In the back yard this morning.
04 October 2008
19 September 2008
10 September 2008
Venice Italy
Took this photo back in 1987 when I first got to Italy. Of all the cities I've ever visited Venice is hard to beat. So much history and beauty.
21 August 2008
11 August 2008
08 August 2008
Field and sky
A beautiful day here in the St. Louis area. Wish it was always like this during the summer.
05 August 2008
29 July 2008
24 July 2008
22 July 2008
Main Street Collinsville
Took this one last night while Ian was in his karate class. I was cooling down from my session so I thought I'd play around with the camera a bit.
19 July 2008
No more racing
I've been meaning to take a picture of this car for quite a while. It is on the back way home from Collinsville. Obviously it's been sitting there a while and I've always thought it was an interesting scene. There is an old tavern across the street from it that has been converted to a home.
18 July 2008
Blackjack steeple
Church steeple in Blackjack, just south of Troy. I love going by this place when I take an alternate route home.
16 July 2008
10 July 2008
My 15 seconds of fame
This photo got shown during the weather brief on the local newscast last night. My 15 seconds of fame!
06 July 2008
05 July 2008
29 June 2008
Rush!
Saw Rush last night here in St. Louis. A fantastic show as usual by the band. This was my sixth time seeing them live and it was as good as ever. Took my son, a co-worker and his son to the show. They've all just recently become fans of the band and walked away from the show as even bigger fans. The crowd was good and the weather cooperated last night. Again an awesome night. Until the next tour...
27 June 2008
Bobby's Frozen Custard
Ian and I just got back from Bobby's frozen custard. A beautiful evening out and the custard hit the spot. Going to need to run it off in the morning.
22 June 2008
21 June 2008
Cookie in the clover
Cookie out in the yard. She hates the camera but I was able to snap this before she realized what was happening.
20 June 2008
19 June 2008
07 June 2008
Sportscaster Jim McKay dies at 86
A voice from my childhood has passed away. I remember as a kid watching Wide World Of Sports and hearing Jim's unmistakable voice. I recently watched a documentary about the man. A true professional and all round good man. RIP Jim.
Sportscaster Jim McKay dies at 86
Sportscaster Jim McKay dies at 86
31 May 2008
Lightning
A good light show last night. Been playing with the camera trying to capture the lighting. This was one of the better shots.
29 May 2008
Updates!
Been a while since I posted here. Been busy with my Lockergnome blog, Flickr, Twitter and Myspace. If nothing is here visit those sites too.
08 May 2008
Whitesnake and Def Leppard
New music this week in the house from Whitesnake and Def Leppard.
Whitesnake - Good To Be Bad
It has been a while since there has been a new CD from Coverdale and company but it is worth the wait. A real grower and it has been in constant rotation since picking it up.
Def Leppard - Songs From The Sparkle Lounge
A real disappointment but after X I guess I wasn't expecting a whole lot. The covers CD "Yeah" was fun but musically this just seems like the band doesn't know who they want to be. This one won't get much time after this week I imagine. Oh well....
Whitesnake - Good To Be Bad
It has been a while since there has been a new CD from Coverdale and company but it is worth the wait. A real grower and it has been in constant rotation since picking it up.
Def Leppard - Songs From The Sparkle Lounge
A real disappointment but after X I guess I wasn't expecting a whole lot. The covers CD "Yeah" was fun but musically this just seems like the band doesn't know who they want to be. This one won't get much time after this week I imagine. Oh well....
04 May 2008
Been a while
Been a while since I've posted anything. Time just slips by and before you know it....well what ever. Been a busy day working in the yard. It was a gorgeous day and I had to take advantage of it.
I did put a few new pictures up on Flickr that I took at the NHRA drag races that I attended Friday at Gateway International Raceway which is just down the road. Take a look and leave a comment if you like.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/matneym/
I did put a few new pictures up on Flickr that I took at the NHRA drag races that I attended Friday at Gateway International Raceway which is just down the road. Take a look and leave a comment if you like.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/matneym/
10 April 2008
Meet Woody, the bird with a massive pecker that's triple the normal size
LOL!!! This was my first successful Fark submission.
