Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Happy New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

I was doing a little research to find an appropriate video to post to ring in the new and exciting year we are about to embark upon; and found one I hope you enjoy.

Many of you remember the 70's with fondness of the days when you had hair, and lots of it, wore platform shoes, danced the night away in a disco and could stay up later than 10 PM. Women had the Farah Fawcett hair style and men wore the cool, or so they thought, polyester disco suits. Bell bottoms were cool and basketball players wore short shorts.

Now, many of my readers weren't even born until at least the 80's, and look back at their parents' wedding pictures and laugh at the powder-blue tuxedos, platform shoes, long hair and mutton chop sideburns. How things have changed!

I hope you enjoy this video and have a great 2009! We are all in this together and change is on the way. We will get through these tough times and come out the better for it. Like the man says, "Yes we can, yes we can."

View this nostalgic Happy New Year's video by clicking here.

Take special notice to the clothes and hair. Then, if you are of that generation, think about what you looked and acted like!
Ah, to be young again!

Any comments will be welcomed.

Later,

Mike

P.S. I do miss my hair!

My friend Tom Wallace and me on the Berkeley campus, 1974!

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Christmas Lights

'Tis the season — right? Everywhere we drive these days we see peoples' houses and yards decorated with lights, ornaments and now I've noticed more and more inflatable lawn figures. Some of them are very well done, others ... not so much.

Maybe you've seen these videos of a couple of incredibly elaborate displays. Look at these two videos and then check out the letter and photo of the last one. Friends have sent these and many others that fall somewhere in the middle of time and energy spent to make their own personal statement about the holidays.

I'd like to make this a contest and ask you to tell me which one you like the best. The first video is from 2005 and the second video, letter and photo are from this year. Please take a few minutes out of your busy schedule and watch the videos, read the letter and look at the picture at the end. Then, leave a comment and tell me which one you like the best. Thank you.





Now, read this letter and see what this fellow did to decorate his garage:


Hello All,

It's that time of year again.
The Mrs. has been on my case to get the Christmas lights up for a couple of weeks. They are up now and for some reason she will not talk to me.




Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to one and all!

Later,

Mike

Monday, December 15, 2008

Project Walk

I just learned of an organization that exists to help spinal cord injured people who may have the ability to walk, to help them do just that. It's called Project Walk and it's main location is in Carlsbad, California.

They discuss how important the first first year, and especially, the first six months post injury are in getting SCI's up and walking again. They are seeing some amazing results. I am very encouraged for new injuries by reading their website. You can view their site by clicking here. Their site is full of interesting information.

According to their website, their Mission is: Project Walk® exists to provide an improved quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries through intense exercise-based recovery programs, education, support and encouragement.


If you are, or know someone who has just suffered a spinal cord injury, I encourage you to at least check out Project Walk and see if you might be a candidate for their program.

Please feel free to comment. I look forward to them.

Later,

Mike



Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Remember The Wassup Guys?

Can you believe it was 2000 to 2002 when the Wassup? commercial was on TV all the time? The years seem to fly by faster and faster for me. Well, the guys are back with a new commercial and this one isn't endorsed by the original sponsor. Watch for the disclaimer at the end of the video.

You need to know this video is heavily critical of the current administration and is a clear endorsement of the new President-elect. It was produced in October, during the campaign. It is still being viewed thousands of times a day and generating an interesting discussion in the Comments section.

I have said before, I like dark humor. This video definitely has some dark spots. This would be very funny if it wasn't so, as the characters say, "True."


Check it out and see if you agree with me:



After watching, and considering all of the changes we have each gone through both individually, and collectively in the last eight years, what changes do you see for yourself in the next eight years?

I'm curious to read your comments.

Later,

Mike

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

The Windspire

I am always fascinated at the rate of change we are seeing today. In doing some research for a post on change, I came across this video and website from Mariah Power in Reno, Nevada. Mariah Power is building a unique, new wind generator they call the Windspire.

You can read more about them by clicking here. I also encourage you to check out this video to see just what their new Windspire is all about:



It shifted my paradigm about the new wind power technology we are seeing today. We now know the huge wind farms beginning to dot the landscape are not the only way to generate power from the wind. The wind generators of today are drastically different than the windmills from our parents and grandparents farms of only a generation or two ago.

Change is happening in virtually every aspect of our lives these days. To think young people in school today will be working in careers in five to ten years that are not even invented yet truly amazes me!


What are some of the changes you are experiencing in your life? I look forward to reading about them.

Later,

Mike