Apple firmware update 1.1.1 causes a stir online

Not so long ago, Steve Jobs wanted to change the world. Customer first. Profits second. Now a market leader in online music and stepping into the cellular realm, Steve Jobs has decided, along with Apple engineers, to dominate the world instead of changing it. This is what happened to the iPhone and its 'upgrade' which killed all development of third-party applications for the iPhone. It is one thing to stop phones from being unlocked, it is another to stop creativity and development of software applications. That's harsh.

Am I the only one seeing that Apple is becoming a monopolizing figure, signing exclusive deals, forcing customers to accept their way or the highway?

Apparently not...

PC World, "Apple is becoming the new Microsoft, at least in the monopoly way!"
Sunday, September 30, 2007 by MattMik

New York Times, "Joel Robison, a systems network engineer near Seattle, said his phone stopped working immediately after he installed the upgrade. He said that when he took it to an Apple store, he was accused of having unlocked the phone (he didn't)...“Their accusation was very damaging to my opinion of Apple’s service,” Mr. Robison said.
Saturday, September 29, 2007 by Katie Hafner

Salon, "If you care about your rights, don't buy an iPhone"
Friday, September 28, 2007

ZDNet, Apple’s growth, an unwinnable iPhone war and a reputation at risk...
Friday, September 28 2007 by Larry Dignan

Yahoo News!, This is the equivalent of Roger Ebert slamming a Scorsese movie, or Lester Bangs trashing the Beatles. Tired of being pushed around by Apple's greed and ham-fisted approach to locking down its hardware, gadget giant Gizmodo has brought down the hammer by giving the Apple iPhone a (rare) "don't buy" rating. Ouch, that smarts.
Saturday, September 29 2007 by Christopher Null

As you can see, these aren't off the beaten paths news updates. New York Times, ZDNet, Yahoo!, and other outlets all portray a negative image of Apple's "kill everyone's creativity" iPhone update.

The 'new' Apple is here. The think different, promote creativity company is now in the gutter.

Scientists report alcohol (from any drink) increases cancer risk

Proverbs 23:31-32: "Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper."

I don't drink and nobody in my family does for biblical reasons. Apparently God is smarter than us and scientists just figured it out today.

Science Daily — One of the largest individual studies of the effects of alcohol on the risk of breast cancer shows that it makes no difference whether a woman drinks wine, beer or spirits (liquor). It is the alcohol itself (ethyl alcohol) and the quantity consumed that increases breast cancer risk. In fact, the increased breast cancer risk from drinking three or more alcoholic drinks a day is similar to the increased breast cancer risk from smoking a packet of cigarettes or more a day, according to Kaiser Permanente researchers Yan Li, MD, PhD and Arthur Klatsky, MD.

References:
1. Science Daily
2. Associated Press

Final notes:
Yes, a small amount of red wine is good for the heart. But let's complete the sentence: "Good for the heart, hurts the liver, kills the brain, increases cancer risk." Nice.

eBay hacked? Reality check.

Today, someone publicly posted usernames and credit card information on eBay's message boards. To some that witnessed this one and half hour series of posts, it was concerning. At face value, it looked like someone hacked eBay and they were posting the information out on the Internet. But a second look at the information creates some doubts. Here's my points:

Reality Check
1. The userids were correct but they are already public in the first place.

2. eBay reports other pertinent information did not match their files (ie: names, CVV, credit cards).

3. There are several credit card and name generators on the Internet that you can play as a game for free. Just because someone goes through this and matches it with an eBay user id, that doesn't mean eBay is hacked.

4. eBay's statement, which California laws among others require them to tell the truth are as follows:

"Very early this morning, a malicious fraudster posted on the Trust & Safety forum on eBay.com posing as approximately 1,200 eBay users. The fraudster made these posts in a way that was intended to appear as though he logged in with their accounts. The posts contained name and contact information, which appears to be valid, and could have been secured as part of an account take over.

The posts ALSO appeared to contain credit card information -- however, these credit cards are not associated with financial information on file for these users at eBay or PayPal. We're in the process of reaching out by phone to these members to, so that if the information is valid somehow -- regardless how this fraudster acquired the information -- these members can take the steps they need to take to protect themselves."

5. I'm not a defender of eBay. In fact, if you type in the words 'ebay monopoly' on Google, you will find I have criticized them over their moves to restrict Google Checkout, their competition in the payments processing industry. But I can definitely say today's hysteria by some eBay users (you know who you are) and the media is annoying at best. Stop the panic and let the facts come out.

The usernames that were listed on the forums are listed below. I got this from http://shenemanfamily.com/comp.html. There's tons of screenshots and even a YouTube video of this (already pulled off).

