Lucid Lynx (gimpified)

Lucid Lynx (gimpified)
Originally uploaded by h_dwight_beers

This is a sure sign that April is approaching and we can look forward to the latest version of Ubuntu. I've been running the Beta 1 version for a bit now, and like many others, I'm not sure yet about the new colors, but in this effort at least, combining the old with the new works out pretty well IMHO. The original is from momez on gnome-look.org.

Rhino Head (gimpified)

Rhino Head (gimpified)
Originally uploaded by h_dwight_beers

Another shot from our trip to the Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium down in Litchfield Park a couple of weeks ago.

Where's my Purdey?

The news is that our good buddies in the US Congress have decided that ownership of a health insurance policy is a right not a privilege.

Well, since the Supreme Court has previously decided (along with the folks who wrote the US Constitution) that gun ownership is also a right and not a privilege, then it must surely follow that the Congress will soon make my ownership of a gun mandatory.  This being the case then, and since I don't happen to be able to afford a gun, I can now look forward to a Federal subsidy to provide me with my Federally approved gun?  And, if I must own a gun, can I insist that my government subsidy buy me a Purdey shotgun?

I don't know a whole lot about guns--I'm afraid the only gun I ever owned was a BB-gun--but that was over 50 years ago.  I do think though, that an antique Purdey (say from about 1860) would look like nice hanging over my front door, and that would give me something to show my local IRS agent every month.

Obamacare--a new symbol!

Obamacare--a new symbol!
Originally uploaded by h_dwight_beers

I did not realize it a few weeks ago when I visited the Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium down in Litchfield Park, but I seem to have captured the perfect image for America's most recent step towards authoritarian government. Barring intervention by the Judiciary Branch (which, I still think is highly probable), we are all merely months away from being monkeys in a cage, looking somewhat askance at the card carrying IRS agents hovering outside our homes making sure we are all healthy and or insured.

A Christmas card from Tux (gimpified)

A Christmas card from Tux (gimpified)
Originally uploaded by h_dwight_beers

A greeting card portraying the favorite penguin of all us Linux geeks around the world. He looks a bit sad at the moment, because he's learned that his buddies at Ubuntu have decided to dump his other buddie "The Gimp".

Should Caligula be Time's Man of the Year?

Now that we are in the midst of our annual award season mania, and while we await Time Magazine's annual "award" to a "Man(or Person) of the Year", I have come up with what I think is another of my very helpful (but thus far under appreciated) suggestions to make the world a better place.

Since, so many of the other awards this year, have been strange and at times downright bizarre--isn't it time that we show some recognition to the fellow who started it all way back in the first century, by awarding his favorite horse Incitatus a seat in the Roman Senate?

After all, we started the year with Roland Burris being awarded a U.S Senate seat (under somewhat curious circumstances).  And, we went from there to the (again, very curious) awarding of a Noble Peace Prize to another under qualified politician from Illinois.  And, this has now been followed by Sports Illustrated's "Sportsman of the Year" being awarded to Derek Jeter (this, in a year when even Drew Carey was better qualified for the award).

So, I think it might be Caligula's time?

Or, on second thought, perhaps they should give it to Nancy Pelosi for stuffing all that pork into the mouths of all those salt marsh harvest mice?

The Gate (gimpified)

The Gate (gimpified)
Originally uploaded by h_dwight_beers

Yet another gimpified (using mainly the Cartoon filter) picture making use of some of the arhitectural details in the homes here in Sun Village

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