The Life and Times of Jim
Hi, there. I'm Jim. Welcome to my phlog!
This site was written for Las Vegas, then LouisVille. Now, it seems to be about anywhere. In these phlogs, you'll see a lot of my personal notes and pictures. I like to post my observations here to remember life and celebrate it. I'm not religious. I don't pray for good fortune. I'm ecstatically grateful for the gift of life and I think our time should be remembered and not taken for granted. I'm not a writer. I think pictures tell stories so much better than words. I love just about everything in this life, and, I guess that would have to include you. So, if you've seen me, don't be surprised if your picture is in here somewhere. Of all the critters, people are absolutely the most interesting. 
<< 05/2006 < 04/2007 Calendar 06/2007 > 05/2008 >>Sign InView Other Logs
Sun 
05/20/2007 18:38:01
 jim  More about the Frontier Tunnel
The Desert Inn was owned for a time by famed wacky billionaire Howard Hughes. In 1966, Hughes booked the top two floors of the place for ten days...and when the ten days were up, he declined to leave. The proprietors of the hotel wanted him out. Even though he was paying for his lodging, they were in the business of renting to gamblers who'd lose money in the casino, not to rich folks who stayed holed-up in their rooms. Hughes eventually solved the impasse by buying the whole Desert Inn for $14 million, which at the time was around double what the place seemed to be worth. (Next year, there will be individual paintings on the property that cost that much.) Eventually, Hughes purchased other Vegas hotels, including the Frontier — aka The New Frontier — right across the street.
At one point, Mr. Hughes decided he wanted to be able to go back and forth between the Desert Inn and the Frontier but — of course — he was not about to go out and cross Las Vegas Boulevard like any normal human being. So...at considerable expense, he had a tunnel built under the Strip, connecting his two establishments. It cost a couple million and apparently, Hughes never got around to using it himself. In fact, some say he never got around to setting foot in the Frontier or several of the other hotels he owned, like the Sands, the Landmark, the Silver Slipper and Castaways, all of which have since been levelled. But the Desert Inn-Frontier tunnel was used for a few years by employees of both establishments. Wayne Newton tells stories of how he would do his show at the Desert Inn and then, because the headliner at the Frontier was out sick, he'd dash over via the tunnel and fill in across the street.
In the seventies, someone decided that vibrations from the traffic above had dangerously weakened the tunnel structure so they closed it down.
The bringdown of the Desert Inn probably seals off one side of it forever
and any day now, when a deal is finally put in place to implode the Frontier, that will close it off from the other side. Before that happens, someone had better check to make sure Shecky Greene isn't down there.
Sun 
05/20/2007 11:35:18
 jim  Pauls Graduation
At IBEW. Oscar Goodman was there too!!!
About 200 people graduated in Paul's class.
Sun 
05/20/2007 06:16:28
 jim  .It’s the fault of Florida (America’s Ponis)...
DAYAM!!! Your new car. You just bought it.
On the other hand...
What was that you said? Your neck hurts? You won't feel right until you receive $1 million in punitive damages.
Tell me about it though.
You'd think those cell phone drivers have the phone screwed into their brain!
They should put these offenders under the "Clockwork Orange" therapy.
Friday, while doing the courier thing,
- the freeway came to a screeching halt twice 
- some guy switched lanes on me at 70mph.
That's why I really like my Mustang convertible.
My eyes don't have to adjust from the darkness inside the vehicle to the brightness of outside it.
I can see everything around the vehicle, and that's cool.
Of course, if someone's going to slam into my ass at high speed, all that means is I can see my doom coming.
Just be glad it wasn't a tweaked out, 18 wheel, truck driver that smacked you.
That would be a nasty way to get thin, wouldn't it?
Sat 
05/19/2007 19:38:31
 jim  Vegas,NV-Becky,Sonny,cards
Sat 
05/19/2007 19:38:31
 jim   (Reply)Vegas,NV-Becky cards
Sat 
05/19/2007 12:35:58
 jim  Vegas,NV-IBEW-Paul,Jim,Becky
Sat 
05/19/2007 11:00:01
 jim  Pauls IBEW Graduation!!!
Yeehaa...its at the IBEW on Lamb and Bonanza.
Its beautiful, how the smallest of events can change someone's life.
Rob called me about IBEW. I called Paul. We all scooted on up to IBEW.
I got called for work, then changed my mind about working with them.
Paul got called, and decide to give IBEW a shot.
Rob never got called.
Now Paul is a Journey man!!!!
Thank you Mr Rob Allred. RIP.
Sat 
05/19/2007 10:20:46
 jim  Notary / Pickup / Delivery Form
Be Quick, Incorporated
4703 Gabriel Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89121
(702) 759-9333 / (702) 203-8256
Agent: ________________ 
http://bequick.lvdude.com
Order # Type Date/Time Description Signature
  Pickup
Notary
Delivery
Other
     
