This was a two-part maintenance:

First, I just marked a whole bunch of people neutral who were on my friends list. If one of them was you, don't take it personally - though I doubt you are reading this since you met both of the following criteria:

(1) You haven't posted a comment or journal entry for a long time.
(2) You never reciprocated my friendship.

Second, I just marked a lot of people on my "fans" list as friends, except for people who haven't posted for a few months, and a few people who didn't make it past Slashdot cutting me off with "you have used this resource too much recently, please try again later."

I'll try and get to you soon.

If you feel you have been neutralized or omitted from friendship in error, comment here.

I was going to resist.

Then I wanted to leave a comment.

Same user name there as here.

I was browsing around freshmeat and found this little gem of a shareware program.

Here's the scoop from the description page. For only $10 you get:

General:

        * Delete ALL files (in the specified directory) with file dates older than the specified days.
        * For Unix/Linux system only.

Features:

        * E.g. Delete all files older than 30 days - regardless of the permission setting of the files.
        * Can be run manually from browser, telnet or automatically using crontab.
        * Support deletion of files in multiple folders and of different ages.
        * Only two variables to edit - the directory and the file age.

Requirement:

        * Perl
        * No MySQL needed.
        * No SSI needed.

Here's what they are charging $10 for. Only they've written it in perl.

--- BEGIN CUT HERE ---
  #!/bin/sh
  DIR=/path/to/directory
  AGE=30
  find $DIR -mtime +$AGE -exec rm -f {} \;
--- END CUT HERE ---

Only two variables to edit, deletes everything in the specified directory (DIR) older than AGE days. You can even do multiple directories with different ages by deleting the DIR= and AGE= and copying the find command a few times, substituting the values in for $DIR and $AGE. You can run it as-is from telnet, and from cron, and by adding "echo Content-type: text/plain ; echo" at the top, it might even run as CGI.

Oh, and you can have the above for free. But if you want to send me $10 for all 10 seconds that took to write, be my guest.

Every now and then I see a comment that is just ignorant, wrong, or just irks me like no other. This is one of those comments.

kimvette wrote:

Executive orders

They're unconstitutional as Hell but Congress and SCOTUS are not doing a thing about it, and we aren't either, because we're not using the power of the vote to correct the matter. We keep reelecting the same bastards into office time and again. We need a revolution, and the revolution should be this: vote out the old guard, and vote in candidates who actually care about long-term survival of our nation as a FREE country.

An executive order is a directive to the executive branch of the government to enact policy and/or procedure. Guess who is in charge of the executive branch?

Enter the Constitution:

The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America.

That line right there says the President is the head of the executive branch. Saying that the President cannot issue executive orders is like saying the CEO of a company can't give instructions to subordinates or enact policy statements for the company.

So, how exactly are they unconstitutional?

For what it is worth, an executive order can be unconstitutional if it is counter to the Constitution or laws passed by Congress. Congress can certainly revoke or modify an executive order by passing legislation - there is nothing stopping them from doing that. However, executive orders in and of themselves are not inherently unconstitutional.

By the way, the first executive order was issued by George Washington in 1789.

Happened upon this while surfing around. In 2001, Wired published some silly test that gives you your "Autism Quotient." Here's the explanation:

Psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen and his colleagues at Cambridge's Autism Research Centre have created the Autism-Spectrum Quotient, or AQ, as a measure of the extent of autistic traits in adults. In the first major trial using the test, the average score in the control group was 16.4. Eighty percent of those diagnosed with autism or a related disorder scored 32 or higher. The test is not a means for making a diagnosis, however, and many who score above 32 and even meet the diagnostic criteria for mild autism or Asperger's report no difficulty functioning in their everyday lives.

My score? 31.

First predicted here, I called the Fiesta Bowl for the Broncos.

Granted, it looked like I'd be wrong at times, especially before six seconds to the end of the fourth quarter. But, Boise State pulled it off with a two-point conversion in overtime.

Can we please have playoffs now and give these guys a chance at the title?

Everybody's doing it...

1. If you had to live in a different state than the one you live in what would it be?
Idaho.

2. If you were on a plane that crashed, would you rather be stranded on an island or a desert?
Did you mean *in* a plane? Definitely an island.

3. What "catches your eye" first in the opposite sex?
Her face.

4. How much do you think a guy should spend on an engagement ring?
Don't get me started. Diamonds are the most expensive useless thing out there. That being said the one I bought for my bride is worth a few grand.