48871
1778696
40018
1165julie
123olbrich
151jpeterson
1755tom
1954siel
1957dudad
197bro
1alejandrita
1deadrock
1shack57
2005bim
2005branstetter
2006paulaandrea
21mercedes
3-dhunter
3015philip
30pete30
3371andrew
351stech
3bayaccount1
420sel1
49erdolphin
4ashtree
4ever80s
672roberts
754joshua
ab562
accrdcivic
adarisse
aeleafe
ags61
ahug
alabamian100
alastair1109
alcanat71
aldaros749
aldnjones
alec816
alex816
alexander_k1977
alobato06
alrivcamp
anazingjt
anyenc
aoheaney
apeanuttoys
apsjr
asne40
atlooncall
atschirner
babyface15432
badbaby1972
bagged85
bakesman
bankbuddy
barnesk8
baseballcards5009
beathab
beep_beep_
beeson4
besthag
betterbidfast
bettrnbuck
bigant4542
biged2229
biged7779
bigmike0125
bigquess
bigskybill7
billsfossilcarsandparts
black*gts) 15
blancayyotambien
blodgett777
blue_eyed_redhead
bluebassethound
blunose2772
bluv5
bmer1828
bmf1833
boat74alfa
boatbabe36
bobbellford
bohyunseok
bri686
brianw87
brown2411
brynno1
bshophubby
bsmachinepump
bubjay21777
buck_robbb?
buck-rehhh
budel
budmuf
bumskibum1987
calihoney02
candiaikens45011
carlinglight
carolinemaryshea
carymcc76
cassiem1210
catbic
caveman069
cds7814
cg_woodworking
chicodesma cl0ne786 classyladypainting cleary50
clem54140 codgson
coleiro9540
const_man78
copcl
cornflakeosu cox2000muse
cpa331
ctoudic
curve82
curve93
cworn
cyclecog
dakotacobalt1
dalt57
debshood
deertrail98
dennis491 dfd1
dfmengert
dishmie1411
distinctivejourneys
djdom111
dlanelangford
dlk953
dlparta
dmlindner
docdinky
dodgeguy2
donjtoto
donn9547
dookie892
dopey94970102
doudymac dowgint
downtoearthdental
dragonswar84
driverrobthedark
dsmitty123
dts2649
dubdlee20
dueete
dukesnyder9 duncangodfrey
dunewaters
dung_smith
dvdsrcy e.w.pruvis007
eaglesilos
easybizman
ebee347
eddavilla
edjoan4
edsamaro
egwdoug
emak79
embrdyldy
emeraldsong
entertainyourself
equipmentjunky
ericm1980
erknight
ernieg2004
escalator66
evinrude1963
faysfinest
fishhead2842
fkada
flamingo9
flattopcody
floridaphil73
flynnut69
fordy64
foxierockwell
francescaelisa02
frankg32
franktiano
freewilly1956
frenchfreesia23
frodobaggins4
frogsbud
fsteil
fthdfrd
fttadm
funnycide
fuzylops
gamala54
garyjktrains
gasche9079
gattica777
geewhizbeav
gemz2rad
geo8rge44
george_p77
georgia2470
gg9416
gil148
gio911
giraffe59
gj3newell
glare282
glckidz
glen3295
glenoglen
glmoparman
glotfepr
gmg817
golfantick
gollipg
gollipg
goodies-online
googler69
gpb1705
greatfes
greenapples91
greensfarms
greg3ibg
grocky_fr
grp1983
gsipes1
gumptruck
gusstaff
gwitlock2308
gwmillerco
ha9362
hainesvette
happysweep
harasim2007
harat555
hardseteelandiron
harn8222
haroldehittyhat
harry200_1
hartonehtis
hartopehtis
haybale98
healthyshoes128
heathmyster
helen6835
henburg21
henryettaknight
hesamess
heyjoe1702
high-diesel
hillsrusdog
hkatzen
hobbiesbdg
hoeycomadina
holacolombya
holierthanthou06
hop21t
hoprv
horseshoebuy
hrpete304
husspup
hyazdanparast
iabdulg
iamsore
ians4102
iblaine
idaboy1
iec33
iglidetours
ikelada
ilikeeverything2
ilive4cars7
ilivesparkysparky
imgman_200013aq
innstudio
iqman104
itchynfat
itchyrash
ivycamille
j_ferrara
j.ing
jackandruff
james-halpin
james10448
jandj9202003
jarrett518
jaspergixerboy
jaswebconsultant
jay_nuttz
jbscottdudley
jckhwr
jd260599
jdwcrna
jeffchief
jerusha85
jess_camb
jessalee83
jetek26
jillpallotta
jim8ujg
jimnlouise
jimpriest
jjsmudger
jk0055
jlobster
jmfoxislan (partial name)
jmoster96
jmt1011
jnmconnections
joannakitte (partial name)
joe01655
joey0115
joey1320
joface109
jonathanlocke84
jonchristoper75
jones48194
jordancoreyburt
josh_anderson185
joshuadam
josti
jpennstar
jptrupiano
jrbailey7hpu
jrtsgackerman
jrw1bulbeck
jsapp36
jseryak
jsmhjabarber
jstein03
jtg976jtg
jtstrick5
judyanita
jugene23
jules2120
julesooles
juz2709
jwadleigh
jwstaton78
jxbuter
k3_plus_m
kalandr
kapenbrutzler
kappenbrutzler
karamjit2004
karena6253
kareng9217
karenrig
karensky1000
karensmith786
karunafinancial
katedae
katonycross
kayla3320
kbfis
kbobkaran
kcprog
keecreek
keiner01
keith_s
keithatprem
keithmacd
keldroed
keli_chik
ken1966thistle
ken1986thistle
kenn2120
kentlau13
keving82
kevinmag
kevinrcon
kevinselink
kfo-design
kilzbugz
kit124
kkeastbay
klingon_master
kromes0621
kynimo619
ladydemonsia
laser246
lazyln
ldmerriam
lee_vintagecoolstuff
libertybeads
light4less
live*life
logarithym
loriwebb777
louderthanlove3
lovemjh
lucienschallehn
lucy3182
m168yeh
madaboutyou1408
marcia9622
marcilea123
mardill2168
markaellis
markmadman11
masram3
matt81657
matto72
mavisaltin
maxlaptops
mediaman1961
metalcrafter
meuyarrow
mgshaft69
mickieboy65
mikesyz
miniemoe
misprint604
mj4900
mjhks
mmmmcn2
mobi_bristol
moheine
moht321
monica950
moseisely
moviemaster51
mrlittlemanlane
mrsacwright
msears1
musicmilligan
myron37
myttb
mytyoz
neuroticrn
nicholasbishop
nijxk99
nita50
nokarma4630
nps007jr
oakrderfn
only1jellybeanz
ornball
paalienman
padi2618
pajs60
pam3821
partidaguy77
peachjr
pepsiman241
phyllis421
pikey408
pinkkey
pinkypunch
pizzants
pkchevyracer2
plug17
pman0516
pmi1495
poodlecracker
porchenaples
porkchop6756
postie246
powerpak
prem-recycle
proudpapa2006
prpldivr
punjabiochard
purpleronnie1969
pwarren54
pyromaniacs
qqu41p
quentin 790
raffaello5
ralphied
raptor597
ratautobody
rav_industries
ravenmaid3
raysel
rebos2
redflashsteve
rednismo350z
rev-angel
rh781218
rizrx7
rjbaumgartner
robin37a
robrey718
rodgarza
rodgndak
rodimusprimus
rogerscott
ron.dena
ronr888
roofdesignr
ropoon
ros3215
royerclan
royonoco
rrazor
rrralston
rubylite
rudy230177
rugby-league11
runwaycollections
rustman33
ryanmartin1988
sabako61
salvarobles
sanibel1600
sffdsaprky
shaf7886
sheldonfezzik
shirlali
sidlip
simplemindss
smalto29
smokeygrouse
socialbutterfly28601
spaceychacha
spawn203
spratff
spudgunn39
starcraft98
stewb814
sticman68
sucker4sales
sweetlime3
texaswranch
thebody55
themicks56
theperfectpick
they_call_me_*ice*nuts*
timberlandstreet
tintoyalley
tintoyc
titantelus
toddolie
tonnsracing
tracyfreeman
trocito1997
tzede619
uncledon07
virginia8232
vytotv
waitesanderson
warr2350
whatsurflavor
wilmingtonud
wonz11
wsn71
x_oarsist
x-alien
xeniphon
xrho
xtramp
y3kjon
yajitha
yarandy63
yardworks_inc
yeseron
youngest_of_4
yvonne8447
ztbhhb

Halo 3 release and Corporeal theme song

Microsoft's Halo 3 is launching right now as I type up this blog post. If you don't know what Halo 3 is and you haven't played the Halo game series, then you either have been sitting under a rock or your hair color is gray. Halo 3 is called the biggest video game release in video game history, the final episode of the Halo trilogy.

To celebrate this release, I have posted Corporeal's take on the Halo theme song during the E3 game conference. Corporeal's main star, I would say, is the up and coming Christian violinist, Hanah Stuart.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy Is The New Blair

Last year, I said former Prime Minister Tony Blair was one of the best political leaders in the world. Why? Because he stood by his principles and did what was best for Britain despite everyone else thinking he was in the wrong.

We know that Blair's new replacement, Gordon, is not following his shoes. At the start of his term, he has already somewhat shifted some of Britain's pro-American stances. Nope...we won't find any too many similarities between Gordon and Blair.

But surprisingly, we are seeing it in newly elected French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Unlike his predecessor, Chirac, he is openly engaging in friendly talks with America. He is moving away from the socialistic, anti-American ways of the old guard in France and moving into a capitalistic, pro-business ways of America. On the foreign policy side, he is also moving to increase French support in Afghanistan and to ally France with U.S. interests (ie: against Iran).

Will Sarkozy be the next Blair, befriending America? Seems likely and we as Americans certainly hope so. We would like to call the French as our friends again.

I guess the true question is, is the next president of America going to be like Bush? :)

Spammer Trying to Trick eBay Sellers

PowerSellers started receiving this spoof e-mail. This is not from eBay and should be ignored at all costs. Also if you are bored, someone try to trace who owns this fax number: 1-323-446-7072 (it is a California number).

Dear eBay Member,

Your account will be suspended under the "Abusing eBay" section of the eBay User Agreement. This section states that eBay may suspend a user's account if we think that the user is creating problems (legal or
otherwise) or acting inconsistently with the letter or spirit of our policies.

