Photo Search Extraordinaire

A few days ago I made a post to my Facebook friends about an article that appeared in Fortune magazine about facial recognition.  Here's what I wrote:

"Sort of mind blowing... A June 23rd article in Fortune Magazine about facial recognition and work Facebook is doing says: "The research took 40,000 public photos from the social network, some of which showed people with their faces fully visible to the camera and others with their faces partially or fully hidden. After running them through the recognition filter, LeCun said the system could determine a user’s identity with 83% accuracy. Using its existing algorithms, Facebook has said that it can recognize you with 98% accuracy—in fact, its software can identify you in one picture out of 800 million in less than 5 seconds". The last sentence is wow... not only is big brother watching you... The likes of Facebook are too... No pun intended".

Tonight, while exploring the new Google Photo's app (available on your computer or for your smartphone), I discovered what I think is a spin off of that facial recognition technology.  Let's go back a bit to set this up right.  In this digital age, we all have photo's everywhere...  computer, smartphones, external storage drives and who knows where ever else.  Ever try to find that one picture you know you have "somewhere"?  I have a 64G iPhone...  and I ran out of storage mainly because I have 1000's and 1000's of pictures stored on it.  Honestly, it can be a pain looking for one that I know is there.

Enter Google Photos.  I downloaded the app...  Sync'd my pictures from my smartphone...  added the app on my computer and sync'd those picture and also my iPad.  It is really pretty amazing how I can now launch the Google Photos app and I have all pictures from all 3 sources...  viewable from any device.  That part is pretty cool and handy.  Now I have to go find all thos pictures on off line storage and add them, maybe.

The I started playing with the Google Photo search feature.  Can you imagine going through tens of thousands of pictures and labeling them just so you can find them?  How about sorting and putting the into folders yada, yada, yada.  What a pain.  It might not be necessary anymore.  In the app, I decided to search for a picture of a car I took while at a Scentsy Reunion...  didn't remember which one or where it was.  In the search bar, I typed "car" and instantly, there were all my pictures of cars with a smattering of motorcycles and other motor vehicles, including the picture I was looking for.

Very cool and I don't even know what I'm doing.  You can type in about anything you want.  Don't know what you want? The app will even make suggestions.  A series of thumbnails of people or topics are presented.  All you need to do is click on one of those pictures and your find all the pictures of that person or topic.  I searched for "snow" and guess what....  tons of winter scenes. Getting ingenious now, I went wild and searched for "car + snow" and as you might guess...  cars in winter scenes.  Pretty cool. Maybe.

If I understand it correctly, you can save an unlimited number of photos in the new app.  This storage is seperate and different from the limits within Google Drive.  Why?  I don't know yet.  But, Google is giving everyone the opportunity to upload as many photos as they want, for free.  Google them has the ability to scan them and find who know what.  It's likely all money based and will somehow be used to their advantage and financial gain...  don't know how, why or when...  but not only do we have the Big Brother (like the NSA), now we have Google.  Ahh, free enterprise.

Here's the app:  https://www.google.com/photos/about/
Here's the help: https://support.google.com/photos/answer/6128838?hl=en
Here's the Community: https://plus.google.com/communities/115899483237483386886

Where's My Dr. Phil?

One thing nice about being retired is that I can have the TV on in my office while I'm doing whatever it is I do, being retired and all.  It seems the folks in television land have no imagination when it comes to scheduling because it seems episodes of some shows are one right after another, sometimes seemingly all day long.

Dr. Phil is has become one of my favorites lately.  Maybe it's just because I've been paying attention lately too.  Nevertheless, I want my own Dr. Phil.  He has resources...  he finds help for those needing help... despite saying it like it is, he also has some compassion except for those that are just outright deserving of what ever it is they are going though.  I hope that isn't my case...  I may have played an important part or made the bad decisions that were made to get in some of the mess...  but never, ever intentionally or knowingly.  I just want the help and resources, my own Dr. Phil without having to go on TV and be humiliated but announcing my faults and shortcomings for the entertainment of the masses.

How much of the show is real?  I've often wondered how much is just for the entertainment value.  It's one of the things I have not researched to find out.  So Dr Phil, if you have some time and want to help without me having to hang my dirty laundry in public, I'm ready.  Real or not, I am trying to learn from the show... I hope that's a good thing.