5. How old do you want to be when you retire?
Unfortunately, I have passed that age and am still not retired.

7. Would you rather be the smartest person in the world or the most attractive person in the world?
Smartest.

8. Do you think tattoos are hot?
By "hot" do you mean sexy? Depends.

9. What was your first pet?
It was a cat.

10. Where did you go on your first Spring Break?
Home.

11. Are you scared of spiders or snakes?
I'm not scared of spiders, but I dislike them.

12. What was your first job?
Burger flipper.

13. What is in your front, right pocket?
Not wearing pants, sorry.

14. Do you put up a real Christmas tree each year?
No. Some years I don't put up a tree at all.

15. How many blankets are on your bed?
One.

16. Do you have a TV in your bedroom?
As of about 3 days ago.

17. When was the last time you received a card in the mail?
A few days ago.

19. Who was the last person that text-messaged you?
Wife.

20. Who was the first person you saw today?
Wife.

21. Do you have any awards hanging on your wall?
Not yet. But I did in the old place.

22. Do you own glasses?
Yes. Drinking out of plastic sucks.

23. When is the last time you shaved something on your body?
Today.

25. What was your first vehicle?
1985 Dodge Charger.

26. Do you miss high school?
No.

27. Are you more of a neat or messy person?
Somewhere in between.

28. Do you think that everyone should have a cell phone?
Everyone should be allowed to have one... until they annoy the piss out of me somewhere where people are supposed to STFU, like a movie theater. That should be punishable by death.

29. Do you remember your first family vacation?
No.

30. Ever been in a fight with a best friend?
Yes.

31. Ever puked in public?
Oh yeah... at a formal dinner... after a few bottles of wine all to myself... it gets worse...

32. Would you prefer dinner and a movie or bowling and ice cream?
I don't get a say in things like this... the wife decides.

33. Do you sleep with your door open or closed at night?
The front door? Closed.

34. How far do you live from work?
5 minutes.

35. Do you believe in afterlife?
Well, I don't think we "wink out" when we die.

36. How many credit cards do you own?
Read the back of the card. You don't own yours, either.

37. Would you move to another country tomorrow, if you were offered a $100,000 job?
Depends on the country. But that's not much more than I make now.

38. How many kids do you see yourself having?
I can't have children. Lack of ovaries, uterus, etc.

39. Were you a trouble child?
Hah. You'd unfriend me if you knew.

40. Do you like butterflies?
Meh.

41. Can you shake your booty?
Would you want me to try?

42. Do you shower at night or in the morning?
Night.

43. Where is your favorite place to eat?
Home.

44. What did you wear to bed last night?
Wear?

45. Do you have to sleep with something "ON" every night in order to sleep?
Allergen filter.

46. On average, how much TV do you watch a day?
0 to 1 hour.

47. Do you have any piercings?
No.

48. Would you rather go snorkeling in the Caribbean or hiking on the Appalachian Trail?
Bah, I've already been scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef. What's the Caribbean got to offer?

49. Have you ever taken karate lessons?
No. But I've taken Shaolin Kung Fu.

50. Do you think if you got married, you would ever get a divorce?
I am married. And I don't really think people plan on getting divorced. Except maybe the Hollywood types.

The old Slashdot was easy on the eyes. The new Slashdot's font choices are difficult to read, and some of the color choices are, as well.

The intercharacter spacing is too narrow. The font letters are too narrow. Black on medium gray is difficult to read. Slashdot green on medium gray is also difficult to read.

The gradient effects of various parts only serve to enhance the problem.

And, just to be clear, I am not going to tweak my browser settings just to fix one site, most of the others I regularly visit are perfectly readable.

What does this mean? You'll probably be seeing less of me on Slashdot.

The new look/style still does not render well in Blazer (that's the Palm OS web browser for the uninitiated).

In Blazer's "Optimized" mode it is worse than it was. In "Wide Page" (normal) mode it's better than it was, but there are definitely issues. Most of the logo is cut off and only the central portion containing the stories is present... no poll and no sections.

Yeah, I can use Opera Mini, but Opera Mini doesn't even attempt to render a page with all the fancy layout. Blazer does, and works just about everywhere... except Slashdot.