To have your account considered for reinstatement, please fax us both of the following:

- Copy of your driver's license or other government issued ID with your name and address clearly visible
- Copy of a recent credit card statement (copy of the actual credit card is not acceptable)
- Copy of a recent bank statement
- Copy of a recent utility bill

***Important***
All contact information listed on the documents that you submit with your appeal must be consistent with the contact information listed on your registered eBay account. If any differences exist, you must provide an explanation for these discrepancies, as well as documentation that confirms your explanation.

If your eBay contact information is your work address, please send official documentation to validate this.


***Important***
If your fax doesn't contain this information, we won't be able to process it.

Please fax all documentation to:

eBay
Attention: Abusing eBay Appeals

U.S. Fax Number: 1-323-446-7072

Please allow 48 to 72 hours for your request for appeal to be processed. Sending us an email before that time may delay your request.

***Privacy Note***
Any documents submitted to us will be destroyed after the information has been reviewed and verified. However, your full name and addressmust be legible for us to process your request.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Chance
eBay Customer Support

Remembering Frank D'Alessandro

DIED: September 13, 2007
WHY:
(1) Accidental drowning in New Jersey while kayaking at night
(2) He was in New Jersey to visit his ailing mother

Frank D'Allesandro is a name that many will not forget in Southwest Florida. For 28 years, he has sold, bought, and developed commercial properties in the area. You can see his ubiquitous signs everywhere. He was very successful in marketing his name to the area, writing columns for News-Press and having his own television show on Comcast.

While he didn't have time to get married and have kids, he was fond of kids in the community and funded several public service projects across Southwest Florida. While I never met the man, those that know him personally have always characterized him as a professional business man who had a soft spot for the community.

I'm not sure whether he was a Christian or not, we can only hope to see him in heaven some day, but until then, let's remember him as the man that put Southwest Florida's commercial real estate on the map.

Help needed to find potential Cape Coral pedophile!

The Cape Coral police has alerted residents of Lee County of a possible pedophile. He has been seen attempting to lure kids into this truck twice. Thankfully kids were smart enough to say no and tell their parents. See his details below.

The man has been described as someone in his 30-40s, shoulder length blonde hair, and a camouflage hat. He was seen driving a newer, silver Dodge Ram with oversized chrome rims.

Anyone with information on this Stranger Danger Alert is asked to contact the Cape Coral Police Department at (239) 574-3223.

If you live in Lee County, please share this bulletin with someone so they know.

Lehigh Acres crime increasing, businesses closing, and self-defense for Christians

According to NBC-2, there has been over 700 business-related robberies and crimes in Lehigh Acres this year. Some businesses are thinking of closing down due to this violence. As I mentioned on a previous post, residents have been seeing this as a disturbing trend. Lee County commissioners need to add more funds to add more deputies and patrols in the area.

Businesses need to take advantage of the "castle doctrine" in the state of Florida. This means if you are being robbed or someone physically attacks you, you can defend. You don't have to retreat.

When someone pulls a gun, it will take you maybe half a minute to think and dial 911. It will take the deputies to make it there in 3-5 minutes. Depending on the amount of drugs and criminal intent the robber has, you are probably dead or hurt in 1 minute.

How do you avoid this? Equalize the playing field. Have a protective measure in your business. That could be a dog, a gun, a taser, bullet proof glass, armor, a bat, alarm system, etc. I do not advocate an "eye for an eye" or "living by the sword", but I do advocate preservation of life and self-defense.

Understanding Self-Defense and Christianity
To my fellow Christian readers out there...

Most Christians know the verse to "turn the other cheek". (Matt 5:39) But we have to balance Jesus' statement of Matt 5:39 with His statement in Luke 22:36, "He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one." Jesus told His disciples to buy swords. Why? He knew, during this period they would be persecuted and hunted down. Jesus wanted to make sure they preserved their life, especially as they move about spreading the good news. A few verses later we see Peter using his sword offensively to attack a soldier and Jesus rebukes this act.

Why? The disciples were already told about the sacrifice and what was suppose to happen. The act of salvation was not supposed to be stopped. So Peter's offensive attack wasn't merited. It wasn't self-defense but rather an act of anger and pride.

In short our response to violence, robberies, and thefts should also be controlled and wise not an angry act of pride. Don't shoot someone because you see them picking up one of your products. Having that type of pride could land you in jail. If you see someone pulling a knife from a distance, you have the opportunity to call for the police. But when it comes down to someone pointing a gun to your head or to your wife's or to your children's head...that's different. In those scenarios, which verse will you remember? Turn the other cheek or buy a sword?

Apply biblical common sense and you'll know the answer.

Product Review (2007): Xbox 360 Wireless Network Adapter

Someone at a local game store said this wouldn't be ideal if your router is over 20+ feet away, suggesting its performance is below your average wireless card.

I took a chance anyway and I don't regret the decision. I'm getting good reception and download speeds from at least 40 feet away with walls/doors in the way of my router and my XBox. Downloading movies and hosting games is even better than my powerline ethernet connection.

9/11 anniversary and new video angle

This coming Tuesday, let's remember the folks that have died in the 9/11 disaster. This unprovoked attack is forever etched in our minds, a constant reminder that evil does exist in this world. And when there is evil, there is also hope, that God will deliver good.

And let's count our blessings...we have not been hit with any major terrorist attack. Thank you for those that work for the safety of our country, from the troops to the intelligence analysts to yes, even President Bush, who despite all the criticisms out there lobbied against him, he has brought the fight to the Middle East and not in our home turf.

To our troops: we owe you our freedoms, our appreciation, and our support. No matter what politicians say, no matter what the media thinks, what we know for sure, is that you have and still are, taking our bullets for us, trading your life so that ours can be comfortable here at home.

Feel free to share this bulletin.

~www.donsausa.com

Goats , Airplanes, and the Sky, What Do They Have In Common?

I can't make this stuff up.

There were electrical/technical problems with one of Nepal Airlines' Boeing 757 aircraft. It caused a delay in services over the past few weeks. To boost consumer confidence and fix any future problems, they sacrified a goat in front of the plane to satisfy their pagan sky god. Nice...remind me to never fly with Nepal Airlines.

I went ahead and called Northwest Airlines/Delta, my two favorite airlines and made sure they didn't sacrifice goats to pagan gods before they fly. They said no...only cows. ;)

For the full article, visit Reuters.

Stem cells help baby's vision

I don't believe we should be killing babies just to harvest stem cells. That's what some researchers want to do in America. Kill babies so adults can have life (not a good trade).

But there's also a way to get stem cells without hurting the embryo. Such was the case with this young baby who was born blind. Apparently, the mother saved the umbilical cord (they do offer this service at most hospitals). They were able to transfer the stem cells and infuse it directly into baby Cameron. His vision is now improving.

From Sun Herald

Stem-cell treatments already producing changes in Port Charlotte toddler, who is legally blind

Cameron Petersen can't sit still.

The 19-month-old Port Charlotte toddler crawls toward objects with a new sense of curiosity. His legal blindness seems to be fading with each day in China, as he explores the foreign surroundings of the room.

"My son says he's like a little monkey," said Cameron's grandmother, Carol Petersen, who has been communicating with the family by phone.

Earlier this month, Cameron traveled to China with his parents, Melissa VanGorp and Zachery Petersen, as part of a case study to treat his blindness with stem cells.

Cameron was diagnosed with optic nerve hypoplasia, a leading cause of blindness in children. The condition causes underdevelopment of the optic nerve and can lead to permanent blindness.

