January/February 2009

Sea Ray, Evinrude, Quebec, Chicago, Women BoatersThis is what I do at work...well sometimes.

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Tennessee Coal Ash Disaster Dwarfs Exxon Spill | EarthFirst.

One of the worst environmental disasters in recent memory has unfolded over the last week in Kingston, Tennessee, where a massive coal waste spill has unleashed over a billion gallons of potentially toxic sludge into the Clinch River and surrounding land. Worst yet, the Tennessee Valley Authority – the nation’s largest government-owned utility, whi

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Japan auto sales plunge as young lose interest - Yahoo! Fina

To get around the city, Yutaka Makino hops on his skateboard or rides commuter trains. Does he dream of the day when he has his own car? Not a chance.

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Holiday Gifts

Optic Nerve’s Sunglasses Protect Your Eyes
Pique the Holidays with Exotic Coffee
Buy Your Favorite Lighthouse
Galleyware Christening Bottle
Fun for the Whole Family
Candle Protection

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I wrote this thing. It's not glamorous or that much to speak of. But it's something.

Global Warming is Not Tied to Natural Disasters and Extremes

More evidence that global warming is junk science.

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Cutest little kitten with a broken arm

Maybeh if I dream about milk rivers and catnip forests, this will GO AWAY!

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NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory - News

If you could toss a bottle out into space, what message would you seal into it for anyone -- or any thing -- to open some day far away from our solar system?NASA's two Voyager spacecraft bound for interstellar space carry answers offered by some humans before the Voyagers launched 25 years ago.

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Taglit the Birthright by Kenneth Ngwa

Never having left home, Matias was excited to be seeing the world. From the moment he had landed, his levelheadedness had been affected. The thriving metropolitan center of Buenos Aires was a far cry from the Golden land of Israel. The warmth of complete strangers was a staunch contrast to what he knew from back home. Traveling through the country

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Christmas In Paris by C. Joseph Smith

It began Thanksgiving night, while they were cleaning up the dishes. It was 11 PM, a late hour for Judy.“Did you have a good time?” she asked.“Sure,” said Ted. “As good as usual.”“It could have been better?”

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TOP 10 STRANGEST THINGS IN THE UNIVERSE

The more we look among the stars and galaxies, the weirder things seem to get.From super-fast stars to the nature of matter, here we cover other strange and mysterious elements of the universe.

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Manhattan in Pictures | Demonicious.com

I just thought this post was great enough to appear here, as I always wanted to see some people's face inside the famous town of Manhattan. : ]

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NASA : Cosmic Rays from a Mysterious, Nearby Object

An international team of researchers has discovered a puzzling surplus of high-energy electrons bombarding Earth from space. The source of these cosmic rays is unknown, but it must be close to the solar system and it could be made of dark matter. Their results are being reported in the Nov. 20th issue of the journal Nature.

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Fiction Markets

Updated the style of the fiction market blog, as I'm working to improve the site and add a full database of all the market reviews. I'd like to make it useful to writers, as I know how it is to figure out where to submit your work.

Check it out here.

Fiction Market

The fiction market site is underway and going quite well. Also, it appears more people than ever are reading FreightTrain magazine.

If you haven't read the latest, read it heref.

New FreightTrain Site

I've redesigned the FreightTrain website and it's bi-weekly story blog. Both look tons better and hopefully will attracted more readers. Pass the word along.


FreightTrain Magazine

Bi-Weekly Stories

Keith Olbermann Special Comment On Prop. 8

A powerful and moving Special Comment from Keith Olbermann about Prop. 8 and a message of love over religion ans hate. Awesome.

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Between Here and There by Jason Gersch

“Do you know what day today is, Ariel? Today’s your birthday,” her mother said gingerly, caressing each syllable she spoke. Simultaneously she stroked Ariel’s hair gently back into a ponytail, concentrating to not catch any knots. “When you get home from school, Mommy is going to bring you to your favorite park so you can play on the swing,”

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Credit card processors finally get clue, will ban WEP

Credit card processors have finally realized what security experts have known since 2001: WEP is next to worthless as a wireless security protocol, and they're finally going its use in credit card processing systems—but not until mid-2010. The use of WEP was a major factor in the largest consumer data theft ever.

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They just don't make them like they used to

A satellite from 1978 checks in with mission control, now they're sending it on a mission to check out comments... Like the Energizer Bunny, it keeps going and going and going...

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Has Palin Really Given Obama a 338-185 Electoral Vote Lead?

Many have suggested it is not the economy that is responsible for McCain's recent drop in the polls, but it is his selection of Sarah Palin. The national polls are no good for McCain and the GOP right now, but the state-by-state polls are even worse. Palin needs a hit tonight to keep this game alive for the GOP.

