TJ's Dragon's Breath Salsa
8 Habanero chilis
7 Jalapenos
3 roasted Serrano chili's
1 large dried Ancho chili
1 Bell pepper
1 clove garlic
6 fresh medium tomatoes
1 can "hot" Rotel tomatoes
1 #1015 or Vidalia onion
1 large lime
1 or 2 bunches of cilantro
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp cumin
Dice the peppers, garlic, onion and tomatoes. Remove seeds from chili's if you want to tone it down a little. Combine and set aside. Pour the Rotel tomatoes into food processor. Remove stems from cilantro and add to Food processor along with salt and cumin. Zest the lime about 4 times and cut in half and squeeze juice from both halves into food processor. Pulse the food processor about 8 times. Then add the bowl of chilis, garlic, onion and tomatoes. Pulse until it is your desired consistency. Add more salt to your taste using tortilla chips so you actually don't get the salsa too salty.
This recipe makes a large food processor full of salsa. If your family eats a lot of salsa, just pour in a bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. You can also heat it on the stove before serving. (my preference) If you choose to can the salsa, this makes about 6 pint jars with some fresh left over to eat right now! hehehe
My original recipe called for 30 habaneros but it was just too hot for anyone in my family. Linda and Larry...be aware, this is still pretty hot for most people.
6/18/12
Sony 32" WEGA 1080p fixerupper
I'm going to chronicle repairing my 32" Sony HDTV. It's model number
KV-32HS420. The television starts up but goes into standby mode before a
picture comes up. Watching the standby light, I noticedthat after it
shuts off, the led blinks 7 times. This lead me to search for the
symptom online.
I googled so many search terms trying to find a complete answer but was unable to find an easy answer to my dilemma. I finally found a Sony tech manual at a resale shop. The manual called to replace IC8002 and IC6501. My electronics background let me know that I was searching for an Integrated Circuit or chip. So I removed the back panel from the TV and began looking for IC's. There are only two on the main board and both chips were the exact same type of chip, (MCZ300-1DB) I haven't removed the board yet but I've found what needs replaced! Troubleshooting this has been a breeze so far.
Now I'm ordering the chips. I found them here. $14.99 with free shipping. DEAL!! As soon as the chips arrive, I'll pull the board out and solder in the sockets and new chips.
NOTE: After finding my solution on my own, I found a walk-through to fix the very same TV. It seems that I'm on the right track.
I desoldered the two IC's and replaced them with sockets in case I need to change the IC's again. The hardest part was getting the post office to deliver the dang parts.
SUCCESS!!
Working like a charm again for $15 in parts.
6/14/12
Take a Logical Approach
I'm sure that many of you have seen this picture on social media sites. Before you react emotionally, stop and consider the caption that is circulating along with it. "My good friend SSGT. USMC bank refused to work with him. Help me with making this go nation wide."
Reacting emotionally, immediately everyone says "That poor Marine!" If you think about it logically, you may come up with a different answer. A SSGT USMC is an E-6 in the Marine Corps. A Staff Sergeant normally takes about 6 years to attain that rank. Base pay for a SSGT with 6 years of service is $2886 per month. Add to that their Cost of Living Allowance, Basic Housing Allowance, Hazardous Duty Allowance and Combat Pay for a tour in Iraq and they bring in between $3500-$5000 per month depending on married status. Also, while serving time in Iraq, that pay is considered in a hazardous duty zone so their pay is also tax free. Three tours is a long time to be living tax free with extra pay.
Before you get your feathers ruffled, I realize the sacrifices that are being made by our fine troops. Remember, we are talking logically, not emotionally! So, say a service member gets a mortgage on a house and then is sent to Iraq where they are effectively doubling their pay. They are being fed and clothed and housed at no cost to them. Meanwhile they may have a family back home holding down the fort, OR they may not. Either way, the service member is responsible for keeping their bills paid just as if they were at home. If they are not being financially responsible, their command has the option to reprimand you and take your some of their pay.
Calculating the pay on the low end of the scale ($3500) per month for 3 tours or 3 years that adds up to $126,000 tax free. If you cannot pay your bills with 3 years of tax free income, you should never have signed that mortgage in the first place. It's as simple as that. Keep in mind that the entire time they are serving in the military they are being fed, housed, medically cared for, and clothed essentially for free.