Doctors told Cameron's parents nothing could be done.

But the family never gave up hope.

They found Stem Cells China, a research facility which has successfully infused stem cells into patients suffering from numerous disabilities and diseases.

Family members raised about $20,000 this summer to help fund the trip to China and for the treatment.

The procedure, which isn't available in America, transplanted harvested umbilical cord stem cells into Cameron.

Stem cells can transform into specialized cells with specific functions, such as repair of Cameron's optic nerves.

Treatment consisted of four total stem-cell infusions to Cameron's arm and the lumbar region of his spine. It didn't take long to notice a change.

Carol Petersen said Cameron's energy level increased following his first treatment on Aug. 10. He also seemed healthier.

Petersen said Cameron used to have a high temperature every other day.

By the third treatment, Cameron was standing on his own and crawling toward objects -- something he couldn't do before. In the past, Cameron would feel objects such as his toys by putting them against his lips and face.

"He's exploring everything," Petersen said. "I am just so overjoyed."

Cameron is one of five children to undergo stem-cell treatment for optic nerve hypoplasia. Among those treated by Stem Cells China were a child from Missouri this summer, along with a girl from Romania. Both have shown incredible progress with vision.

Full article here: Sunherald

Rising crime rate in Lehigh Acres a concern

Alert: For an update on 2010 trends and 2009 crime statistics for Lehigh Acres, please access my newest posting.

Some months back I've commented about the crime rates in Lee County going up. Specifically, I was shocked at the homicide incident where I used to work, near the Teleperformance / CallTech building in Fort Myers. The area used to be safe a few years back, but now it is a major crime spot.

Lehigh Acres, the new crime center of Lee County
Another major crime spot popping up is Lehigh Acres. Gangs have moved from the expensive Collier region and moved to Lehigh Acres. Law enforcement officials have been seeing increases in meth labs in Lehigh homes as well as increases in violent crimes.

This month alone, we've seen gunmen shoot down, Jack Abrahamsen, an innocent 64 year old man at a Chevron gas station. The gas station is located on Lee Blvd and is the busiest road in Lehigh. Despite the fact that there were probably many witnesses to the crime, the assailants managed to escape. Also last Thursday, the sheriff's office reported a crime spree of burglaries in Lehigh. Car washes, a casino, an auto body shop, and other locations have been robbed.

Dave Zangari, the owner of the auto body shop, said everyone is getting sick of the increased crime in Lehigh. "Look out because all us shop owners are looking out, and if we catch anybody on our property who's not supposed to be there, I'm afraid there's going to be a lot of problems, and it's not going to be good," said Zangari.

But its not only businesses that should be careful. Even at your house, you might get robbed. On the 15th of this month, four teens were arrested for carjacking. They attacked a man right in front of his Lehigh home. The teens were: Thayer Evans, 17, Bobby Redmon, 15, Aaron Madison, 16, and Jean Desgrottes, 16.

And that's not all...
And just in case you thought that was it...yes there's also some weird junk going on in the area. They've found a human skull in Lehigh on 14th Street West near Lee Avenue. The skull had ceramic pots with sticks pointed out. Officials have speculated it might be some sort of ritual.

Conclusion
Lehigh is growing, with a growing population and a healthy number of businesses. However, there is also a criminal culture brewing. The criminal activity isn't limited in adults either. It has spread to our teens in the area. When I look at racial demographics, a significant portion of the criminal activity in Lehigh Acres this month has been caused by African American youths. This is not hate speech, just facts. Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott also thought there are possible cultural factors involved, specifically highlighting violent rap lyrics.

These kids will end up behind bars if they are not taught about the basic values of life. I'm sure they all know robbing or shooting someone is not acceptable in our society. But they need to believe the reason behind why we aren't suppose to hurt other individuals. Parents need to teach them the values of life, that all human beings were created in the image of God. We need to teach them that they are not animals with no purpose like what textbooks are telling them.

As for rap music, even if we could even ban all the violent lyrics and violent video games in the world, the fact of the matter is, these youths will choose a lifestyle that they are used to. The parents need to step up and offer more choices than the life of crime. Bring them to church and have them respect life, give them hobbies and career-based interests that give them hope, and spend time with them so they respect you.

My two cents worth...

WMDs from Iraq found...in UN office?

The CIA and the Bush administration have been labeled as liars in the past few years for their failure to retrieve any traceable amount of chemicals, nukes, or other types of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in Iraq. This was the primary reason after all why Congress authorized to preemptively attack Iraq (not the fact that Saddam was a ruthless dictator killing his own people and attacking the likes of innocent countries like Kuwait).

What I find interesting today is that the United Nations found a small quantity of Saddam's nerve gas in their own offices in New York! Someone apparently 'forgot' they were stored there. The United Nations, whose member states have been very critical of the Iraq war for our inability to find WMDs, have some very interesting questions to answer:

1. Why do you have Saddam's nerve gas stored in your New York office? (I have been there.)

2. If they were forgotten by previous U.N. inspectors years ago, what does that say about the United Nations' ability to do their job in documenting weapons of mass destruction?

Should we rebuild New Orleans?

New Orleans is surrounded by water, protected by walls that can't withstand category 5 winds.

Presidential hopefuls have been giving promises and speeches lately. They've been promising to help rebuild New Orleans, bring home insurance rates down in the area, and restructure FEMA. These are good sound bites but we seem to be failing to address the basic question we should ask about New Orleans: should we rebuild it?

The Danger
New Orleans is located below the sea level. Levees and pumps are the only things protecting the city from being flooded. As we have seen in Katrina, it takes only one part of that wall damaged before you'll see entire neighborhoods being wiped out by water.

Taxpayers Paying For Risk
Initially they estimated that it would take $3 billion to redo the walls back to pre-Katrina levels. We've just recalculated the costs and now we're sitting around $15 billion. You and me will now pay $15 BILLION to wall up a city and there's truly no guarantee that it could withstand another Katrina. How's that for investment risk?

As a taxpayer, I would prefer not to pay for projects right outside of disaster zones. For instance, would you build a neighborhood right outside an active volcano? You'd say, that's insane! Well that's what presidential hopefuls are asking the American people -- build right outside of a disaster zone.

Where Should They Go?
I understand that there are a lot of people in New Orleans that are poor and are below the poverty line. I would rather invest the $15 billion in helping those individuals get an education and job training so they can work and live outside of disaster zones and flood-zone areas.

I understand the locals and a good number of the American people take pride in New Orleans and all of its rich, cultural and musical history. But when it comes to life and death, wouldn't our ancestors prefer their people be saved from yet another probable disaster?

In short, yes, let's celebrate our history and the dead men that made it, but let's also make history by learning from our past and saving lives.

FL car drivers lose Oct 1 no fault protection

Florida's going to be losing no fault insurance by Oct 1 if state lawmakers don't act fast. There has been outspoken criticism of the no fault insurance law for over 30 years. State Farm for instance wants to remove the law so they could pass the savings to their customers. The problem though, is that it will no doubt increase court costs and would require consumers to spend more time in court just to get a claim.

At the moment, if you were in an accident, each insurance company would be entitled to pay for their own customer. If the no fault insurance law is removed, the court must find which person was at fault through a lengthy and often expensive court case.

Here's the winners and losers if the no fault insurance law expires without legislative action this October:

Winners

• Lawyers would have more work.
  
• Larger insurance companies could advertise lower rates.
  
• Drivers that defy statistics and don't have accidents will have lower rates.
  