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California science museum reopens with green theme

It is not the strongest nor the smartest species that survive, Charles Darwin once said, "but the one most responsive to change."Amid the menagerie of brightly colored and well-camouflaged creatures on display at the new California Academy of Sciences, it may be the building itself that best illustrates Darwin's assertion.

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Scarlett Johansson's Vintage Photos

Scarlett Johansson is in a French magazine, featuring her photos taken by Anne Leibovitz. The actress us very busy with her soaring career but she still manages to spend time with her family and loved ones, as she was recently seen spending quality time with her mom. Her movie with Penelope Cruz have been a success and I can't wait to see what she

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Megan Fox Busy With Her New Movie

Megan Fox is surely thriving in Hollywood. Here she is at the set of her new movie "How To Lose Friends & Alienate People" coming out of a pool. Thus, the perky nipples. Hehe. She has also been busy recently, attending the premiere of Shia LaBeouf's new film "Eagle Eye" at the Mann's Chinese Theater. Here are photos of Megan, making us all look for

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The Ferrari California World Premiere Event Was Yesterday

And you missed it.

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Alcatraz History

A website dedicated to the history of Alcatraz prison.

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Backyard Coyotes

They moved into our backyard the summer before eight grade – nature had nowhere else to put them. Dad wanted to shoot them with the shotgun, but Momma said he fire a weapon in town. I said I’d crawl in the den with them – I drew the senseless-killing line at baby animals.

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Grateful For Linux Even If You Don’t Use It

How Linux has changed the technology industry and computers!

What a great article showing the power and usefulness of the best operating system out there.

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My Last Day of Work by David G. Cox

How could this happen to me? My sector, my department, had always been the best in our employee evaluations. In every category we scored in the highest possible percentile; efficiency, timeliness, loyalty, patriotism, and yes, even in dogma, we were number one. So how could this happen? It must be a mistake, that’s it! A mistake, I’ll send them an

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'Dark Knight' Breaks Another Box Office Record

It's the second biggest earner in American box office history, but 'The Dark Knight' does hold one new all-time mark: No first-run movie has ever made more money at IMAX than the Batman sequel: $55 million in two months on 139 screens. That's impressive.

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Not our fault? Milky Way may cause extinctions on Earth

Horoscope enthusiasts will be happy to hear that a grand cosmic force does indeed seem to be responsible for controlling the direction of all life on Earth. However, this grand cosmic cycle has more to do with extinction than finding a tall, handsome stranger...

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Reason Why - Whitney Kenerly

The first time I ever faked being sick was somewhere around the beginning of 7th grade, long before there could be what one would call (particularly seedy) ulterior motives. My mom came to pick me up, like always, having to drive across town after leaving her new job early, to collect her sneering daughter standing alone in front of the auxiliary g

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Tower Power - StoryMash

Michael was a Green Spacer; he was there at the grand opening of Ronauldi Tower. He was watching the other side of the street very curiously as they moved slowly, monotonously. Peeking in and out from behind other heads was one he recognized, or thought he did. A glimpse of brown hair and dark glasses frames followed by a pointed nose hanging over

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Organic Garden Takes Over San Francisco’s City Hall Lawn

Scott ChernisSushil Cheema reports:San Francisco has long been a place for unusual sights, and the current scene outside City Hall is no different. An edible, organic garden has sprouted in place of the building’s lawn, and it has taken root with Mayor Gavin Newsom’s blessing. The garden is a project by Slow Food, a non-profit […]

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A Skyscraper’s 100,000 Gallon Stabiliser [PICS]

you’re looking at the top of the south tower of one rincon hill in san fransisco, a building that boasts 60 floors, a total height of 641ft and a spot at the top of a hill in one of the windiest and most earthquake prone parts of north america.

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Amtrak Trains That are Faster & Cheaper Than Flying!

Why spend more for flights that continue to raise prices, add fees for luggage, and remove basic services when there is a cheap and comfortable alternative?Here's a list of Train Routes that are Cheaper than Flying-

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FreightTrain Magazine: FreightTrain Magazine V03i02 Summer 2

Inside you'll find three brand new fiction stories from the online magazine. If you've just started reading or really love these stories, you can enjoy them over and over again is a sharp magazine-styled pdf. * The Call of the Dance by Georgianna Groen * Lucero and the Flower by Wesley Norman * Crippled Fear by Kirsten Laulainen

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Incredible Views of Jupiter [PICS]

Jupiter is in the news again, this time because its "Baby Red Spot" - a storm less than a year old - appears to have been swallowed up by the massive storm known as the Great Red Spot. This is good occasion to share some of the best photographs of Jupiter and its larger system of rings and moons

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Net firms in music pirates deal

Six of the UK's biggest net providers are believed to backed a government plan to tackle music piracy online.