  Pickup
Notary
Delivery
Other
     
  Pickup
Notary
Delivery
Other
     
  Pickup
Notary
Delivery
Other
     
  Pickup
Notary
Delivery
Other
     
  Pickup
Notary
Delivery
Other
     
  Pickup
Notary
Delivery
Other
     
  Pickup
Notary
Delivery
Other
     
  Pickup
Notary
Delivery
Other
     
  Pickup
Notary
Delivery
Other
     
Sat 
05/19/2007 05:45:12
 jim  Vegas,NV-Gabriel-Kitchen-Becky,Jim
Sat 
05/19/2007 05:45:12
 jim   (Reply)Vegas,NV-OscarGoodman-PaulGraduate,Jim,Gma,Becky
Fri 
05/18/2007 13:48:18
 jim  Vegas,NV-Haircut-Jim
Fri 
05/18/2007 13:06:53
 jim  Our first courier order / Changes we need
From 3300 W Charleston to Graphic Center Dr off of Valley View.
We made $20 for 20 minutes of driving. We delivered payroll documents.
It shoud turn out as repeat business.
We realized half the way through the trip that we forgot our notary supplies.
What if they simply didn't mention they needed a notary.
I had to make out a form.
It includes:
   Order #,
   Item Description,
   Pickup Time/Signature,
   Delivery Time/Signature and Notes.
Its pretty obvious that I'm going to need a GPS system.
I ordered a Garmin I3 from Walmart on 5/19/2007
I used my business card as a reciept.
This seems like a great idea.
It would be wonderful if I had blanks on the back for writing:
   Date/Time
   Item Description
My current business cards look SO good, but they don't let you print on the back of the card.
Thu 
05/17/2007 09:27:39
 Jim  Howard Hughs tidbits
Here are some interesting tidbits about Howard Hughes, Summa and the 70's.
Howard Hughes was the richest man in the world in the 70's.
He bought KLAS TV because he was a chronic insomniac, and wanted something to watch in the middle of the night.
Hughes was obsessed with dying. He developed a fear of germs, and he tried desperately to halt the underground nuclear testing at the Nevada Test Site.
Rumour has it he tried to bribe Humphrey, Nixon, and Agnew, to get them to shut down the testing.

In 1971, it is claimed that a cryogenics chamber had been bought for Hughes.
Google 'Hughes Meier Buhler' to learn more.
It was reported in January 1976 that inside the chamber was a frozen Howard Hughes.
According to the Summa Corporation (the Hughes organization) Howard Hughes was alive and well in 1976.
Hughes was announced officially dead April 5, 1976.
However, former IRS Commissioner Johnnie M. Walters suspected Hughes may have died as far back as 1972.
"Hughes had become such a hermit in his last years that no one was sure it was really Hughes that had died, so the Treasury Department had to use fingerprints to confirm the death of billionaire Howard Hughes."
Read this interesting story.
Age 61, Hughes was in failing health and thought he could cheat death by cryonics: freezing a dead body until science advanced enough to resuscitate the body and prolong life. This way Hughes could live forever!
Check out this story about Hughes
- Meier ordered a cryonic coffin from Germany for Hughes
- His assets were to go into the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, of which he was the only trustee.
- His will was placed in a Texas bank.
I don't necessarily believe any of these articles, but it is interesting. They lead to other interesting stories about the time.
Thu 
05/17/2007 01:40:32
 Jim  When the Frontier closes
Something remarkable will be lost to time
A tunnel leading under the strip will be buried when they level the New Frontier.
It is probably one of the last accessible tunnels under the Strip.
The tunnels are a time capsule of sorts, where Siegfried and Roy used to traverse to the other side of Las Vegas Blvd to the other side, to avoid the crowds.  I know Bugsy Segal had tunnels built under the Flamingo (for escaping the IRS).
I haven't found much literature on these tunnels.
In the 70's Howard Hughs owned Summa (summa is latin for highest).
Summa owned the Desert Inn, Sands, Landmark, Castaways, Silver Slipper, and the Frontier. It also owned KLAS TV. I still remember the late night movies with breast showing all ablaze. Hughes would call the station and have them play movies for him. I believe Summerlin was named after Summa.
The Frontier is the last hotel remaining from the old Summa empire.
Summa, whose headquarters is on Industrial road, at one time, had contracts with the CIA. Back in the 80's, I had heard the stories when I consulted with Summa for NABS. I saw evidence of it, both at the Industrial complex, and the complex at Spencer an Flamingo.
I have heard one of the access ways to the network of tunnels is in Frontier's basement.
See. So. I almost have to go explore.