  Losers
  
• Doctors and outpatient clinics wouldn't be paid immediately until the court figures out which insurance company is at fault. Drivers may be denied treatment.
  
• Drivers that have an accident and get injured would have to wait for the court to get compensation for loss wages and injuries.
  
• Small insurance companies would effectively shutdown as their legal fees increase. Larger insurance companies would be able to gain market share, effectively reducing competition.
  

Bottom Line
There is no magic solution to the no fault law. They could perhaps reduce the no fault PIP requirement (from $10,000 to $5,000) to reduce insurance rates, but still keep the law (a compromise of both camps). Either way, this fair law, will disappear if you don't let your state legislators know your opinion.

Should the Feds save Wall Street?

I wrote earlier about my thoughts regarding the recent drop in Wall Street. But there's been a lot of calls right now for the Feds to cut rates further and help the market from the credit crunch. But should they do it? Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: Some have asked, should the Feds reward the speculators who did this in the first place? By giving them a lifeline, they might just do it all over again. While punishing a small group of financial companies would be fair right now, we need to recognize that there is an overall effect of this fallout that's hurting the innocent.

The Feds must utilize their monetary policies and powers to protect the livelihoods and the economy of the American people, the majority of which had nothing to do with the speculative lending but are now affected by it.

Or the Fed could just say, life isn't fair. Tough.

Day 5: Izmir, Ephesus

On Day 5, we went to Izmir, Turkey. Izmir is the third most populous city of Turkey and the country's largest port after Istanbul. But compared to the port of Istanbul, Izmir is more geared towards industrial ships, so the captain of Carnival Freedom had to manually navigate this busy port.



After we docked, we boarded the tour bus. Cruise ships usually assign a number to each group and the group boards the corresponding tour bus as seen below.



We went to Izmir to visit Ephesus, one of the most important port cities in ancient time. It had one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Temple of Artemis. It was destroyed by a fanatic on the same day Alexader the Great was born (356 BC). When it was rebuilt, it was again destroyed. This time by the Goths (262 AD).



Base of Christianity
If you are a Christian, you should definitely visit Ephesus. Paul used it as the base of his operations. In fact, he had some problems with some of the local population because he was converting people from false gods to Christianity. Local tradesmen were getting angry because they were losing their income -- nobody wanted to buy the idols of the false gods anymore.

The Riot in Ephesus (Acts 19:23–41 NIV)
23About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. 24A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in no little business for the craftsmen. 25He called them together, along with the workmen in related trades, and said: "Men, you know we receive a good income from this business. 26And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all. 27There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited, and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty."

28When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" 29Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's traveling companions from Macedonia, and rushed as one man into the theater. 30Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. 31Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.

32The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there. 33The Jews pushed Alexander to the front, and some of the crowd shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defense before the people. 34But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"

35The city clerk quieted the crowd and said: "Men of Ephesus, doesn't all the world know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? 36Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to be quiet and not do anything rash. 37You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our goddess. 38If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. They can press charges. 39If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly. 40As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of today's events. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it." 41After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.

John, the beloved disciple and Mary, the mother of Jesus

Before Jesus died on the cross on Friday, rested on the Saturday (Sabbath), and rose on Sunday, He told John to take care of Mary. This is why many scholars place Mary in Ephesus, the same area where John was living and where John died.

The hill below is the supposed burial area of John. The Turks built fortications near the church years down the road.



More from Ephesus

On this hot summer day, there were thousands of visitors!



Ephesus had public pools and public restrooms. This guy was nice enough to show how it was done 2000 years ago. And no need to flush back then, there's constant running water underneath from the acquifer.



Forget the movie theater, they had live performances in this ampitheater. Carved on a mountain, this was an incredible feat for people that didn't have jackhammers and other modernized tools. Click on the picture and take a close look how big the people are compared to the ampitheater.



Celsus Library completed around 135 AD.

VMware surges on IPO opening, but be careful

Still yet to finish my vacation pictures...but couldn't resist posting this.

Various news organizations reported that VMware's IPO has surged in stock price due to the increased demand for their software. This is an incredible feat for what seemed like a small company back in the day...

My experience with VMware and their staff
Several years ago, my network security team released a security advisory back in June 1999 on how to exploit the product in Linux. We found two serious security problems in its infancy. As a courtesy, we gave the manufacturer enough time to fix the bugs and stop their production line and walked them through the problems.

I found VMware's management to be responsive, and was able to adequately resolve issues within a short amount of time. They were also friendly, and cordial on the phone. And they gave us free licenses... :-)

Product line and questions of future growth
I think it's safe to say that VMware dominates the current virtual machine market. Being able to run multiple operating systems and processes on one machine is a cool and practical product, but is VMware able to deliver consistent growth with one product?

I know Google's been able to do it with advertising, and Apple's been able to do it with iPhone/iTunes. The question is, can VMware deliver? I hope so.

Wall Street thoughts

I haven't finished my vacation pictures, but I wanted to comment on recent Wall Street issues.

Wall Street, a few weeks back reached 14,000 points and then it suddenly fell 800 points. Why? There's a scare out there that mortgages are failing and subprime loans are going to hurt commercial lenders. While this is partly true, much of it is based on speculation. The housing market is roughly 5% of our economy and even if half the mortgaged homes of America fails, that's still 2.5% of our country's overall strength.

Also, how does the housing market affect the likes of Google, Boeing, and other stocks? It doesn't. Yet people are selling their stocks in these good, strong companies.

What does this mean for you? Stocks are now "discounted" from their 3 to 5 year highs. In short, this is the time to buy if you have any extra cash. Even $100.00 right now could help you down the road (ie: $10,000 in WalMart in 1975 is now worth $25 million).

Tips in this market:

1. Setup an account like on www.buyandhold.com or etrade or other online brokerage. Many of these brokerages have no minimum balance requirement, so you could invest with a meager $100 or a solid start of $10,000.

2. Research stocks that you know (ie: products you use). If you know it's always in high demand, and it is a long lasting product that you keep buying or using, why not invest and own the company? Quick example: who makes your toothpaste? Have you ever stopped using toothpaste?

At any rate, buy, hold, and win for your retirement. Save the money you use for cigarretes or Harry Potter memorabilia and invest it instead for your future.

Day 4: Rhodes, Greece

We arrived at Rhodes, Greece on day 4 of our European cruise with Carnival Freedom. Rhodes is situated between mainland Greece and the island country of Cyprus. And as some of you may know, it was once home to the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

The Colossus was a giant statue overseeing Rhodes’ main harbor. It was roughly 75% of the size of the Statue of Liberty, which in itself was an engineering feat back in ancient times. It took about 12 years to build, spanning from 292-280 B.C. The statue was dedicated to the Greek (false) god Helios. At 224 B.C., it was destroyed by an earthquake.

An artist depiction of what the statue looked like can be seen below. I’ve also included a picture of what the harbor looks like now.


A dutch artist named Heemskerck made this drawing based on ancient descriptions.

You can see from my harbor picture why tourists flock to Rhodes, Greece. This was taken on the highest deck.

Acropolis
One of the biggest attractions in Rhodes is the acropolis. The acropolis sits at an intimidating height overlooking the small town of Lindos. The first structure built on the acropolis was the Doric Temple of Athena Lindia, dated around 300 B.C. In the 14th century, it was fortified by the Knights of St John.



So Much History…
Rhodes is a spectacular place for historical reasons. Because of its geographical advantages, the island was an important commercial and military center of the Greek and Byzantine empires. It was repeatedly attacked by the Romans, the Persians, the Egyptians, the Ottomans, and even the Italians over the eons…and each time, Rhodes was able to rebuild itself as an important player in the Mediterranean.