Challenged... Challenge Accepted

Be forewarned, you are about to see more of me than you likely ever wanted to see...  if you continue, don't be judgemental.  Ever felt like you were just going nowhere but down hill?  Gosh that is a horrible feeling, sometimes a feeling of being lost...  hopeless... bottom of the barrel.  I know, been there, done that.  How to get out is the million dollar question.  I think it starts with attitude, but it takes a whole lot more than just attitude.  Attitude is a critical part, but, like all other successful things, it takes action.

Stuck in a rut...  up to your eye balls in alligators...  however you say it...  nothing will happen without action.  Easier said than done.  Okay, enough with all the justifications, (invalid) reasoning and other hogwash...  let's get to the action.

It often isn't who, how or what sparks the action...  it only matters that action starts.  This story centers around my amazing nephew Kevin.  I don't get to see him often...  the last time was at my son's wedding last year.  Honestly, I was a little surprised.  Kevin's hair was longer than I had ever seen it, he had packed on a few pounds (nothing compared to those I packed on) and we probably almost didn't recognize each other.  He was still the same amazing guy I always remembered.  Most recently, he posted a picture on Facebook of his transformation in progress.  Totally impressive.  He even looked like the Kevin of old only after 45 days on what ever he was doing.  Visalus - what ever that is.

So we talked.  The "hook" was that he described it to me as a challenge.  I don't understand the details, but Kevin has not been judgemental, has proven he can do it and is the inspiration for me to give it a shot.  The 90 day Challenge is suppose to be a complete healthy lifestyle platform for everybody and every body. With Kevin and his friend Jody's help and support, maybe I can finally lose that "10%" my doctor has been talking about for a long time.   It is suppose to be FUN! So here it is, my start (my package is suppose to arrive later today, June 18th - Day 1.  I need to completely transforming myself, in body, mind and spirit.  Kevin, I accept the challenge.

One last note.  This post is public, but not promoted.  I'd rather push myself to make some changes that others can see, since there are so many times things just don't work out...  I really want this one to work out.  As I learn more about the 90 Day Challenge, I will be posting more.  Until then, watch my results.  If I succeed, or if you want to help cheering me on and do this with me, let me know...  check out these links:

The Challenge
http://dangreeley.bodybyvi.com

The Weight of Stress

Found this posted on Facebook....  never wanted to forget it so I'm posting it along with my other thoughts, rants and raves....

A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they'd be asked the "half empty or half full" question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: "How heavy is this glass of water?"

Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.

She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

She continued, "The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed – incapable of doing anything."

Remember to put the glass down.

Give Me the Strength

I really want this to be a positive blog.  As such, I can not write what I am feeling right now because that is a feeling of utter failure.  Failure not for today, but a feeling of life failure.

The graphic to the right may have said it better if I prayed for God to give the people I love the strength to endure me...  however, I believe all that I can ask for is some how to get better and to make amends for my failures.

Over the years, I have not seen much success in the people I have led, managed, supervised or how ever you want to say it, with but a few exceptions.  I have very few friends...  real friends.  I have not taught my children well enough and of all things...  that is causing so much frustration and stress.  We won't even discuss the mothers of my children who have little use for me.  I have failed them all.

Some how, I will continue to work to make a positive difference in a few lives.  God willing.  If you need a hug as much as I do....   here's one for you.... I'll close my eyes and imagine I get one back.

The Greatest Man I Know....

Glenn and Patty Alexander

My cousin Glenn passed away Friday, May 15th. Glenn actually was married my cousin Patty Greeley for 52 years and predeceased him.  It has honestly been several years since I last saw Glenn... Most of my memories of Glenn date back to when I was a youngster growing up.  I quiet, hard working, really nice guy.  I connected with one of his sons, Tim Alexander, via Facebook, when I learned he was an amazing musician because I ran across some of his recordings.  I have also found Tim to be an amazing writer.  I obtained the text that follows from a post where Tim's sister shared as a story titled "The Greatest Man I Know".  What a tribute, any man would be honored to have written about himself...  but Glenn, this is for you:

The Greatest Man I Know

The greatest man I know isn't famous and he isn't wealthy and if you didn't know him by face he would pass by you in the shopping mall; He’s not well traveled and not well read; but he is the greatest man I know. So let me tell you just a little about this great man.

The greatest man I know lives in the house he built for his family with his own hands; he still makes his own breakfast in the morning and now walks the hallways of his home steadying his uncertain balance with the very walls he built; he mows his lawn in small sections and afterward, he is known to sit under a tree in a “thinking chair,” sipping a ginger ale.

