Give A Hoot, Don't "Poo" lute!

Pet waste can be a nuisance.

The board of alderman has set forth plans to start enforcing city ordinance No. 3134121L, labeled the Sanitary Disposal of Animal Feces Required. Among residents here in Louisville, this is more commonly known as the "pooper-scooper" law.

The ordinance was passed three years ago with a vote of 7-1, but has since never been enforced.

It was passed not only because dog feces is a nuisance, but because there is a possibility that it contains worm larvae that could infect humans and make people very ill with a variety of diseases centered in the intestinal tract that may even result in death in serious cases. "A variety of diseases."

Not one individual citizen has been cited, let alone convicted, for violating this ordinance. So, why such the push to enforce now? What could have possibly happened?

Well, when First Ward Alderman Manley Alzerhansky was walking to get his paper the other day, he received an unexpected gift when he stepped in dog feces that was left in his front yard. As funny as this sounds, imagine if you were you.

Alzerhansky is the one that introduced this ordinance three years ago, and for the life of him, he can't understand why we have laws when they are not enforced. Who really likes to walk out in their yard and have this happen to them? Laws are there for our protection.

Police Chief Karen Ulmer has a history with this specific topic, and understands the relationships dog owners have with their companions. For this reason she has proposed a one-month educational period during which the city's dog owners will be informed that the ordinance will be enforced.

Owners will be provided with information about what they need to do to adhere to the ordnance's provisions. Information is available online at www.louisville.gov/pooperscooperlaw, or call 502-555-9876 for all questions directed towards these provisions.

The ordinance requires dog owners who walk or exercise their dogs to carry a "suitable device" for cleaning up their dogs feces.There are a number of different contraptions you can use. You have to find something that works for you. A proper scoopers may be bought here for as low as $5.

The ordinance carries a fine of $25 to $100 for people who don't clean up after their dogs, but guide dogs for the blind are exempt.

Can You Hear Me Now?

I've had a cell phone now for as long as I can remember. True, there were many of my friends that had cell phones while I was still stuck with my beeper, but I wasn't that far behind in adapting this technology.

The various stages of what I call my “cell phone development” have been very different from one to the next. In stage one I could only make calls and receive calls, whereas in my current stage I barely even make calls. With each stage there has been somewhat of a learning curve, but I've hit each curve at full throttle and loved every minute of it.

So, what specifically is my current cell phone stage all about? How do I use this marvelous tool? If anything, it's a wonderful tool that helps facilitate and coordinate all the many things that I have going on in my life. Personally I don't have a house phone, so whenever I need to get a hold of someone, or someone might need to get a hold of me, it's imperative that I have my cell phone with me. Also, with out a cell phone my wife would never be able to call me and let me know what other errands I needed to run before I made my way into the driveway.

I don't know about you, but my cell is also like a mini safety beacon. I recall when my wife and I were on our honeymoon in Jamaica. It was during the time when there was rioting going on, and regardless of whether or not we were in any danger, it felt good that we were able to carry around a little piece of safety with us wherever we went. I won't go into what we would have been charged for international use, but it would have been well worth it if we were to have ever been in any true danger.

All in all I really don't know what I would do without my cell. That sounds bad after rereading it, but it is the reality that my life has become. I'm usually sleeping when I'm at home, therefore I need to be accessible when I'm up and out on the town. My cell provides this opportunity for me so that I can talk about access other ways that keep me in touch with the world around me.

Here's to you Mr. Cell Phone.

I'm Sick & Tired...Pun Intended

I really don't like going to the Doctor. Don't get me wrong though, I like my yearly checkups, prescriptions when I'm sick, and health advice from a Doctor I trust.

However, none of these things outweigh the displeasure I have in actually going to the Doctor. Yes, I'm talking about getting in my car, driving to his office, signing in, sitting in a room full of sick people, small talk with the nurse who has a freezing stethoscope on my chest, and then, more waiting in a secluded room while reading ESPN the magazine from 2003. All for what? So that he can tell me I'm in good health, write me a prescription, and then bill me/my insurance company a crazy amount of money. I'm over it.

To help combat this undesirable dilemma, I have gone to the internet. I have found a variety of different sites out there, some like Sermo in that people like me, can get there own health analysis from professionals in the medical field. Sites such as Sermo.com are becoming more and more popular for individuals that just want a straight answer without the outdated magazines, small talk, and interruption to ones daily routine.

