Friday, November 21, 2008

Amazon.com: North Pole Lost And Other Holiday Stories: William H. Cooke: Books

Amazon.com: North Pole Lost And Other Holiday Stories: William H. Cooke: Books

Thanks to the people who bought my book in September! Apparently there were a few typos in the last version. I was sent a list and fixed them all. If you find anything else wrong in the book please let me know. Don't email me about who/whom corrections. I agree with the late great William F. Buckley, Jr. and think that 'who' should always be used. And I also agree with him and think it is okay to start a sentence with 'and.'

I'm working on a new book now. Non-fiction. Wrote about 55 pages so far. It is going to be under 100 pages. When I finish it I am going to have to go back and put in footnotes, so it may not be out for a while.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Sea Gull Century - 100 mile bike ride

Sea Gull Century

I did this bike ride on Saturday. It started at Salisbury University and took us over to Assateague Island and back. The price was reasonable. The event was well managed. The food stops were great. The pool was open after the ride in case you wanted to take a swim - which I did. Biking 100 miles isn't easy, but I look forward to doing this event again.

It was certainly much much better than the annual "Third Reich Ride" that Berlin, MD hosts every year. They promise a bike ride that "will last for a 1000 miles", but the damn thing abruptly ends after 12.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Law Offices of Kevin J. McDevitt

Law Offices of Kevin J. McDevitt

You went to the local WaWa to get your favorite sandwich, but it tasted sort of funny. You then went to your baby's mama's trailer and she got in an argument with you because you didn't want to share your oxycontin pills with her. So she got angry, called the cops, and said that you hit her. You hear the sirens and then see the cops pull up. You decide to flee because they always believe the woman, and besides, you have warrants for child support and a VOP on drunk driving and paraphernalia charges. As you race through country roads running from the cops you throw beer bottles at them that you just emptied.

Eventually, you crash and as the officers approach you yell out "I didn't do it! And Kevin McDevitt is my lawyer!"

Kevin will understand. He's been there. Hell, we've all been there. Kevin will know what to do with your case. He has experience as a former Assistant State's Attorney in Baltimore City and St. Mary's County. Keep his number handy, especially if you head into southern Maryland. You will be in good hands.

Sunday, August 31, 2008

"Annapolis Triathlon" - Anne Arundel County Aquathon Canceled, Leopold, Cancer, and the Churches

Tricolumbia.org: "I have been involved with the sport of triathlon for 21 years and have never seen such nonsense from a jurisdiction."

John Leopold, the Anne Arundel County Executive, is responsible for this.

A few years ago, Leopold didn't hesitate to trample on the property rights of business owners by pushing through a ban on smoking in all bars and restaurants. He justified this egregious act of government intrusion by saying:

"Ultimately I believe it will not only save lives, but it will be a boon to economic development," Leopold said. "I am a melanoma survivor and I represent a high cancer-rate county."

Despite the fact that the dangers of second hand smoke have not been proven, Leopold still jumped on the opportunity to permanently trample on the rights of others.

However, when given the chance to support an event which encourages physical fitness, which has been proven to reduce the risk of cancer, he decided to oppose the event because it would inconvenience a few people for a few hours.

The organizers of the event worked with the community by moving it from downtown Annapolis and by engaging in discussions with local businesses, churches, and community leaders (unlike the anti-smoking Nazis who just force things on us without allowing for any concessions). 80% of the churches were on board. Because of complaints from a minority of the churches, Leopold killed the event.

This is a lost opportunity for the churches. They could have had sunrise services or afternoon services and encouraged the athletes to attend. They could have handed out water in cups that had Bible passages on them. They could have done other things to use this event as a recruitment/ministry tool. Instead the vocal 20% of the churches have just made all of the churches in the area look unreasonable. So much the worse for them.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Is this Bigfoot? Hunters set to provide DNA evidence after releasing amazing photo | Mail Online

Is this Bigfoot? Hunters set to provide DNA evidence after releasing amazing photo | Mail Online: "'They're fine guys, one works for the police department in Georgia, and the other was a correctional officer. They're pretty credible guys.'"

HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!

