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If there does turn out to be a God, he/she/it certainly has mixed feelings toward single, pro-Zionist, thirty-something techno-pawns like me. This week, my business was just granted a new lease on life by a generous office mate, but I still have to come up with office rent. Luckily, I just finished a project that made a hotel manager very happy, so I’ll get paid and be able to squeeze by with 11th hour rent. It’s unfortunate that with so many other domestic and global issues far more important than my petty little plight, that I cannot spend time indulging in the world’s problems; or at least until I solve this financial crunch to save my new business.
I wanted to blog about the upcoming election and all of the wisdom that new leaders can bring to the U.S., and to the rest of the world for that matter. I can’t do much fire-breathing right now, because if I blog about the candidates and all of the propositions, I’ll sound like a jaded chump who has a one-track mind. To the contrary, I have a pretty tight grip on what’s happening in places from your back yard to a city in Saudi Arabia, just that we've already got a myriad of political blogs, and this really is not one of them. All right, I’ll take down that Kerry/Edwards banner as soon as chad-day passes!
Here’s a perfect example: One of the reasons I will be voting for Kerry/Edwards is that this hopeful administration is far more likely to advance gay and lesbian rights. And granting us the right to marriage is an inevitable part of the progression of humanity. Can you imagine a 28th century with a lingering ban on gay marriage? Or a 30th century where bosses still discriminate against lesbians?
Now, enter moral dilemma: I am also a proud supporter of the Jewish community and Zionism. But, of the two presidential candidates, Bush is undoubtedly "pro-Israel" and has directly eliminated threats against Israel, namely Iraq! Furthermore, Kerry has plans to work closely on international issues with the European Union and the UN, which effectively rejects Zionism as if it were some sort of disease and treats Israelis as outcasts. Lastly, there is yet a significant chunk of Jewish voters backing the Texan, which confuses me slightly.
So now what? Honestly, it’s easy, and this is why Israel is a non-partisan issue. I’m voting for Kerry, along with the majority of Jewish voters in America, because both candidates have decent pro-Israeli voting records, and with a near tie on this one, I simply move on to the next campaign issue, like STEM CELL RESEARCH!
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(By Daniel Culveyhouse | See the 4 comments | comment here)
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Airbus Industrie is laboring away on its new double-decker Airbus 380, the 555-passenger “Superjumbo” that some experts fear will finally bankrupt Boeing Aerospace. We have to give Airbus credit for risking everything to develop and manufacture the world’s first truly double-decker passenger jet, complete with on board showers, an office, a children's play area, a gym, a bar, shops, a smoking area, and a mini casino. Whoa, Nellie! Well, there’s no doubt that passengers (and pilots!) are ready for the A-380, but the question is: Are the world’s busiest airports ready?
 | | Humongous, Just Humongous |
Nope, at least not yet. The A-380 is so large that new terminals must be built to accommodate boarding bridges for both decks of the aircraft. Most airports will also need to strengthen pavement of selected runways and widen runway shoulders. About sixty (60) international airports, including fourteen U.S. airports, are making these preparations, and let’s hope that they’re ready in time! LAX, JFK, and O’Hare all need to get their act together, but so do the carriers that ordered these monsters in the first place, such as Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, and Virgin Atlantic. These guys need to finish designing their custom interiors before the A-380s roll off the assembly line, unless they want 800 passengers to a plane, all sitting in wooden crew seats in a single-class configuration.
And the A-380 won’t bankrupt Boeing. Luckily, all of big B's commercial aircraft already fit nicely into thousands of airport terminals.
 | | Virgin Gets a Big One |
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(By Daniel Culveyhouse | See the 1 comment | comment here)
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I will spend more time on smaller, more personal entries in the future to balance the articles I’ve been writing. So here’s one of those “instyblogs” for today:
An epiphany struck me today as I opened my first SBC bill for my business phone line. As I ripped it open, I noticed that I was devoid of the usual doomsday feeling of holding anything sent to me from hulking utility companies. I scanned the first page for the total, and I found it. $270.50. It was over double what I had expected, but I immediately noticed something. I literally felt my entire person suddenly rise to meet the challenge of paying this insurmountable bill. Keep in mind that I risked everything, sold everything, and gave up what was left to open this tiny one-man business of mine. So this $270 bill reads like $27,000. But, gone are the self-defeating flashes that many of us commonly feel when our new business is clobbered with bills that we cannot pay.