The greatest man I know is a rabid Syracuse basketball fan but has rarely attended home games opting to watch the Orangeman from home with this “SU” sweatshirt on and the TV volume way up high; while he enjoys sports of all kinds, he now mostly likes to attend the games played by his grandchildren. What a treat it is to see one of them score a goal or block a shot or hit that ball.

The greatest man I know has never measured wealth in terms of dollars but rather in terms of family; he counts his children, his grandchildren and all of their accomplishments as the “return on his investment.” And he is a very, very wealthy man.

The greatest man I know is a devoted and loving husband; he spent the last 20+ years of a 50 year marriage helping his wife deal with the infirmities of age, disease and depression never letting on that his needs were many and that these needs always came second to hers; so long as his “Patty” was cared for, he was a happy, secure and contented man.

The greatest man I know believes that his cup is more than half full even when it’s close to being empty; and he guards this sense of optimism like a gambler hopes for a good day at the poker table or the fisherman makes plans for a better day on the lake. He is the eternal optimist that we all wish we could be.

The greatest man I know has been in the St. Joseph’s Hospital ICU at least three times as a patient; he has endured open heart surgery, countless invasive medical procedures, hundreds of prescription drugs, and at least two strokes; he now goes to dialysis three times a week. In spite of this he has the most healthy and upbeat outlook on life in spite of his physical challenges and limitations.

The greatest man I know believes he has been blessed by this life; life hasn't worn him down, it has polished the rough spots away to reveal a purer sense of his true nature with a stronger appreciation for the world around him. He has become what I hope one day to be -- a great father, husband and man.

The greatest man I know is now living the “bonus days” we all get after life gives us a quick look at mortality. He doesn't talk about his faith in God – he doesn't have to, he lives that faith. The golden rule is a little more golden when this man applies it; and he doesn't worry about the details of faith because he knows where he is headed after this life is over and he doesn’t fear that step into the next room. He will be greeted well on the other side.

The greatest man I know doesn't always agree with me but he always tries to understand, guide and advise. He is a mentor, a role model, a motivator and a coach – and he has always been the best listener even if his
hearing wasn't so good.

The greatest man I know couldn't always afford to give his children everything they wanted but he made certain they had everything they needed; whether it was food on the table, a roof overhead, a used pair of cleats or a playable guitar. Mostly, he has given his children a faith in their own abilities and is a positive supporter of all of their endeavors.

The greatest man I know isn't a movie star, although his life would make for a great movie script. He isn't a famous athlete although he has this crazy wicked hook-shot no one can explain. And he isn’t an accomplished musician, though his harmonica playing has us all wondering from where he channels this talent. He could have been anything be wanted to be in life, but I think he would have still been the same man I know today.

In my lifetime, I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with many men -- college presidents, elected and appointed state officials, gifted educators, accomplished mathematicians and scientists, renowned artists and musicians and clergy -- many with national or international reputations. But the greatest man I know (or will ever know) is and has always been my father. For as long as I can remember he is the only man who I ever truly wished to be more like.

Pay it forward...

An amazing friend shared this story with me tonight, saying "You will appreciate this and be humbled as well. See there are good people out there... Keep the faith".  It's a great story of an American hero...  the sadness of what has happened and continues to happen to our elderly... and most of all, an example by lesson of what would make this a better world...  paying it forward and doing a random act of kindness.

I share it as it was shared with me:

I walked out of Wal Mart today and got in my car. As I began to pull out, I had to wait for a man in a wheelchair to pass by. As I watched him, I noticed that he was missing his right leg from the knee down and was wearing, what appeared to be, old, government issued, combat boots. He was (from my guess) in his late sixties/early seventies and seemed to be stopping to take a break. 

He had not realized that I had started my car and was attempting to pull out, so when he saw me, he waved in an apologetic manner and rolled forward three more times and took another break. I backed up my car the inches I had previously pulled forward, put it in park, turned off the engine, and got out. I walked up to him and introduced myself. I asked him if I could assist him with his shopping today, and he, quite grumpily, said that he was doing just fine and was not getting much anyways. Me, being as stubborn as I am, insisted and proceeded to push him and tell him a little about myself. 