(Edit: fixed typo)

I don't know why I do these. It must be some sick obsessive-compulsive thing.

Anyway, I got this from queenofthe1ring.

Ocean or Lake? Lake. Smells better in most cases.
Pizza or Chinese? Pizza all the way.
Mansion or Penthouse? Penthouse. I've never heard of "Mansion Magazine".
Have you been on a Jet Ski? No.
Are you afraid of clowns? No, but I am annoyed by them.
How many brothers/sisters do you have? Two sisters. Don't go near them.
Favorite band/group? I don't really have a favorite.
Baseball or football? Baseball. That reminds me I need to save up for me season tickets.
Favorite brand of makeup? I'm a straight non-metrosexual male. I don't wear any.
Waffles or pancakes? I don't eat anything that requires concentrated sugar solution to be poured on.
Do you have an IPod? No. I have a Palm Zire and it plays MP3s just fine.
Bike or scooter? Bike.
Ever go in a hot air balloon? No. No interest, really.
How will you celebrate turning 21? This survey obviously originated among college dorms. I turned 21 the night before a duty shift in the Army. I stayed sober.
What brand computer do you have? IBM Thinkpad laptop issued by my employer, homebuilt PC. And a Sun. And a Dell I rescued at work. And a gray box I rescued from my parents. And an Apple IIgs. And a Sony Vaio laptop that recently died....
How many times have you been to DisneyWorld? None. And I never will.
Favorite city? Boise.
Ice cream or frozen yogurt? Neither. Too sweet.
Do you think you are fat? No. I know I am fat. That's why I have a bike.
Ever throw up in a public place? You have no idea...
Do you have a pool? Maybe someday.
Ever drive a car? Yes. And a HMMWV, 5-ton truck, etc.
How many times a month do you go to the movies? Umm, about .1 times a month.
Last movie you saw? The last Harry Potter movie. Several months ago.
Who is your hero? I dunno. George Washington, maybe?
How old are your parents? Older than me, yet not retired.
What deceased person would you like to meet? I was on funeral duty in the military. I've met deceased people, and it wasn't fun.
Do you chew ice? Yep.
Have you been to California? Born there, unfortunately. Haven't lived there since I was 13.
Last book you read? For fun? I don't remember.
Favorite teacher? Dr. Ulerick, Dr. Miller, Dr. Li...
Do you like to go fishing? Yep. There's nothing like catching your food, killing it, and cooking it for lunch, all in under an hour.
How many boyfriends/girlfriends have you had? No boyfriends (I don't go that way). Stopped counting girlfriends after the first dozen, but I'm sure it never hit two dozen.
How many of those do you regret? None, really. I learned something from each.
What is you average in school? 3.77
Favorite professional team? Eugene Emerals. Minor leagues rock!
Do you like mohawks? The Indians or the hairstyle? I had the hairstyle once. Never met a Mohawk.
How many pairs of shoes do you own? Four or five.
Do you floss? Yes.
Do you have braces? No and never.
Do you bite your nails? Yes.
What is your last thought before falling asleep? "Dear God I wish I could fall asleep!"
Do you fall in love easily? No. My wife had to work on me for ages.
Ever have a crush and they never knew? Probably not.
Do you babysit? Yeah, right.
Ever been shot at? Yes.
Do you work out/exercise? Not as often as I should!
Do you have 6 pack abs? Even when I was in the Army at the peak of my physique, I didn't have 'em.
Do you consider yourself nice? No. I'm a bigtime asshole.
What movie character would you like to be? I don't watch enough movies to decide.
Do you go to camp for the summer? Not now. Once or twice in the past. (I take my previous statement back, this was written by high school brats).
Ever been bit by a snake? No. Isn't this thing done yet?
Have you been on a boat? Yes.
Name of friend you have known the longest? KnightStalker.
Do you like jumping on a trampoline? Eh. It's tolerable.
Ever break a bone? None that any medical record reflects.
Name of favorite Aunt/Uncle? Steve, I guess.
What is your ultimate job? "Retired".
Do you want to walk on the moon? Sure!
Can you name the seven dwarfs? Dorky, Dumpy, Dippy, Dildo, Ditzy, Dummy, and Jim.
Favorite TV show? Becker.
Apples or oranges? Both are too sweet.
Favorite model of car? '70 Hemi Cuda.
Favorite flower? All flowers are smelly and allergen-producing.
Favorite color? Colorless.
Besides family, ever have someone of the opp sex in your bedroom? I'm married. You figure it out.
Ever climb out your bedroom window? Three stories down... probably not a good idea.
Do you live in an apartment or house? Shitty apartment.
How many times in the last month have you had the hiccups? Once, I think.
Ever laugh so hard milk came out your nose? Once. Before I stopped drinking milk.
How many cousins do you have? A lot.
Do you believe in ghosts? No.
If you were a bird, what would you be? Some kind of parrot.
Ever get stitches? Once. Stupid coffee table.
If you could, would you want to know what your future was going to be? No.
How many kids do you want to have? Maybe two.
If you could change your name, what would it be? I'd fix my last name to the pre-Ellis Island version.
Dogs or cats? I've never eaten either.
Who do you tell your problems to? I prefer to keep them bottled in and let them out at unexpected times to random people who piss me off.
Who can your tell your secrets to and know they wont tell? *Know* they won't tell? Heh.
Do you believe in love at first sight? No.
Do you go to church? Once in a while. I'm pretty dissatisfied with organized religion.
Would you marry outside your religon? Well, I'm a protestant that married a catholic. Does that count? (Isn't this damn questionnaire done yet?)
Volleyball or tennis? Volleyball.
How many people were at your last party? Half dozen.
Ever ride in a limo? No.
Ever drink champagne? Two days ago.
Favorite dinner? Food.

