Being Frank

Android on the Wrist

53X11 — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 02:48:37 +0000

Found this story about a wrist based Sony Device that allows for the control of Android based phones via bluetooth online. It is compatible with many Android 2.1 or newer based phones. Price $150. Cool, but not sure I would drop that on a modified remote, though I would pay that for a good watch.

Easter 2012

53X11 — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 02:11:44 +0000

As any one who has followed, or even visited, this blog before probably knows there has been a long break between. That should show it has been a busy year for the primary blogger here. Lots of family stuff – a few major surgeries for my wife – lots of work stuff, the death of a high school friend (age 40) after a 2 year cancer battle, a few scares with older parents medical stuff, in law and nephew / niece stuff, and numerous other things.

All of that to say this, there is nothing more important then what we celebrate this weekend – death and resurrection of Christ. That single event is the most important three days in the history of man. Thousands of years of history before that weekend, thousands of years since, nothing has cut through time and history like the child of God, born to a virgin from Bethlehem, who living 33 years, preached 2 years of those, and died for the sins of ALL before rising three days later to reign forever. He has risen, He is alive, He has never forgotten or left those that are His. He paid the ultimate price and nothing in life you do can pay Him back for that, nor nothing you can do make Him love you less (or more) then He did on that hill – the place of the skulls – outside Jerusalem.

This week don’t rejoice in what you have (or don’t have), who is elected to any office, what job you have (don’t have), want or desire, but rejoice in Christ the son, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit for they are worthy of praise, honor and worship AMEN!!

Power Cross and MLB Tommorrow

53X11 — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 03:08:11 +0000

A great organization over in Stateville, NC – PowerCross – got a grant to rehab their baseball field from major league baseball tomorrow. PowerCross is a organization that both lifts up Christ and changes the lives of under served and forgotten young men via sports. Lift up Power Cross in your prayers, they will appreciate it and God will be honored by it.

Shimano 11 speed

53X11 — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 02:02:33 +0000

Interesting news at Velo News a few weeks back. Shimano is upping Dura Acce’s rear cassette to 11 in their 2013 offering. This will match Campy’s 11 speed rear end which has been on the market for 3 years. The 2013 Dura Ace set will be series 9000 (a change from the current 7900 series). It is assumed that the 11 speed Ultegra set will be the 8000 series in 2014.

In other cycling notes, it seems that the new electronic Ultegra Di2 series will soon to be arriving at a bike manufacturers (and then at the local bike shop) soon.

Code BR549

53X11 — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 02:32:58 +0000

Well once again E TN has serious story that is made funny since no one was hurt, and that is only made funnier by the notions of many throughout the nation. The story is from Sevier Co TN about the accidental discharge of a weapon by a on duty police officer at a closed convience store when two officers (both on duty and in the close the store with permission of the owner) compared weight of their .40 caliber hand guns. Full Knoxville News Sentinel story here The officer is on leave due to the incident.

Summary – A Sevier County Sheriff’s Department officer was recently suspended after his service weapon discharged inside a convenience store and the round lodged itself into a pack of frozen bologna.

First of all, it is never funny to play with guns, and handling a gun should always be done seriously. The police if anyone should know that. The fortunate thing is here is that no one was hurt. The funny thing is that the discharged round lodged in frozen log of Bologna within the convenience store. Prior to becoming lodged in the meat log, the round went though a monitor and a cooler. The following line from the story sums it up –

“(the officers involved)…were required to pay restitution — about $120 — to the owners to replace the computer screen.The owners did not request reimbursement for the cooler or lunchmeat”

The owner are not requesting reimbursement for the luncheon meat…well thank goodness they have their priorities right…..LOL

How to cook a turkey

53X11 — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 22:51:11 +0000

For those who wait for the last minute and then have to rush to cook the family bird tommorrow, I offer the following solution.

