Hey Bulldog (cover)- Me doing all the instruments

It's taken a while to "rap" the vocal parts, but here's my video of the Beatles' cover "Hey Bulldog." I'm not sure what I'll tackle next...

WoW Commercial - William Shatner

Hey, I love Star Trek and Matthew loves World of Warcraft.

Now we have something in common...

Hey Bulldog Cover--So Far

I'm lovin this new electronic drum set--I can play all night and not bug the family. Since I got it last month I've recorded one original song and now I'm working on a cover version of the Beatles' Hey Bulldog.

I haven't done the lead guitar or the vocals yet, but I got to thinking I should try out iMovie, and low and behold, I did this video in less than two hours. It's really a rush job--and it shows--but it was very easy. Too easy, in fact.

Anyway, I'll get a better cam and put the finished version up soon. I wish I'd had creative tools like Garageband and iMovie twenty years ago!

New Bike, so Howbout a Camcorder?

Jeannie and I recently upgraded our bikes--my old Schwinn Supersport was nearing the end of its (20 year) useful life, and it was becoming more expensive just to keep it going.

So, I got a Giant Defy 2 which, although an amazing bicycle, is still a fairly low-end bike for what's mostly sold these days. I'm mainly going to use it for commuting (and biking with Jeannie to Umstead Park) so I don't really need anything fancy.



Next, I'm thinking it would be a great time to take some family videos while we bike, or while I commute. I could then capture those fleeting glimpses of deer that no one believes I actually see.

This one looks cheap and lightweight--it's an Oregon Scientific ATC 2K Action Cam. You just slip in a couple batteries and an SD memory card and you're all set. What do you think?

Matthew and Mitchell Playing Football at Broughton

DSCN0021.JPG
Originally uploaded by Henry's_Family_Photos

Matthew and Mitchell both went out for football this year, and though they're on different teams (Mitchell on the Freshman team and Matthew on JV), they did both suit up for for their first game. It was a 6-6 tie, but Matthew did get some playing time.

Large Hadron Rap= Cool!

I wish they'd had videos like this when I was taking physics my freshman year in college--I would have done a lot better!

Extreme life on Mars? Let's hope so!

I'll never make it to Mars--I know that now.

When I was sixteen, my friend Craig and I made a pact that we'd spend our final years on Mars rocking back and forth on the front porch of some futuristic farmhouse--not unlike Bill Lermer in Heinlein's Farmer in the Sky. We'd absorb the scenic view--acre upon acre of genetically engineered Martian crops reaching up from once-barren red, dry landscape, and thriving under the influence of weather modifiers and terra-forming equipment.

Of course, we both assumed that the space program of the 1960's and 70's would rapidly lead to a permanent 2001-ish space station which would be a jumping-off point for planet exploration, manned landings, and eventual colonization of our solar system. Looking back, we had many reasons to be optimistic.

Obviously we're not nearly there yet, so I've set my sights a little lower. I'll now settle for knowing if life ever existed on Mars, and if it currently supports any life. We seem to be getting closer to that answer now that water ice has been discovered-- driving the current rumor that there just might be the potential for life under the inhospitable Martian surface.

From a recent article in Aviation Week:

The White House has been alerted by NASA about plans to make an announcement soon on major new Phoenix lander discoveries concerning the "potential for life" on Mars, scientists tell Aviation Week & Space Technology.

Sources say the new data do not indicate the discovery of existing or past life on Mars. Rather the data relate to habitability--the "potential" for Mars to support life--at the Phoenix arctic landing site, sources say.

Is there life where there's water?

For whatever reason, this recent news has rekindled a youthful passion and, surprisingly enough, increased my optimism about mankind's future. I haven't talked to Craig in over ten years, but I wonder if he feels the same way.

I'm Voting Republican- a parody.

"I'm voting Republican because I enjoy being screwed by the utility companies."

Funny stuff, even if you're a Republican...

Here's another one. Everything blends--except Chuck Norris!

What happens when you drop an iPhone into a blender?

Check this out--but don't breathe the "iSmoke."

Can't we just leave these people alone?

For one, it's amazing that these tribes in Brazil have maintained their isolation for so long. On the other hand, you'd hope that we'd continue to allow them to remain that way. If I hadn't seen the photos I never would have guessed that people still rely on spears to hunt for prey and protect themselves.

Incredible.

You *can* take it with you.

