Labor update

Well... laber started witha splash and ended quite quickly. We now have a son! 7lbs 2oz 20 1/2 inches long. All are doing great!! 7 1/2 hrs of labor... and 3 pushes.

Starting Labor

Does anyone know of anyways to start labor? Any hints or tips to get things going? My wife is 2cm dialated... and nothing is happening. Any ideas???

Richard C. Hoagland and NASA Part 2

Mr. Hoagland are you that arrogant and self-involved that you think that Mr. Hale of NASA selected that song and that message to signal you that you are on the right track? Mr. Hale, and I have this on a very reliable source, had no hidden agenda, message or meaning behind that music selection.

You have this unbelievable ego that has you so above everyone else. You THINK you have all the answers and you don’t. I could probably go through every mission and pull every single wake up song and you would find a hidden meaning behind it.

Are you forgetting the unbelievable feats these astronauts perform on a daily basis? Do you have any clue at all of the skill and training they go through to accomplish their mission? And you still sit there and think the entire mission is political. Every word that is said, every eye blink, every wave of an arm is a political message.

You are a sad man. These people put their lives on the line every day they are in space. From those on ISS to those on the shuttle to those in training. They didn’t get drafted they volunteered. Further to sit there and think that people in NASA because of political reasons would sacrifice the lives of these people you are truly sick.

Has your diluted mind strayed so far from reality that you really think that this mission is purely political? I have no doubt that there have been times that decisions have been made because of political reasons. Any time you have the government involved it will happen… it happens every day in congress with bills that should only cost a few million but are inflated to billions because of pet projects.

If you looked at funding for NASA you will probably find the same thing. Sure Congress gives them say $20 billion but the real cost is more in the $80 billion. The problems are not NASA. The problems are Congress and the Administration.

Back to the real point… what right do you have to sit there and slam on an organization like NASA? Sure we have freedom of speech in this country so yes you can. But to take the stand that things are being said and done to send a message to YOU is simply ludicrous and egotistical.

Can someone please let the air out of his head?

Richard C. Hoagland and NASA

Ok ... First he complains that NASA doesn't release information. Now he is complaining that they did release information and are being completely UPFRONT about what is going on with the Shuttle! Man you wouldn't be happy if the Aliens came and landed in your front yard, knocked on your front door and said "Hi! We are the ones you have been talking about and here are all the truths of the Universe!" He would probably find fault in even them!

Hoagland you really need to get a life.

Every mission that is flown into space, with or with out people, is done knowing that something can fail. We have been going into space for less than 50 years. What the hell do you expect? 50 YEARS!!!! Yes we have made some very impressive advancements in aerospace and orbital flight but really it’s in its infancy. This has been an amazing feat in it self that we even made it to space. Does everyone know that the shuttle fleet is aging and won’t last much longer? YES WE DO! Funding or not they are old spacecraft.

Mr. Hoagland… the car you drive is how old? And the car before that was how old? We change cars and they wear out far sooner than any one of the shuttles have. Everyone knows they are old and the tragedy two and half years ago kind of brought things closer to the public eye and NASA’s for that matter. You make it sound like they want people to die just so they can retire the shuttle fleet. Man you are sick.

They know the craft are old. They know better than anyone that there are problems with them because of age. I’m sure there isn’t a person at NASA that would like nothing more than to retire the fleet and have new birds to send up. The problem hasn’t been NASA. The problem has been CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT! Do you think that maybe if say 20 years ago they said “Ok NASA. The shuttle won’t last forever. Here is money go spend it on development of new birds,” that we wouldn’t be facing this now?

Let’s put blame where blame is due.

Richard C. Hoagland

Mr. Hoagland is a self purported 'expert' on all things not Earth related. He has a supposed gaggle of scientist friends that are also all knowing. I will give him this much - a few theories are reasonable assumptions that still require actual testing and proof but are feasible. 99% however of his theories are pure bunk. He bases his theories on the SAME scientific material that EVERY OTHER SCIENTIST takes apart, extrapolates, reassembles, modifies to fit a model and throws outs bits and pieces that do not fit his particular theory. Scientists admit that there is a lot they don't know and understand and in a large part are just really guesses. Why do you think they have the Chaos Theory? Why do you think they have Dark Matter? How in the world do they know what the UNIVERSE should weigh? They created Dark Matter to fit a theory someone had.

