Airline Safety Cards - What They Should Say…

Working for an airline gives you plenty of material to make you laugh. Some of the weirdest things are said and asked by passengers. For instance, there’s the story of a man calling up an airline and asking how long it takes to get to BOS (Boston). The agent says “one minute” as they begin to call the flight times on the computer and the man responds “great, thanks!” and hangs up. However, there are many things that I watched my airline do that also made me chuckle. One of the things that I tend to do when I get on the aircraft is check the safety features. You may scoff, but I’m off the mindset that being aware of your surroundings is good policy. I’ve always smirked at the safety cards though. Honestly, who is the graphic designer on these? I’ll admit, the ink has gotten sharper over the years, but the little drawings are still goofy at best. There’s a site you may want to visit called airtoons.com. Some jokers have come up with spoof on safety cards and put down captions that really make more sense with respect to the drawings the airlines put there. Here are some that will bring a smile to your face…especially if you are a “sky” warrior and are used to being carted around in a aluminum tube at FL350. Enjoy…I always do…..

~Kryptikos

Pslam 35:27 “May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, “The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant.”

A Pilot’s Flight Control Officer…

I used to be the guy you loved to hate when traveling. There were times you have been at the airport waiting to get on the plane and fly to your business meeting or back home after a long exhausting trip only to suddenly see those little letters on the display switch from “on-time” to “delayed” or “canceled”. Frustrating, yeah? Back before the 9/11 early retirement program I used to work a little known job in the aviation industry called a Flight Control Officer, more commonly known as an Aircraft Dispatcher.

What exactly is an Aircraft Dispatcher (AD)? The Aircraft Dispatcher Federation probably sums it up the best with the following points:

* The Aircraft Dispatcher is a licensed airman certificated by the Federal Aviation Administration.

* He/She has joint responsibility with the captain for the safety and operational control of flights under his/her guidance.

* He/She authorizes, regulates and controls commercial airline flights according to government and company regulations to expedite and ensure safety of flight.

* He/She is also responsible for economics, passenger service and operational control of day to day flight operations.
* He/She analyzes and evaluates meteorological information to determine potential hazards to safety of flight and to select the most desirable and economic route of flight.

* He/She computes the amount of fuel required for the safe completion of flight according to type of aircraft, distance of flight, maintenance limitations, weather conditions and minimum fuel requirements prescribed by federal aviation regulations.

* He/She prepares flight plans containing information such as maximum allowable takeoff and landing weights, weather reports, field conditions, NOTAMS and many other informational components required for the safe completion of flight.

* He/She prepares and signs the dispatch release which is the legal document providing authorization for a flight to depart.

* He/She delays or cancels flights if unsafe conditions threaten the safety of his/her aircraft or passengers.

* He/She monitors weather conditions, aircraft position reports, and aeronautical navigation charts to evaluate the progress of flight.

* He/She updates the pilot in command of significant changes to weather or flight plan and recommends flight plan alternates, such as changing course, altitude and, if required, enroute landings in the interest of safety and economy.

* He/She originates and disseminates flight information to others in his/her company including stations and reservations. This is the source of information provided to the traveling public.

* He/She has undergone extensive training to have earned the coveted Aircraft Dispatcher’s certificate having taken and passed both an extensive oral examination and the comprehensive Dispatch ADX test, administered by the Federal Aviation Administration. These tests are equivalent to the same Air Transport Pilot (ATP) written and oral examinations that an airline captain must successfully complete.

* He/She participates in frequent and detailed recurrent training courses covering aircraft systems, company operations policy, meteorology and Federal Air Regulations as required by the FAA.

Those get you off on the right track for understanding the responsibilities, but I’ll try to break it down into simpler chunks. The simplest way to think of an Aircraft Dispatcher is to think of mission control for NASA. They have a similar function but do it on an airline level. In the late 30’s an aviation disaster occurred when two planes collided in mid-air. Congress recognized that the country’s aviation industry was gearing up and was going to require oversight and plenty of safety. It was determined that airlines should have operational control over their flight operations and a position for a ground-based airman was developed to compliment the pilot’s position. The concept and mindset was and still is “two heads are better than one”. Thus the Aircraft Dispatcher was created.