I'm not saying all our troops are irresponsible or mismanage their money but it certainly seems correct in this case. Either the troop didn't pay their bills or they had a spouse at home throwing away their money. I don't know the entire situation but that's the way it appears to me. It's not that I'm unsympathetic to our fine troops..it's the fact that they aren't perfect and make mistakes the same as everyone else. Most of you know that I despise banks, but in this case, I'm betting that the service member didn't fulfill their financial obligations. Love me or hate me, that's my opinion.
P.S. I am a vet who served in the Persian Gulf and received tax free pay as well. Ask any military member before you start saying that it's not true.
5/29/12
QR Codes
I never really saw the usefulness in those funny looking barcodes until today. Adding my contact information or a link to my blog was simple. Anyone with a barcode scanner app in their smartphone can simply scan a code to add me to their contact list. (the scanner app I chose was called i-nigma) I'm going to keep experimenting with adding logos and such to the codes. Yes, I know it's geeky but it simplifies exchanging contact info. Give it a try!
5/22/12
Here is why Facebook will fail
Number one reason is over inflated worth. Yes, they have close to a billion daily users. There is no denying that traffic is worth something on the net. Advertisers are leaving because Facebook ads just don't produce enough results.
Number two reason, users are already growing tired of it. Pretty simple to understand, like a new relationship...the new wears off. Facebook changes privacy policies as often as diaper changes. They make unwelcome updates and changes that piss people off and they just don't care. (See comments about Timeline for example)
Number three reason, users are the product. Facebook makes bank on selling your data to more efficiently target you for sales. They know your demographic, they know if you're overweight, they know if you drink, they even know where you are if you use a smartphone. That kind of data mining could easily be used for nefarious purposes.
I'm not saying that Facebook is worthless but I'll be willing to bet that in 5 years most users will have moved on to bigger and better things. My advice would be, don't put your money into it unless you're willing to lose it. It IS a passing fad.
Number two reason, users are already growing tired of it. Pretty simple to understand, like a new relationship...the new wears off. Facebook changes privacy policies as often as diaper changes. They make unwelcome updates and changes that piss people off and they just don't care. (See comments about Timeline for example)
Number three reason, users are the product. Facebook makes bank on selling your data to more efficiently target you for sales. They know your demographic, they know if you're overweight, they know if you drink, they even know where you are if you use a smartphone. That kind of data mining could easily be used for nefarious purposes.
I'm not saying that Facebook is worthless but I'll be willing to bet that in 5 years most users will have moved on to bigger and better things. My advice would be, don't put your money into it unless you're willing to lose it. It IS a passing fad.
4/20/12
Camaraderie (BKR!)
We who have served in the military have a strange bond. AKA a good work ethic, punctuality, and attention to detail.
While you are in the military, you get to know the people around you. Like them or not, you still know those people really well. There are all kinds of people meshed together that have a common goal: To get the job done! Although I can't remember everyone's names, I do remember their mannerisms and voices. You get to see peoples peculiarities whether you like it or not.
I've reconnected with some of them and I enjoy the company of those who served with me. We may not have been close friends while we served but we all know how hard we worked and always made the best of it. I've heard we were the hardest working squadron (VF-154) in the Navy, but I don't know it for a fact. We put in killer hours and we never failed our tasks. No, we don't all share the same views, but if you messed with any of us, you had to deal with all of us!
I'm proud to say that I'm a Black Knight forever...none shall pass! BKR baby!
Thanks to all the guys and gals who serve today to keep us all safe from those who wish to do us harm!
AT2 Tinner
While you are in the military, you get to know the people around you. Like them or not, you still know those people really well. There are all kinds of people meshed together that have a common goal: To get the job done! Although I can't remember everyone's names, I do remember their mannerisms and voices. You get to see peoples peculiarities whether you like it or not.
I've reconnected with some of them and I enjoy the company of those who served with me. We may not have been close friends while we served but we all know how hard we worked and always made the best of it. I've heard we were the hardest working squadron (VF-154) in the Navy, but I don't know it for a fact. We put in killer hours and we never failed our tasks. No, we don't all share the same views, but if you messed with any of us, you had to deal with all of us!
I'm proud to say that I'm a Black Knight forever...none shall pass! BKR baby!
Thanks to all the guys and gals who serve today to keep us all safe from those who wish to do us harm!
AT2 Tinner
4/16/12
Good Times Gardening
I've spent the last few days working alongside my Dad in his garden. He's been feeling pretty good and hasn't even needed his oxygen bottle much lately. It's always nice when he's feeling chipper!