A theory by definition is -- An assumption based on limited information or knowledge; a conjecture.

Or in layman's terms - A guess.

The problem though is that the theories are based on theories that are based on theories. They have been referenced for so long by so many people that they have been converted into FACT with no real, honest to god evidence, proof or experimentation that the theory is correct. Astronomy is 90% theory because there is no way to PROVE the theories. We can't just get in a ship and fly to the star we are studying. We can't just fly to the new planet that is supposedly discovered. The only way to prove anything is to observe and test. So they are best guesses.

Sure we have very sophisticated equipment that gives us a lot of information that is factual but the proof is in going there to test and experiment. Astronomers will admit that spectral readings do produce anomalous readings. HELLO!!!!! We base our spectral analysis on elements and things on THIS planet. Problem is that scientists think that the elements on this planet are all that is out there in the Universe. They disregard the anomalies and just go with what they know. The anomalies may actually be something important that could change how we view the Universe and other planets. Instead they are just rejected and considered a glitch or artifact.

Hmmm… kind of like thinking that the Earth is the center of the Universe or that humans are the only intelligent beings in the Universe.

Back to Mr. Hoagland – His big thing now is that Deep Impact information and photos hasn’t been released and that NASA and the government is hiding something that is “Earth Shaking”. Conspiracy theorist. I agree the info and pictures should be placed for public view but I don’t think there is anything sinister about it. ESA is very slow at releasing data as well on their projects. I don’t see him hounding them. All he is looking for is the press and to make something of nothing. Hmmm… kind of like his theory on a moon that isn’t a moon. Kind of like his theory on inter-dimensional travel and hurricanes that are actually inter-dimensional vortexes.

More on Hoagland to come….

Dark Chirp

What…hey… where… What happened? Where am I? Why can’t I see?

Thoughts not feelings running through his head. All he senses is darkness. No feeling, no movement only darkness and confusion. The last thing he remembers is leaving the house this morning to go fishing... now only darkness.

“What’s that?” goes through his mind as he hears a noise. His hearing the only thing that seems to be working. No feeling in his body at all. Nothing. Unable to move, unable to see, he tries to yell out but nothing. No movement at all.

“Where am I? Why can’t I move or speak?” Only darkness around him, his mind races as he hears a sound like a chirp in the darkness. “What’s that? Help me!!” Nothing escapes from his mouth. His mind struggles to get his body to move but nothing happens. He tries to concentrate on his fingers and getting them to move but nothing happens. He realizes that he can’t even tell if his fingers are there or not. All he knows is he can hear and there is nothing but darkness. He tries to calm his mind and think back to what may have happened. Struggle as he may all he can remember is leaving the house this morning. He got in his truck and pulled away that is that last he remembers.

He pauses and listens trying to figure out where he is. Utter and complete silence. No wind, no noise of any kind. “What was the chirp I heard?” he thought to himself. He concentrates on the dark silence listening for any noise to figure out what is going on. Chirp… “There it is again… wait it’s in a different place… I think!” Chirp… “Again!! It’s not a cricket. It’s not a water drip…”

His thoughts go back to earlier in the day. “What happened to me? I got in my truck and pulled out of the driveway. That is the last thing I remember. What happened? Why can’t I remember? Was I in a car accident? Did it happen at the lake? WHY CAN’T I REMEMBER!” He tries again to take inventory of his body and any sensations. He can feel nothing. He can’t feel his feet, legs, arms, hands, fingers, nothing not even his head. He can hear and that is it. He can hear himself breath but other than that nothing.

Chirp…chirp. “There it is again! What is it? God help me! What is it?” He tries to relax himself and let his mind calm down. He thinks back to the day before and the time he had spent with his kids. How he hoped he would see them again. Chirp…he tries to ignore the chirp trying to stay calm. “Someone will find me. I know they will.” He remembers playing with his son and daughter in the yard yesterday. Chasing them and playing tag, running through the sprinklers and the cook out. What a happy day that was.

Chirp… “What is that? What is making that chirp noise?” Chirp. “That was in a different place I know it was. There are two of them!” He listens intently to the darkness for any noise other than the chirps. Something is there but what? Is it an insect? Reptile?