No surprise attacks here! The acropolis, on one of the highest points of the island, has an excellent view of the beautiful harbor. Defenders had the first hand against oncoming attackers.

Christianity
In the Roman period, the Apostle Paul went to Rhodes. According to the New Testament book of Acts, chapter 21, it was one of the places he stopped by while he was in Greece. While there were no other details added in the Bible on what happened with that trip, we can see the fruits of his work by the fact that the majority of the inhabitants are Christians, tracing their religious heritage all the way back to the Roman period. This is despite the fact that the Ottoman Turks ruled Rhodes for almost four centuries.

Before Paul’s trip, Rhodes used to worship pagan false gods. This temple was the Temple of Athena Lindia, one of the oldest structures on the acropolis.

Day 3: Day At Sea

We departed from Naples, Italy and moved forward to Rhodes, Greece, which is one of the largest of the Greek Isles and home to one of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World, the Colossus of Rhodes. Due to the distance between Naples and Rhodes, we had a full day of relaxation with no shore excursions. But don’t be fooled, a cruise ship at sea doesn’t mean idleness. The Freedom offers a variety of fun-filled activities while at sea. Photos below!



A beautiful chandelier found at the Victorian Lounge.


On deck 3, you can sit and relax or you can dance to the leisurely beat of romantic music. It seems to be always manned at night with an eloquent singer and instruments. During the day, someone is usually playing the piano.



On several decks, primarily on 3, 4, and 9, you can find a plethora of restaurants and cafes. I was quite happy with the fact that the ship had chocolate-covered strawberries and the internationally sought after dish called “chicken adobo” (ask for it when you get on a cruise ship, they’ll know what you mean).




The ship offers a variety of shops on deck 5. If you didn’t finish your souvenir shopping in one of your shore excursions, you can purchase some souvenirs in the ship’s shops for a set amount of time.

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One of the best services on board is Carnival Freedom's European spa service. Run by a company based in London, they offer comfortable massages, a beauty salon, a gym, and other luxuries. One note of caution, if you are interested in some of the products they sell, make sure you ask for the prices ahead of time; otherwise, you are in for a surprise!



Several swimming pools, spas, a big screen TV, and jogging areas are available for people that want fun in the sun. Just remember to put on your sun block or you’ll have to pay your dermatologist a visit in a few years regarding skin cancer.



Every day at the Victorian Lounge, there are nightly shows and games. From song and dance to magic shows to Bingo nights…none of which really interested me. But to each his own!



If you let the stewards clean your room, you’ll get a surprise every night after dinner. These towel animals are a favorite for everyone, especially for my eight month old.

There are other things to do aside from what’s listed above. There are casinos, bars and clubs, but these to me are a waste of time and energy. Stick to the free food (not really free, its included in your ticket)...and go off to those excursions!

Day 2: Naples, Capri, Sorrento, Pompeii

Port of Naples
As we docked into the port of Naples, we were ready for our all-day excursion that would bring us into Capri, Sorrento, and then Pompeii.

I found the port of Naples to be very beautiful in the morning. I'm beginning to think that Carnival Freedom's captain specifically programed the ship to arrive at the early hours in the morning just so we could see this beautiful scene below as the sun's rays slowly crept up on the landscape.


Port of Naples, Italy

Capri
Immediately after we docked, our group went directly to a jet boat that would take us to Capri. According to insiders in the area, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones were staying on the island for six days. While a lot of the cameras were looking for them and other celebs on the island, my camera was poised for another celebrity...the island's celebrated coast. Click on the thumbnail below for a bigger image.


Island of Capri

Sorrento
After Capri, we went to Sorrento for a much needed rest and lunch. This quiet community is home to many shops, delightful restaurants, friendly people, and a bunch of crazy drivers on mopeds. ;-) We went to some of the shops in Sorrento and found some amazing wood work.


Sorrento Italy


Pompeii
Last but not least, we went to the historical site of Pompeii, where sadly, a city has been frozen in time by a volcanic eruption. When you see Pompeii in your history books, don't under estimate its size or its people. This city was a modern marvel in its prime. I was impressed for instance with the city streets. They were "paved" with large stones and in the middle of the road were small pieces of marble. The small marble stones were used as reflectors for the residents' oil lamps at night to help guide them and to show them where the road was. Additionally, the sides of each shop had "parking lots" for horses. There were rings on the street corners to tie your horse to.



Ruins of Pompeii

I will be posting more pictures for this particular trip as time allows...but the pictures above should give you a taste of this particular shore excursion. You can click on each image to see a larger size.

Day 1: Rome, the Eternal City

Landing and Baggage Transfer to Cruise Ship
I landed around 9:00am, Thursday, July 12, 2007 at Italy’s chief main airport, Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport. The airport is located southwest of Rome at a nearby commune of Fiumicino. After going through an immigration check where they stamp your passport, you go directly to the baggage claim area. Once you find your luggage, you’ll need to look for Carnival representatives that will take your luggage to the cruise ship. This is why it is very important that your suit cases are tagged properly, with your name, cabin number and other pertinent information.

Airport Meeting with Carnival
Carnival then moved all of the passengers to a meeting area in the airport, where they assign us specific buses. Most buses go directly to the ship, while you can opt to pay for a longer route, which gives you a quick glance at Rome, the Eternal City.

My tour was run by local guides that not only knew about the area but lived there.

Rome At A Glance
My first visit to Rome put all the tourist books to shame. The historical richness of Rome simply will astound you. Rome at its height was the richest, the largest, and most powerful city in the known world. And while it no longer has the honor of being the center of the known universe, Rome hasn’t lost its historical and archaeological splendor.

Photos
I’ll be uploading pictures as I get to process them. You can click on the image for a larger version. So far here are some of the pictures from Day 1:

Some streets of Rome are quite narrow.



Cestius had his tomb built like the Egyptian pyramids. Egypt was already a subdued country. The Pyramid of Cestius strangely stands in the middle of Rome since 12 B.C.



The Arch of Constantine was built as a triumphal arch around 315 AD after Constantine defeated Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge on 312 AD.

More pictures to come for Day 1!

What To Do Before Your First European Cruise

Tags you'll need for your luggage. See below.

As I’ve posted previously, I’m currently on Carnival's newest cruise ship, Freedom, sailing in the Mediterranean Sea.

Disclosure: Reasons I’m Here

I enjoy having a fun time in general and would love to tell you that I’m on this cruise ship without having any intention on doing any research. But that would be wrong. I’m on this cruise ship for a couple of reasons:

1. First and foremost: to have fun with the family. With me are my parents, my sisters, my aunt, my wife, and my infant daughter. My little baby is experiencing a lot and she’s only eight months old. While she might not remember all of the things she’s visited when she gets older, she can see through the albums and DVDs that she went everywhere with her family.
   
2. Second: to write about my first cruise experience. Since this is my first cruise, it would be foolish of me to simply ignore the opportunity to write about it…in a book. The book, which for now I’ll title, “The Complete Guide to Your First Cruise” will be a how-to handbook of sorts: what to bring, what to expect, and how to have fun. It will be my first color book as well and should be hitting bookstores early next year.
   
3. Third: to “experience” biblical archaeology. My itinerary will stop over at Rome, Ephesus, and other ancient biblical sites. Aside from using a time machine, the only way to appreciate the culture and the architecture of what it was like 2,000 years ago is to go to these ancient sites physically. My whole family is of the Christian faith, so this trip will not only be a physical experience, but also a spiritual one. If you have a similar interest of biblical archaeology or share the same faith, I invite you to read my book, The Jesus Tomb: Is It Fact or Fiction? Scholars Chime In.
   

