tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72362562012-02-15T23:38:24.560-08:00Thoughts on everything from self-improvement to science, from good food to <a href=”www.toastmasters.org”>Toastmasters</a>, and whatever else pops into my head that might somehow benefit you, my relatives, friends, acquaintances, co-workers and members of the vast blog surfing community.Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.comBlogger271100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-75423438253166361242009-07-15T16:42:00.000-07:002009-07-15T16:54:41.406-07:00

Have you ever eagerly sat down with a batch of your photos, looked through them expectantly and then, with a sigh, wondered what happened to all those fantastic images you thought you took? The odds are good that one of your challenges was taking photos in which no single, clear subject was apparent.When composing a photograph, be careful to include a clearly defined (read: obvious) subject and

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-66592314824536598822008-12-05T16:26:00.000-08:002008-12-25T09:29:24.812-08:00

So here I sit, surrounded by piles of paper. White paper, yellow paper, glossy paper with charts and illustrations, stiff dark blue paper encasing yet more white paper. Piles on my desks (I have 2-1/2 of them). Piles in and on top of the "organizer" units on top of my desks. Piles on the floor. More piles over there on that other 2 square feet of formerly empty floor. Bookshelves filled, not with

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-23436772175542445302008-08-22T15:33:00.000-07:002008-08-22T16:06:25.937-07:00

In "From the Earth to the Moon,” the ground-breaking 1865 novel by Jules Verne, we read the story of a Frenchman and two well-to-do members of a post-American Civil War gun club who build an enormous sky-facing cannon and launch themselves in a projectile/spaceship from it to a Moon landing.Ever since that novel was published, man’s dream of travelling to the planets and then to the stars has

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-79815511231679953282008-07-15T16:54:00.000-07:002008-07-15T17:02:46.034-07:00

We hear it during every election: "It's time for a change!" I can remember political campaigns from decades ago that were filled with the phrase. So, have we experienced change? The change we truly desire? Obviously not, or we wouldn't need to ask so often and so loudly.Why do we ask for change at every opportunity? More importantly, are we asking the right people this question?Certainly, change

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-89266135235357465952008-06-13T14:07:00.000-07:002008-06-13T14:14:03.727-07:00

They don’t look before walking across your path.Nevermind that you had to slam on your brakes and send your scalding hot coffee flying into the center console. Nevermind that parking spaces are at a premium, and that three other people had begun stalking the same one on which you’d cast your eyes before our oblivious pedestrian began their seemingly interminable trek. Nevermind that the crosswalk

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-48872294213649334992008-06-04T16:36:00.000-07:002008-06-12T10:45:03.822-07:00

I’m a fan of live-action movie interpretations of comic book characters. Well, I am as long as they’re finely-crafted. And in this case, I am definitely a fan.It's difficult to imagine a better casting for the lead role of Tony Stark (aka, Iron Man) than Robert Downey, Jr. His real-life swagger, under-the-surface vulnerability and wry humor blend perfectly with the character he plays – a

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-83689807139186202622008-05-28T16:02:00.000-07:002008-05-28T16:26:11.018-07:00

Thanks in part to the 1979 movie "The China Syndrome" and the accidents at Three Mile Island (also in 1979) and, most notably, Chernobyl (in 1986), most folks duck and cover when someone suggests a return to nuclear power generation. This was an understandable reaction for that day, since the designs of nuclear power plants were indeed dangerous (obviously).Times (and designs) have changed. The

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-74666257154365360542008-05-21T08:39:00.000-07:002008-05-21T09:12:05.608-07:00

British film director Ken Russell ("Women in Love," "Tommy," "Altered States") developed a schoolboy crush on US actress Dorothy Lamour (13 years his senior) when he was only ten years old. Her exotic roles in the "road" pictures with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby fueled this youthful fire by adding the allure of the South Pacific as a backdrop to his fixation. As a young man, he joined the British

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-89531243432271219752008-05-19T16:36:00.000-07:002008-05-19T16:43:07.314-07:00

