responses! Please don’t forget to link us from your website!

This week’s 5 is inspired by the party game called Taboo, in which players must make their teammates utter key words by giving them clues. The twist is that each key word is assigned five Taboo words, and players are forbidden from using the Taboo words in their clues. For example, one key word might be milk, and its Taboo words might be dairy, cow, drink, white, and carton. Your clue might be something like, “It’s a beverage from Bessie,” or “You add it to coffee,” or “The land of BLANK and honey,” or “It comes out of breasts.”

Your task is simply to answer these five questions without using any of the Taboo words or phrases. Challenge yourself not just to avoid using the words, but to think of fresh, new answers to these sort of cliched meme questions!

OK I avoided using the words and still answered the questions. Maybe I don't totally get this exercise, but I still answered the questions.

1. Who’s making a positive difference in your life?
Taboo words: friends, family, husband/wife/spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend.

Maybe my boss, maybe a very close relative, maybe a very good acquaintance. Mostly though, no one.

2. Where would you like to be right now? Taboo words: home, bed, anywhere but here.

Honokaa, Hawaii on the Big Island of Hawaii.

3. What’s the first thing you’d do with a $5,000 (or your local equivalent) gift?
Taboo words: save, debt, vacation, payments, invest.

If there is no tax penalty, I'd use some of it to buy an Apple MacPro tower or MacBook Pro. Deposit the rest in the bank. Or maybe use all of it to apply to the cost of buying a new car.

4. What super-power would you really like to have?
Taboo words: invisibility, x-ray vision, flying, strength, transform.

If I can't use the above words, then I'd like to be totally literally transparent, super fast, super smart and persuasive beyond fault.

5. What’s your favorite sound?
Taboo words: laughter, music, ocean, wind, ____’s voice.

The Beatles! If not maybe the exotic xylophone of Arthur Lyman from the album pictured above or my favorite "Yellow Bird".

Friday 5 for July 24: Usefulness

2009-07-24T10:20:00.002-10:00

Blue on blue
Originally uploaded by Jennie Faber

1. What’s something in your possession that has long outlived its usefulness?

Smith Corona Coronet electric typewriter exactly like the one pictured here.

2. Who in your life has proven to be a very useful person to know?

It depends on what information or help I need.

3. For group projects requiring collaborative planning and then collaborative execution, in what capacity are you most useful?

Doing some online research or even offline, writing & formatting the report.

4. What’s something someone gave you that you didn’t think much of but later became surprisingly useful?

I got the Smith Corona typewriter (above) as a Christmas gift when I was still in high school. It went with me to college where it was used to type out several reports and papers... this was about the same time the Apple II computer hit the market... but of course our school had no computers except a shared terminal system... which forced me to use the typewriter.

The machine is still around but hardly ever used. I think one of the keys is stuck.

5. What is the most useful book in your house?

Books are mostly for casual reading and information. When I had a DOS computer, a DOS book was handy to have. Manuals for some of my computer application programs were also handy in the old days. Nowdays most manuals are online or in PDF form.

Otherwise it was Webster's Dictionary, but that has been replaced with Dictionary.com online.

Friday 5 for July 17: Scattergories

2009-07-16T20:00:00.000-10:00

What random letter was generated by the online random-letter generator? (this doesn’t really count as one of your five questions)

S

1. With what famous person, whose name begins with the letter in question #1, would you most like to be stuck on a desert island?

I wouldn't want to be stuck with anyone on a desert island as the competition for food and resources would be too demanding and we'd end up trying to kill each other.

But for the sake of this exercise, and hoping that the desert island is more like "Gilligan's Island" instead of "Survivor Island", then a famous person I would like to be stuck with in such a place starting with the letter "S" would be Shakira!

You know the latin pop singer from Colombia... Shakira could at least sing and dance for me and help me alleviate hours of boredom awaiting rescue... of course it is Shakira so given enough resources, maybe rescue would not be needed as we could get to know each other better... yeah right.

3. What food item, whose name begins with the letter in question #1, can always be found in your pantry?

Salt and Sugar!

4. What song, whose title begins with the letter in question #1, always makes you feel good?

"Sugar Sugar" by The Archies always made me feel good from when I was a kid.

5. What is your least-favorite film whose title begins with the letter in question #1?

"Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" - if you saw this Star Trek movie you know it is the dog of the bunch. William Shatner should never have been in the director's chair for this cinematic stinker.

6. What unusual animal, whose name begins with the letter in question #1, would be a fun pet?

Siamese Cat - I generally like cats, and well, this one starts with the letter "S" (okay it is not unusual, sorry)!

Friday 5 for July 10: Holes

2009-07-10T05:09:00.003-10:00

Sweet Memories ~ 365 Days, Day 169
Originally uploaded by Glittergirl77

1. Where can you go for a really good bagel, and how do you like yours?

I'm not a big fan of bagels, so I don't have any particular place to get one. If I do eat a bagel, I generally like them plain or with a light coating of butter.

2. What is your favorite style of doughnut?

Sugar glazed or chocolate glazed.

