Thank you everyone who showed up at my Birthday Party at Coffee Oasis last night

We all had a great time.  Just to let everyone know, we didn't permanently break my phone when we were playing with all those apps.  I looked up on line how to fix the crazy not seeing the phone network thing and fixed it last night when I got home.  You have to remember that the new smart phones are not really intrinsically phones.   They are hand held computers with cell phone transceivers built in and come with a little phone application that drives that transceiver.  Sometimes that phone app crashes.  I had downloaded too many apps and according to a few forums I read last night, too many apps drive the HTC Hero crazy.  I had driven my phone crazy... lol.  I have concluded one thing with this phone.  The Google App, Google Sky Map has to be the coolest, most elegant app ever yet written.  It's a window to the Gods in your cell phone.  That is just cool on every level. Anyway, when I wasn't breaking my new cell phone, we had a lot of fun, enjoyed some great Celtic Music and drank a lot of Texas Pecan Coffee amongst other things. Thanks everyone for coming.

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Austin in a snowglobe

I found this video at the Houston Chronical.  Its the State Capitol building in the snow.  Just three minutes of snow falling.  Kind of relaxing actually.   Put that on a loop. http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid29266405001?bctid=68172270001

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Owlcon is over...

I was wiped out and I didn't realize just how wiped out I was until this morning.  I'm still a little brain foggy.  I was so wiped that I just couldn't make myself get out of bed until noon.  I had to call in sick.  I only really woke up around 1400 or so and made lunch.  Well worth it though. I have learned that I suck at Diplomacy.  The game that is and pretty much at the real life thing too.  I really need to work at the negotiation thing.  That game is a lot of  fun, but gawd.  My ld issues really become issues where it comes to knowing who to trust and who is outright lying to you.  Vital in that game.  I never realized how much that game was a Roleplaying game.  You only think it's a board game.  It's not, that board is there only for your convenience.  That game is 99% RP.  I must play this more, it's good therapy. The LARPs were great.  I was too Larped out for the Sunday Paranoia LARP.  I've never made one, I've always wanted to do one, but alas, I was doing good to stay awake for the AD&D game.  Yea, a real live AD&D 2nd ed. game.  For real!  I haven't played that in years.  Anyway, the cthulu LARP lasted until 4am.  I lasted through the whole game without dying, but went stark raving mad.  It was a good madness though.  I have video from the Serenity LARP, it was fun too, but could have used more action.  I'll process the video when I get time, possibly this week and post it up on youtube.    I have to do some work on my own larp this week.  I've made a lot of observations on how everyone runs their larps and now I am getting a good idea on how I'm going to work out the system for mine.  It needs to be more actual skill based and not so reeve/keeper/ST heavy.  LARPing should not be just table top gaming standing up and with costumes.   It needs to involve actual physical skills.  But I need this to be held in a hotel, so I need to curtail the physical action to some extent.   Much to be done.  I am still [...]

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Hangin' out at Owlcon

The problem with cons like this is that I go to see friends and I wind up, not seeing much of them because we all are scattered everywhere gaming at our own games.  This has to be one of the best gaming cons in this part of the country, even though it's confined to the campus of Rice University.  This fact has started to be a problem, the con keeps growing and more people show up each year.  There is only so many places at this campus usable to be con space.  Yea, it's free con space, but you know, nothing is really free, they pay with the fact this con can only get so big.  This place is now crammed with gamers.  There is  space that isn't free of gamers either gaming an official on the lists game, or their own private game. I am waiting on a friend that is in the middle of a game now.  I have a LARP I will be in at 1500.  His game stops at 1400, that will make a short lunch.

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A first impression of the HTC Hero Google Android Phone

So, I have had my new phone about 24 hours now and I've had a tiny bit of time to play with it.

Here it is, the manifesto ...

Report: Pilot's manifesto found online | NewsWatch: Breaking news | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle. This is the "manifesto" written by the guy who flew a plane into a building in Austin yesterday.  Go ahead and read it.  There are a lot of people out there who probably feel this guy's pain.

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It is time...