The Aircraft Dispatcher’s Playground. Flying regulations are divided into sections called Parts. Each part has a numerical value that regulates certain areas of aviation. Part 91 is for general aviation. Part 135 is for freight and charter operations. When you fly on airlines such as American, Delta or United you are flying under Part 121. Although the Aircraft Dispatcher can work in any of these Parts, they were specifically created for Part 121. Each airline, being in charge of their own flight operations, maintains a “mission control” center usually called a Systems Operations Control Center (SOCC).  As the airlines grew, other names were applied to the AD. The companies I worked for tended to call us Flight Control Officers (perhaps rising from working in a control center). I’ve also heard Flight Superintendent used as well. But on the FAA Airman license it always reads “Aircraft Dispatcher”. We usually just called ourselves “sratchers” because we would “scratch” out flight plans, and “scratch” out changes on the fly when an issue would come up.

A control station for an AD usually consists of several computers and monitors, radios to communicate to ground crews, maintenance and aircraft and phones. Some groups have camera feeds to see where the birds are currently sitting (jetway, taxiway etc). I was always with airlines that were large enough to pay for services that piggie backed radar with ATC (Air Traffic Control) so we could watch our flights, observe traffic patterns, watch for weather movement and obtain information about heading, flight level and current speed. The radar is invaluable as it allows the AD to “read” ahead of what ATC is doing with his/her birds and make changes accordingly. Here are a few pictures of the playground:

The Skinny On The Scratcher. A pilot does a great job of flying the plane from point A to point B. The dispatcher is concerned with point A to B to C to D back to A and out to B again. It’s called operational control. Any issue such as crew qualifications (there are reams of regulations on that), maintenance issues on the aircraft (and you just thought every plane that flew was in perfect operating condition) and restrictions to flight, weather problems, incidents, emergencies, weight planning and any other concern that impacts the safety of the flight is the dispatcher’s issue.  The Captain and the Aircraft Dispatcher are concerned with your safety. It is common for the pilots to talk with their dispatchers during pre flight, during the flight and post flight. There is a regulation in Part 121 that enforces that a pilot in command (the Captain) and the AD must agree at all times or it is an automatic emergency and ATC must be informed. I cannot speak to all airlines as they do have operational control and can design their own operations plans, but only the dispatcher can cancel a flight. Either the Captain or the AD can delay a flight due to concerns, but the responsiblity to cancel a flight lies with the dispatcher. So I was the guy you hated when you saw the boards update with delayed or canceled. However, I assure you, 99.9% of the time the reason it is cancelled is due to safety concerns. Another unique aspect of the job is the plane cannot leave the ground without the “sratcher’s” signature on the flight release. If you don’t sign it the flight goes nowhere, period. What most folks don’t realize is that if you are a licensed airman and something happens on your watch (pilot or dispatcher) the FAA doesn’t come down and just hammer the airline. They will come and hammer you personally. You are charged with the safety of the individuals that step on your aircraft.

I enjoyed the job thoroughly. It can be boring at times when everything is running “smoothly” and can appear to be routine, however, there are times when you must seriously multi-task and make rapid fire decisions that impacts not just the safety of the flight, but how everyone’s day will run. If I were to delay a flight due to a concern that now just impacted the rest of the schedule and I had to then work with other dispatchers, the pilots and ATC to bring the system back up to speed. I will admit you could tell where weather was moving to based on how busy certain desks got busy (if duties were segregated by regions of the US).

Oh yeah…just as a side bar many people still confuse an Air Traffic Controller with a Flight Control Officer. ATC is the big traffic cop in the sky and on the ground. They have authority to move flights around, make a plane land for national security reasons (think 9/11) but they are concerned with the highways of the skies and the efficient traffic flow thereof. A Flight Control Officer is concerned with everything else. They are mission control for the airline.

Maybe this post has gotten a bit long so I’ll clean it up. Need to maintain operation control of my blog here. There is so much more to an Aircraft Dispatcher’s responsiblities that I think I’ll write a few more posts on it. Just remember there are dedicated professionals who are keeping watch over you, the pilots, the birds and your safety when you start rolling across the taxiway. That person has eyes on during the entire flight and if not already taking action is but a radio call away.

~Kryptikos

Pslam 34:7 “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.”