Thu 
05/17/2007 01:33:50
 Jim  The New Frontier is closing in 60 days
I guess Sonny will be laid off.
The suspense is killing me!
Wed 
05/23/2007 10:38:24
 Jim   (Reply)..The New Frontier is closing in 60 days
It looks like Sonny is going to network...and that's a good thing!
Most of the people Sonny talked to are a bit disgruntled.
Me, I'd be thinking it is a great opportunity.
New job, newer hotels, no more rusting ancient parts to rig.
We all put in applications at Sam's Town yesterday.
I put one in (just for funzees) for Blackjack dealing and Front Desk clerk.
Sonny put one in for Engineer III.
Becky put one in for Bowling Attendant
And wouldn't you know it, I am interviewing there on Monday (as a blackjack dealer extra).
The Frontier is the last standing Summa Hotel.
It signifies the end of Howard Hughes reign in Las Vegas. That's sad.
I worked at the Summa building (on Industrial Road) twice in 1984 and 2001.
Nevada Automated Betting Systems was affiliated with Summa, and I contracted with them. Mgm moved their crew there.
Summa had very high security in 1984.
Rumor had it Summa stored vast amounts of info for the CIA on their hard drives.
Now, no one that works there seems to know anything about it. Its all forgotten.
Good'ol Jimmy Leavelle is the last one left, that I know, who remembers it. Shoot, he's probably dead by now...
Wed 
05/23/2007 10:39:58
 jim   (Reply)...RE:The New Frontier is closing in 60 days
Ya know, I'm going to mix Sam's Town and Sam's Club up until the day I day.
I think I'll just call it Sam's...hahahaha.
But I could probably get away with having a portable black jack table in the Sam's Club parking lot.
I noticed the illegals were hawking glowing bracelets at the Drive-In last.
And illegals sell blankets, balloons, flowers, fruits and vegetables all over town.
I think I should have a portable black jack table, and deal black jack at stop lights and off ramps....hahahaha.
Mon 
05/14/2007 19:57:21
 Jim  Ahhhhh, another notary
The calls are coming in. This guy said someone referred us.
He was on 215 and Jones and the round trip took 40 minutes (the way I took was twice as far as what google suggested).
I need a Garmin Roadmate or a cell phone that can do GPS mapping
But what a sweet sweet drive.
The guy said he does all of the commercials for Cox Cable.
He had a GREAT set up too!
He said he loved the idea of a mobile notary saying "Your service is very handy".
I love it!
Mon 
05/14/2007 00:00:00
 Jim  Mothers Day
:)
Sun 
05/13/2007 17:26:14
 Jim  Notary fraud
A guy called this morning. He needed a request for a birth certificate notarized.
I came to him, fo a 20 miles drive to Tule Springs.
When I got to his address, he showed me a handwritten letter, and a document.
I asked him for ID and he said, I don't have any ID, that's why I need my birth certificate.
SHEESH!!!
He wanted someone to rubber stamp a lie.
He said he lost is license, and had no other forms of his ID. YEAH, RIGHT!!!
I hope this doesn't happen a lot.
On leaving, he said he'd just have to find a more experienced notary.
I wanted to say "For $25, good luck. I hope you find a nice criminal."
He may find someone too. Hmmm.
Sun 
05/13/2007 09:52:28
 jim  Vegas,NV-Condo GarageSale_stitch
Fri 
05/11/2007 23:59:55
 Jim  .Drive In
I loved it. It was very nice.
Too bad we grabbed a TENT instead of an extra camp chair though...haha.
I liked when Dustin opened the little bag up and said "I don't know how to put it together".
And it was tent poles!!!! hahahahaha.
Next time we'll get it right.
The only thing is, the next time we go it will probably be 100 degrees outside at night.
THAT'S HOT!!!!
Fri 
05/11/2007 22:06:28
 jim  Vegas,NV-Mustang Becky
Thu 
05/10/2007 20:08:16
 Jim  The Sixth Extinction
OVERHUNTING: American bison skull heap. There were as few as 750 bison in 1890 due to overhunting.
OVERHUNTING: American bison skull heap.
There were as few as 750 bison in 1890 due to overhunting.
Mankind is wiping out species at the rate of 30,000 a year.
Its so sad, that with our advances, we have destroyed so many creatures.
This planet should be down to half of its species in a few decades.
But, rats and cockroaches love us!
Mankind is known to have existed for 50,000 years.
Life on this planet is over 2,000,000,000 years old.
And we're ruining it all.
Thu 
05/10/2007 10:33:29
 Jim  20,000 people rally naked in Mexico City
Yeeeehaaaaa!!!! 20,000 people rally in Mexico City to break the Guinness Book of Records
And no, you can't zoom in on these pictures...haha.
Click here for the Full Story.
I keep wondering how this would have worked out in Vegas
Maybe at the Fremont Street Experience or on the Strip.
Would these people be thrown in jail or would it start a ritual? hmmm.
I'm not sure how it would have worked out in the legal arena, but if it were to happen here in July, I guarantee the people would all be wearing sandals!
What I didn't see in these photos is where the people put their clothes. I'd think these people didn't walk naked all the way from home to the Metropolitan Cathedral.
Mexico City is the 2nd largest city in the world.
AND Its only 1,800 miles from Las Vegas.
Thu 
05/10/2007 10:13:25
 Jim  Alfredo Fish Tacos by Renee
This recipe comes from Renee (whose 6 months pregnant)
1 - jar of Alfredo Sauce
2 - Packages of any kind of frozen fish meat, prefferable crumbled and without the head.
6 - Taco Shells, corn or flour, it really doesn't matter.
Heat fish in the microwave for 2 minutes.
Add Alfredo Sauce to fish and head 2 minutes.
Put mixture in Tacos. If desired, add catsup or grape jelly to taste.
-- Enjoy --
Renee says these are surprisingly good.
Wed 
05/09/2007 18:15:06
 Jim  Failed experiments.
Okay, I'm still bored, but I still keep my mind busy.
Experiment 1 - Inertia dispersment
