What’s The Bottom Line On Tariffs? How Much Will They Cost Me?

Tariffs are a tax nations charge on imported or exported goods. The importer always pays the tax, and the money always goes straight into the pockets of the country imposing the tariff. But don’t be fooled—while the importer technically pays the tax, the cost always...

French Culture, I’m Forced To Admit I Was Wrong

My father returned from WW2 with pieces of shrapnel slowly working their way out of his body and a deep and abiding hatred of the French. I don’t know about you and your father, but mine never wanted to discuss the details. I never knew his reasons, but he passed his...

What Can Spirit Animals Teach Us About Today’s America?

This week, while perusing my feed on Bluesky, I stumbled upon a post in which someone shared that she had just learned that crows can hold a grudge for 17 years and thus declared crows as her new spirit animal. While many responses expressed surprise or shared their...

From the Doghouse

A look at dogs having fun

Poser Gallery

My gallery of pictures I’ve created in Poser

Nature by Carol

A look at the less technical side of life

Random Posts

  • How To Take Part In A FCC Scam Without Really TryingHow To Take Part In A FCC Scam Without Really Trying
    I think I’ve made my view of the current FCC leadership fairly clear. In my opinion, commissioner Ajit Pai has lied and misrepresented facts in order to turn the Internet over to the big cable companies. When I read that the New York Attorney General was investigating a FCC scam, I wasn’t even surprised. Twenty […]
  • Inspiration, It Might Be Closer Than You ThinkInspiration, It Might Be Closer Than You Think
    On our journey through life we meet a number of people that have profound influences on us, our parents, our teachers, our friends, even our co-workers. I’ve been very fortunate to  encounter a number of people who were very positive inspirations. As I sit here spending my Saturday morning taking my Udacity course, two friends […]
  • Want To Be A Great Writer? You Need Great CharactersWant To Be A Great Writer? You Need Great Characters
    Why this topic? Why now? Perhaps an explanation is in order. Recently I had to send a white paper I had written several years ago to a colleague having similar problems. Prior to sending it, I took the time to read it and almost spent the rest of the day rewriting it. Obviously, my goal […]

Random Posts

  • SundaeSundae
    While I enjoy the company of our dogs I realize that their motivations are sometimes very far from what we ascribe to them. When we try to humanize their behaviors we often misinterpret instinct for personality.  At least that’s what the canine behaviorists tell us. I’m never quite as sure. Sundae is full of personality. […]
  • Why Can’t I Find A Good Book, The Evolving Nature Of LiteratureWhy Can’t I Find A Good Book, The Evolving Nature Of Literature
    There’s nothing as wonderful as starting a new book and finding yourself totally immersed within the first chapter. Sadly, such books are becoming scarcer than finding a worthy political candidate. I find myself reading more books and enjoying far fewer of them. I used to think that this was caused by self-publishing but this has […]
  • Demystifying The Prusa PINDA With a Possible SubstituteDemystifying The Prusa PINDA With a Possible Substitute
    Slightly over three years ago, I acquired my first 3D printer, a UP! Mini. I didn’t know it at the time but as a beginning printer it was perfect for me. Two years later I was familiar with the weaknesses of my printer and wanted more. I studied reviews, I put various printers on my […]

Random Posts

  • The Martian Notifier, Another Smartwatch?The Martian Notifier, Another Smartwatch?
    In today’s world it’s a given that in every large gathering of people somebody’s ring tone will blare out. Choosing not to be that person, I try to always keep my phone on vibrate. Only two problems with that plan, because I keep my phone in a holster, I don’t always feel it and worse, […]
  • Married To An Engineer – Part 1Married To An Engineer – Part 1
    I’ve written several posts about the risks of getting involved with an engineer but some of you have already decided to entwine your life with an engineer. My wife suggested I write this post, not as a warning, but as a guide to communicating with that engineer in your life. Nothing I’ve ever written would […]
  • Written By An Engineer, Improved By AI. Which Do You Prefer?Written By An Engineer, Improved By AI. Which Do You Prefer?
    A request for data: I have a problem. While I don’t intend to suggest a topic and have ChatGPT write my post for me, I’m also not going to ignore a tool I can use to make my writing better. I’ve always felt that more readers will read other posts if they find my writing […]

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From the Doghouse -It’s all about them

A look at dogs having fun!

Short Stories

With posts like these, ever wonder what kind of fiction I would write?

Random Posts

  • Baby Knowledge, An Important Concept In Being UnderstoodBaby Knowledge, An Important Concept In Being Understood
    When we moved out to our ranch, my wife had to impress on me that horses were not merely big dogs that we could ride. Wagging their tail does not indicate pleasure at seeing you. Rolling on the ground doesn’t always mean their back itches and yawning certainly doesn’t mean …
  • Amazon vs Hachette, A Consumer’s ViewAmazon vs Hachette, A Consumer’s View
    In the current argument between Amazon and Hachette, I’m not qualified to discuss the finer details of price points and author royalties. What I can discuss is my opinion and my response as a consumer. I don’t expect anything I say to influence Hachette. I think they see e-books as …
  • Opinionbypen Hits 10,000 ViewsOpinionbypen Hits 10,000 Views
    Sometime this last week, Opinionbypen had its 10,000th page view. For those of you who, like myself, love numbers, that’s an average of 556 views a month or 18 views a day.  I’m proud of that number because those are page views by real humans, not bots. If I counted …
  • In Search of an EditorIn Search of an Editor
    I’m afraid that my mental picture of a newspaper editor is largely limited to movie characters. Perry White and J. Jonah Jameson are two that come to mind. I also assumed that they had something to do with the big picture for a newspaper but I never gave it much …
  • Speed Reading, the Good and the BadSpeed Reading, the Good and the Bad
    I’ve always been proud of being a speed reader. With light fiction I can hit about 1000 words a minute. If I’m scanning a document for key words, I can push it far above that. It’s not a skill that I was taught, it just sort of developed. When I …
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