The Need For Speed

Driving back in from lunch I noticed the clouds are getting lower. Rain is forecasted and the humidity is up. Which makes for great plane watching. I work very close to a major international airport. I can stand outside and watch the big Boeing birds with their feathers and gears deployed on short final. It’s always fun to see the vorticies from the wing types materialize in these conditions. Watching them peel off and curl into a white/gray whisper is impressive. What’s more fun is hearing the vortices as they settle. A cracking whisper is how I would describe it.

I think what has always amazed me about flight is not just the fact that you can take metal and hurl it through the air…but the fact that you can take something that is heavier than air and not only just fly, but fly at 500 kts and at FL400 (flight level 40,000 feet). Speed is life to an airplane. Speed up and you not only fly faster but you tend to climb as well. Sweet. Ever since man first started to fly he’s tried to go higher and farther and faster. Many planes have broken records which leads us to the subject of this post. The ultimate speed bird.

The ultimate speed bird is the venerable SR-71. This is perhaps one of the finest shots I have ever seen taken of the Blackbird. If I knew the photographer’s name I would post the credit because he derserves it for this awesome head on picture.

Time for some quick trivia for you aviation buffs. The SR-71 is a technical marvel. There was a book written by a gentleman named of Ben Rich. Aptly enough it was named “Skunk Works“. It is a must read for aviation enthusiasts. A fascinating story about his experiences and time as an aeronautical engineer with Lockheed’s Skunk Works program. Although the U.S. Air Force ultimately took over the program, the SR-71 was initially designed for the CIA. Ben was a junior engineer at the time under the guidance of the legendary aero-engineer Kelly Johnson. Some interesting facts that I learned about the Blackbird are:

- It was not painted black for “stealth”. The Blackbird flies too fast and too high to be seen. Black made no difference with respect to hiding the bird. As with most aircraft, heat and weight are its enemies. The faster you fly the hotter things get. The more weight you pack onto her the slower  she goes. For a time the engineers were struggling on how to cool the skin of the airframe at the speeds she was required to fly. Ben made a comment in a meeting about painting the Blackbird black. Kelly Johnson exploded on him about what a stupid idea that was, how they would have to add weight with paint and he was basically an idiot for even suggesting that. Turns out later in the hallway Kelly stopped Ben and told him he was brilliant. I consider myself a reasonalby intelligent guy, but this is why those types of engineers are paid handsomly. It’s a simple matter of physics. The color black absorbs the most heat of all the colors. However, at the same time, it is also the fastest emitter of heat. By painting the Blackbird black the engineers were actually able to cool the skin of the airframe.

- She was originally designated RS-71 (for reconnisance), but Gen. Curtis LeMay (famed Air Force Chief of Staff) changed the designator to SR for Strategic Reconnisance).

- The only metal available at the time that could withstand the intense temperatures of speed was titanium. The United States did not have enough resources of the metal so the CIA set up a front company and purchased the material from the world’s largest supplier…the Soviet Union…the very country the SR-71 was going to be used to spy upon.

- They never solved the problem of the fuel tank sealants. According to Ben every compond and material they tried would end up having problems. It was pure happenstance on the material they did finally use would expand and hold the seal while in flight. Once the aircraft was back on the ground the seals would cool and contract and fuel would leak out like a sieve.

Ok, time to wrap this up. The book is well worth reading and goes into far more detail than anything you’ll find on the Internet. Ben Rich had an extraordinary career and worked on the U-2, SR-71, and F-117 programs. Even if you are not an aviation buff, the aspect of science and math these guys used to overcome problems and the interesting things they learned during the process is fascinating.Give it a read.

Signing off from FL880.

~Kryptikos

Job 39:26 “Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom and spread his wings toward the south?”

For The Love Of Flight…

I’ve been a little down the past few weeks. I’ve noticed when you are down your mind tends to kick into overdrive on reflection. You begin to think about things you’ve done, experiences you’ve had, decisions you’ve made…you effectively begin to wander down memory lane. My memory lane opened up a door that I had shut for a little while. Luckily the key was still in the lock so I just gave a quick twist and the hinges allowed me to creak it open. Alot of good memories came flooding back.