Meet Woody, the bird with a massive pecker that's triple the normal size
Meet Woody, the bird with a massive pecker that's triple the normal size
29 March 2008
18 March 2008
04 March 2008
Brett Favre retires
As a Packer fan I hate to see him go but he goes out on his terms. The upcoming season is going to be strange with him not playing. Thanks Brett for making the game enjoyable.
I took this photo last December when the Packers came to town to play the Rams.
I took this photo last December when the Packers came to town to play the Rams.
02 March 2008
29 February 2008
The weekend is here
Been a while since I've posted. I'm glad the weekend is here. The home show is going on over at the America's center in St. Louis so we'll be spending Saturday there. Hopefully back in time so I can get a good nap in. Need to catch up on sleep.
23 February 2008
Schmap.com
Wow, I'm nothing but an amaeuter photographer but one of my pictures was included in the St. Louis guide at schmap.com. I was surprised when they asked permission and even more surprised when they told me it was included. It helps when the picture is of Brett Favre getting ready to set a new record.
01 February 2008
3 years ago
It was 3 years ago today that I officially became retired from the Air Force and became a civilian again. I've never regretted my time in the Air Force, or that I retired. Still work as a contractor for the Air Force which has made the transition easier in many ways. Regardless, 3 years...hard to believe.
23 January 2008
12 January 2008
Commercials you won't see in the US.
A commercial you would never see here in the US. :-)
Real Sex Education - The most amazing home videos are here
Real Sex Education - The most amazing home videos are here
04 January 2008
Andrew Olmsted
I didn't know Andrew Olmsted personally, but having served a career in the military I do know him. Those who serve or have served know what I am talking about. May he rest in peace, and to his family my condolences.
Andrew Olmsted
Andrew Olmsted
31 December 2007
Another year gone, another one coming
Another year gone. My wife and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary and our son turned 16. Unfortunately my grandfather died and all of my grandparents are now deceased. But that is life, it goes on, the good and bad. But over all I can't complain and I hope that 2008 is a good year. So Happy New Year to all that read this blog.
Mike
Mike
23 December 2007
16 December 2007
08 December 2007
30 November 2007
18 November 2007
02 November 2007
28 October 2007
16 October 2007
42
Isn't that the meaning of life, according to Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy? Maybe it will magically appear to me today. When I was a kid in high school I never expected to be this old but here I am. Don't plan on going anywhere for quite a while either.
05 October 2007
Ann Coulter shooting her mouth off again...
According to the New York Observer Ann Coulter had this to say:
If we took away women's right to vote, we'd never have to worry about another Democrat president. It's kind of a pipe dream, it's a personal fantasy of mine, but I don't think it's going to happen. And it is a good way of making the point that women are voting so stupidly, at least single women.
It also makes the point, it is kind of embarrassing, the Democratic Party ought to be hanging its head in shame, that it has so much difficulty getting men to vote for it. I mean, you do see it’s the party of women and 'We’ll pay for health care and tuition and day care -- and here, what else can we give you, soccer moms?'
I may be wrong but I believe Ann is a woman and single...
If we took away women's right to vote, we'd never have to worry about another Democrat president. It's kind of a pipe dream, it's a personal fantasy of mine, but I don't think it's going to happen. And it is a good way of making the point that women are voting so stupidly, at least single women.
It also makes the point, it is kind of embarrassing, the Democratic Party ought to be hanging its head in shame, that it has so much difficulty getting men to vote for it. I mean, you do see it’s the party of women and 'We’ll pay for health care and tuition and day care -- and here, what else can we give you, soccer moms?'
I may be wrong but I believe Ann is a woman and single...
25 September 2007
24 September 2007
20 September 2007
05 September 2007
04 September 2007
Fort de Chartres State Historic Site
It is amazing how much history is around you and most people don't even know it. Fort de Chartres State Historic Site is just about an hour south of here. I've seen it on the map but when I actually got around to visiting it, well it was much more than I ever expected. The oldest standing building in Illinois is within its walls. Being there reminded me of visiting a castle keep in Europe.