He interrupted me and said that he only needed help to the door, to which I picked up where I had left off before he interrupted me. I told him about Fayetteville, and my horses, and my nephews (I had parked a good ways away from the doors). And when I reached the doors, I continued to push him and talk. We reached the produce area and I asked him to tell me about himself. He reluctantly looked at me and began telling me that he lived in Sod- Lincoln County, and that he just recently lost his wife. I asked him if he was a veteran, to which he replied that he was- but with pain on his face, so I changed the subject and asked if he had made a shopping list. He handed me a list with only four things on it: peanut butter, soup, bread, and bananas. So we began shopping and I continued to talk... hard to believe- I know. 

 Once we had gotten the items he needed, I asked if he needed the essentials: milk, eggs, butter. He told me that he might not make it home, without them going bad. So I questioned how he got to the store. He told me that he did what he was doing in the parking lot until he got to 119 and then hitch hiked with a trucker to the parking lot. So I called a taxi for him and grabbed the essentials plus a few other things and put them in the cart. After placing a gallon of milk in his cart he was crying. People were passing by us, looking sideways at him. I knelt down and asked him what was wrong and he replied, that I "was doing far too much for an old man that I barely knew." I told him that where I am from, and from the family I was raised in, we help one another, no matter the task and that I had never met a stranger. I also told him that he deserved everything I was doing for him because he fought for my freedom and sacrificed so much. 

We made it to the check out line and I paid for his groceries, against his request. When we got outside, we waited for the taxi together. He thanked me over and over again and appeared- to me- to have been in a much better mood than when I found him. When the taxi arrived, I helped him load his groceries and wheelchair into the taxi and asked the driver to take him home and help him into his house with his groceries. I gave him the only cash I had on me- $44, also against his will. I told him thank you for his service before closing the door. Tears formed again and he thanked me one last time and said, "God bless you." I returned to my car, and could not help but cry. 

This is the world we live in today. How many people passed him and would have continued to pass him while he struggled? How many people are willing to give their money to Vanity Fair to read all about Bruce Jenner and not help a veteran pay for his groceries? Today was a truly humbling experience for me, and I consider myself extremely blessed to have the capability of understanding what is truly important in this world. THAT man was a HERO, and far too many will say otherwise. I am sorry that this post was so long, and if you have read it to this point, I hope you are as humbled as I was. God bless the men and women who have fought for our right to view the wrong people as heroes, and thank God for the people who know better.

Let this story sink in, mull it around in your head and consider paying it forward.  Forget about the little things that bug us and focus on the good things that really matter.  Find someone today that needs you and your act of kindness.  Don't expect anything from it but a good feeling.  No one needs to know but you and your maker.  A random act of kindness can change the world.

Wake up America, Enough is Enough

My Grandfather watched as his friends died in WW I...

My Father watched as his friends died in WW II and Korea ....
I watched and waited as my friends fought for and died in Vietnam ....
I watched as my friends fought and died in Desert Storm...
I watched and waited while my son and friends fought in Iraq and Afghanistan...None of them fought for or died for the Mexican Flag...
Everyone fought for and died for the U.S. Flag!

In Texas, a student raised a Mexican flag on a school flag pole; another student took it down.
Guess who was expelled... The kid who took it down.
Kids in high school in California were sent home this year on Cinco de Mayo because they wore T-shirts with the American flag printed on them.

Enough is enough!

The below message needs to be viewed by every American;
And every American needs to stand up for America. We've bent over to appease the America-haters long enough...I'm taking a stand...
I'm standing up because the hundreds of thousands who died fighting in wars for this country, and for the U.S. Flag can't stand up...
And shame on anyone who tries to make this a racist message...
Let me make this perfectly clear!

THIS IS MY COUNTRY!
And, because I make This statement DOES NOT Mean I'm against immigration!!!

YOU ARE WELCOME HERE, IN OUR COUNTRY!

Welcome! To come through legally:
1. Get a sponsor!
2. Get a place to lay your head!
3.Get a job!
4.Live by OUR Rules!
5.Pay YOUR Taxes!

and, most importantly,

6.Learn the ENGLISH LANGUAGE like immigrants have in the past!!
7.Please don't demand that we hand over our lifetime Savings
of Social Security Funds to you.

If you don't feel the same or would be ashamed of what's written above,  for fear of offending someone, then YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM!

When will AMERICANS STOP giving away OUR RIGHTS???
We've gone so far the other way... bent over backwards not to offend
anyone for political correctness... the time is now to STOP.

It seems no one cares about the AMERICAN CITIZENS being
offended!  WAKE UP America !!!