I read this story last week and couldn't stop laughing. Police officers don't have instant credibility just because they are police officers. Most are honest, but there plenty of dishonest ones. Being a correctional officer certainly doesn't give you credibility. Many of them are completely unbelievable - although I have also met many who do their jobs well.

What has happened since?

As soon as he heard Whitton’s Bigfoot was a big fake, “I terminated him,” said Police Chief Jeffrey Turner said Tuesday.

“He’s disgraced himself, he’s an embarrassment to the Clayton County Police Department, his credibility and integrity as an officer is gone, and I have no use for him,” Turner said. “His behavior is unbecoming of that of a police officer.”

“This turn of events from hero to someone who defrauds a nation is just baffling. I don’t know how he got from one point to the other,” Turner said.


I was tempted to make a joke that even now most of the judges in Georgia still believe in Bigfoot, but I don't think that that would be appropriate or fair.

This is great news if you are a defendant pending trial and the police officer was the main witness against you.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Sept 20 Triathlon.

Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic

The link above will allow you to make a donation to the Make A Wish Foundation and to sponsor me in the Triathlon at Bethany Beach on September 20.
All it involves is a 1.5k ocean swim, a 40k bike ride, and a 10k run, so it should be pretty easy.
The only thing I want for my birthday is for people to sponsor me - well either that or lots of cash.
Thinking about it now cash may be better since I'm not so sure that the cause is all that great. When you have people, including children, facing death encouraging too much of a focus on this world of change and decay (as Plato called it) may not be the best idea. It may cause them depression because they will think that they are leaving something great behind when they are not.

“For surely, Adeimantus, the man whose mind is truly fixed on eternal realities has no leisure to turn his eyes downward upon the petty affairs of men, and so engaging in strife with them to be filled with envy and hate, but he fixes his gaze upon the things of the eternal and unchanging order, and seeing that they neither wrong nor are wronged by one another, but all abide in harmony as reason bids, he will endeavor to imitate them and, as far as may be, to fashion himself in their likeness and assimilate himself to them. Or do you think it possible not to imitate the things to which anyone attaches himself with admiration?” - Plato, The Republic, book six.


Maybe I am over thinking this.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Carroll County Times: Westminster, Maryland

Carroll County Times: Westminster, Maryland: "If police can prove someone has illegal fireworks in his or her possession or had set them off, that person will be arrested, DeWees said."

Celebrate your freedomDO NOT give consent to search (what's left of it) and ignore the nanny state.
You can go up to southern, PA and buy all of the fireworks that you want.
There are at least two stores in Glen Rock.
Bring your Maryland driver's license and stock up. There should be sales going on now. Get ready for next year.
Put the fireworks in the trunk and don't drive too fast down I-83. There usually aren't troopers on 83 anyway.
If pulled over, DO NOT GIVE CONSENT to search.

When lighting off fireworks be sure to make sure that your dogs and cats are safely inside as they may try to run away.
Also, be sure to light off your fireworks after you have had plenty to drink.
If you are drunk you will be more careful.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

More Iceland Video - Trespassing at the President's House, November 2007



I am still amazed at the fact that we could drive up to the President's house without attracting any attention. We saw no signs of any security.

When I was in Iceland in 2005, I visited the Parliament. There was only an old security guard there. There were no metal detectors and non-flash photography was allowed so I took this photo:



However, I apparently upset the security guard at the US Embassy when I took pictures of that building (according to my friend who works there):



I was able to photograph the German embassy and British embassy with no restrictions.
I think that we are a bit too paranoid in this country.

Monday, June 9, 2008

My trip to the Gullfoss waterfall in Iceland

I finally uploaded this video from Gullfoss. It is from November 5, 2007. I nearly fell into the waterfall, but the ice encrusted rope saved me. Sadly my camera battery died so I was not able to capture that moment.

My friend did get some good still photos:





Monday, April 7, 2008

My videos from Iceland

Video Road Hogs Stir Fear of Internet Traffic Jam - New York Times: "For months there has been a rising chorus of alarm about the surging growth in the amount of data flying across the Internet. The threat, according to some industry groups, analysts and researchers, stems mainly from the increasing visual richness of online communications and entertainment — video clips and movies, social networks and multiplayer games."

Why be part of the solution when you can be part of the problem?
Here are some of my videos from Iceland. Hopefully I will get more up this week.