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8 Great Villains We Want in the Next Batman Movie

With The Dark Knight set to break box-office records, a sequel is almost certainly in the works. With Heath Ledger and Aaron Eckhardt's masterful performances as The Joker and Two-Face, respectively, finding another villain or two to ably face off against the caped crusader, while staying true to Christopher Nolan's darker tone won't be easy.

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Breathtaking Aerial Views of Russia (PICS)

The beautiful Russian countryside, as few get the privilege to see it.

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How Tides Could Power the Future

Sloshing back and forth in constant rhythm, the ocean's tides are a predictable source of renewable energy. Hoping to tap into this, the world's largest tidal turbine is set to start generating electricity this month.

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Confirmed: Robert Downey Jr. to Play Sherlock Holmes

After much speculation, Robert Downey Jr. will play Sherlock Holmes in an upcoming "reimagining" of the world's most famous sleuth, with Guy Ritchie in the director's chair. That's an odd combo for a Victorian drama, but what the hell.

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v03i02 Magazine on the Way

It's been three months already. I can't believe it. I've got a couple stories picked out and I'm looking for a couple more. This issue may be a bit lighter than usual, but it will be just as strong. We'll see what happens in the next two weeks. I just know that I have to grind the gears and get it done for all you fans waiting.

The wife's also secured two new calligraphy jobs and things are looking bright for it. Of course that's how it goes as she goes back to school.

I put together my new Linux computer. It's shining beautifully. The old one is going to become the new web server. I will be working more with Steve at sgj-design to get up more wonderful websites. Not much on the writing front as work is taking over, but I'll get on it soon.

.500 Baseball

Sure, the Cubs haven't looked the greatest lately. But this year has felt pretty good so far. We're a long ways from the end, and things could get worse. There is one exciting thing to think about. If we play .500 baseball for the rest of the season, we'll have 90 wins. That doesn't seem like to large a task. It seems within reach. Any good team can manage that much.

Fiction Market Blog

Been a while, but I finally got a new post up on the fiction markets blog.

http://revwriting.blogspot.com/2008/06/hill-and-valley-by-lauren-schenkman.html

It was a good story.

Calligraphy

The wife finished her second paying calligraphy job. It's a nice little side-moneymaker. Only if she could work it enough to make what her mother makes.

You need wedding or event calligraphy, check it out at The Graceful Quill.

I also need to get myself more freelance writing, editing, and web jobs so that I can quit my crappy second part-time job. Anyone? You could use any of those? Maybe I should post something on craigslist one of these days.

Second Anniversary

Today was my second anniversary. Crazy thing, marriage. We went for lunch at The Signature Room on the 95th floor of the Hancock Tower. I had a really great burger. Well worth the twelve bucks. The view was also nice.

Other than that, been writing and working. Got up most of Steve's site at sgj-design.com. Check it out if you're bored.

Almost done with the second volume of Harold Pinter, which I really love. I'm hoping to write something new for storymash on Friday. Keep your eyes peeled for that!

Story Start You Can Finish (or Add To)

http://storymash.com/u/justhoff/bihetofu/

Check out this story start I put up on storymash.com. It's about a woman leaving her engagement ring with a bum. You add to it how you'd like. Follow her or him. It's your next chapter (though maybe I'll add one too).

Read it if you're bored, or looking for something fun to read.

Cubs to 20 Over .500

The Cubs are kicking it this year (so far).

What more do I need to say?

FreightTrain Update

The latest post from FreightTrain was a story I really enjoyed. Of course, I enjoy all the stories I post on there. That is what being an editor means.

So, it would be more useful if I commented on why I enjoyed the story. You can find it here: http://ftzine.blogspot.com/2008/06/twilight-time-by-michelle-reale-bernice.html

I particularly liked the descriptions. Michelle is very good at bringing the reader into the scene and keeping them there. She also dove nicely into the old woman's head, bringing her thoughts and feelings to the front of the story. The imagination of Bernice, lusting for Nardo, is quite compelling.

That's all for now. Off to work on a new website.

Joining Great Lakes Boating Magazine

I finally got my first 'real' job out of college. And it's fun so far. I signed on an editorial assistant, so I'll actually be doing what I want to do: writing and editing. I also have to spend a good amount of time working on the websites. I enjoy that too, but it's not writing.

So far, I've worked on several short pieces to be in the magazine. I also edited down one longer article about the Coast Guard. So if you enjoy boating or the great lakes or me, check out my name on their site: http://www.greatlakesboating.com/