Whew. Long.

I figured I'd let some raw personality through, so you'll have to put up with the foul language.

1. What color are your kitchen plates?
White.

2. What book are you reading now?
Whatever's been assigned to my by my profs.

3. What is on your mouse pad?
A Logitech mouse.

4. Favorite board game?
Solarquest

5. Least favorite smells?
Rotting flesh.

6. What is the first thing you think of in the morning?
"Fucking alarm..."

7. Favorite color?
No real favorite.

8. Least favorite color?
Any pastel or pink.

9. How many rings until you answer the phone?
However many it takes to dig the phone out of my pocket.

10. FUTURE CHILD'S NAME:
Something that will piss my mother-in-law off, no doubt.

11. Chocolate or Vanilla
s/or/and/
Ever heard of a Chocolate-Vanilla creme pie?

12. Do you like to drive fast?
Yes, but I don't speed through your town, so don't speed through mine, asshole.

13. Do you sleep with a stuffed animal?
Heh, right.

14. Do you like thunderstorms?
Yep. We don't get them here very often.

15. What was your first car?
1985 Dodge Charger (Not a fast one)

16. What is your sign?
IT SAYS "STOP" FOR A REASON, ASSHOLE!
Sorry. People around here have a habit of running stop signs and red lights. If you steal my right-of-way at a four way stop... just... don't.

17. Do you eat the stems of broccoli?
Sure, if they are tasty. Sometimes they are bitter. Depends on the broccoli.

18. If you could have any job what would it be?
Retired.

19. If you could have any color hair what would it be?
It's not color I want to change... it's all the other stuff like the fact that it's annoyingly hard to comb.

20. Is the glass half full or half empty?
You have twice as much storage as you need.

21. What is your favorite movie?
Movies pretty much suck. I can't think of a single one that hasn't disappointed me in some way.

22. Do you type with your fingers on the right keys?
No.

23. What's under your bed?
About 6" of air, and then some carpet.

24. What is your favorite number?
Why do people have favorite numbers? What's the point? Superstition?

25. Favorite sports to watch?
Baseball.

26. Your single biggest intense pain?
Second- to third-degree burn after an IED went off in my hand.

29. Ketchup or mustard?
Mustard. Ketchup is too sweet. ATTENTION FOOD COMPANIES: SUGAR DOES NOT BELONG IN EVERY FUCKING THING YOU SELL.

31. Hamburger or hot dog?
Hamburger.

32. Favorite season?
Indian Summmer. (Yeah, not a "real" season, but still, it's my favorite.)

33. The best place you have ever been?
No real best place.

34. What is your screen saver?
"Blank Screen"

35. What is your favorite fast food place?
Depends on whether I am driving or not. McDonalds food is clearly the least messy to eat-and-drive with. I don't really have a favorite otherwise.

36. What is your favorite breed of Dog?
I hate dogs. I hate people who think it's cute when their unleashed dog comes up and sniffs at me. Don't get pissed off when I kick it in the snout if it gets too close. And have you ever heard of the local leash law? Learn it. Live it.