The epiphany was in that illuminating moment when I realized that my determination is in full-court and will guarantee success! I am beginning to realize how important self-reliance is in small enterprise, and how lucky I am to possess it.
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(By Daniel Culveyhouse | No comments yet | comment here)
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The great debate on internationally outsourcing American jobs teeters on two schools of thought. The first is that outsourcing is RIPPING US APART! The second is that a small sacrifice of jobs now will greatly benefit America in the long run. Here’s my interpretation of this ethical tug-o-war: It has been proven in the past that job outsourcing, if done properly, can yield long-term economic growth. But, America has three questions that demand answers. How much growth can we expect? How long is this shit going to take? And meanwhile, how many millions of jobs — and sane minds — must we sacrifice to make this economic deliverance a reality?
For this methodology to work, the eventual benefits must greatly and invariably outweigh the short-term handicaps. It is clear to me that this outsourcing craze fails this test, and it should be clear to everyone else, not just the people who are losing jobs — and their sanity. The President's chief economic adviser, Greg Mankiw, tried to make this point back in February about outsourcing’s hidden benefits, but he also FAILED miserably in delivering the right message about this touchy issue. I don’t mind, of course, because it sent ripples through the Republican Party, threatened his job, and sent President Bush running in the other direction saying, “Oh, you see, I’m not with this guy.” This is awfully strange and inconsistent for the President, since Mankiw was actually speaking on his behalf. Oops! I’d like something like this to come up again in the next few weeks. Please, oh please!
I’m sorry, but the economic growth to be gained someday by welcoming non-stop outsourcing will NOT appease displaced workers with entire families to support! This has nothing to do with me, a single gay guy with no family to worry about. In fact, I’m not even complaining about the tough job market, and you’ll quickly see why if you read some of my previous posts. I’m far more concerned about the strain that layoffs by outsourcing causes in these families such as marital problems, unaffordable childcare and health coverage, mortgage defaults, etc. Divorce rates are starting to climb again in most parts of the country, suicide rates are nudging higher (just spend a day on Golden Gate Bridge!), and the sap on physical and mental health of IT pros is undocumented but very real!
Luckily, for the moment, employment in the IT sector is not getting any worse and may even be adding a few jobs to its roster each month, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. But, things aren't really getting any better, thanks to the vacuum effect of outsourcing. For those IT professionals that do have jobs, many of those jobs may seem enviable on the surface, but the exorbitant workload many have to deal with – often in excess of 55 hours per week – creates many of the same stressors that the unemployed masses already face. It’s very tough to pull together statistics to back myself up on these points, but I did extract some sector data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (see graph below). I am not making this up; It sucks! If I had more money, I would help anyone that I could through the emotional trauma of job loss. And God help the few that deal with workplace violence, post-employment attacks, and abuse by neurotic ex-bosses (like I did!).
Just so I don’t leave anyone hanging, my final thought of the day is to HANG IN THERE. If you’re currently employed, be thankful for the moment and engage in relaxing activities to keep your stress at bay. If you’re between jobs, think positively and feel positively about your professional self, and be creative in your hunt for income, whether it’s looking for full-time work, contracts, or launching your own small business.
 | | Caution: Rollercoasters Are Steeper Than They Appear |
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(By Daniel Culveyhouse | No comments yet | comment here)
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Quantum Mechanics and Psychoenergetics
We have already entered the 21st century, in which humanity will try to usher in a new era of science and technology. Yet, very few people understand the basics of quantum theory, let alone the direction that our understanding of quantum mechanics is taking us. More importantly, quantum mechanics gives us revelations into our consciousness and our very existence. Rather than insert a dissertation here on quantum physics, here’s a very brief summary for the masses:
Conventional science deals with the simple stuff you learned in school. Your baseball (and your brain) are made of materials. These materials are constructed of compounds. These compounds are actually collections of 100+ different types of atoms. These atoms are composed of protons, neutrons, and electrons.
Now, assume that all of what you learned was true, but there is MUCH more than meets the eye. The world is very different than what it appears, and far different from what we originally had thought. That’s quantum mechanics! Simple enough, until you inspect what lies beneath these atomic particles and realize exactly how tiny and strange we are discovering the universe to be.
