Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Who Was Augustus Russell Pope?

By John Fischer, DGA Security Systems, Inc.

150th Anniversary of the alarm industryPatent number 9802, issued to Augustus Russell Pope on June 21, 1853, remains the seminal design in the evolution of the modern burglar alarm industry. Pope sold the rights to the patent in 1858 to Edwin Holmes and it was Holmes’ dedication to the implementation and success of this invention that would make the burglar alarm a viable and recognized device. While Holmes and others would improve upon its design extensively in subsequent years, the original patent and its inventor deserve both recognition and consideration, as they represent the starting point of what would become known as the “alarm business”.

Augustus R. Pope remains an obscure figure, little more than a footnote in the annals of burglar alarm history. Many people cede the invention of the modern burglar alarm to Edwin Holmes, and yet, while Holmes may be known as the “Father of the Burglar Alarm Industry”, Augustus Russell Pope remains the true inventor of the modern burglar alarm.

Pope design

The design of the Pope patent, simple by today’s standards, proved to be highly effective. It called for a normally open circuit. Doors and windows were connected in parallel and when physically opened they would close the circuit and activate the alarm. It is worth noting that the alarm did not “latch”. That is to say, the bell would stop ringing once the violated door or window was physically shut.

According to Pope’s wife Lucy, Pope attempted to market his invention by advertising in several newspapers. He hired a salesman to help sell the device, and completed one installation in a shoe factory near Boston; however, failing health and the need to provide for his family prompted him to sell the patent rights to Edwin Holmes in 1858 for $1800.00 in cash and $8000.00 in notes. Pope passed away at age thirty-nine of typhoid fever on May 24, 1858.

Many have asked, how did a person in Finland get Cindy's Song?



Well...a few weeks ago, I loaded Cindy's Album up to MP3.com thinking that I would blog it at some point in the future. Looks like her public beat me to the punch. So...HERE you go. It is my privilege to share with you the best Christmas present I have ever received. Thanks again Baby! I hopy you all enjoy it as much as I have.

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Day 3 @ C3



Shamelessly Stolen from here. Thanks John Cremeans!

Here are some of the top quotes and questions I took away from C3...

  • Honor the old and promote the new.
  • You can’t lead out of the negative experiences of your life.
  • Practice taking second place (Rom 12 – The Message)
  • The enemy wants us to believe that want we do doesn’t matter.
  • God is preparing you for what he has prepared for you.
  • The enemy doesn’t want the church to take “turf” for the kingdom.
  • The loudest boos come from the cheapest seats.
  • Pit happens…It happens.
  • God allows us to break down so we can break out!
  • Betrayal separates the “players” from the “posers.”
  • You can’t institutionalize accountability…it is born out of love.
  • (leadership) If you love people you will measure their performance.
  • The cost of leadership is conflict.
  • You can’t lead people who aren’t thirsty.
  • God never gives bread that hasn’t been broken.
  • God is bigger than your background.
Questions:
Are you praying high risk prayers?
What are the barriers that are keeping our church from being unleashed on this world?


Quotes...Again Shamelessly stolen from here...Thanks Mike Silliman

10) “There is always a Judas at your table, and they’re close enough to kiss you!” - TD Jakes

9) “Be bold enough to put the other knee down” - Ed Young Jr.

8) “Leaders live in the tension between living in community and living out responsibility” - Mac Richard

7) “All Leadership radiates out of the intersection of love and good deeds.” - Mac Richard

6) “As Pastors, we are called to work for the only organization that Jesus died for - the Church” - Perry Noble

5) “Starbucks has kept me in the ministry.” - Tommy Barnett

4) “The capacity to empower people is the greatest gift of a leader.” - Brian Houston

3) “The call of God is what gets you out of bed everyday, not a burden for something.” - Tommy Barnett

2) “Great men are just ordinary men that didn’t quit.” - Tommy Barnett

1) “You’re only as deep as the last person that you served.” - Perry Noble

OK, I couldn’t stop at 10…

Bonus Quote #1: “The cost of leadership is conflict.” - TD Jakes

Bonus Quote #2: “Leadership is really spelled L-O-N-L-I-N-E-S-S” - TD Jakes
Bonus Quote #3: Speaking about being betrayed in ministry and referring to Joseph being betrayed by his brothers and thrown into a pit…”Pit happens” - Ed Young Jr.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Live from C3



"...Don't think...how can we be more creative. Think...what barriers exist that keep me from being more creative..." Ed Young, Jr.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

An Open Letter to Akai USA

To whom it may concern:

I have had such a poor experience with support from you company, I can assure you that I will never purchase an AKAI branded product again.


Currently, I am on indefinite silence from your tech support call center, after it has told me that your offices are closed. They are only open from 8-9 Mon-Fri and 9-5 on Saturday. Well it's noon on Saturday! You say your open, but your obviously not answering your phones!