I put a toy jet boat in a bag half full of water. I put the bag in a sink, full of water. I turned the jet boat on.
With the jet turned to the side, the bag spinned in the opposite direction.
With the jet turned straight to the back, the bag did nothing.
What I expected to see was the inertia coming from the water jet in one single direction driving the bag to one side of the sink. The inertia, for the jet returning to the front, I thought, should have been dispersed omni-directionally. Meaning there should have been some kind of inertial imbalance.
I was wrong. It still seems right though. However, it was a $5 toy boat and the jet was extremely weak.
Experimet 2 - 3D Video Poker
I wanted to create a 3D Video Poker game. I know how to do it, however....
I bought a 3D poster. It had fish on it and they looked raised and 3 dimensional. From an experiment when I was a kid, I realized there were actually 2 pictures behind the plastic grooved lens, each geared for a single eye's line of vision.
Well, I scraped the fish picture off and created a Paint Shop Pro image of a picture with black lines on it.
What I expected when I placed the lens from the poster over the image on my monitor was, to see the image go from full image to black as I moved from the left to right.
What I got was, nothing!!!
My monitor doesn't have a strong enough resolution apparently. Blaaaahhhhh!
Oh well. It never hurts to try!
:)
Wed 
05/09/2007 16:59:37
 Jim  Looking into the past, like a TV show.
I liked my first pin hole camera.
It was a piece of cardboard with a pin sized hole in it.
I constructed a box with wax paper on one side, the cardboard with the pin hole on the other side.
As I panned the box around the backyard, I could see its image upside down and inverted on the wax paper. I was amazed about the amount of information carried by light through such a small hole.
I could see the back yard through it!
Black Holes 125 million light years away.
They bend light towards their center, however, some light must escape.
I would think some light might even do a U-Turn around the black hole.
If that is found to be true, a very powerful telescope should be able to view our sun's light from 250 million years in the past. It would offer us a reflection from the past, and it would eliminate our need to travel faster than the speed of light, to look back into Earths past.
Who knows for sure. Maybe the Hubble has already discovered this to be true. hmmm.
Wed 
05/09/2007 12:50:48
 jim  Vegas,NV-Condo-Sonny,Becky,Mustang
Tue 
05/08/2007 20:26:18
 Jim  Becky’s pictures
Tue 
05/08/2007 15:14:28
 Jim  Added a decimal/binary/hex/octal conversion to my
I threw in a color representation for the heck of it.
I MUST BE BORED! LOL.
Waiting for things to happen is a miserable thing.
Right now, I'm waiting for:
- A word back on my refinance. The loan agent keeps messing around.
- Yellow Book to come out. The Yellow Book is almost 2 months late.
- A response back from the resumes I sent out.
Mon 
05/07/2007 14:44:30
 Jim  Astronomers Spot Exploding Faraway Star
WASHINGTON (AP) - A massive exploding faraway star—the brightest supernova astronomers have ever seen—has scientists wondering whether a similar celestial fireworks show may light up the sky much closer to Earth sometime soon. The discovery, announced Monday by NASA, drew oohs and aahs for months from the handful of astronomers who peered through telescopes to see the fuzzy remnants of the spectacular explosion after it was first spotted last fall.
Using a variety of Earth and space telescopes, astronomers found a giant exploding star that they figure has shined about five times brighter than any of the hundreds of supernovae ever seen before, said discovery team leader Nathan Smith of the University of California at Berkeley. The discovery was first made last September by a graduate student in Texas.
"This one is way above anything else," Smith told The Associated Press. "It's really astonishing."
Smith said the star, SN2006gy, "is a special kind of supernova that has never been seen before." He called the star "freakily massive" at 150 times the mass of the sun.
Observations from the Chandra X-ray telescope helped show that it didn't become a black hole like other supernovae and skipped a stage of star death.
Unlike other exploding stars, which peak at brightness for a couple of weeks at most, this supernova, peaked for 70 days, according to NASA. And it has been shining at levels brighter than other supernovae for several months, Smith said.
And even at 240 million light years away, this star in a distant galaxy does suggest that a similar and relatively nearby star—one 44 quadrillion miles away—might blow in similar fashion any day now or 50,000 years from now, Smith said. It wouldn't threaten Earth, but it would be so bright that people could read by it at night, said University of California at Berkeley astronomer David Pooley. However, it would only be visible to people in the Southern Hemisphere, he said.
___ On the Net: http://www.nasa.gov
Sat 
05/05/2007 18:00:00
 jim  Oh, I added a mortgage calculator
To the calculator for the heck of it.
It only took about 10 minutes and its VERY handy!
Fri 
05/04/2007 17:38:20
 jim  VoTech,NV-Rainbow,Mustang
Thu 
05/03/2007 11:48:27
 jim  Hypothetical question to other Notaries
After talking to a lawyer (again, the same, kind of slow one) about Be Quick, and my charges, she said I could only charge $15 max for a notary. I should note, she kept calling the Nevada Revised Statutes, the Nevada State Statutes, which is odd too me. I've only seen it referred to as the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS).
MY Hypothetical Question: I need a Living Will notarized at Desert Springs Hospital.