Today we were pulling staples and nails out of some old 2x6's together, just chatting it up as we worked diligently on completing our task. He would stop every few minutes to rest but he stayed busy the entire time. He had bought all this used lumber for cheap and it required some effort but it was still as good as new. Upon completion, we both felt a sense of accomplishment because it was several hours of work. The time seemed to pass quickly and we had fun working together.
Normally, I'm pressed for time and I'm rushing to do projects. I'm realizing that taking things a little slower, talking with Dad and working together is very therapeutic for both of us. We need to visit more and I need more patience because any day could be his last, or mine for that matter! I've thoroughly enjoyed his company lately and hope that things can continue to get better. I don't say it enough but that old man has done more for me than I could ever do for him...That's why he's such a great Dad. His golden years have been rough, and it's only getting tougher. We'll make it though because I am his left hand man!
Today we were pulling staples and nails out of some old 2x6's together, just chatting it up as we worked diligently on completing our task. He would stop every few minutes to rest but he stayed busy the entire time. He had bought all this used lumber for cheap and it required some effort but it was still as good as new. Upon completion, we both felt a sense of accomplishment because it was several hours of work. The time seemed to pass quickly and we had fun working together.
Normally, I'm pressed for time and I'm rushing to do projects. I'm realizing that taking things a little slower, talking with Dad and working together is very therapeutic for both of us. We need to visit more and I need more patience because any day could be his last, or mine for that matter! I've thoroughly enjoyed his company lately and hope that things can continue to get better. I don't say it enough but that old man has done more for me than I could ever do for him...That's why he's such a great Dad. His golden years have been rough, and it's only getting tougher. We'll make it though because I am his left hand man!
3/10/12
Republic or Democracy?
(If you read this, please comment or answer my question on facebook)
I often wondered how a Democrat or Republican was truly defined. It's easier to understand the differences if you go back to the basis of the words. Put simply, there is only one difference in them, defining who controls sovereignty. A Democracy grants the powers of sovereignty to a majority group whereas a Republic grants those powers to an individual. Sovereignty is the supreme power to make rules or laws.
In a pure democracy, it's basically mob rule. For example, if a vote were called for a new law and a slight majority won the vote, then the majority rule is applied and the minority have no more say. Democracy is a dictatorship of the majority.
In a republic, the group only has advisory powers; the sovereign individual is free to reject the majority group-think. (in the USA we have an exception: if 100% of a jury convicts, then the individual loses sovereignty and is subject to group-think as in a democracy.) If a bill is passed and an individual rejects the majority group rule, the individual has the right and voice to reject or refuse the rule. Within a republic, the rule is advisory, not mandated.
The United States is a mixture of the two. The people in a republic enjoy their natural rights, sometimes called God-given rights, and in our democracy we enjoy government granted or civil rights. This is the basis for what distinguishes between Democrats and Republicans.
I value the rights of an individual more than the rights of the people as a whole so I favor our republic. I don't completely reject democracy either because it has its place in our country structure...but I have discovered that I am more Republican than Democrat.
I often wondered how a Democrat or Republican was truly defined. It's easier to understand the differences if you go back to the basis of the words. Put simply, there is only one difference in them, defining who controls sovereignty. A Democracy grants the powers of sovereignty to a majority group whereas a Republic grants those powers to an individual. Sovereignty is the supreme power to make rules or laws.
In a pure democracy, it's basically mob rule. For example, if a vote were called for a new law and a slight majority won the vote, then the majority rule is applied and the minority have no more say. Democracy is a dictatorship of the majority.
In a republic, the group only has advisory powers; the sovereign individual is free to reject the majority group-think. (in the USA we have an exception: if 100% of a jury convicts, then the individual loses sovereignty and is subject to group-think as in a democracy.) If a bill is passed and an individual rejects the majority group rule, the individual has the right and voice to reject or refuse the rule. Within a republic, the rule is advisory, not mandated.
The United States is a mixture of the two. The people in a republic enjoy their natural rights, sometimes called God-given rights, and in our democracy we enjoy government granted or civil rights. This is the basis for what distinguishes between Democrats and Republicans.
I value the rights of an individual more than the rights of the people as a whole so I favor our republic. I don't completely reject democracy either because it has its place in our country structure...but I have discovered that I am more Republican than Democrat.
1/25/12
How SOPA/PIPA Was Defeated
In America, we have some pretty savvy politicians in Congress. At the same time, they can be clueless about their constituents. The Senators and Congressmen who have been on the hill for some time definitely know how the political game is played. It isn't pretty and can be downright cutthroat. Last week, we had an internet uprising that they still don't understand.