I got a new phone.  My old cell is dying and its become a pain to deal with.  My old super cool Sanyo SCP-8400 blue flip phone that has served me very well has started to lose the ability to know if it's opened or closed.  Making it cut off in the middle of conversations.  I'm sending it to be donated to the Sprint Buyback program so it will get a good home. :)  In return, I will have a new plan and a bright shiny new HTC Hero Google Android phone.  Not to mention a ginormous bill in March for all this.  gawh...

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As rates rise, fewer willing to buy health insurance | Business | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

As rates rise, fewer willing to buy health insurance | Business | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle. Check out who is top recommended commenter here. ;)  I have often argued with my friends on this issue.  For Profit Insurance is the elephant in the room of health costs.   You can have insurance all you want so long as they don't profit from our misery.

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America has her cup back!

USA's BMW Oracle has toasted the Alinghi.

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America's Cup anyone

It's really a terrible pity that no one in the States is broadcasting the America's cup. The American boat BMW Oracle is toasting the Swedes. America may have it's cup back for the first time in 15 years.

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That's all we need, Al-Qaida Fem-bots!

Bombs In Breast Implants? - Houston News Story - KPRC Houston. I'm holding out for the power paisties.  lol

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So, you want to over throw the government...

South Carolina To Root Out 'Subversives,' Make Them Pay Five Dollars. So you want a revolution, well well, you know.... you need to register. lol  I didn't think this was real until I downloaded the pdf form.

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Census Game

Can you remember where you lived last Census? How about the Census before that? And before that? 2000: I lived in the Galleria area on McCue in Houston, TX. I had a 1200 sqft. apartment that only cost me around $700 a month. 1990: I think I lived in the Montrose area on Woodhead in Houston, TX. My rent was around $450 a month. 1980: I lived in League City, TX on 7th Street with my dad and started my first year at Clear Creek High School. 1970: In Clear Lake City, TX on Seaside ln. I had entered Kindergarten at Whitcome Elementary and I walked around 11 blocks to school every day.

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Conjour II was a lot of fun, people showed up!

I have done a little posting on my facebook account with pictures, but I haven't had time to put anything here.  The con was much better organized this year and they exceeded their last year attendance on Friday within the first few hours of opening from what the con com there told me.  That was very encouraging news.  They had many more panels, several guests this time and a lot more people. 

All I can say about this is ROFL

Tea Party Disputes Take Toll on Convention - NYTimes.com.

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Prisoner fights for right to play Dungeons and Dragons | News Bizarre | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

Prisoner fights for right to play Dungeons and Dragons | News Bizarre | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle. Just check out their reasons.  They think D&D promotes gambling amongst other things.  I feel discriminated against.

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Here's hopeing

I had a long discussion with a friend of mine and the engine problems and he thinks he can help me out a bit.  What we are going to do is do a complete overhaul on the engine.  I think it may have a blown gasket or something equally drastic wrong with it.  I've ordered a manual.  He's unemployed right now and has nothing better to do than tinker. Looks like the recession is finally hitting us.  Blue Water Ships Store is going  out of business down the road.  This is terrible news.  They had a lot of Yanmar parts and it will be pretty tough to find them after they close.  At the very least, I  may be able to get some deals on parts for the next month. I'll be going to Relic Quest 1 tomorrow.  Hoping to touch base with a lot of Steampunk fans and see if I can get something going for the LARP this year.

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Progress made so far on the ApolloCon LARP

A lot of issues are still up in the air so far for the LARP, but it's moving forward and that's good.  Bebhin has made me a moderator on the wlapollocon list and I am hoping that will help.  It's already made, it has a good list of probably volunteers and will be a good place to start organizing.  I am lining up tasks for posting and I will put that list up there.  If you want to join in on the fun, you can join that list here: Click to join wlapollocon

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Disturbing thing here at the Marina

I came home this evening to see that the water here in the marina has changed from the usual muddy green to something around the same color and transparency of cinnamon coffee.  I have been here three years now and I have never seen this.  It was too dark to get a picture.  I'll post one when I can.

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Blah

I realize I haven't posted in a while.  Sorry, I was sick yesterday, I haven't been that sick in years.  This afternoon I finally got enough umph to get off the boat to take a shower, only to find out that since the weather was so cold the past couple of days, there is no water pressure.  No shower to be had in Clear Lake Shores.  The pressure is so low, the toilets won't even flush.   I will try to get off the boat and go down to Coffee Oasis.  At least I can hope they have flushing toilets.

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