Recently, we had a rocketry outing, with a couple new rockets, and a few old favorites as well...We were able to put together a two camera shoot to document our successes and failures...I did not include all rocket launches from the day, but definatly a couple of noteworthy launches...Brian's largest rocket, powered by three E9-6 rocket motors, had one two awesome launches...Each awesome if their own way...If you wanna see what I'm talking about watch our video, and tell us what you think...Also, all rockets were launched using our custom designed and built countdown rocket launcher, see in my last post...

My roomate, Brian, and I decided to design and build our very own countdown timer for launching rockets...Brian being an avid rocketeer, hates those cheap Estes rocket launchers...We breadboarded the circuit and after several revisions we agreed on a design, that we would then make into a custom PCB or printed circuit board...You can hear an explaination of how this device works as well as see it in action...So download the video and check it out...

Today, July 28th, starts the World Series of Poker - Main Event in Las Vegas, NV...This $10,000 buy-in tournament boasts the largest prize pool in all of professional poker...Not to mention the largest field of players from all over the world...This year they have over 8700 entrants to the Main Event, with an estimated first prize of $10,000,000...In order to get the field down to a reasonable number they have divided up "Day 1" into four days of play at the Rio, in downtown Las Vegas...As I write this Day 1 is underway for the first group of players, Including my favorite to win this year, Phil Helmuth...While Phil may not be my favorite player in general, I think many say he is playing the best tournament poker of his life...So far this WSOP he has made 3 final tables, and won his record 10th bracelet...He now joins the ranks of poker greats Doyle Brunson, and Johnny Chan...I am getting my coverage from the World Series of Poker webpage, as well as Card Player Magazine webpage...

As everyone knows, the 4th of July is my favorite holiday...This year I took video of two shows, and snapped a few pictures...So I posted them all on my pyrotechnics page here at cjurczak.com...Please go check it out and download the video and tell me what you think...

I new photo set is up on Flickr with photos of a party announcingDigg v3...While this doesn't sound like a big deal, most of you know that digg.com is my favorite tech news website...If you haven't checked it out yet you should...I suggest you make this your first story that you "digg"...Digg version three is going to pack all kind of new features, many of which we don't even know about yet...If you want to hear about all the new features, check out this weeks edition of Diggnation Kevin and Alex will be going over all the newest features...If you haven't tried digg.com or haven't found it interesting, I suggest you check it out next week, you will hopefully find it more exciting than ever...If you have any questions about digg.com feel free to ask me, also if you are a member add me as a friend...my username is "cjurczak" View some of the pics on my webpage or the whole photo set on Flickr...

In an article I found on Digg.com, I learned that the F-22 Raptor has been tested to perform high altitude, high speed bomb drops...Combined efforts from Boeing, Lockheed Martin and the US Air Force were successful at dropping a JDAM bomb from 50,000 feet traveling at Mach 1.5 and score a direct hit on its target...This is previously unheard of in conventional fighters or bombers...The GPS guided bomb has the range of 24 miles when dropped for those kinds of heights and speeds...Typically a pilots will slow their aircraft down and decrease altitude during a bomb drop, but with this new ability the F-22 offers a safer platform for pilots...The F-22 maybe an expensive aircraft, but it continues to prove its worth with outstanding performance and increase survivability of its priceless crew...This new age fighter will no doubt tally up a few for the good guys...

On my trip to Lincoln, IL for the annual S&N Display Fireworks Test Fire I video taped the display...Keep in mind I am not a video guy, nor do I have nice equipment...This video is about 90 minutes in length, and about 100MB in size...It has been compressed as a Windows Media Video (WMV) file at 128k/bs...So if you are interested feel free to download the video and let me know what you think...