37. Your nicknames?
I don't have any nicknames. And when I tell you my name, do *not* assume you can shorten it down to one syllable. You have to be one of my good friends for that to be acceptable.

38. Have you ever been kissed by the opposite gender?
Yes.

39. What annoys you the most?
See 6, 8, 12, 29, 36, and 37 above. And any below that include all caps or expletives.

40. What's your crushes name?
I'm married. The crush died out a few years back.

41. What's your best friend's name?
I've got several best friends. I'd hate to name a few and accidentally leave one out.

42. Which celebrity annoys you the most?
Almost all of them.

43. What type of music do you dislike the most?
R&B/Hip Hop/Most Rap.

45. What is currently on your wrist?
Nothing.

46. Okay, If you and one other person could be alone on the entire planet, who would you choose?
My wife. Duh.

47. What would you do if you had 24 hours to live?
Dunno.

49. If you could be any kind of nut, what would you be?
I already am a nut. Ask any of the commie pinkos on campus.

50. Who would you vote for TOTAL DICTATORSHIP?
Myself.

51. Do you want Adult Swim to bring Case Closed back?
WTF is Adult Swim?

52. Do you think that the "pink is pimp" is just a fad?
Pink is stupid.

53. If you could have some sort of super-natural power, what would it be?
Super speed.

54. Have you ever read/written a webcomic?
I don't event think I could define what a webcomic is.

55. What's your favorite art-related computer program?
The GIMP.

56. If you could be a bug, what bug would you be?
I hate bugs. I don't really want to hate myself.

57. About schoolwork...are you the last minute kind of person, working right up till 4am to get an assignment done, or are you the good little student who starts it the day you get it?
Last minute.

58.Who's the closest person to you? Like the person who knows you backwards inside out and front ways...
Not even my wife knows me that well.

59.Are you satified with your life??
Not yet, but I'm getting there.

60. What song are you listening to right now, if any?
None.

61. If you knew the secret of immortality, would you go for it?
Depends on the conditions. Like if I got hit by a train and was destinied to live as a gelatinous blob of crushed human, I'd probably say no.

62. If you had one wish what would it be?
Off the top of my head: Enough money to buy a house.

63. If you had to choose between a million dollars (have to be all alone with it, no happiness), or happiness with the one you love, which one would you choose?
Well, I pretty much have the latter, so I guess I made my choice already.

64. Have you desesperately fallen in love with someone who you knew at the beginning in internet?
No, but I did try the online dating thing. It was a stupid thing to do.

65. If you could be incredibly masterful at one thing that you are not at now, what would it be?
Never really thought about it.

66. Would you consider cloning yourself?
No. But I might consider cloning my wife! :)

67: If you woke up tomorrow either blind or deaf, which would you choose if you were given a choice?
Deaf.

-------------------------------------------------- --------------

1. Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, and find line 4.
"he found years of misery there which explain for him my present state"

2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can.
No.

3. What is the last thing you watched on TV?
Stargate: SG-1

4. Without looking, guess what time it is:
3:00 PM

5. Now look at the clock. What is the actual time?
2:44 PM

6. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?
TV.

7. When did you last step outside? What were you doing?
Last night. Coming back from the grocery store.

8. Before you started this survey, what did you look at?
Slashdot.

9. What are you wearing?
Absolutely nothing.

10. Did you dream last night?
Probably.

11. When did you last laugh?
I don't remember.

12. What is on the walls of the room you are in?
I seriously don't feel like listing all the shit I've got hanging on the wall.

13. Seen anything weird lately?
What most people think is weird is perfectly normal around here.

14. What do you think of this quiz?
Go fuck yourself.

15. What is the last film you saw?
I think it was the last Harry Potter movie.

16. If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy?
A big house. And a new Dodge Charger.

17. Tell me something about you that I don't know:
I'm even more cynical than you think. You should hear what runs through my mind that I *don't* say.

18. If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?
I'd have wiped out the Taliban when they first took over Afghanistan in 1996, unlike the cowards in the Clinton administration, NATO, and the United Nations. Before they ever could have destroyed the statues at Bamiyan. Before they could have oppressed so many people. Before they could allied themselves with bin Laden and al-Quaeda.