There's that old saying that you can't take it with you, but some of us can (forgive the pun). Dr. Fredric J. Baur, the designer of the famed "Pringles can," died last month and was buried inside a Pringles can. Those were his wishes.

That's all well and good, but it would make for a strange trend. I can imagine the difficulty we'd see in fulfilling the burial plans for the developers of the Boeing 747 or the Saturn V, although it does make me wish I'd been Matt Jeffries, who designed the Starship Enterprise.

Looks like ice to me.

What'cha think? Maybe, just maybe, where there's water there's life...

Maybe there really is help for those of us with thinning hair.

I don't think I'm at the point of being seriously follicly challenged--yet. However, my kids seem to notice a declining amount of hair covering my head on a daily basis, and if I look at my two older brothers it's quite clear I'm destined for that eventuality.

Or maybe not. In this article from The Times, there's now hope that "hair cloning" will be the answer.

"Millions of men and women who suffer from premature baldness or hair loss could soon be able to regain their original lustrous locks - by cloning their remaining hair in the laboratory, research suggests.

The new technique, known as “follicular cell implantation”, has already shown positive results in continuing clinical trials on human beings. The work, being carried out by a British team, is being hailed as a major advance in hair restoration..."

Of course, the question is--would I be vain enough to go this route?

You betcha!

Rat on Cat on Dog

You know, he might just have a point when he says "Isn't this the cutest thing you've ever seen?"

World of WifeCraft

I don't play WarCraft, but I do know men (and a son in particular) that are addicted to the game.

So, for those of you out there that give more attention to Wow than your wife, here's an interesting approach to improving your marriage--take the "quest" approach to making your wife happy.

As you can see--especially at the end--it's not without its consequences...

Call of Duty 5-- Back to WWII?

What do you get when you cross intense WWII Call of Duty 3 action with amazing Call of Duty 4 graphics?

Call of Duty 5, according to current rumors.

I'm thrilled, because as much as I prefer fighting in the WWII setting, COD3 graphics just don't stack up to its younger sibling.

Here's hoping...

Henry

I'd love to be this guy--Rocket Man!

Well, it's really "Fusion Man," but either way I'm really impressed. I'd do it in a heartbeat.

Wow. I wish I could have been married in outer space.

Want to exchange your wedding vows in space? Well, Virgin Galactic founder Sir Richard Branson is planning to offer you that opportunity.

Apparently, Branson has been ordained to conduct such ceremonies, and has participated in several interesting weddings, including one in midair from San Francisco to Las Vegas.

His Virgin Galactic company will now allow him to extend this activity into a realm where no couple has gone before.

The wedding on a Virgin jet

A spokesman for Virgin Galactic said "We have had two bookings involving marriage, one to get married in space and the other for the couple to have their honeymoon in space.

According to The Daily Mail, the Virgin Galactic space project is booking passengers left and right, and will start flying them into orbit this summer.

As a space buff, I could have gone for a space wedding. Jeannie, on the other hand. . .

Yes--Matthew and Mitchell--your dad *did* play in a rock band.

Although at this age my kids think I'm over the hill, I still jump at every opportunity to convince them that I'm hip--or at least I used to be.

Thanks to my friend Steve Worrell, I've now got some tangible proof of some coolness--some old videos of our band "The Executives" playing live circa early 90's.

Rock and roll!

Hutton Christmas '07

Hutton Christmas '07
Originally uploaded by Henry's_Family_Photos

Christmas '07 has come and gone, but we had a wonderful time hanging out with Jeannie's sister Suzie and her son Johnny, and visiting my family in Burlington. Here's a photo below from our get-together on Christmas Day.

You can see more at http://www.flickr.com/photos/henrysfamilyphotos/sets/72157603672489964/

RadioHead's "In Rainbows" performed live in the studio on New Year's Eve '07

The new masters of music (since the Beatles are no longer together) entertain us for a full 52 minutes in this Youtube video. I love these guys.

Time to hang it up, Dick.

I love Dick Clark. I grew up with Dick Clark. But we all reach the point where you should pass the torch, where your continued involvement detracts from the overall experience.

It's time move over, Dick, and let Carson Daly jump in. He seems up to the challenge.

The Executives Live--When I Met You (Hoodoo Gurus)

Here we are again, with me singing the Hoodoo Gurus song "Like Wow." Of course, it's just like me to make up another title...

The Executives Live--Elvis Is The King

Thanks to Steve, I now have some old videos of our band playing live in the early 90's. Here we are performing a live version of Tony's original "Elvis is the King."

Good stuff...