24/7 Notaries - (702) 215-1995 - NA

AAA Notary Service - (702) 655-2057
$30 during the day. $35 at night or on weekends.

AAA Affordable Mobile Notary - (702) 222-9928
$45 to $55 depending on location.

Achievable Dreams - (702) 592-5691
$25. Will pick up form for $10.
AM Mobile Notary - ( 702) 769-5716
A Mobile Notary - (702) 228-0018
$40 to come out + $15 for blank form.

Asap Courier and Delivery Services - (702) 315-0417 - NA
Bentley Mobile Notary - (702) 614-0528 - NA
Mail Zone - (702) 736-6822
$40 (includes 3 signatures).
Mobile Notary 2 U - 395-3296 - NA
NV Mobile Notary - (702) 439-1142
$10 + $5 + $2.50 per extra signature.

Sign Here Notary - (702) 677-9500
$50 to come out. She sounded very intelligent too.
I called her again. She was very willing to talk, but she's in the middle of a signing...whoops. I'll call her back at 2pm.

Jet Notary - (702) 641-4058
$35

Achievable Dreams - (702) 592-5691
$25. Will pick up form for $10.
AM Mobile Notary - ( 702) 769-5716
A Mobile Notary - (702) 228-0018
$40 to come out. $15 for fill in the blank form.

Asap Courier and Delivery Services - (702) 315-0417 - NA
Bentley Mobile Notary - (702) 614-0528 - NA
Mail Zone - (702) 736-6822
$25 to come out, and $15 for the signatures.
Mobile Notary 2 U - 395-3296 - NA
NV Mobile Notary - (702) 439-1142
$10 + $5 + $2.50 per extra signature.

Sign Here Notary - (702) 677-9500
$50 to come out. She sounded very intelligent too.
I called her again. She was very willing to talk, but she's in the middle of a signing...whoops. I'll call her back at 2pm.

Jet Notary - (702) 641-4058
$35

Thu 
05/03/2007 09:37:48
 jim  Imagine
Imagine - By John Lennon
Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one 
 http://music.yahoo.com/ar-254694-videos--John-Lennon
Wed 
05/02/2007 19:46:46
 jim  At Seventeen
At Seventeen
I like this song. It sums up the fairness society shows for women who aren't rich or pretty.
At Seventeen - by Janus Ian
I learned the truth at seventeen, that love was meant for beauty queens.
In high school girls with clear skinned smiles, who married young and then retired.
The valentines I never knew, the Friday night charades of youth,
were spent on one more beautiful.  At seventeen I learned the truth.
And those of us with ravaged faces, lacking in the social graces,
desperately remained at home, inventing lovers on the phone.
Who called to say come dance with me, and murmured vague obscenities.
...It isn't all it seems, at seventeen.
A brown eyed girl in hand me downs, whose name I never could pronounce
Said, pity please, the ones who serve, we only get what we deserve.
And the rich relationed hometown queen, who married into what she needs,
A guarantee of company, and haven for the elderly.
Remember those who win the game, lose the love they sought to gain.
Indebentures of quality. And dubious integrity.
Their small town eyes will gape at you, in dull surprise when payment due.
...Exceeds accounts received. At seventeen.
To those of us who knew the pain, of valentines that never came
and those whose names were never called when choosing sides for basketball.

It was long ago and far away, the world was younger than today
And dreams were all they gave for free, to ugly duckling girls like me
We all play the game and when we dare, to cheat ourselves at solitaire
Inventing lovers on the phone, repenting other lives unknown
That call and say, come dance with me, and murmur vague obscenities
At ugly girls like me
At seventeen