My dad didn’t realize it, but a choice of his made way back even before I was born would have a great impact on me. You see when my dad graduated college he had a “small” speed bump that would interrupt his plans for life. It was something called Vietnam. My father, never being one to shirk duty, knew his number was going to be called and instead of like so many who hid behind school or ran to Canada he stood up and volunteered for military service. He shopped the services and talked with them all about what they could offer. Ultimately he chose the Air Force because they offered more education and additional bonuses (and he thought the jets were cool). So in the mid ’60s he went off into the wild blue yonder.

That wild blue yonder career meant I grew up around metal birds. If I remember correctly I flew for the first time when I was 5 or 6 and let me tell you, I was hooked. The sounds were the first things I remember. Hearing the airplanes flying overhead, the engines screaming as they pushed and propelled the sweptback lines and curves through the sky and the sunlight catching, reflecting across the aluminum feathers. Walking down the jetway and smelling the warm humid air mixed with the jetfuel tantalized the senses. I distinctly remember sitting at the window staring out as I felt the aircraft begin to move under her own power. Feeling the thump thump as the gears traversed the taxi way and lining up for take off. What an awesome sensation as I sat there feeling the jets roar to life and press me back into my seat, feeling the nose begin to rise and gravity tugging me back. Yeah, it is an accurate statement to say I was hooked.

As I grew older my love never changed. I lived to watch jets and prop jobs buzzing around. One of my favorite things was to go with my dad to the flight line and crawl on the birds I could get access to. I always wanted to be a pilot. Always wanted to fly and plastered my room with pictures. I had two walls solidly covered with pictures of airplanes. I remember when my now brother-in-law first began dating my sister. He was an Air Force Academy cadet well on his way to becoming a pilot so I liked him off the bat. At the wedding he made a remark that once he saw my room he knew that he and I would get along just fine.

In college I worked as a hangar rat. I was lucky enough to be hired on by a little FBO and assisted the A&P mechanics on small to medium aircraft. After I graduated I ended up working in aviation until the 9/11 early retirement program. I made the transition to technology after that. Technology pays the bills, but my eyes still roam skyward watching my metal feathered friends. Yeah, I can feel the desire welling back up…I think there will be some more blogs about this. Maybe share some experiences, hear from those that have a love for aviation like I do.

More soon….

~Kryptikos

Isaiah 40:31 ” but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Windows Vista Source Code Revealed!!

Ahhh Vista…It reminds me of the cars produced by Detroit in the late 70s. I consider it a 1976 Monte Carlo. A big ol’ large barge that floated on skinny tires, weighed well over two and a half tons and the V8 churned a measly 140 horsepower. Oh yeah, and in the middle of the oil embargo it ran on crude oil only and returned a remarkable 3 gallons to the mile! But hey, if you bought one, GM would throw in at no additional cost a large gold medallion to impress the ladies with (nothing like a little bling), and dating tips to leave the top three buttons of your shirt undone. Yeah, that’s what Vista is…a big ol’ 1976 Monte Carlo with bling.

Anyways, I digress from the title of my post here. I discovered this today out on the Internet! It’s Windows’ Vista Source Code!! Too funny…again, tip my hat to the developer of this little ditty. My personal favorites are #include “sco_unix.h” and while (!CRASHED). Classic…enjoy a little humor for your morning….

~Kryptikos

James 1:3 “because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.”

“Death Star Canteen” - Starring Legos

I needed a good laugh today. If you play video games you may have noticed that they’ve built a Star Wars game that revolves around Legos. Pretty neat. Well somebody took that a step further and started making stop-motion animation using Legos and playing out comedy skits of Eddie Izzard. This one is just flat out classic and hilarious. I laughed so hard out loud that other folks started asking me what was going on. Warning to those who might have kids around when they watch it, there are a few bad words, but the skit is clean otherwise and just down right funny. My favorite line is the comment about the trays and the rain forest. Brilliant, yeah?

Need a good laugh to cheer your day? This is it…To whomever came up with this, thank you!

~Kryptikos

Proverbs 15:30 “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.”

This Just In: Comcast Wants Consumer Bill Of Rights

Browsing my technology news I see Comcast is suddenly doing the large corporate jig now that the FCC is looking into their denial of service actions. You’re going to quickly note a thick layer of sarcasm slathered on here…the celestial choirs started singing and preaching to Comcast’s management and they suddenly feel that the consumer needs a ‘bill of rights’ (oh yeah, and responsibilities). Essentially now they want to set up guidelines for how to deal with file-sharing traffic (bitorrent feeds) that places a heavy load on their network infrastructure.