Cooking a Turkey with Thermite

Dying to Shoplift

53X11 — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 03:59:35 +0000

Local Knoxvilleians probably already know about the shooting of a shoplifter at the South Knoxville Wal Mart two nights ago – (updated story here). It seems that Zachary Blaine Russell was shopping lifting light bulbs and that cost him his life. I must admit my first question was what type of lamps – incandscent, LED, CFL, etc, and next I thought – “I wonder if he was going to sell them at Green Acres this weekend?” Those thoughts were not meant to be funny, but in hindsight they are sadly honest and sadly funny at the same time.

Moving on, some seem to say now that Mr. Russell, the dead shoplifter, was afraid to go back to jail and that is why he made the move to pull the gun on the cop. I guess that is death by cop due to fear of jail, but I don’t know. It seems that the officers tried to tazer the man, but the tazer was not successful and Russell still got the gun pointed at the officers. At that time they shot and killed him by KPD officers John Mays and Tolliver Robertson.

We all probably know, or have meet, or interacted with some police officers that were rude, short with people, aggressive / overly aggressive / harsh, and who seemed to like the job sololy due to the power it brings them over others. Officers like this make many assume that any officer related shooting is basis’d due to the actions of this type officer. In this case though, none of those things matter, and none of those things occurred in this case. These officers were not doing nothing wrong, or unprofessional.

Pull a gun on a armed person (cop or not) gets you shot. It is reasonable, right and fair that the guy got shot. No exceptions, no well buts.. he pulled a gun and pointed it, he got shot. It turns out that the gun had a round in it, but it did not matter in this case that the gun was ready to shoot or not. He pointed a gun at a officer.

Even if the gun was unloaded, this guy deserved to get shot. The officers have no way of knowing if the gun is or is not loaded. They have to shoot. They have to defend themselves. They have to protect others.

This was a good / fair shooting. This is one time that the KPD officers did everything right, no mistakes. A piece of equipment failed, but they still had to act. The only bad thing here was the tazer did not work. and that is unfortunate.

In the end that equipment failure cost Mr. Russell his life. I am sure his family will likely consider suing the tazer manufacturer for producing a faulty device which probably cost Mr. Russell his life. That will be a interesting case to follow, but it has no bearing on the shooting as once the officer had their lives, or the lives of others, threatened it was time to shoot.

Great job officers John Mays and Tolliver Robertson

Worthless Careers

53X11 — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 03:30:28 +0000

Bnet has a very interesting story about 10 careers which pay well, but which do NOT benefit society. I agree with most of them, with cavets like the author includes – Chriropractors do give some benefit, some self help books are ok, some health experts can help you, etc. I have a dream that someday #9 will not be true, but I believe it may always be. Full story here

Hitler’s Argentine Home ? … For Sale

53X11 — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 01:18:01 +0000

Gizmodo has a very interesting story up today about the sell of a “potential” home of Adolph Hitler in Argentina. The basis of the idea is that Hitler escaped Germany and lived out his days in this remote Argentinian home – leaving two daughters as his legaacy. Interesting story, though I don’t personally believe it. Nice house though, full story here

Knoxville Mayor’s Race

53X11 — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 03:10:54 +0000

I know the Knoxville mayoral race ended a week ago, but … well I was busy … so here is my two cents. I was not surprised Madeline won, I was surprised she won so handedly. I thought the combination of Haslem money, a down job market looking for business leadership, a push back from conservatives concerned with Rogero being too liberal, and Padgett’s father’s long line of Knoxville political connections would lead to a closer race.

I am still shocked that Bill Owen even waste his time running.

Silence is not golden, but it is still silence

53X11 — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 02:39:58 +0000

Over the last few months the Being Frank team has desired to start regular posting again. Life, work, and some lingering family health issues, have interfered with these plans.

That said, we will push on and hopefully get to regular blogging over the next few weeks and months.

Readers from way back will either be happy or sad to hear that the three C’s – Christ, Cycling and Computers – will still make up a majority of post on this blog. Going forward there will likely be a few new areas of interests – Exercise, Electricity, and Engineering – added into the irregular posts on politics, pens, people, misc news, current events, metro Knoxville TN, economics and whatever else strikes our fancy that day.

So, sit back and hopefully the ride will get interesting again soon.