Wed 
05/02/2007 18:20:55
 jim  Talked to a lawyer...wow
I wanted to find out where they get their notaries from?
So, I invented a good question..."Is my business legal?"
I know it is, but, I figured it would help break ground.
So I asked the lawyer: Is what I'm doing legal?
I own a corporation called Be Quick.
My corporation dispatches agents and handles credit card payments.
It has independant contractors that are notaries.
The question is, Nevada Revised Statutes say a notary can only charge $5 to do a notary, plus travel time.
I charge the maximum allowed by law, plus add service charge for processing through Be Quick.
She says: Well, I'd say not. You're corporation is a notary.
I said: No, my corporation dispatches notaries. It could just as easily dispatch plumbers or air conditioning repair men.
She said: Well, I'll check into it in 3 days.
She said: Is there any thing else I can help you with?
I said: Yes. I need to know how you handle your mobile notaries.
She said: For what?
I said: If someone is in the hospital, can't leave, and needs a document notarized, how do you handle it?
She said: What kind of document?
I said: I don't know. How about a will.
She said: Wills don't have to be notarized.
I said: Okay, then some document that does have to be notarized.
She said: Those would things like realestate documents, orders...things like that.
I said: Okay, then, a realestate document.
She said: They have to be notarized to go through the county recorder.
I said: Okay, how would you handle that?
She said: I don't do that.
I said: Well how do other lawyers do that?
She said: I don't know.
I said: Can you find out? Is there a lawyer there?
She said: I only work on the phone.
Wow.
Wed 
05/02/2007 17:18:35
 jim  Calling Be Quick...hmmm
Becky picked it up.
Becky-"Be Quick. How may I help you?".
Becky-"Hold on. I'll let you talk to Jim.".
Jim-"Be Quick Notary. Jim speaking. How may we help you today?".
voice-"Is this James?"
Jim-"Yes".
voice-"Then you already have.".
Jim-"Is this regarding Be Quick or my mortgage refinance.".
voice-"Both. I'm verifying employment."
Wow!!!
Wed 
05/02/2007 12:37:08
 jim  Three ways to be a Millionare
1) Manage, work hard, and save, save, save; and you might get lucky after a lifetime.
2) Borrow, and manage; and you might have a million dollars this year.
Me, I'd rather owe a million dollars than own a million dollars.
3) Have wealthy relatives. Be born rich.
If you have weathy relatives, it doesn't matter if you screw up.
The well will never run dry. Your spending will be controlled by their handouts.
If you have a million dollars, and you screw up
You risk money that took you forever to save (unless you got lucky somewhere).
If you lose it, you will probably commit suicide, in shame.
If you owe a million dollars, and you screw up
You don't risk any of your own money.
If you plan it right, you don't even risk a bad credit rating.
And if you funnel money off while you have it, you can run circles around hard working people saving $1,000 a year.
If you lose it, you'll walk away laughing, and you'll do it again.
We all should have learned a lesson from Enron, don't you think?
Of course, I'd hope noone would build their credit to borrow $1,000,000, just to go bankrupt.
I'd hope people would borrow $1,000,000 to create commerce.
The way I see it, the plantation owners and the slaves still exist.
The only difference now is that the slaves aren't centrally located on plantations, and they don't know that they are slaves.
Fear keeps modern slaves picking cotton, just like it did 200 years ago.
Instead of fearing being tarred and feathered, people today fear losing their car, house, and dignity (whatever thats worth).
The game is self perpetuating for the modern day plantation owners.
They offer credit to anyone. They buy and let others pay.
They've spread news about how to better your struggles when you can't pay your bills.
What they've done is, they've managed to keep people working. People must work.
People buy things they can't afford. It keeps them working.
It is a very good system.
People who don't work are shunned.
They are shown as the homeless, the impoverished. The welfare people.
I would think the majority of non-working US citizens are born rich.
Wed 
05/02/2007 11:51:06
 jim  Never pay off your house. Never sell either.

I've used a system for decades now. I thought I'd share it with anyone reading this blog.
I bought my 3rd house in 1985. I got it on a sealed bid. It was a Hud Repo.
The payments were $650 a month (which I couldn't afford).
So, I had to rent the house out. It rented for $850 a month.
The excess rent payed a third of my apartment payment.
And there goes the lesson I learned.
Since then, I've paid off 2 houses.
I bought another house in Summerlin, and the rent one of my houses made the Summerlin payment.
What I'm saying is, since property values are increasing, and since they are a leveraged investment,
it doesn't make sense to sell your home when you need cash.
Don't kill the Golden Goose. Refinance.
If you absolutely can't make ends meet, move out and RENT your old place.
If you pick your financing wisely you will almost certainly make a profit.
The American Way
Pick good financing
20 years ago, it was logical to pay off your mortgage balance. Mortgage rates were as high as 18%.
Your house would have to double in value every 4 years, just to break even on the payments.
Now, interest rates are right around 6%. You house only has to double in value every 12 years to break even.
In other words, if your house doubles in value in 12 years, you were out of pocket $0 on payments.
If you believe that inflation will continue (as I do, just by looking around me), then you will invest in more property,
and you will not pay it off.
All this means is, Borrow More! Buy More! Its the American Way.
Plantation owners didn't have to pick the cotton, simply because they owned. They let other people do it.
Homeowners don't have to pay their mortgage either, if they let a renters cover it.
So, if anyone is complaining about illegal aliens taking our jobs
Don't! Rent to them. They can't buy houses.