Swiftly the Comcast policy is changing where “rather than singling out such traffic and blocking some of it, the company will move toward a system that treats all types the same.” Why are they whistling another tune? Simple, they are afraid of government action. What more is they say just as much in a veiled quote. From the article “Comcast spokesman Charlie Douglas said Tuesday’s announcement is ‘another example of how we can work with the industry to solve these issues rather than getting the government involved. Regulation won’t be able to keep up with the pace of change in the technology, he said’.”

I’ve been following Comcast closely. You’ll see from previous posts that I have a rather strong opinion on this matter. Comcast actively chose to have a policy that restricted and denied service to paying customers and more so cloaked their actions. The initially denied it when some tech savy people first pointed it out, then had the audacity to defend their actions when the FCC started to inquire on behalf of the consumer. Now that Congress and the FCC has gotten involved they are switching to the “comon, can’t we all just get along” method. They don’t like the fact that Congress is looking into creating a bill that would force Internet neutrality upon providers. Instead, they say they would be much better and can protect the consumer with a bill of rights.

I find it comical that Comcast now sings about how industry can solve these issues without the government getting involved. I suspect that their DoS policy would not have changed if it were not for the efforts of some technical types forcing the issue and bringing their practices out into the open for the consumer to see. Industry, unfortunately, does not have the greatest record about keeping consumers best interests in mind. Doubt that? Think about all the different regulations we have had to put in place due to industry “looking out for your best interest”…Sarbanes-Oxley, HIPPA, OSHA are just to name a few, not to mention all of the attorney general for consumer affairs divisions we have in the country. Companies such as Comcast are content to treat you in a manner that benefits them the most. Separation from you money is their primary focus. Service always seems to get shuttled to a distant second.

The bottom line is cable Internet works on shared bandwidth. Comcast did not want to invest the money to increase the capabilities of their network to handle the increased demands of the consumer. They state that regulation won’t be able to keep up with the pace of change? Please…Comcast can’t keep up with the pace of change. They are either too greedy, too ignorant or both to keep up with change. If I was a bettin’ man my money would be on the greed part. What incentive is there for them to invest millions if not billions into infrastructure if they can play cloak and dagger with your datastream and just kill it while collecting your monthly payment? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not for big government, but I’m definitely not for big monopolistic cable corporations either. This is an appropriate place for the government to step in and smack the hand. Comcast is the last company that needs to come up and propose a consumer bill of rights.

~Kryptikos

Deuteronomy 25:15 “You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.”

Mit Luftpost Bitte - Sending A Letter To Those Who Are Loved

In my previous post Caught By Your Father I recounted a memory I had that showed my father’s quiet love for his son and catching me in a moment of danger. This led to other memories.

I lived overseas for a while. It was one of the best times of my life (especially when looking back on it). The experiences and opportunities to travel were fantastic. I have to admit I was disappointed when I was discharged from the Army on a medical issue, as I was slotted to go back to Germany. I was looking forward to spending more time in Europe and taking my wife to the places I explored while over there as a teenager. Although my mom will laugh and say that the “Exit” sign was what I most looked for in the art museums, I was able to explore many works of art, literature, points of interest and many different people and cultures. While over there my sister’s husband, who is an Air Force pilot, was called away for training and the first Gulf War. To support her, she came over to stay with us for a few weeks. During that time she wrote her husband letters of love that only a wife can do. Every afternoon she would seal up what she wrote and walk down to the Bundespost office. Since she was not used to the German language she could only say a few short words and would utter the simple phrase “mit luftpost bitte”. That translates to “with the airmail please”. Her letters of love and support would fly from her heart, to the airmail and ultimately to her husband.