3. What’s your favorite flavor of Lifesavers?

I like the cherry ones best. I don't know if Lifesavers still sells the pack with only the red ones.

4. What O-shaped breakfast cereals do you like?

Cheeri-O's or Apple Jacks.

5. How do you feel about onion rings, and where can you get some good ones?

I like onion rings. Don't have any particular place to get good ones... I usually get em at Burger King but I would suspect there are other places that have better ones.

Friday 5 for July 3: Fireworks

2009-07-03T00:02:00.001-10:00

The Friday 5 master says:

Happy Independence Day, those of you in the United States, and welcome to this week’s Friday 5. Please copy these five questions to your webspace. Answer the questions there, then leave a comment below so we’ll all be able to check out your responses! Please don’t forget to link us from your website!

1. How do you feel about fireworks displays?

Professional fireworks displays are good. They are somewhat of a challenge to photograph. I enjoy them especially on the 4th of July. There are several good ones on the island of Oahu. The Honolulu Ala Moana Center show is usually the biggest and the best. Happy Independence Day!

2. What were the details surrounding one of your mishaps with fire?

Recently my old toaster accidentally caught fire with my breakfast waffles in it. I had to unplug the thing with the fire still burning and threw it in the kitchen sink under running water to put the fire out. That was the end of my 25 year old J.C. Penney toaster. The old toaster was dumped, and a new one was a bought.

3. Who in your life could be described as a real firecracker?

Not anyone in particular.

4. When did you last feel you were being put on display?

Whenever someone takes a photo or vid of me and it ends up on public display on the internet or in the media. I'm ugly. I'm not photogenic. Don't take my picture.

5. How confident are you in your barbecue skills?

I haven't barbecued anything in ages. I would say my skills are very minimal at best. I can strike a match!

Friday 5 June 26: News

2009-06-26T04:30:00.001-10:00

WHERE DO I GET MY NEWS is the subject of the questions in this week's Friday 5:

1. Where do you get most of your information about current local (Hawaii) events?

a. Internet websites - HawaiiReporter.com, StarBulletin.com, Advertister.com, Twitter, Facebook, RSS feeds, Hawaii blogs
b. Radio - KHVH local news, Rick Hamada Show, KSSK Perry & Price when there is a local crisis, NOAA weather radio
c. TV local news - KGMB KITV KHON KFVE
d. local newspaper - Advertiser, StarBulletin, neigbbor island newspapers

The shrinking size of local newspapers are a signal that their days as a news and advertising medium are numbered. I think we'll be getting most of our news in the future from the internet, if not already. Surely many internet resources are dubious, but we want it for free and if a Tweet passes for news, then so be it.

2. Where do you get most of your information about current national and international events?

a. Internet - Drudge Report, Human Events, FoxNews.com, google reader, RSS content from news sites.
b. TV - Fox News, CBS, ABC, BBC, other networks,
c. Radio - KHVH, KHBZ, KHNR conservative radio talk shows, Fox News radio, Rush, Sean Hannity, George Noorey, Jerry Doyle, Michael Savage

3. Who in your family always is most likely to know what’s up with everyone else in your family?

Since I am the only family (myself) here on this island, I get news from me... otherwise on the Big Island, my mom.

4. Who at work (or school) always seems to know what’s going on?

Usually myself, my boss, some colleagues

5. What other kinds of news do you try to keep up-to-date on and where do you get it?

Most of my alternate news comes from the internet - RSS feeds, websites, Twitter feeds, some Facebook and blogs.

Macintosh news - Macintouch, LowEndMac.com, MacObserver.com, Tidbits.com, Apple.com, rss feeds

Other type of news- (no URLs sorry) Politics, Conservatism, Fox News Online, Drudge Report, Palm OS News, blogs, Tech, Photography, Cameras, Radio & Records website (up to early June), Billboard.com, music news, Wikipedia, Google, Yahoo, Yahoo Groups, Google groups, science fiction, Star Wars, Star Trek, LOST, TV, radio, movies, IMDB, etc., etc. Who has time to keep up with everything?

Radio - Kim Komando Show

Fallen by the wayside: magazines, other newspapers.

Got a problem with the links? Don't click em!

Dairy Products - Friday 5 6-19-09

2009-06-18T18:30:00.000-10:00

1. What are your feelings about milk?

I don't quite care for it, although I like milk products such as ice cream and milk shakes. See the tasty picture above... best way to have a milk product... ice cream or ice milk sundae in this case... at McDonalds'.

2. What are your feelings about cheese?

It's good with pizza and spaghetti. I don't over do cheese.

3. What are your feelings about yogurt?

I don't care for it.

4. How do you feel about soy milk?

Nope, that is not for me.

5. How far are you from the nearest cow?

There are some probably in the rural areas of Oahu... maybe about 20 miles or more away.

Eat & Drink

2009-06-12T05:30:00.002-10:00

I guess everyone who eats has an opinion on what and how we eat. Here's my responses to today's Friday 5 "Eat & Drink" questions.

1. What’s something you will not eat unless you also have ketchup?

I usually like to have ketchup with Meat Loaf.