Wed 
05/02/2007 11:42:15
 jim  Life is full of coinkidinks
I ordered asthma medication on March 1st, through the internet.
There was some problems with the shipping, and it looked like I'd gotten burned on the deal.
Last night, I told Becky that today, I'd just run up to CVS, get a prescription and pay what would work out to be $200 for a bottle of combivent.
This morning, UPS knocked at the door. They had my 6 months worth of asthma meds.
What are the odds of that?
I think its a major coincidence that I was drawing the line today for biting the bullet on meds,
and they just show up after 70 days.
BTW - I got 4 bottles for $100, and it works wonderfully!!!
Tue 
05/01/2007 16:06:11
 jim  Vegas,NV-Mustang-Jim,Jen,Becky
Tue 
05/01/2007 15:38:38
 jim  BoulderDam,NV-Lake-Becky,Dustin
Tue 
05/01/2007 14:52:10
 jim  BoulderDam,NV-Jen,Becky,Dustin
Tue 
05/01/2007 13:36:55
 jim  Forms
Individual capacity:

State of Nevada
County of ______________
This instrument was acknowledged before me
on ______________________
by.............(name of person).......

(Notary stamp)
________________________
(Signature of notarial officer)

The following format and wording are sufficient for an acknowledgment containing a power of attorney:

State of Nevada
County of ___________
This instrument was acknowledged before me on .........(date)..............
by...............(name of person receiving power of attorney).............
as attorney in fact
for ...........(name of principal/person whose name is in the document).................

(Notary Stamp)
_________________________
(Signature of notarial officer)

The following format and wording are sufficient for an acknowledgment in a representative capacity:

State of Nevada
County of ___________
This instrument was acknowledged before me
on ..........(date).........
by ..........(name(s) of person(s))..........
as ..........(type of authority, e.g. president, trustee, etc.)..........
of ..........(name of party on behalf of whom instrument was executed)..........

(Notary stamp)
_______________________
(Signature of notarial officer)

Subscribing witness/Signature Witness:
If a document signer cannot personally appear before a notary, a subscribing witness may bring the document to the notary and swear or affirm that the signature is that of the document signer. The subscribing witness had to be present when the document was signed, and you are notarizing the subscribing witness' signature -- not the document signer's. This form of notarization can be used in those rare instances when the notary was not present at the time of signing. Only documents requiring an acknowledgment can be notarized through a subscribing witness. Any document requiring an oath or affirmation (like an affidavit) cannot be notarized in this manner.
To guard against fraud, you must personally know the subscribing witness.
You give the subscribing witness an oath in which he or she swears or affirms that the signature is that of the document signer's and then you complete a subscribing witness jurat.
The subscribing witness then signs the jurat in your presence.
The following format and wording are sufficient for a jurat of a subscribing witness:

State of Nevada
County of ___________
On..........(date),
..................(name of subscribing witness).........
personally appeared before me, whom I know to be the person who signed this jurat of a subscribing witness while under oath,
and swears that he or she was present and witnessed
.........(signer of the document)....... sign his or her name to the above document. ...................................... (Signature of subscribing witness)
Signed and sworn before me
on ......(date)....
by ............( name subscribing witness).......
(Notary Stamp)
_________________________
(Signature of notarial officer)

Certify copies:
As a notarial officer, you may photocopy a document if it is presented to you.
The following language is then attached or stamped, if you have such a stamp, to each copy.

State of Nevada
County of ___________
I certify that this is a true and correct copy of a document in the possession of .......(name of person)........................
Dated __________
(Notary Stamp)
_________________________
(Signature of notarial officer)

Tue 
05/01/2007 09:32:21
 jim  Microsoft Astoria, in so many words
On Monday at Mix '07, Microsoft revealed yet another piece of its puzzling cloud-programming puzzle: "Astoria."
Astoria is a set of patterns and infrastructure for Web data services, explained Pablo Castro, technical lead with Microsoft's database group.
Castro showed off Microsoft's Astoria work during his session on "Accessing Data Services in the Cloud"
on April 30 at the Las Vegas conference.
Astoria as one of a number Microsoft technologies that are designed to allow users to make their data
available over the Web via a REST interface and using open formats such as XML, JSON or RDF.
Astoria is built on top of Microsoft's ADO.Net Entity Framework.
Developer Division General Manager Scott Guthrie's "layperson's explanation" of the framework
(provided at my request):
The entity framework allows you to model data in a database.
The entity framework is designed to make it easier for developers to model, publish and program against
their data over the Web.
COMMENTS:
What the $^*%$%#?
Isn't EVERYTHING a set of patterns and infrastructure for something?
I still don't know what Astoria does different (besides creating new buzz words)