Senator Patrick "Dipstick" Leahy sponsored the PIPA legislation and ran it through the Senate committee unopposed. Sen. Harry Reid was planning to zip it through the Senate floor without much discussion. Meanwhile Congressman Lamar "Dopey" Smith had crafted his bill, SOPA, and already had a majority of support in the House and was pushing to put it to a vote. Dipstick and Dopey had been heavily lobbied by the entertainment industries to push this legislation through ASAP!
The EFF (Electronic Freedom Frontier) had poured over the bills and were crying foul and putting up red flags. I'm not sure where I heard about it first but there was language in both bills that would basically change how our sacred internet worked. There were people all over the net screaming this must be stopped! Dopey claimed that anyone opposing his bill "just didn't understand it."
The first victim in this scandal was Godaddy.com who supported the bill originally. Online, there was a boycott organized to move away from using GoDaddy. In just a few days, they lost thousands of customers and changed their stance about the legislation. In forcing a large corporation to withdraw its support, internet users gained more momentum. Other companies like Google took notice of the revolt.
Google decided to get behind the movement rather than oppose it. Wikipedia and Reddit announced Wednesday that they would "blackout" their sites for 12 hours. Google followed suit with a blackout of their logo in support. Many other sites participated in black Wednesday. There was a call for petitions to be signed, calls to Congress and email demonstrations against the two bills. Google's petition alone garnered over 8 million signatures. The people spoke!
Dopey announced that it was "a publicity stunt" and that he didn't understand why anyone wouldn't want copyright holders protected. Dipstick simply blamed all the defectors who pulled their support. They still don't realize that it was a grassroots movement and that it was not lead by Google or any other website. Google et al..simply responded to the sentiment on the net and helped have our voices heard. It was a swift movement of netizens that crushed SOPA/PIPA.
The problem remains..Dipstick is already vowing to confront this "problem" after a brief delay. The RIAA and MPAA are both clearly involved. Chris Dodd, CEO of the MPAA and former Senator claims the protest was "white noise" making it impossible to have further conversation. Obviously the protest fell on deaf ears. It's going to be up to all of us to keep them in line.
Get lobbyists and PAC's out of our politics. The politicians serve their dollar wielding masters instead of their constituents. It's time to have a voice again people! Stop just doing as you're told and start paying attention to the world around you...or I promise, you will not like the results.
Senator Patrick "Dipstick" Leahy sponsored the PIPA legislation and ran it through the Senate committee unopposed. Sen. Harry Reid was planning to zip it through the Senate floor without much discussion. Meanwhile Congressman Lamar "Dopey" Smith had crafted his bill, SOPA, and already had a majority of support in the House and was pushing to put it to a vote. Dipstick and Dopey had been heavily lobbied by the entertainment industries to push this legislation through ASAP!
The EFF (Electronic Freedom Frontier) had poured over the bills and were crying foul and putting up red flags. I'm not sure where I heard about it first but there was language in both bills that would basically change how our sacred internet worked. There were people all over the net screaming this must be stopped! Dopey claimed that anyone opposing his bill "just didn't understand it."
The first victim in this scandal was Godaddy.com who supported the bill originally. Online, there was a boycott organized to move away from using GoDaddy. In just a few days, they lost thousands of customers and changed their stance about the legislation. In forcing a large corporation to withdraw its support, internet users gained more momentum. Other companies like Google took notice of the revolt.
Google decided to get behind the movement rather than oppose it. Wikipedia and Reddit announced Wednesday that they would "blackout" their sites for 12 hours. Google followed suit with a blackout of their logo in support. Many other sites participated in black Wednesday. There was a call for petitions to be signed, calls to Congress and email demonstrations against the two bills. Google's petition alone garnered over 8 million signatures. The people spoke!
Dopey announced that it was "a publicity stunt" and that he didn't understand why anyone wouldn't want copyright holders protected. Dipstick simply blamed all the defectors who pulled their support. They still don't realize that it was a grassroots movement and that it was not lead by Google or any other website. Google et al..simply responded to the sentiment on the net and helped have our voices heard. It was a swift movement of netizens that crushed SOPA/PIPA.
The problem remains..Dipstick is already vowing to confront this "problem" after a brief delay. The RIAA and MPAA are both clearly involved. Chris Dodd, CEO of the MPAA and former Senator claims the protest was "white noise" making it impossible to have further conversation. Obviously the protest fell on deaf ears. It's going to be up to all of us to keep them in line.