2. What’s something you will not drink unless it is served on ice cubes?

I like cold drinks but I do not require ice cubes all of the time. Ice cubes are nice when they are available, especially if you can control how many cubes you put in your drink. I do soft drinks only. No alcohol for me.

That all said, I hate when you go to a food place and the cup is filled mostly with ice cubes and not too much soda. Eating places make a lot of money selling soda with mostly ice cubes in them.

3. What’s something you will not eat unless it is served between slices of bread?

Generally peanut butter, but then if I have crackers, I like peanut butter with that too. Lately I haven’t done peanut butter because of recent salmonella poisoning news.

Vintage ICEE cup with Little Polar Bear, originally uploaded by gregg_koenig.

4. What’s something you will not drink unless you have a straw?

Icee! I like the red straw with the scooper at the end. Strawberry icee is my favorite.

5. What’s something else you will not eat except under very specific circumstances?

Beets - unless it is the last food on earth that is available.

Friday 5 for June 5: BUGS!!!!

2009-06-05T01:00:00.003-10:00

Starting with this post, the new home for my "Friday 5" blog responses is here.

I started posting Friday 5 responses to my main blog, but after a while I felt some of the categories did not fit in with the more political, technical and life stuff that I write about there. So for a few entries I used my Tumblr blog. Tumblr is limited, so I decided, hell Blogspot offers its users an unlimited amount of space to post a blog... so here I am, with a new blog just for the Friday 5 answers.

I'll be posting the first entry for Friday June 5 here and will drag my earlier entries to this area in a few days.

Without further delay, here is my Friday 5 response to.....

BUGS!!!!

1. What bugs truly freak you out?

COCKROACHES - especially the big brown, ugly American Cockroach. I hate when they fly, walk upside down on my ceiling and worst land on me. When you try to kill them they have a hard time accepting death, and usually run away when you squish em.... only to find them dead in some nook or cranny days later.

2. Which Bugs Bunny cartoon do you remember most fondly?

While I like the entire stable of Warner Brothers cartoons better than anything from Disney (too goody goody) and Hana Barbera (awful mostly), I can't exactly place a favorite Bugs Bunny cartoon. I generally like the Road Runner and Coyote ones better. That said any cartoon where Bugs would harass Yosemite Sam or Elmer Fudd are always good ones.

3. What bugs you most about your life online?

A. Spam
B. Instrusive Pop Up and Pop Under Ads
C. Intrusive Pop Ups @ Yahoo that ask me to chat (just defeated that)
D. Overuse of unnecessary FLASH.
E. Flash introductions to websites before they let you in to see the real content.
F. Phishing Schemes
G. People who pass on long chain emails with everyone's addresses in them.
H. Friends & Acquaintances who love to pass around junk emails and jokes without using BCC.
I. Tiered internet pricing
J. Cookies
K. Attachments I never asked for.
L. Streamline Tax - Internet Taxation - coming soon because of liberal Democrats and Obama
M. DRM
N. Netflix Pop Under Ads - like dog shit on your desktop
O. Websites that demand I punch in my cell phone number to get a text message. Hello? I don't own or use a freakin' cell phone!!!!!!!
P. Paying for content that was once free.
Q. Underlining links and text
R. Ugly crap on MySpace.com
S. Apparent long term freeze at Finetune.com
T. Disappearance of Muxtape as we once knew it.
U. The always changing TheSixty-One.com website and their now lousy flash based, points based download system for some songs.
V. I spend too much time online.
W. Not enough free wifi hotspots in my city.
X. Message board sites with too many liberal viewpoints.
Y. Some of my friends are not online yet... sheesh. Can't deal with luddites.
Z. People who don't want to upgrade their operating system and be on some websites for their own good.

With all those bugs, I can't fathom why I continue to pay and use the darn internet. Makes me want to go back to the good old BBS days when things were a lot simpler even though they were slower.

4. Which of your favorite websites seems often to be especially buggy?

Honolulu StarBulletin.com - Around September of 2008 they started using a lot of pop over and pop under advertising. It is extremely annoying when flash based pop ups block the content you want to view. And in some cases when you press the so called "close box" on the offending ad, instead of closing it takes you to the advertiser's website! StarBulletin.com... you are an asshole for instigating intrusive pop up and pop over ads on your content. Use of the mobile site is recommended.

Finetune.com - Once my favorite streaming website that let users create an unlimited number of mixes using popular music and letting users embed those mixes in blogs and websites... Now the entire site is frozen. Our content is still there but we cannot do nothing with it except listen. I strongly suspect this is not entirely Finetune.com's fault but has something to do with the evil RIAA.

MySpace.com - Some people's pages are so overloaded with crap, that they sometimes freeze my browser. Luckily I don't go there as often as I did now that most of my friends are on Facebook.

5. When were you last too sick to get out of bed?

Several years ago I was so sick that I was running out of bed and to the toilet so much that I got badly dehydrated. I had to go to the hospital for a day. They put me on a slow I.V. drip to get my fluids back!!!! It was awful.