Sir Alfred Hitchcock, the famed Hollywood filmmaker and producer, wore the same thing almost every day -- a blue suit, white shirt, black socks. He wore no jewelry of any kind, not even a wrist watch. His reason was that being simply dressed helped him avoid unwanted distraction. Hitchcock was once quoted as saying, "I'm full of fears and I do my best to avoid difficulties and any kind of

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-62742716786277275362008-05-09T15:13:00.000-07:002008-05-09T15:19:19.437-07:00

I've written before about the need to explore space. That need remains, and now I add more fuel to the fire by referring to you the following list (compiled by author and space advocate Sylvia Engdahl) of books (and a video) by noted scientists and researchers.Pick up one (or more) of them on your next trip to the bookstore. Give it a read and report your impressions to me. Let me know if your

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-87410554563577070752008-04-18T16:36:00.000-07:002008-04-18T16:50:56.479-07:00

I've been on a quest of late to find some tool that could help me manage my work, home and personal projects effectively. That search has led me to an excellent book and a useful (and free) software program. The book is entitled “Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity” by David Allen ($9.00 at Amazon.com). It’s been around for the better part of a decade, and has been a hot

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-70788230458826665152008-04-16T15:03:00.000-07:002008-04-16T15:57:28.467-07:00

There's nothing new under the sun. So says the Bible, and in that context (an explanation of which is left for the reader to discover) I accept the statement. Fine. But where does that leave the creative types and innovators? Are they doomed to simply repeat history, with no hope of every generating a new thought or design? Is there actually a dark, lonely truth at the end of the mental

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-11899051760090562172007-06-30T10:00:00.000-07:002007-06-30T10:03:18.692-07:00

Little did the first settlers from Great Britain suspect that the modest colony they established would someday become the strongest, most innovative and most generous nation the world has ever seen.Our military, economic and political might are revered and even feared by every other developed country.Almost single-handedly we have led the people of Earth through the industrial age into the

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-1167898300900816652007-01-04T00:01:00.000-08:002007-01-04T00:26:09.066-08:00

When was the last time you received the Come Hither Finger? To give you a better idea of what I mean, let me tell you a story.It was a bright, sunny Sunday morning. The birds were singing, the sky was blue and filled with puffy white clouds, and a gentle breeze stirred the trees.I had reached my early teenage years, and was seated on that lovely morning by myself in the front row at church.My

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-1156189529736317822006-08-21T12:19:00.000-07:002006-10-08T16:05:06.016-07:00

I’ve recently become an independent insurance agent (health and life, CA lic# 0E80378), specializing in the senior market. What I’ve discovered is that a lack of understanding of the system can easily overwhelm and even endanger some seniors.Education is the key. If a senior is mentally capable of learning, they need to make use of several reliable sources of information about their options when

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-1154725103297835882006-08-04T13:54:00.000-07:002006-08-04T14:08:27.610-07:00

I'm currently reading the book, “Happiness is a Serious Problem” by Dennis Prager. If you've not read this book, put it on your list.Dennis, a Los Angeles-based radio talk show host, has put literally years of thought and research into this work, and it shows. He makes the case that the reasons for being happy (or not) are not necessarily related to the causes one might think.Pick up this

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-1136342554635132152006-01-03T18:35:00.000-08:002006-01-03T18:52:49.296-08:00

Did you attended public school?If you’re like me, you probably have some fond memories of those days.  You feel a connection with public school simply because it’s familiar and comfortable.I’d like to suggest that, in spite of our feelings, there’s a better way – private education. When you invest your money, what kind of return do you expect?  These days, you can earn anywhere from ½ percent in

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-1101278104809730642004-11-23T22:33:00.000-08:002008-05-09T15:45:40.470-07:00

For me, its balmy airs are always blowing, its summer seas flashing in the sun. The pulsing of its surf is in my ear.I can see its garlanded crags, its leaping cascades, its plumy palms drowsing by the shore, its remote summits floating like islands above the cloud-rack.I can feel the spirit of its woody solitudes.I hear the splashing of the brooks.In my nostrils still lives the breath of flowers