Get lobbyists and PAC's out of our politics. The politicians serve their dollar wielding masters instead of their constituents. It's time to have a voice again people! Stop just doing as you're told and start paying attention to the world around you...or I promise, you will not like the results.
1/14/12
UFC 142 Picks and Results
Carvalho vs. Arantes
Taking Carvalho
X LOSER Arantes takes the decision.
Funch vs. Pyle
Mike Pyle takes this one.
√ WINNER Pyle knocked him out at 1:22 first round
Alcantara vs. Omigawa
I have lousy luck when I pick japanese fighters. My pick Alcantara.
√WINNER Alcantara nearly submitted him at the end of Rd. 1. Wins decision.
Gonzaga vs. Oliveira
Gonzaga seems to be a punching bag now. Oliveira by KO.
X LOSER Gonzaga put him down and choked him out easily!
Tavarez vs. Stout
Tavarez has talent but Stout has heart and determination. Stout by decision.
X LOSER Tavares convincingly won round 1, I gave Stout the last two rounds but the judges saw it differently!
Barboza vs. Etim
This will probably be fight of the night in my opinion. Both are crazy good, my pick is Etim.
X LOSER Barboza was winning but not by much. Suddenly he threw a spinning heel kick..landed perfect knocking out Etim instantly. One classic knockout!
Silva vs. Prater
Picking Prater but I haven't seen much of either guy.
√ WINNER Silva finished him off quick but ref Mario Yamasaki awards Prater the victory because Silva hit him a couple of times to the back of the head...bad decision!
Massenzio vs. Palhares
Palhares is a monster at 185. If he is able to get the fight on the ground, he will submit Massenzio.
√ WINNER Palhares pulled him to the ground and submitted him quickly. Beastmode!
Belfort vs. Johnson
Vitor by brutal knockout and ending the career for Johnson. Johnson didn't make weight..again!
√ WINNER Belfort took him down after taking some punishment but finished with a rear naked choke.
Aldo vs. Mendes
Aldo can pick him apart on the feet and has good submissions too. Aldo destroyed Faber and Mendes doesn't offer anything more than Faber. Aldo will wear him down and KO Mendes.
√ WINNER Aldo got him at 4:59 of the first round..knocked the crap out of him with a knee but Mario Yamasaki made a quick decision to stop it in the last second of the first round. I would have liked to have seen if he could recover but probably not. Good fight!
Taking Carvalho
X LOSER Arantes takes the decision.
Funch vs. Pyle
Mike Pyle takes this one.
√ WINNER Pyle knocked him out at 1:22 first round
Alcantara vs. Omigawa
I have lousy luck when I pick japanese fighters. My pick Alcantara.
√WINNER Alcantara nearly submitted him at the end of Rd. 1. Wins decision.
Gonzaga vs. Oliveira
Gonzaga seems to be a punching bag now. Oliveira by KO.
X LOSER Gonzaga put him down and choked him out easily!
Tavarez vs. Stout
Tavarez has talent but Stout has heart and determination. Stout by decision.
X LOSER Tavares convincingly won round 1, I gave Stout the last two rounds but the judges saw it differently!
Barboza vs. Etim
This will probably be fight of the night in my opinion. Both are crazy good, my pick is Etim.
X LOSER Barboza was winning but not by much. Suddenly he threw a spinning heel kick..landed perfect knocking out Etim instantly. One classic knockout!
Silva vs. Prater
Picking Prater but I haven't seen much of either guy.
√ WINNER Silva finished him off quick but ref Mario Yamasaki awards Prater the victory because Silva hit him a couple of times to the back of the head...bad decision!
Massenzio vs. Palhares
Palhares is a monster at 185. If he is able to get the fight on the ground, he will submit Massenzio.
√ WINNER Palhares pulled him to the ground and submitted him quickly. Beastmode!
Belfort vs. Johnson
Vitor by brutal knockout and ending the career for Johnson. Johnson didn't make weight..again!
√ WINNER Belfort took him down after taking some punishment but finished with a rear naked choke.
Aldo vs. Mendes
Aldo can pick him apart on the feet and has good submissions too. Aldo destroyed Faber and Mendes doesn't offer anything more than Faber. Aldo will wear him down and KO Mendes.
√ WINNER Aldo got him at 4:59 of the first round..knocked the crap out of him with a knee but Mario Yamasaki made a quick decision to stop it in the last second of the first round. I would have liked to have seen if he could recover but probably not. Good fight!
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