God wrote you a letter of love too. Although He doesn’t require “luftpost” for delivery, He wrote a love letter to us through His Word. The Bible is a letter to you full of wisdom and the counts of how The One and Only Living God cherishes and loves you so very much. His letter is full of encouragement, mercy, healing, and love…all you have to do is open it. It is addressed to you and the Postman happens to be Jesus. A friend of mine sent me a unique form of His letter. It is worth passing along…

You may not know me, but I know everything about you. (Psalm 139:1)

I know when you sit down and when you rise up. (Psalm 139:2)

I am familiar with all your ways. (Psalm 139:3)

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered. (Matthew 10:29-31)

For you were made in my image. (Genesis 1:27)

In me you live and move and have your being. (Acts 17:28 )

For you are my offspring. (Acts 17:28 )

I knew you even before you were conceived. (Jeremiah 1:4-5)

I chose you when I planned creation. (Ephesians 1:11-12)

You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book. (Psalm 139:15-16)

I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live. (Acts 17:26)

You are fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14)

I knit you together in your mother’s womb. (Psalm 139:13)

And brought you forth on the day you were born. (Psalm 71:6)

I have been misrepresented by those who don’t know me. (John 8:41-44)

I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love. (1 John 4:16)

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you. (1 John 3:1)

Simply because you are my child and I am your Father. (1 John 3:1)

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could. (Matthew 7:11)

For I am the perfect father. (Matthew 5:48 )

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand. (James 1:17)

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs. (Matthew 6:31-33)

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Because I love you with an everlasting love. (Jeremiah 31:3)

My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore. (Psalms 139:17-18 )

And I rejoice over you with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17)

I will never stop doing good to you. (Jeremiah 32:40)

For you are my treasured possession. (Exodus 19:5)

I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul. (Jeremiah 32:41)

And I want to show you great and marvelous things. (Jeremiah 33:3)

If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me. (Deuteronomy 4:29)

Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)

For it is I who gave you those desires. (Philippians 2:13)

I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine. (Ephesians 3:20)

For I am your greatest encourager. (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)

I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you. (Psalm 34:18 )

As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart. (Isaiah 40:11)

One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes. (Revelation 21:3-4)

And I’ll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth. (Revelation 21:3-4)

I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus. (John 17:23)

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed. (John 17:26)

He is the exact representation of my being. (Hebrews 1:3)

He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you. (Romans 8:31)

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins. (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled. (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you. (1 John 4:10)

I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love. (Romans 8:31-32)

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me. (1 John 2:23)

And nothing will ever separate you from my love again. (Romans 8:38-39)

Come home and I’ll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen. (Luke 15:7)

I have always been Father, and will always be Father. (Ephesians 3:14-15)

My question is…Will you be my child? (John 1:12-13)

I am waiting for you. (Luke 15:11-32)

Love, Your Dad.

God’s letter is for every man, woman and child. It makes no difference what your past is, who you are, the things you may or may not have done. This letter of love was written to all. This letter will stand in time for eternity. The pages will not crinkle, age or its ink fade. “For God so loved the world that He sent His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16) sums it up. If you accept Christ as your Saviour then the Holy Spirit puts a stamp upon your heart and Christ seals your name in the Father’s book as “received”.

I’ve been mocked before for trying to help deliver this letter. I’ve been told “return to sender” and they simply lower the flag on their heart telling God there is no need to come back for pick up. No letters to send back to Him. My hope is that you will take a few moments to reflect on His love letter. My hope is you will take the time to write a response to Him. The letter He hopes to receive from you is very small. You send this letter mit luftpost which is prayer. “Lord Father, I need you…nobody but you…I am a sinner Lord and have run away from you, rebelled against you, didn’t want you, Father please forgive me, I am turning away from me Lord and to you. Jesus I accept you as the Way, the Truth and the Life, I accept you as Lord and Saviour. Please come live in me and through me. Thank you for loving me and saving me”.

Maybe you are struggling with what to write back. Maybe you have questions. Consider me a postal clerk. Feel free to ask me questions. Just remember, God loves you for who you are…not what you are. He’ll meet you wherever you are. There is no price for the stamp. Please feel free to contact me. If you are a believer pass along His letter to others.

~Kryptikos

2 Corinthians 3:3 ” You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”

‘ClustrMaps’ Where Readers Are From…

A buddy of mine told me he had a neat little applet addition to his blog. I checked it out and thought it was pretty nifty and wanted to pass it along. ClustrMaps allows you to check out and display a map to show the geographical region where the connoisseurs of your blog hail from as well as miscellaneous site data.  It’s a neat little enhancement that adds some fun and lets you, as well as other readers, view the areas your blog is making an impact (or at least perhaps a bit popular).