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-1098037947236026642004-10-17T11:27:00.000-07:002004-10-17T11:43:00.710-07:00

Our young men and women who died in Iraq have put a stop to Saddam's "killing fields." God bless them and their families! Here is an excerpt from a Reuters article dated Tuesday, October 12, 2004: ... The victims are believed to be minority Kurds killed during 1987-88. One trench contains only women and children, apparently killed by small arms. Another contains only men, apparently killed

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-1093566414301537702004-08-26T17:26:00.000-07:002004-08-26T17:44:59.043-07:00

Reported by KGTV, TheSanDiegoChannel.com, on Wednesday, August 25th, 2004: A young couple was shot as they bid good night to one another Tuesday night in City Heights, 10News reported. Carla Aguiar and Adrian Acosta were hugging one another outside her home when a single bullet was fired by someone in a passing car.  The bullet pierced the girl's chest before it hit Acosta in the heart. 

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-1088809407786539692004-07-02T15:00:00.000-07:002004-07-02T16:07:14.493-07:00

In the following examples, what were Mary, John and Bob thinking?Mary recently said to me, "I know I shouldn't have eaten that three-pound slice of chocolate decadence cheesecake.  I just couldn't help myself!"John confessed, "I guess I shouldn't have told Marsha off like that.  I don't know what came over me..."And Bob, previously in a very bad mood, suddenly discovered he'd just won the

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-1087488968028915082004-06-17T08:54:00.000-07:002004-06-17T09:22:54.640-07:00

Last evening, I attended the Toastmasters Founder's District Installation Dinner for the 2004/2005 Toastmasters year.  It reminded me that every ending ushers in a new beginning. There were many familiar faces in the crowd, and a few new ones.  Seeing those new faces keeps me energized about my involvement in Toastmasters. At some point in your Toastmasters career, your focus will shift.  We

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-1087403008934097172004-06-16T09:21:00.000-07:002004-06-27T09:04:28.686-07:00

With all this talk about a renewed interest in space exploration and changing the focus of NASA, one thing, one very important thing, is being left unsaid. As human beings, we must explore or perish.  We must, because of three important eventualities: self-destruction global natural disasters human stagnationself-destructionWe've all seen what happens when urban areas become overcrowded: crime

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-1087081019228290542004-06-12T15:47:00.000-07:002004-06-12T16:06:34.533-07:00

Ever looked under the hood of your favorite web page? (From your browser's menu bar, choose something like "View->Source" or "View->Page Source", and then stand back.) Chances are, what you see there will not be pretty. Sure, the page may look spiffy, but remember that it takes a lot of dirt and ugly-looking rocks to build an edifice. What's more, it takes a bunch of in some cases significantly

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-1086895717191449092004-06-10T12:23:00.000-07:002004-06-10T13:48:54.426-07:00

If either or both of your parents are sill alive, here's a handy tip: ask them if they've had a living trust drawn up by an honest, reputable, expert attorney in the field of trust and estate law. If their answer is no, or is even the least bit vague, be afraid. Be very afraid. I won't go into any gory details here, for many reasons. Suffice it to say that this is an issue with far-reaching

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-1086711678394674622004-06-08T08:59:00.000-07:002006-11-30T13:49:42.103-08:00

Last evening, my home Toastmasters Club was asked to take on a challenge.  So we did.  We decided to form our own Speakers Bureau.  A challenge indeed.For those of you not familiar with the concept, Toastmasters International allows us to form groups of members into what are called "speakers bureaus."  The express purpose of such a group is to provide the local, non-Toastmasters community with,

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236256.post-1086632466862093922004-06-07T10:57:00.000-07:002004-06-07T11:41:07.000-07:00

Thanks to the folks at Google, owners of this free service, I'm taking the next step in interactive communications -- creating my own blog. My hope is that you will benefit in some way from the sometimes random thoughts bouncing around in my head. If you do, please let me know, and if you don't, I'd appreciate hearing that, too. My aim is to be of service to you, my relatives, friends and

Richard Daughertyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10257432686646189461noreply@blogger.com0