Passports and Visas

If you are an American citizen, you’ll have no problem going to most of Europe with just your U.S. passport. If you don’t have a U.S. passport, you’ll need to get one as soon as possible. The U.S. State Department is currently backlogged with passport applications, so make sure you apply half a year in advance. Also, if your passport is expiring within the next six months, you’ll need to get it renewed as soon as possible as some countries restrict you from entering. A friend of mine asked me if I needed to get a passport for my baby for the cruise and the answer is yes. Infants traveling internationally need a passport too!

If you are not a “first world” citizen (U.S., Canda, EU, Japan, etc.), Europe does discriminate against other countries. You’ll need a current passport (not expiring within six months) plus you’ll need to apply for the Schengen visa, which is a universal visa that you can use to enter into Italy, Spain, France, and other EU countries. My wife has a green card in the United States so we had to drive to the Italian embassy in Miami to apply for a Schengen visa which basically requires:

1. Visa fee.
   
2. A valid passport.
   
3. U.S. residence card and/or driver’s license (optional).
   
4. Birth certificate (optional).
   
5. Proof of reservations (plane and hotel/cruise line).
   
6. Proof of emergency medical insurance (search on Google, these guys are everywhere).
   
7. Proof of employment and monetary support (show that you have enough money to support yourself while in Europe, show credit card balance and bank statement that can support $150/day).
   
8. They will ask to take your passport and mail it back to you with the visa in a few weeks if you are approved.
   

Prior to Departure – Important!

The U.S. government requires specific passenger information on all cruise lines ahead of the embarkation date. You’ll need to go online or call your cruise line for more information on how to submit your passenger manifesto. If you do not submit your info on time, you may not be allowed on board or you may delay the entire ship.

Before the Cruise: For Adults

By now you should have already packed your bags. I tend to be unconcerned on how things are organized and arranged in my suitcase, so thankfully my wife packs all of my clothes. Here are some of my tips on what to bring and what to do with your luggage:

1. You’ll want to bring formal attire if you wish to attend some of the more formal festivities of the ship such as the captain’s dinner.
   <,li> Bring a swimsuit if you want to swim at a European beach or the ship’s pool decks.
   
2. Proper dress code is required in some European sites, such as the Vatican (no bare legs or bare shoulders).
   
3. A cheap rain coat or an umbrella just in case there’s rain.
   
4. Remember that most cruise ships have a laundry service. Carnival’s cruise ship charges $15.00/bag for their laundry service, so you don’t necessarily have to bring clothing for every day of the trip.
   
5. Bring walking shoes for port excursions that require you to go on foot a lot. Bring slippers and other footwear that doesn’t easily slip, especially if you want to swim on the upper deck’s swimming pool and spa.
   
6. You’ll want to mark all of your suitcases with the cruise’s tag. These tags require you to put your name, address, phone, sailing date, airline, flight number, returning flight number, and cabin number. When you land and check out your baggage, the cruise line will pick up your suitcases and automatically place them in your cabins.
   
7. On international travels, bring at least a couple days of clothing on your carry on. There have been a couple of people where the airline lost their luggage. This is unfortunate and a practical reality in airline travel.
   
8. Your carry on should have your medicines and other essentials. Please note as of 2007, the airlines are currently restricting the amount of liquids you place in your carry on luggage due to security threats.
   
9. Passports, tickets, cameras, medications, and other high value items should be in your carry on. It should not be in your checked in luggage.
   
10. Make a copy of your passport information and visas at home just in case you lose your passports. Also make a copy of your credit cards that you bring with you plus the toll-free numbers of each credit card just in case you need to cancel these credit cards if they are stolen or lost.
    
11. Bring sunblock lotion. I bought Neutrogena’s SPF 45 UVA and UVB protection from my local store. Neutrogena is non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores). There are other similar products available out there, just make sure you have UVA and UVB protection.
    
12. Watch out for your airline’s weight limits. Some airlines are now restricting international suitcases to 50 lbs. It used to be 70 lbs for international flights. Continental Airlines charged me $25.00 for every suit case that was over 50 lbs. Yikes!
    
13. Do you have a large party on board? Bring cheap walkie talkies! In order to communicate back and forth when we weren’t in our cabins, we utilized cheap short-wave radios to communicate throughout the ship.
    
14. Cameras and batteries! Part of the fun is recording video and taking photographs of your experiences. You don’t want to forget about what you’ve experienced on the trip. For professional looking pictures, I highly suggest the Canon Rebel XT, it’s a relatively inexpensive digital SLR (semi-professional) and can take better quality photos than point and shoot cameras. It wouldn't hurt to bring a tripod if you want to take pictures of yourself as well.
    
15. Do not bring heating elements like candles, irons and heating pads. Since they are a fire hazard, the cruise line will probably confiscate them. There are irons and ironing boards on each deck at the launderettes.
    
16. There are towels in your cabins and at the pool deck – so I didn’t bring any towels with me.
    
17. Bring at least one credit card with cash advance access so you can charge items such as water onto your cruise line’s boarding pass and withdraw money from foreign ATMs. Thanks to U.S. federal laws, your credit card also offers protection from fraud – the worst that can happen to you is a loss credit card and $50.00 worth of charges. This federal law protection does NOT apply to debit cards.
    

Before the Cruise: For The Baby

Having my baby girl with me on the trip is a blessing. But it would have been a nightmare if we weren’t adequately prepared. Here are some of my tips on what to bring and what to do before the cruise:

1. Make sure you’ve paid for the baby’s travels. Domestic airlines are happy to let you fly with the baby for free, but on international flights, you are required to pay. A round trip international fare from Florida to Italy for a seat less infant cost me around $429.00. The cruise line also charges you for the infant at a discount.
   
2. Inform the airline and cruise line regarding your baby, they'll usually give you higher priority in boarding. Our family managed to skip all lines at the airport thanks to the little one. This works on theme parks too.
   
3. My wife had to make sure all of the baby’s diapers and formula was in the carry on luggage. We also bought medicines for the baby just in case she has a fever or diarrhea. Talk to your pediatrician for more information on what you should bring.
   
4. Bring a toy or two to help her get comfortable in her environment.
   
5. We bought a lightweight stroller. Normally, the little one is on a heavy stroller. But for travel, you want to use one of those umbrella strollers, designed to be easily folded and opened at moments notice. They weigh roughly 2-3 lbs.
   
6. On the same note, make sure your baby gets enough shade from the stroller as well. On really sunny days, we used an umbrella.
   
7. Bring a couple of pieces of the baby’s clothing in your carry on just in case there’s accidents during the flight or they’ve lost your baby’s luggage.
   

If I remember more tips, I'll just add it to this post.

Good morning from the Mediterranean Sea

Good morning to you from the Mediterranean Sea! After eleven hours of air travel, bouncing from Florida to New Jersey to Rome, I'm finally here. I'm waking up to a slow, beautiful sun rise, just watching fishermen and other sea farers move about their business. As you can see from this picture, my wife and daughter are still sleeping. I'm not sure how they are doing it; I can't seem to adjust to the six hour jet lag that quickly. Or it might be because I'm extremely excited to see the ruins of Pompeii in the next few hours.

I know some of you have been here before and I would love to know what your favorite sites were. It’s my first time in Italy, and I wouldn’t mind any “beginner’s tips”.

I’ve already learned a handful of lessons that I’ll be sharing within the next day or so that are absolute must do’s before you come here. I have a rather unique perspective, seeing as I’m traveling with eight family members, one of which is my baby daughter (8 months old).