Since quantum mechanics strongly suggests that our notion of reality is an illusion, you can bet that this is beginning to affect biological sciences around the world. Through our revised knowledge of particles — and therefore the universe — we gain insight into our consciousness and the power of the mind. This new branch of physics is called psychoenergetics. An acquaintance of mine (and a distinguished blogger) pointed me to a recent film called What the Bleep Do We Know, and this movie can help the public to better understand just what quantum mechanics is unraveling. I haven’t seen the film yet, but William A. Tiller, an accomplished physicist at the forefront of psychoenergetics, appears in the film and introduces some fresh but basic concepts on energy. His theories, publications, and teachings have enormous depth and complexity, and by no means is he an “astrologer” or “ghostbuster.” This stuff is real, folks.
Through decades of research, Tiller has postulated (with plenty of evidence) that there exist non-physical energies that interact with our physical universe, suggesting that our being is multi-dimensional, in ways of which we are subconsciously aware, but cannot comprehend using conventional science.
I have spent years researching these fields and formulating my own interpretations of psychoenergetics, subtle energy theory, and quantum mechanics. I’m certainly no expert, as my background is in engineering. Nevertheless, you’ll find me writing a lot more about emerging physics in the coming months, as I have been personally experimenting and applying Tiller’s theories for years without having realized it!
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(By Daniel Culveyhouse | No comments yet | comment here)
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Yes, Senator John Kerry, who is a heterosexual, made a reference to Mary Cheney in the last presidential debate, emphasizing that she is a lesbian. (Silence) Now, Lynn Cheney, who is a heterosexual, is barking out in a slanderous fit of rage because in her eyes he used shock value to “expose” this to tens of millions of viewers, many of whom didn’t yet realize that Vice President Dick Cheney’s daughter is a lesbian.
OK, why don’t we try this. “Mary Cheney, who is a lesbian, has worked on gay issues and on her father’s 2000 vice presidential campaign.” (Silence)
I just did the same thing he did a few nights ago. No earth-shaking or bone-crushing, huh? Now let’s try this one: “Daniel Culveyhouse, who is gay, walked to Walgreens and bought a York Peppermint Pattie.” (Silence) Ahhh, quite painless, huh!
What’s the problem, Mr. And Mrs. Republican? Has some outspoken liberal scum unearthed a mortally terrifying darkness of a word that draws physical pain whenever someone utters it? Seek therapy instantly! The headlines mention that Lynn Cheney is “indignant” over Kerry’s remarks. I think it’s more like “undignified.” I (and most others in the LGBT community) detect that she is quite shameful of such a “disposition” in the family and wishes it to remain anonymous. I happen to be fortunate to have parents who both accept my sexual orientation with at least a little bit of style! My mother could teach Mrs. Cheney a lesson or two in how to handle the public with a gay/lesbian son or daughter in the family.
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(By Daniel Culveyhouse | See the 3 comments | comment here)
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Here's a quick overview of my uncle and cousin's trip to Peru. Rather than rewrite an account of this high adventure, I'll just repost an article from a South Mississippi newspaper:
Machu Picchu trip uphill climb, but worth it
 | View of Machu Picchu from the
Path from Intipunku |
Gulfport father-daughter chiropractors tackle hike of an Inca trail together
By NANCY BOSARGE
THE SUN HERALD
The beauty and wonder of one of South America's Incan ruins came alive for Drs. Jim and Angela Culveyhouse on a trip they took in October. The Culveyhouses, a father and daughter, who are chiropractors in Gulfport, went on a hiking trip of an Inca trail in Peru leading to the ancient Incan ruins of Machu Picchu. This ancient city wasn't discovered until 1911 by American historian Hiram Bingham and is located between two peaks 50 miles northwest of Cuzco, Peru. There are 3,000 stonework steps connecting the five square miles of the stone-laid city of Machu Picchu.
"This is an Incan city that the Spaniards didn't discover; that's why it's still intact," Angela said.
She had heard about the hiking trip from some friends who told her she needed to go. She and her father decided to make it a nice father-daughter trip. They went with a travel package by an agency out of Cuzco. The actual hike to Machu Picchu along the Inca trail would take four days ascending from 10,000 to 14,000 feet in elevation. This trail is listed as one of the top five, said Jim.
Angela has been on a few hiking trips, but none on this level, and Jim hiked some about 10 years ago. To prepare for the trip, they worked out at the gym for six months.
Continued: Click "Read more..." below.
