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

How To Be A Successful Mass Murderer

How To Be A Successful Mass Murderer

I’m not going to ask why you’re here. We've all thought about it. The jerk cutting you off on the freeway, the traffic jam you were stuck in because you were cut off or maybe it’s just the people you have to work with. You know, the ones demanding you honor their...

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Random Posts

  • A CelebrationA Celebration
    This is my 20th post on this blog. I realize that raw numbers don’t really mean anything unless you attach importance to them but 20 is a significant number and I felt it should be celebrated. My big problem was how do you celebrate a blog? I’m sure there are some people out there who […]
  • Lower Gas Prices And 100 MPG The Congressional WayLower Gas Prices And 100 MPG The Congressional Way
    Over the last few weeks I’ve been thinking hard about two things, how to get lower gas prices and how to get better mileage on my vehicle. It was while I was in the thought simulation chamber (shower to you) that the solution came to me. I was amazed, all these weeks I’ve been thinking […]
  • 2023, I’m Very Glad To See It End2023, I’m Very Glad To See It End
    2023 is now firmly in my rear view mirror and I have zero feelings of nostalgia. It was tough losing two of our beloved dogs to cancer. Sundae had been a part of our family for 14 years, leaving a significant void, and even though Hilde was with us for just under a year, her […]

Random Posts

  • The Way We Present Numbers Reveals A Lot About UsThe Way We Present Numbers Reveals A Lot About Us
    The first time I saw Spock turn to Captain Kirk and say, “This plan only has a 5.377 percent probability of success,” I was hooked. Spock was able to use his massive intellect and compute the probability of the Enterprise surviving an encounter with the Romulans to three decimal places. That one action immediately earned […]
  • 2023, I’m Very Glad To See It End2023, I’m Very Glad To See It End
    2023 is now firmly in my rear view mirror and I have zero feelings of nostalgia. It was tough losing two of our beloved dogs to cancer. Sundae had been a part of our family for 14 years, leaving a significant void, and even though Hilde was with us for just under a year, her […]
  • 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 […]

Random Posts

  • Companies Not Reading Your Complaints? You’re Probably Dealing With A ChatbotCompanies Not Reading Your Complaints? You’re Probably Dealing With A Chatbot
    Ever write to a company about a problem and their response made it obvious they weren’t reading your message? No, it’s not your spouse moonlighting as customer support. Odds are, you’ve just encountered a chatbot. Chatbots have been around as long as I’ve been interested in computers. My first encounter was a chatbot named Eliza […]
  • Married To A Systems Engineer, Why Do Engineers Ask So Many QuestionsMarried To A Systems Engineer, Why Do Engineers Ask So Many Questions
    I really don’t think it’s fair for my wife to break into uncontrollable laughter every time I explain that as a systems engineer, most of my job involves facilitating communications. I understand why she starts laughing, despite speaking a common language, communication between the two of us is difficult but that’s still no excuse. She […]
  • The HiBoost 4K LCD Phone Signal Booster, A ReviewThe HiBoost 4K LCD Phone Signal Booster, A Review
    Having found no reviews on the HiBoost 4K LCD phone signal booster and being prevented from posting one on Amazon I decided to write a review myself. I bought mine from Amazon on October 19, 2018 and was impressed by the performance. I live in a rural area and was only getting one bar on […]

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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

  • FocusFocus
    In gaming, you get to pick specific attributes that contribute to your characters success. Real life is similar, but we don’t get to choose our attributes. In a way I was lucky, one of my strongest attributes is focus.  For an engineer, the ability to focus on a problem is …
  • Giving Criticism That Will Be Heeded, An Engineer’s GuidelinesGiving Criticism That Will Be Heeded, An Engineer’s Guidelines
    When I started Opinionbypen, I had long discussions with myself wondering if I was tough enough for all the criticism I would get. I knew my writing needed help. I knew I my paragraph separation was accomplished by feel rather than doctrine. And, if we’re doing true confessions , my …
  • Shelby, We Miss YouShelby, We Miss You
    Our first and oldest Australian Shepherd, Shelby, died early Monday morning. Her death was a natural one brought about by old age. We knew it was coming but the knowledge did little to soften the loss. She spent fifteen too short years with us, having joined our family as a rescue at …
  • In Praise of Two Moms, Mother’s DayIn Praise of Two Moms, Mother’s Day
    Mother’s day, that one day of the year that you devote the day to telling your mother thank you for everything she’s done. Of course, if you’re like my Mother and me, a full day is stretching it. Neither one of us has that much free time. When I started …
  • A Very Personal Look At The Engineering Decision Making ProcessA Very Personal Look At The Engineering Decision Making Process
    I’ve written a number of posts about how engineers think and make decisions, so I was stunned when my Wife questioned my decision making process and demanded details. My first response was to deny any malfeasance on my part but when I recovered my composure I realized she might have …
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