Friday, January 8, 2010

Happy Birthday, Elvis

Wow, Elvis would have been 75 today! Since it's his birthday, I thought I would share a couple of my photos of his birth place in Tupelo, Mississippi. There are plenty of better photos than mine of the birth place all over the Internet. Keep in mind that mine are thirty years old! So much has changed there since my visit in February of 1980. It does not look anything like this anymore. Now it is beautifully landscaped and has a museum, gift shop, etc. and of course a website--where you can find out everything about it and even take a virtual tour of how it looks today.

I graduated high school not far from this town. Our Vocational-Tech FBLA club officers had attended a district meeting near Tupelo and stopped to visit Elvis's birth place on the way back home. I only lived in Mississippi a year, and I talked the instructor in to stopping for the tour. Everyone else had already been there, but they were happy to show it off to me. So here's how it looked back then.

This is the front entrance as seen from the street back then. As you can see, there was nothing fancy about this little house! That's three of my friends on the porch, and I took the photo.

Here's a group photo of us (the Vocational-Tech school's FBLA officers) gathered around the sign. Yes, that is me on the left with my white belt on! We had a great time that day!

And here's one of my favorite Elvis songs (An American Trilogy) complete with slide show and also an extra song! Elvis has so many great songs. This is just two of them.

And of course some news from today:

Hundreds of Elvis Presley fans braved frigid, snowy weather to celebrate the late rock'n'roll legend's 75th birthday on Friday at his Graceland shrine in Memphis...

Elvis Presley Feted in Memphis on 75th Birthday - ABC News

John, where have you been?

I've been here, but I am down to one computer at the moment. I usually do most of my blogging activities (blog posts, reading other blogs, commenting, etc) on a notebook computer. Unfortunately that notebook computer stopped working. It would not get power, but it is being repaired. I still don't have it back, and I sure do miss it!

That just leaves me with my old desktop pc, which is a little sluggish. I use it mostly for scanning photos and playing games. The pc is in a corner computer armoire in my living room. I just feel trapped in a corner, when using it very much. It's a pain, and feels too much like work too, having to sit in an office chair! As soon as I get the notebook back, I will be blogging more and visiting and commenting on other blogs.

Monday, January 4, 2010

World's tallest skyscraper unveiled & renamed

Dubai has unveiled the world's tallest skyscraper in an extravagant multimedia and fireworks display. The 828-meter tall building was renamed Burj Khalifa on Monday, after the UAE president. (APNewsVideo)

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Watch the amazing fireworks show from Dubai as ruler Sheikh Mohammed unveils the world's tallest building, the Burj Dubai. (itn)

This is a beautiful video that also includes a dancing water show--very similar to Bellagio's in Las Vegas. If you don't have the time or patience to watch a twelve minute video, then jump to nine minutes in to it for the spectacular fireworks display.

~ John

Friday, January 1, 2010

New ways to become a criminal in 2010

New ways to become a criminal in 2010 (cbsnews.com)

(photo from CreativeCommons)

Laws Going Into Effect This New Year Cover Smoking, Texting While Driving, Trans Fats and Tanning Beds for Teens!

Check this one out: California becomes the first state to ban restaurants, bakeries and other retail food establishments from using oil, margarine and shortening containing trans fats. The law affects oil, shortening and margarine used in spreads or for frying.

Must read news...click link for the entire news article.

Happy New Year!

How do you like the government all up in your business?!

~ John

New Illinois laws for 2010

New Illinois laws for 2010 include no texting while driving - chicagotribune.com

Nearly 300 new laws taking effect with the new year, ranging from ethics reforms in the wake of ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich's ouster to how credit card companies can market on college campuses...

"A state law that takes effect today also bans checking e-mail, updating Facebook and Web surfing while driving, though using your phone's GPS is still OK."

(click the shared link for the news article).

Posted using ShareThis

WHAT? Why is using your little phone's GPS still OK? Oh, and here's a doozy: A related new law makes it illegal for drivers to use cell phones in school or construction zones, unless they are are the hands-free variety. (State Journal-Register)

Wouldn't it have been better to just completely ban the use of cell phones while driving? What do you think?

~ John

More News Links:

New Illinois laws to take effect today (stltoday.com)

Hundreds of new laws take effect Friday (sj-r.com)