19. Do you like to dance?
No.

20. George Bush:
Not the best president ever, but I would never have voted for Kerry or Gore.

21. Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?
Um, daughter?

22. Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him?
Son?

23. Would you ever consider living abroad?
Sure.

24. What do you want God to say to you when you reach the pearly gates?
"Hi" would be a good start.

I am not reformatting this, so however it comes out, it comes out.

  You scored as Mathematics. You should be a Math major! Like Pythagoras, you are analytical, rational, and when are always ready to tackle the problem head-on!
 
 

Mathematics

83%

Theater

75%

Philosophy

75%

English

75%

Engineering

75%

Journalism

67%

Psychology

58%

Linguistics

42%

Chemistry

42%

Sociology

33%

Art

33%

Biology

25%

Anthropology

25%

Dance

8%
  What is your Perfect Major? (PLEASE RATE ME!!<3)
created with QuizFarm.com

Too late! I'm only 4 classes away from a Computer Science major, and have almost completed my Geology minor.

A - Accent: Pacific northwest with a bit of midwestern.
B - Breakfast: Three or four pills and water.
C - Chore you hate: Any and all of them.
D - Dad's Name: Dad.
E - Essential everyday item: Palm (the PDA, you guttermind)
F - Flavor ice cream: Ice cream is way too sweet.
G - Gold or Silver?: Who's paying for it?
H - Hometown: Bend, Oregon.
I - Insomnia: Since high school.
J - Job Title: Which? The current ones are 1. Student, 2. Unix System Administrator, and 3. Associate Editor.
K - Kids: No.
L - Living arrangements: Wife and cat, pay rent to the man.
M - Mom's birthplace: Los Angeles
N - Number of significant others you've ever had: 1
O - Overnight hospital stays: none
P - Phobia: Large spiders.
Q - Queer?: No
R - Religious Affiliation: Christian, don't attend church.
S - Siblings: Two sisters.
T - Time you wake up: Depends on what day of the week.
U - Unnatural hair colours you've worn: None.
V - Vegetable you refuse to eat: Vegetables are what food eats. (Stole this answer from RailGunner... because I agree!)
W - Worst habit: I'm a procrastinator. It makes projects much more interesting the night before they are due.
X - X-Rays you've had: Everything but my skull.
Y - Yummy: Is a word I expect pre-adolescents to use.
Z - Zodiac sign: Ursa minor.

See here for explanation.

I stared at the photograph... it had been so long ago when I had worked in the onion fields. I had been a child, helping my family earn a living. As a kid, I had the fun job - squashing the bugs and other parasites that damaged the crops. Dropping firecrackers in mole holes. It earned me a small allowance and I had fun doing it!

When I was twelve, the volcano near my family's home had become active. A few weeks later, it erupted catastrophically. Nobody thought it would do what it did... we had evacuated just in time. After the eruption, we learned that our family home and farm had been scrubbed off the Earth in a river of fiery ash. Over the land that was once providing our living was a thick layer of ash. It would be a long time before onions could be grown there again. In an instant, we had become refugees. My family ended up sleeping in the boiler room of a school that had quickly become an overcrowded Red Cross shelter. We were jam-packed into the tiny space with five other families. We stayed there waiting for the insurance paperwork to go through.

When we finally recieved the money, it proved to be too little. There was enough to pay off some debt and put the down payment on a house that was too small to hold a family of five. My mom was forced to go back to work, something she hadn't needed to do for a long time. My dad was no longer his own boss. My older brother... my older brother had become a boxer. He died in the ring a few years after dropping out of high school. My little sister made jewelry and crafts to sell at the Saturday Market. As for me, I got a job at a local fast food place as soon as I was old enough to be hired. It didn't provide a whole lot of money, but it provided some. A few months after my brother died, I turned 18. I signed up with the Air Force, thinking about the GI Bill and the promise of an education.

The Air Force had me repairing generators for four years. I fixed generators around the globe and only got shot at twice. And when I left... I took the GI money and went to college The hard work all of my life had taught me to stay focused. After graduating with a degree in Aerospace Engineering magna cum laude, I went back on active duty in the Air Force.

Ten years later, looking at the photograph of my parents standing proud in front of the onion farm we had lost so long ago, I can't help but think about how a life of hard work, some hardship, and lots of experience had led me to where I was now: Looking out the window I can see the part of the world where the old farm once was. NASA spacecraft have the best view.