10 August 2007
50 Cent: I'll quit if outsold by West
50 Cent: I'll quit if outsold by West
We can only hope! And once word of this starts spreading it might juts happen. I'm doing my part!
:-)
We can only hope! And once word of this starts spreading it might juts happen. I'm doing my part!
:-)
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08 August 2007
06 August 2007
04 August 2007
02 August 2007
Minnesota bridge problems uncovered in 1990
Minnesota bridge problems uncovered in 1990.
My thoughts go out to the families affected by this tragedy. The infrastructure in this country is decaying and government at all levels needs to start taking a look at fixing it. I suspect we'll see a few more tragedies in the coming years because people have been negligent. It is more glamorous to build a new baseball stadium than to fix a bridge.
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29 July 2007
Cool optical illusion
This is a cool optical illusion. It took me a while to see it. Focus on the extended leg
Spinning Girl
Spinning Girl
28 July 2007
The Traveling Wall
The Traveling Wall is in my town for the Troy Homecoming this weekend. If you've never seen it before it is a sobering experience. It is half the size of the memorial in Washington DC. Looking at all the names, all the lives taken away...what can you say? The look I saw in the eyes of the Vets visiting it will not be forgotten, nor should it.
25 July 2007
I'm now a Red/Black Belt
Just got done with my testing in Karate and I'm wiped out at the moment. But I did pass and am now a Red Belt second degree, or Red/Black belt as some would say. Only 8-9 months to go before I test for Black Belt. All I can say is that I really need to get in shape. I'm not 20 something anymore.
:-)
:-)
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23 July 2007
18 July 2007
Generation Chickenhawk
Absolutely amazing.
Generation Chickenhawk: the Unauthorized College Republican Convention Tour
Generation Chickenhawk: the Unauthorized College Republican Convention Tour
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16 July 2007
12 July 2007
Christian Right Activists Disrupt Hindu Chaplain In The Senate
Guess these people don't believe in the Constitution. Not that I'm not surprised; most religious fanatics don't.
Christian Right Activists Disrupt Hindu Chaplain In The Senate
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07 July 2007
Interview with a Girl At A Rush Concert
As a die hard Rush fan this is just too funny.
Interview with a Girl At A Rush Concert.
Interview with a Girl At A Rush Concert.
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04 July 2007
In Congress, July 4, 1776 The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one
people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with
another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and
equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle
them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they
should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with
another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and
equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle
them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they
should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created
equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable
Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of
Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted
among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,
— That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these
ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to
institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and
organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely
to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate
that Governments long established should not be changed for light and
transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that
mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to
right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.
But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably
the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute
Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such
Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such
has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the
necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of
Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a
history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct
object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To
prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and
pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his
Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly
neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large
districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of
Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and
formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual,
uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records,
for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his
measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause
others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of
Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise;
the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of
invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for
that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners;
refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and
raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign
to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent
to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders
which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring
Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging
its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument
for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries
to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun
with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the
most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized
nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high
Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of
their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has
endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless
Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished
destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress
in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered
only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by
every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free
people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We
have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to
extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of
the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have
appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured
them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations,
which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence.
They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity.
We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our
Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in
War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America,
in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the
world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by
Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and
declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free
and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to
the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and
the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and
that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War,
conclude Peace contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all
other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And
for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the
protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our
Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
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03 July 2007
Is it real or not?
I really hope this site is a joke and not real. If it is real then it's quite scary.
Net Authority
Net Authority
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28 June 2007
Jesse Matney 1920 - 2007
My grandfather Jesse Matney, WWII veteran, 3 Bronze Stars. Your life was hard, you were hard to love but loved you were. May you rest in peace.
Jesse Matney 1920 - 1997
The graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, June 28, at West Lawn Memorial Park in Eugene for Jessie Cleveland Matney of Eugene. He died June 25 of age-related causes at age 87.
He was born Feb. 3, 1920, in Iola, Kan., to Grover and Eva Hatfield Matney. He and his wife, Georgia, were married July 5, 1941, in Galena, Mo.