He concentrates and stares into the darkness. At least he thinks he is staring. He can’t feel his eyes or eyelids so he doesn’t know for sure. He listens intently trying to pick out any sound he can to give him answers. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Just utter silence and darkness so black. He tries to calm his mind again and just listen. For several minutes no thoughts going through his mind as he just listens to the blackness. He begins to wonder how long he has been here already. He knows he left the house in the morning but now he has no idea when he ended up where he is…where ever that may be.

Chirp. “That was closer or at least louder. Is it getting closer? What is it? Where am I?” Chirp…Chirp. “There are two of them and one seems closer than the other. They are moving but what are they?” His mind races with all the possibilities. Was he in a car accident on his way to the lake? The road twists and turns through the hills. Did he run of the road and end up in a ditch? If so then why isn’t there any light? Even if the truck rolled over and it was night out there would be some light there is a full moon. He should see something. He should hear the leaves in the trees or even the water or crickets. He can’t be along the road. “God where am I?” He tries to think if there were any holes near where he fished. Maybe he fell in a sinkhole? No not possible. He knows it’s all hard rock where he is. He tries to think of anyplace that he could have gotten himself that would be this dark and quiet. There has to be an answer he just needs to find it.

Chirp…….…Chirp…Chirp “Three? No wait two. One of what ever they are chirped twice or did it?” He listens for any kind of noise but there is none other than his breathing. “HELP!!” he screams in his mind concentrating trying to get the words to come out of his mouth – nothing but silence. “What is going on? WHY is this happening? Where am I? What are those things? WHY ME!”

He continues to try and recall what happened. His memory is blank. What is more perplexing is that he feels nothing. He doesn’t even feel himself breath only hears it. His only perception is sound. What could have happened that he wouldn’t feel anything at all? Why can he only hear? Questions and more questions build in his head but no answers. Chirp…Chirp………Chirp… Chirp… Chirp “There! Three of them! What are they? They don’t sound like frogs or insects. Bat’s don’t chirp.” He exists in silence trying all he can to sense something, anything to tell him where he is. He concentrates hard trying to feel other parts of his body. Nothing.

His mind is devoid of questions for hours or so it seems to him. Time has no reference. He has only darkness and silence except for the occasional chirp from his mysterious company in the dark. Thoughts begin to come back to his mind, thoughts of his family and his life before today. CHIRP “That was closer. When did it move? Why couldn’t I hear it?” He strains his concentration to see what is around him but the darkness never gives in or waivers. “What is wrong with me? Why can’t I feel anything?” CHIRP… “That was closer…Are they getting closer? They must be but what are they?” CHIRP. CHIRP. CHIRP. CHIRP. “They are right here next to me. Four of them what ever them are.” After what must be hours already he tries to calm his fears and thoughts.

He tries to focus on his body again. He concentrates on his fingers. Can he feel them? Can he move them? Nothing. He slowly concentrates on different parts of his body to try and “feel” them. No feeling, no movement, nothing. Just like the black nothing that surrounds him.

His mind wakes from where ever it had gone. “What? Huh? Oh here… still here. Was I sleeping?” He listens to the darkness. CHIRP… CHIRP… Chirp… Chirp “Four. There are four. Well at least there aren’t more. Wait! What the? My toes. I can feel my toes. Yeah! My feet too.” He realizes that he can feel more of his body. He tries to get something to move but nothing does. He can at least feel so things are looking up. He tries to relax and take inventory of his body again. He notices after a few minutes that he can feel more of his body. Still he can’t move anything. He begins to feel his fingers and hands. Next his arms and shoulders and neck. “Why do I not feel any pain? I have feeling in my body but no pain? What happened to me?” He waits patiently hoping he will feel more of his body and his sight will return.

CHIRP… Chirp… Crunch, Crunch. “That’s different. What is that?” He listens to the crunching noise. CHIRP… CRUNCH, CRUNCH. “That was right next to me! What is going on?” He realizes that he is beginning to see blurry images. “My eyes!” He listens to the crunching and continuing chirps. He realizes he is not in total darkness but dim light. He focuses…. “AHHHHHH! NO!” As his vision becomes clear he can see the strange creatures he had been hearing - two of them eating his legs and one on each arm. “NO!!!!! THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENEING!!!!”

His vision begins to fade his mind screaming in fear… then silence.