Cubs opened their home season today in Chicago, at historic Wrigley Field, versus the St. Louis Cardinals...This is the 91st season for the Cubs at Wrigley Field, also note that their have been some changes at Wrigley Field...They have renovated the bleacher section in the outfield...I have posted some pictures of the complete renovations taken just days before opening day...The Cubs sent future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux to the mound just one week from his 40th birthday... Maddux got his 319th win, in a 5-1 victory over the Cards...Cubs were very active at this plate, and on the bases, Derrek Lee hit a line drive round trip with the wind blowing in on the field...Congrats to the start of another great season at the great Wrigley Field, and congrats on a win against the Cardinals.

Cubs start off their season right with the blessing of our Commander and Chief, President Bush, who threw out the first pitch...The Chicago Cubs defeat the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati, on opening day with a score of 16-7...The Cubs tied a club record for most runs scored on opening day, set last year in 2005... Cubs rallied for 5 in the first, 7 in the sixth, and 4 in the ninth...Cubs combined put a total of 18 knocks on the board, with one error by Gold Glove first basemen Derrek Lee...

The Chicago Cubs open their 2006 season in one week from today...On April 3rd the Cubs face the Cincinnati Reds , on the road in Cincinnati, OH...Gametime is 1:10PM CST, on WGN...If you are one of the lucky few to have tickets let me know if you are going...You can bet I will be sitting on the couch watching the game...I'd go out to watch it, but I won't be able to get it on a TV anywhere since the Cardinals will be playing at 2:05PM...I live way to close to Cardinal Country...Quick note, Wrigley Field Home Opener falls on April 7th against the St. Louis Cardinals...

My congratulations to Illinois Republican Candidate for governor Judy Baar Topinka...I want to also thank everyone who made it out to the poles for the primaries...Now we need to continue the push and get even more people registered and voting come time for the general election in November...I hope for a good clean election season between Topinka and Blagojevich, and all the other candidates...

Today I drove back to my hometown of Danville, IL so I could vote...You might ask wait its not Tuesday...Well incase you didn't know, Illinois has legislation so that you can vote in elections early...This is to increase voter turn out, and get more people involved...Talk to your local election committee for the details in your district...So if you haven't voted already you will have to wait until Tuesday March 21st to head out to the polls...

Illinois democrats, and Blagojevich, can't decided how to pay for promised school construction program...Including download Bethalto as well as 23 other school districts across the state...Bethalto alone has been promised 150 million in Illinois grant money, but Blagojevich hasn't delivered...The Governors office has responded saying that the governor wants to change legislation that allows businesses to lease software, which means they don't pay sales tax...This will generate an apoximate value of 65 million each year...This is how he wants to fun the school construction program...There are a couple of problems with this...First, this plan would take over 2 years to pay off the funded promised to Bethalto school district, and decades more to the 23 other promised school districts...Just putting off the state fiscal problems till later...Second problem, is that Blagojevich has promised this money, from the software sales tax, to help out the struggling Chicago Transit Authority, that is threating to cut service to some areas of the city...So he is spreading the already insuffient funds way to thin to please me or many other fiscally conservative Illinois citizens...

This plan to pay for Illinois schools is the wrong approach...Not says this this software loophole needs to remain, but it is not an effective way to pay for our Illinois schools...I recommend making cuts in some of the governors programs which he has crammed more money than is needed, such as Illinois Public Aid, of state administrative costs... ...While, the governors usual tactics are find something and tax it, works it also puts a burden on the Illinois struggling economy...So if you are in Bethalto, or the other 23 school districts, promised money by this governor's office, I suggest you get out to the poles for the primaries, March 21, 2006, and the general election November 7, 2006, and get Illinois a new governor...

Champaign News-Gazette Endores Brady...Illinois Sen. Bill Brady has received an endorsement from the News-Gazette, based on his plans to repair Illinois' fiscal problems...Brady's leadership experience in the Illinois State General Assembly, and in area business makes him my candidate of choice for Illinois Governor ...Some of Sen. Brady's goals are to be sure the state is accountable for education, and maintaining only those services essential to the citizens of Illinois...The primaries are on March 21, 2006 so make sure you hit the poles, and be sure to Register to Vote, if you haven't already...