It is noon on Saturday, and I have been waiting all morning at home, instead of doing what I need to be doing today, for your authorized repair center (B&K Audio and Video) to show up (2 1/2 hours late) for a warranty repair. Only because I don't want to type that much, will I spare you the details of trying to deal with the local warranty repair company. Talk about incompetent, I'll spare you the details.


This repair for a known issue (power supply) that I had diagnosed based on internet postings about this particular model of TV. This all happened over a week ago. Now I am told that I have to wait for at least another week to get the part...that is "if AKAI has it in stock...sometimes they don't...and it will be longer. I can't say how long."

That is ridiculous!


I work for an electronics manufacturing company where we have our own tech support call center, and I know that you can do whatever you need to do to take care of a customer...and you simply don't care about your customers. Read a few reviews from the internet.


REVIEW BY: Trekar Reviewed Jan 05, 2008

DONT BUY AKAI. I bought a 42'' monitor in Dec 2006. It developed problems in July 2007. Akai took it in September and returned it in October with the same problem. They promised to replace it and it is now Jan 2008 and they have not. My kids and out of town guests for the holidays had nothing to look at. I paid $1500 USD for this crap amd now i have to deal with the worst customer support. PLEASE...DONT BUY AKAI.


REVIEW BY: Mark Reviewed Nov 30, 2007

AKAI USA is asboltuely the worst company I have ever worked with. It has taken them 3 months to send me a new TV in replacement for my bad one. I had a chance to get a full year warranty on the replacement one for a cost of 25$ but decided against it as there is no way that I am ever dealing with their service department again.


REVIEW BY: Reviewed Nov 06, 2007

Just got this TV delivered 2 days ago. My first impression is it's quite a decent product for the money. Don't get this TV if you don't have a hi-def source, the pic is only marginal. But with a hi-def source the pic is fantastic. With a PIP it would be all 5's for me. But we'll wait for the longevity to really see if it's a good buy or not.


REVIEW BY: Aguy Reviewed Nov 01, 2007

DO NOT BUY THIS TV. I had it for less than 6 months before it started acting up. It would not go to 1080p , it would just show a blue screen. The VGA came up very fuzzy, and the S-video had little dots all over the screen. The customer support is absolutely horrible. It took them almost 2 months before they even got back to me on my TV. I demanded my money back and just went with a Sony.


REVIEW BY: bfs4142 Reviewed Oct 31, 2007

I would not buy anything from Akai. I bought a 37 inch Akai 1018P LCD and it had a problem. I had the TV for 7 months and I could not get any service work done on the TV. I finally gave up and got my money back. I bought a Philips 42 in. 1018P LCD and it is great. Has features the Akai does not have. Do not buy Akai......


I will not be so foolish as to purchase any of your products again...

Hillenblog
_______________________________________________________________________

However, I cannot say enough about how good it is to buy products from SAMS. I purchased a flat screen TV last MAY, having basically no issues with it until last week, when the power supply went bad. I was at my wits end trying to get any type of service out of the manufacturer. Finally, in desperation, I called SAMS, and explained the situation. They said...Bring it back...We'll give you your money back. I did. They did, and I bought a new TV from ...where else....SAMS! The only place I will be buying TV's from now on!


Maybe the manufacturer will not stand behind their products, but SAMS is a friend to the common man. They have the clout and the size to make them take back AKAI's defective products. When they don't want to, or don't want to provide a modicum of customer support. Say what you want about SAMS, but for me...I'm a fan.


THANK YOU SAM WALTON & Store Manager Tom Conroy!

Friday, February 15, 2008


1. Room with a view
2. You want me to do what!?
3. Where it began, I can't begin to know when..But then I know it's growing strong. Oh, wasn't the spring, whooo, And spring became the summer, Who'd believe you'd come along...
Hands, touching hands, reaching out, Touching me, touching you
Oh, sweet Caroline.... Good times never seem so good!
4. I bet there's rich folk eatin' in a fancy dining car,
They're prob'ly drinkin' coffee and smokin' big cigars...
5. Nice Rack!
6. ...But I know I had it comin', I know I can't be free,
But those people keep a-movin', and that's what tortures me.
7. "...mind if I don't sit with you all..."
8. "Ma'am...Would you take a picture of our table?"...fortunately for her, she was a better waitress than a photographer. (actual photo...after she told us..."you might need to lean in a little")
9. "What group? we haven't seen any spouses come through here...yeah...right...likely story..."

Saturday, February 02, 2008



1. Will Huck take an early Exit...lets hope not...
2. A vote for Mike is a vote for Mike...Vote your conscience, not how a rich Massachusetts boy tells you.
3. The Fair Tax is the future...
4. I can see this man as my President...I like Mike.
5. Make your own Luck, vote for the Huck
6. Hey, Mike can you beat Romney on Tuesday? "...we can, we have his special underwear here...he doesn't have a chance..."