There are also other new technologies that I've found that could be very useful, if not to me, then to others out there without a care in the world for waiting room purgatory.

One of these new technologies, the EPI Life phone , is a great little way one will be able to use their mobile phone. Did someone ask if there was an app for that? In the world of instant gratification, applications that can help, catch, or even diagnosis patients aliments are a must have.

I see a future in which the uses of applications like Facetime, Tango, Skype, and other technologies the like, help patients like me talk to a physician while at work when simply not having the time to visit the Doctors. With applications like these, and new laws that have been put into place making patient records easier to access, it is easier and easier to put your health in your own hands.

One thing that can be worrisome however is the legitimacy of the information you are in fact getting. With the abundance of information out there, and alterer motives up the wazoo, there is strong possibility that the cure you really need could get lost in translation somewhere. It will always be important to leave important health decisions to professionals.

I am excited about the health care horizon that lays ahead. I do see more freedom of choice for the patient which is always good when it's coupled with the correct knowledge to make that choice.

Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start!

Back in the day when I was young, I'm not a kid anymore, but some days I sit and wish I was a kid again. There are times I do wish I was a kid again. Why? Have you seen what these kids are playing lately? The entire video game industry is far beyond what it was when I was growing up.

For example, click here for an example of what I grew up with.

Click here for an example of what the kids today have.

Like I said, the kids these days have much better video gaming systems and games than I did when I was growing up. But at what cost?

There are times when I see children today mimic what they see or do in a video game. Using Social Learning Theory as the basis for my argument, I will contend that the majority of adolescences in todays society act out what they see in, or play in video games...to an extent.

I'm not advocating that today's generation does everything they have seen in a video game that pertains to violent behavior. Research doesn't suggest that. I will say, from my own personal observations, that today's generation is more apt to pick up the language used, notions made, and yes, even the mentality of their parents who are now playing the "cooler" video games that my generation didn't have.

Personally, I find video games calming after a stimulating, crazy day at work. I will even go so far as to say that there is a certain peace made when one hops into a multi-player game to escape for a few hours from the daily grind.

However, this needs to be done in moderation. Anything done with excessiveness can be borderline bad for the individual that is participating in said excessiveness. Too much of a good thing can be bad.

I'm excited to see what new technology will lead to the advancements in the video game industry. I'm excited to have the chance one day to lose to my children in the video game of their choice, like my Dad did with my brother and I (Super Mario was not his friend that day). Hopefully I will be able to find a balance for them so that they're not trapped inside all day playing video games, but outside playing the air guitar like most children should be.

Trip, Out

Live & Learn

I remember a time early in what I call my 'computer adolescences' in which I got into some downloading, one thing lead to the next, and I had a crazy virus. This virus not only wiped out my entire hard drive on my laptop, but it wiped out my external hard drive as well. To this day I still feel unbelievable stupid about this occurrence in my life. Not only was it costly, but it could have been adverted would I only have been up to date on my virus protection software.

What did I learn? For starters, don't procrastinate when it come to computer software updates. They're simple to do, but yet take time and patience that at the time I did not have. I now try and set reminders for myself on a monthly basis to check out certain things that need to be updated and rely on me doing so.

I also learned that I should not be so trusting of things I download from the World Wide Web. I was lucky in that I was able to save the backup data from my external hard drive. This isn't always the case when it comes to matters such as these, so becoming less trusting is a good thing as it pertains to this particular topic.

Above all else I think I realized at this point that there is a world out there that is just malicious. A world in which there is no thought or consideration for the laymen, like myself, that forget to update his/her anti-virus software.

Aside from feeling like a total noob at this point, I also felt as though it could be a good thing. There are other ways in which I would have liked to learn this lesson, but this is the way I had to go through in my life. The positives are harder to find, but in the end I was glad that I could learn how to deal with a situation such as this, and then how to stop it from happening in the future.

I'm around my computer all the time. There are going to be things that happen to me I won't always like on here. The time I got my first computer virus taught me not only to watch what I was downloading, but look toward the future and be more proactive in my learning about specific things that are going on in the computer world.

My PC will continue to impact my life, hopefully for the better from here on out.

Show Me The Money

Change is inevitable no matter what. In any facet of life there will be changes that you don't like, and there will be changes that you approve of. Sometimes there will be those changes that you're hesitant to go along with, but once you get your feet wet, you find that life is just better.