So join me if you’re bored or just plain curious, go on the blog www.donsausa.com.

Cruise company: Carnival

Cities toured so far: Rome

Happy July 4th!

This image is of the Washington Monument with fireworks in the background. This was taken on July 4th, 1986. Aside from the hot dogs, and the burnt fingers, July 4th means something so much more.

I have and will always remember the Declaration of Independence, the document that was adopted on July 4, 1776, which declared that the New World colonies were free and independent from Great Britain. From this stemmed the U.S. Constitution, perhaps the most 'advanced' document of its time, heralding a new kind of government of what we now call modern democracy.

If you are an American or someone that benefits from America's freedoms and liberties, you should celebrate this day. And to those that have taken the oath, it is definitely a day to be glad.

Part of the Oath of Naturalization
...I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law..."

Terrorist group (Hamas) pressures another terrorist group (Army of Islam) to release BBC reporter

Now I've seen everything... Alan Johnston, a BBC reporter that was kidnapped over 16 weeks ago in Gaza, has been freed...not by Palestinian security forces, not by Israel, not by U.S. special ops, but by Hamas? Hamas, a known terrorist group, surrounded another terrorist group, the Army of Islam, and told them, "Either free the foreign journalist or die." After much negotiation (first through random bullets, killing one civilian) and then through talking -- Johnston is free!

I can honestly now say, the pigs are flying. Hell is frozen. And the fat lady has sung.

Why did Hamas do this?
First, Hamas' main mission is to shutdown Israel and to retake Arab "territory". They clearly wanted to differentiate themselves from the likes of Al Queda, who has a philosophy of kill anything that moves and praising Allah for it. By paying respects to the media and international reporters, Hamas set a "tone" on how they will resist. They will not harm neutral parties but only attack known enemies.

Second, Hamas wants to show the world that they are running Gaza. As most people know, Hamas has overthrown Fatah in Gaza, the official security force of the Palestinian government. Fatah has struggled to maintain law and order in Gaza, and with this particular move, Hamas has shown that not only does it have the manpower to fight to maintain peace, it also has the will to do it. In short, this move was meant as a slap in the face to Abbas' Fatah forces.

Final thoughts
Hamas deserves credit for freeing Alan Johnston.

Does it free Hamas criminals from their previous crimes of suicide bombings and assaults on the civilian population of Israel? No. But it does offer some hope that Hamas is showing a moderate side, that there are people in the organization that actually care about life rather than a campaign of death.

Tony Blair, in his new respectable role of Middle East envoy, should offer an olive branch to Hamas: drop the suicide belts, drop the death to Israel mantra, and go to the negotiation table to create a lasting Palestinian state and Middle East peace.

Philippines taxi driver returns lost cash worth US$17,000

Imagine this, a 45 year old Filipino motorcab taxi driver, named Iluminado Boc, was behind on rent and had an ailing wife at home. Then one day one of his customers left a bag in his cab containing $17,000 (USD). This is equivalent to about 800,000 pesos. He would have been one of the richest men in his town if he kept this bag! But instead of keeping it for himself, he goes to the police and says, "It was not mine." Roughly around the same time, the original customer who owned the bag came to report it missing to the same police station.

He was rewarded $32.00 by the original owner.

While the money would have certainly helped out his family, Mr. Boc remained honest. Clearly, this man deserved more than $32.00, but at the very least he can keep what can't be bought or lost: his character.

(To the bag's owner: put your money in the bank! Use a credit card.)

Product Review (2007): Sony's DVDirect [VRDMC3]

Have you ever had miniDV or VHS tapes lying around that you wanted to convert to DVDs? If you are like me, you have several tapes that are itching to be converted. DVDs after all can be universally played almost anywhere now days, and the format has a longer shelf life than your average tape format. The only problem with converting tapes is that it takes FOREVER if you go through a computer. You first have to upload your tape into your computer, then convert it into DVD format.

But! There is a solution to this. Today, I purchased Sony's DVDirect VRDMC3, which removes the computer from the equation. I simply attached my JVC camcorder (all camcorders will work), and put in a writable DVD disc and click Record. Of course, you make sure your camcorder is sending the video through an audio and video connection.

I now have two miniDV tapes fully converted into DVDs and it plays well on my generic home theater system. For those looking for a shortcut to converting VHS or miniDV tapes, I seriously suggest Sony's DVDirect device.

Food Critic Review (2007): The Sandy Butler, Fort Myers, FL

RATING: ***** (5 out of 5 stars)
Phone: (239) 482-6765
Web site: The Sandy Butler
Managers: Jamie & Jason Nelson

The Sandy Butler is the newest restaurant that opened near Fort Myers Beach, FL. If you are coming from Summerlin Blvd, Sandy Butler is just a couple miles before the Matanzas Bridge. You'll find the restaurant and gourmet market on your right. The Sandy Butler is a mixed treat, it offers a 150-seat fine dining restaurant but also offers a gourmet market with rare, and unique foods. In fact, one of my favorite gourmet treats in the market is the chocolate-covered strawberries.

When I go to fine dining restaurants, there are two main things I look for: the meal and the atmosphere. While the meal part is common sense, you have to balance that with the proper mood. There are certain things you expect in fine dining restaurants: soft light, low-level noise, a relaxed pace, and delightful service. Luckily for me, Sandy Butler had all of this on June 25th, 2007.

The main entrée I had was the sea bass. Tenderly made, the meat was cooked to perfection. Forgive this trite expression, but the meat basically "melted in your mouth". Combined with a butterly sauce, it was a nice ending to the evening. My only regret was that I only ordered one sea bass. :-)

Movie Review: Ratatouille (2007)

Directors: Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava
Actors/Voices: Patton Oswalt (Remy), Lou Romano (Linguini)
Rating: 5 STARS

A rat named Remy dreams of becoming a great French chef despite his predicament -- that he is a rat! He is encouraged by his culinary hero, Auguste Gusteau, who always had the motto that anyone can cook.

Throughout the movie, Remy tries to find his purpose in life for his specific skills, the ability to smell sensitive ingredients and imagine tastes, far better than any rat. While his family wants him to stick to the family business of stealing garbage, Remy seeks out to do better in the world by creating and inventing fine meals. Through friendship, and hard work Remy's perseverance ultimately brings him closer to fulfilling his dreams.

Final Thoughts
Like previous Pixar films, the technical aspect of this movie was well done. The plot also was well thought out, as it encourages kids to chase after their dreams despite the struggles going there and despite your environment telling you that you can't do it or you shouldn't do it. Overall, this is a wholesome film that I would definitely recommend seeing.

U.S. national symbol alive and well

A spike of bad news has been on the tube for the past few days: floods in Texas, car bombs in Britain, fires in California, and many others. But what seemed to have missed the headlines is the U.S. national symbol of freedom, the bald eagle, recovering from near extinction.

You see, for over two centuries, bald eagles were killed, hunted, and poisoned. So much so that by 1963, out of the tens of thousands that used to fly in the sky, there were only 417 nesting pairs left in the continental United States. After discovering their numbers dwindling, federal and state governments added the bald eagles to the endangered species list.

On June 2007, the federal government announced they removed the eagles from the list after 40+ years of conservation. Some estimate there are now over 11,000 nesting pairs all over the United States. What's interesting is, roughly about 10% of the population is in my home state -- Florida. Apparently, they love to fish.

As you celebrate our nation's birth this July 4th, be happy to know our official and national symbol stands strong and healthier than ever after 200 years.