He served in the Army in World War II, and worked as a general laborer in construction.
Survivors include two sons, Don of Albany and Kenneth of Springfield; a sister, Liela Daniels of Springfield, Mo.; 10 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren. His wife died Nov. 22, 2003.
Arrangements by Musgrove Family Mortuary in Eugene. Remembrances to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints mission program.
Jesse Matney 1920 - 1997
The graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, June 28, at West Lawn Memorial Park in Eugene for Jessie Cleveland Matney of Eugene. He died June 25 of age-related causes at age 87.
He was born Feb. 3, 1920, in Iola, Kan., to Grover and Eva Hatfield Matney. He and his wife, Georgia, were married July 5, 1941, in Galena, Mo.
He served in the Army in World War II, and worked as a general laborer in construction.
Survivors include two sons, Don of Albany and Kenneth of Springfield; a sister, Liela Daniels of Springfield, Mo.; 10 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren. His wife died Nov. 22, 2003.
Arrangements by Musgrove Family Mortuary in Eugene. Remembrances to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints mission program.
24 June 2007
23 June 2007
17 June 2007
16 June 2007
10 June 2007
Goodbye to Linux (for now)
Well, my little experiment with Linux is over for now and I am back to
XP for my main OS. I’ve given it a go but it never worked quite right
for me. I spent more time trying to get things to work the way I wanted
versus actually being productive. I know from reading some of the
comments to my previous posts I’ll get some flack for that but that
doesn’t matter. It is my computer and as one of my friends said who
uses Linux exclusively said: use what OS is right for you regardless of
what it is. I’ve heard many a Linux user say that your computer should
work for you, not you for it. So XP it is (not spending the money on
Vista). So goodbye Linux (for now). I still have a few live distros to
spin up once in a while…
Cross posted over at my other blog On A Storyteller's Night
XP for my main OS. I’ve given it a go but it never worked quite right
for me. I spent more time trying to get things to work the way I wanted
versus actually being productive. I know from reading some of the
comments to my previous posts I’ll get some flack for that but that
doesn’t matter. It is my computer and as one of my friends said who
uses Linux exclusively said: use what OS is right for you regardless of
what it is. I’ve heard many a Linux user say that your computer should
work for you, not you for it. So XP it is (not spending the money on
Vista). So goodbye Linux (for now). I still have a few live distros to
spin up once in a while…
Cross posted over at my other blog On A Storyteller's Night
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02 June 2007
Frack!
Frack! Frack! Frack!
Looks like the 4th season of Battlestar Galactica is the last. But on the same hand with the storyline of finding earth having a definite end is a good thing. But still....frack!
And then to top it off the character of Dr. Carson Beckett gets killed off on Atlantis last night. What is going on with all my favourite shows?!!!
Frack frack frack!!!
Looks like the 4th season of Battlestar Galactica is the last. But on the same hand with the storyline of finding earth having a definite end is a good thing. But still....frack!
And then to top it off the character of Dr. Carson Beckett gets killed off on Atlantis last night. What is going on with all my favourite shows?!!!
Frack frack frack!!!
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30 May 2007
28 May 2007
Memorial Day
Today is Memorial Day. Thank you to all that have served and my thoughts go to those who have died in service to our country. May you rest in peace.
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27 May 2007
Mussolini’s “The Political and Social Doctrine of Fascism”
A good read and it should make you think about the current state of politics in this country.
Mussolini's "The Political and Social Doctrine of Facism"
Mussolini's "The Political and Social Doctrine of Facism"
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18 May 2007
Jericho cancelled - stupid frackin' CBS
Jericho has been canceled. One of the few shows that I look forward to every week ends on one hell of cliff hanger and CBS cancels it. Bastards!
Terror on Wall Street
The title of this site says it all. This is a damn interesting story.
Terror on Wall Street
Terror on Wall Street
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16 May 2007
Movies mirror our culture, like it or not
A great column by Leonard Pitts Jr.
Movies mirror our culture, like it or not.
Movies mirror our culture, like it or not.
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06 May 2007
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