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(By Daniel Culveyhouse | No comments yet | comment here)
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Over the last few weeks, I've found myself pushing my acquaintances and business partners to open up their own personal site and start blogging. Besides being easily affordable, blogging is also personally rewarding. Not only can a blogger quickly develop his/her own writing skills, but the blogger will quickly notice his/her own style emerge. And that diversity of journalistic style is largely what makes blog surfing so popular in recent years.
Go ahead and munch on any blog list or blog directory, such as www.blogcritics.com, and you'll quickly notice a breadth of blogging style, from casual unedited diaries in broken English, from highly-censored syndicated columns by professional businesspeople, to freeform opinionated political rants! My personal style emerged only weeks after I began blogging, and I best describe my style as semimonthly installments. If you notice, I don't really dump daily events into my blog in diary format, but rather I choose a topic every few weeks or so and write about it. Starting next week, I plan to add a blog entry every few days, so either my own format will evolve, or I will start a separate category to keep these daily pushes apart from my topical entries. And since you're reading this, take a second and imagine what your personal blog style would be like, even if you're not blogging yet. Would yours be like a flowing romance novel? Or a visual display of pictures with captions? Or how about a gossip dumpster with everyone and their mother talking smack about the antagonists in their lives? Hmmmm!
By now, you can probably ascertain my message today, and you are right. Unite! I want you (and every one of you) to start blogging! It's cheap, fun, and VERY rewarding, and you can trust all of us veteran bloggers on this one. Do not be afraid to crack your shell and expose yourself to the world. You will project your individuality and confidence (and sexiness!) in a way you probably never have before, and you will be heard around the world with no one to muffle your way of thinking.
Since I offer web hosting, I have made it particularly easy for new bloggers to buy web space and start blogging by letting each one choose the blog software that best suits them. This blog that you're reading now uses a large chunk of PHP-Nuke code that I modified heavily to accommodate my blog style. It still needs work, and I really don't recommend using PHP-Nuke for blogging. But I happened to like a few of the template designs and admin features, so I stuck with this open-source monster and just tamed it a bit. But I accommodate any blog software that a blogger requires, as I take a personal interest in seeing writers express themselves, many for the first time!
The following partial list of blog software will help you fathom the size of this budding community. Remember that this list consists of server-side software for hosted blog sites, which doesn't include huge blog sites like Blogger or TypePad, where you create a drone account then quickly get lost in the March of the Blogging Zombies.
Blog Software
PHP-Nuke
Movable Type
Geeklog
Nucleus
Serendipity
bBlog
WordPress
GreyMatter (not GrayMatter!!!)
Most of these blog solutions are PHP based and run a MySQL database. As long as you host with me, you'll be able to use all of these products, and you also have my full support! So don't go unheard and unpublished any longer. Join us bloggers and reveal your true creative self!
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(By Daniel Culveyhouse | No comments yet | comment here)
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Burt Rutan, Brian Binnie, and the rest of the team at Scaled Composites finally did it! In the tone of the famous 1927 Charles Lindbergh flight, Rutan and his gang beat all other private space jockeys to the punch by launching their SpaceShipOne out of the Earth’s atmosphere for the second time in less than a week in Mojave, California! They grabbed the $10,000,000 Ansari X Prize, the booty that sat for years waiting for the first private rocketeers to meet its winning criteria (altitude, weight, number of flights, heath of the pilot, etc.).
 | Nose to Nose with
White Knight |
I had long preached to Bay Area folks that San Francisco will enjoy another economic boom considering the many incubating markets such as robotics, genetic tech, and private aerospace. I still maintain that it will largely happen right here, and it now looks like the space boom will happen sooner than I thought, perhaps even before a robotics boom. Of course it will take years for this fledgling aerospace market to explode, but when it does, I guarantee that I’ll be standing right in the middle of it!
I remember when I first heard of the Ansari X Prize back in 1997 (it had already been publicized for a while by that time). Hardly anyone knew or understood what it represented, but I certainly did. Having just spent 5 years in an aeronautics and flight program at Western Michigan University, I really wanted to help pioneer this new industry. I reworked my career strategy around the X Prize and planned a move to the Bay Area mainly to at least join one of these private ventures competing for the lovely spoils. Sadly, I never made it to the desert, but I still enjoyed a booming IT market for a while. And I don’t feel an ounce of regret. I totally congratulate Rutan and his team for pushing humanity one step closer to the Space Age!
 | White Knight and SpaceShipOne
Photos courtesy of Scaled Composites © 2004 |
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(By Daniel Culveyhouse | See the 2 comments | comment here)
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