Personally, the conversion of television from analog to digital hasn't been as big of a deal to me as some of the population in this fine nation we live in. However, it hasn't been that big of a deal for me because I love changes in technology. True, it might take me awhile to figure out how to best use a new technology, but I eventually get my feet wet and fall in love with trendy new advancements. I believe that this advancement to a new type of technology, as it pertains to digital television, has many people confused and overwhelmed because they're not really the type of folks that like change too much, especially when it come to technology.

Television is a staple in our society. It is where we get our news, our gossip, our entertainment, and even for some people, where we buy our products. Almost everyone in the U.S. now has a television in their household, and for good reasons. When it comes to changing this staple, for any reason at all, a percentage of the population just isn't ready for the Price Is Right in HD. They're comfortable with what they have now, and don't want to change.

So, why change? And why is the title of this posting Show Me The Money? Well, it's simple...C.R.E.A.M.(Cash Rules Everything Around Me). From a social and economical stand-point it make sense to switch from analog to digital because there will be more money that circulates through our economy. Regardless of whether or not someone received a free voucher for a converter box, they will still probably need to buy a new home recording device, a new TV, or even a DVD player because VHS will now be obsolete. Granted, this is extreme, but feasible to say the least. There will also be those that now will be able to order movies directly through their cable service provider. There will be those that see a truly better picture, and want to then purchase a new HD television. And what about the 3D thing people are now craving? Exactly, people will spend money.

In addition to more people spending money on new technology, there will be more of a demand for better programing, and the possibility of more niche channels may pop up. More demand for better technology may also result because once people see how bad-ass a football game in HD is, they'll want more. Advancements in 3D technology may also lead to less expensive HD televisions. A less expensive TV means that more people will be able to buy them. More people buying a less expensive TV means that there is more money circulating.

The flip-side to this consumption is of course the TV, VCR, or anything else one may deem as obsolete will get thrown away. Where does all this go? Will there be places in America that look like this? It's hard to say, but the ramification may be something that our politicians have not yet thought about.

In conclusion, change, like I've already stated, is inevitable. It's going to happen whether we like it or not. It might be expensive for some, or fun for others, but regardless, it will happen. I'm personally both excited and leery of what this new era of digital television may bring. That being said, does anyone know of a good deal on any 3D televisions out there?

Can You See Me Now?

I remember there was once a time when my parents would record my every move. Being that I'm a few years older, I can recall my Father resting this giant piece of machinery on his shoulder so that he could catch these priceless moments of mine. This was when the camcorder was just making it's debut in the early 80's, and my oh my how the times have changed.

Nowadays I enjoy a good Flip. To be precise, I use what's called the Flip Ultra HD Camcorder device for all my recording pleasures. If I, by some chance, don't have that available, I will simply pull out my phone and record whatever I need to at the time. Basically, when I have kids I won't have to lug a huge piece of equipment on my shoulder and change out VHS tapes every three hours. I'll be able to catch every moment, on any given day, at any given time because the tools I have to record video now are much smaller and much easier to use. I can even take it a step further and say that wherever I go, I can take those experiences with me and play them for whoever might want to watch.

When I think about how important this is in my own life, or how important it will become one day, I can't justify not having the ability to record at the drop of a dime. For me, videos bring people together and give them insight into your life that they might not have the opportunity to see because they're not around. For instance, one day I will be able to record my child's first year of life, edit that into a "motion picture" of sorts, and then distribute that file or disk to my family around the nation. What better way to stay connected than to record, edit, and distribute?

In general I do feel that the vast majority of the 35 and under age group knows how to use this technology, and if they needed, they could properly make and edit a video too. There are numerous programs/software out there that allow you the ability to edit videos, and there is also help out there that will teach you how to use these programs/software too. I do think it's a new "literacy" of sorts that will be utilized for years to come. I've talked to many smarter people than myself, and many of them have actually pointed their businesses in the direction of a more video oriented format. Many of these same individuals conclude that the written blog will eventually die out and be replaced by the video blog.

Home video isn't going anywhere people. It's here to stay! Take a look at YouTube for example. Those videos posted, for the most part, are all home videos. Last time I checked, YouTube was getting over 100 million hits per day! Do you really think the home video is going anywhere? The answer is yes. It's moving forward and the train has already left the station. Get on board.