I guess what they are really saying is Astoria makes it easier for web programmers to access data
I think one of the most annoying things about working with computer techs these days is
they just don't know how to talk to people.
This is how I sum up the above article (in my mind)
1-First I boil down all of the synonyms
   ASP=The old BASIC language with commands for the internet
   ADO=The old BASIC language with commands for accessing data
   XML=The old FILE structure with a different way of storing its DATA.
   JSON=The old FILE structure with a different way of storing its DATA.
   RDF=The old FILE structure with a different way of storing its DATA.
   REST=Another way to let the old basic talk to microsofts new commands.
   Microsoft's ADO.Net Entity Framework=ADO=The old Basic language.
   The old BASIC language = a computer language.
2-I take out all of the ridiculous statements
   Accessing Data Services in the Cloud
3-I reread everything that was said and I sum it up.
   Microsoft introduces Astoria.
   Astoria gives Basic easier ways to access data on the web.
4-And I understand.

What really gets me is these people get paid highly for talking crap, inventing new words, and embelleshing old stuff.
I don't care how you slice and dice it.
Computers still do three things and its simple:
-Find out what you want
-Get data if necessary
-Show the result.
When I dropped out of the mainstream of computer technologies I realized a few things
Computer languages were popping up everywhere.
New words were being invented.
If a new version of something was created, developers gave it a new name instead of a new version number.
Now we have a million new words, most of which have died (like the old versions numbers did).
Now, instead of having BASIC 2007x, we have ASP, ASP.NET, VB, VBScript and a slew of other names.
The addins in the old days, (like XML,SQL,ADO) we'd just call libraries. To upgrade, you changed 1 line of code.
Its become more complicated, not because it is more complicated, but because developers got confused.
It all should have gotten simpler.
When Windows 3.0 came out, it was truly different.
When Windows 95 came out, it acted  like an improved Windows 3.0 with items moved around or renamed.
When Windows 98 came out, it acteded like Windows 95 with things moved around.
The same holds true for 98SE, NT, Windows 2000, Millenium, XP, Longhorn and Vista.
They're all just different just improved versions of Windows, aren't they? Why don't the names reflect that?
The names should reflect the product's origin. At least say Windows Vista.
When Basic came out in the 60's it was incredibly easy to learn
It stayed that way for 2 decades.
Then Microsoft came up with Visual Basic and you had to rewrite everything.
Then it came up with VB 3.0 and you had to rewrite everything.
Then it came up with VB 4.0 and you had to rewrite everything.
Then it came up with ASP and you had to rewrite everything.
Then it came up with ASP.NET and you had to rewrite everything.
For 20 years, you didn't have to rewrite anything.
COBOL is/was the same way.
You didn't have to rewrite anything.
It was sweet.
Mon 
04/30/2007 22:36:56
 jim  Yellowbook.com is late
They seem to have a lot of problems.
In light of that, I signed up for:
- Msn.Com Yellow Page Listings (superpages.com)
- Yahoo Yellow Page Listings
Hopefully, we'll get a few hits a month from those sites.
Mon 
04/30/2007 09:44:31
 jim  Things I may never know
Does nature have any rules that are absolute?
Birth
Was I really nothing before I was born?
I know life comes from life. I know my components existed on the planet before I was assembled.
The odds of me being alive are highly improbable, yet, here I am.
If life on this planet was started by a god, then what started his life?
Time
Will time travel ever be possible?
Would you actually have to reverse the actions of everything in the entire universe to travel back into time.
From our current perspective in life, the past had to happen exactly the way it did. There is nothing random about it.
Did we ever actually have any choices?
Can we prove the future exists?
Is time being replayed right now? How would we know?
Are we stuck with all that we have done?
A million years from now, what will become of the 30 trillion life forms that make up my body?
Consciousness
Do rocks have consciousness? Does the universe? Does a self replicating molecule? Do we?
What is the purpose of life and why is it so persistant?
Exactly, why are people better than any other life form on this planet? I hope its not because we can kill everything else.
Humanity
We've only been here a short time. The hard part of creating our species has been accomplished by nature.
Will our species become extinct to another species?
Will mankind destroy itself?
Will mankind every conquer the effects of aging?
Will mankind ever increase its lifespan to a million years?
Will it be possible someday to transfer the information in our brains?
Sun 
04/29/2007 09:05:59
 jim  The land near Sunrise Mountain
A trash dump that turned into an environmental nightmare in 1998 is finally headed for closure after eight years of impasses. But closure might come with an increase in local garbage bills to fund the final $20 million of cleanup work.
Once a settlement is reached and the site is finally covered with two feet of earth and rocks, the county intends to end its lease of the land from the Bureau of Land Management and acquire the property.
The wash empties into Lake Mead, the valley's primary drinking water supply. Authorities feared that toxic compounds and metals buried in the dump might escape into groundwater layers and eventually Lake Mead. Months before the flood, in April 1998, nearby residents complained about the rotten-egg smell of hydrogen sulfide gas emanating from the dump in concentrations hundreds of times higher than are considered safe. During a visit to the site that month, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., said he had "never smelled a toilet this bad."

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