ClustrMaps is free. A quick and simple registration asks you for the URL of your blog and your email address. Once it validates your email, it will send you a password to login. And that’s where it gets even easier. ClustrMaps takes the pain out of html coding by creating the necessary code to display the widget. All you have to do is literally copy and paste which code version you need into a text box widget. I say code version because they present code for different blog environments…meaning, some sites may have restrictions in place for embedded html code, or you have a myspace blog. I found that the basic code they build out works fine in a text box on WordPress. For WordPress users go to your theme management page…add a “text” box to one of your columns…and then paste in the code. That’s it…good to go.

It does look like the software is in beta so expect enhancements and possibly bugs. So far I have not heard of or seen bugs.  The only thing that bugs me a little bit is the lack of a secure login. Seeing as though my interests lie in information security and encryption that’s a little frustrating. The only advice I would give to you if you sign up is create a throw away password that you don’t use for any other accounts. As with everything in life it seems, you can have more for a price. The basic registration is free, however, the free version attaches small advertisements to the map when you view it (a minor annoyance for free). They do have more features for a nominal fee that subtract the adverts if you’d like to upgrade.

I just added the widget to my blog today and I was told it takes about 24 hours for it to start collecting statistics. You’ll see it in the upper left hand corner of my blog. Either way, it’s a fun blog enhancement that doesn’t take up much room and is not intrusive. Since I just signed up ,I cannot relate fully my experience, but so far I think it’s worth signing up for. I’ll post more updates as I watch it come along. If you want it, click the link below. It will open a new window, so watch the pop up blockers. Happy clustr-ing.

CLUSTRMAPS

~Kryptikos

Joshua 18:8 ” As the men started on their way to map out the land, Joshua instructed them, “Go and make a survey of the land and write a description of it. Then return to me, and I will cast lots for you here at Shiloh in the presence of the LORD.”

Caught By Your Father…

I got angry about something yesterday. Some inconsiderate person pushed the wrong button and I let them have it verbally. This past weekend and first half of the week my wife had to be admitted into the hospital. Being worried about someone you love while talking with doctors who have no answers can be extraordinarily frustrating. Doesn’t excuse my actions but operating on limited sleep has a way of lowering your thresholds. My words were correct, but I let my tongue fly a little bit more and momentarily pressed pause on my Christianity and booted into my worldly personality. I had to have a talk with God about that last night. During my quiet time He reminded me of His love, but also about how He is always with me during times of stress, doubt, worry and uncertainty. He reminded me how He has knitted Himself into the fabric of our relationships, experiences and situations…even if we do not see Him, He is there. But more so He reminded me of my dad.

My dad is the quiet type. He’s not one to stand out in the crowd and he prefers it that way. Always the type of man who works to provide for his family and has never asked for much in return. Dad traveled a lot while I was growing up, but you know, he was always there when I needed “dad”. My father has taught me what it means to be a man. To do jobs to the best of my ability even when I hated it. To stand accountable for your actions as a man. To stand in your convictions even when others say the opposite and demand compromise. But mostly he has showed me how to be dependable in quiet love.

Quiet love? What is that? Well…quiet love, I think, is what the Father equips men with. Men may not always be the best at relating emotion or compassion…but a quiet love is the type of love that is ready to act without hesitation, at a moment’s notice to catch his loved one. A quiet love reacts without conditions or stopping to weigh the outcome. A quiet love is a dependable love.

My dad loves to ski. Ever since the first time on the slopes of the mighty Rockies in Colorado he’s been hooked. One of the most distinct memories I have growing up is an experience I had while skiing with my dad. I couldn’t have been much older than 8. The day was winding down and with other activities planned my dad wanted to shoot the slopes one more time. Anything that my dad wanted to do I wanted to do too. So off we went and got in line. It’s always interesting how quickly events can change in a matter of seconds. I remember watching the ski-lift chair come about and readying myself, being hit by the outer pole and flung upwards. For those of you who don’t ski, the chair doesn’t stop. It catches you and then swings upwards while rising rapidly. I remember the “fling”, and realized I was about to fall when my father’s strong hands reached out and grabbed me. That quiet love realized his son was in trouble and with the strength that God gives fathers, he reached out and snatched me from the danger. There I dangled, for what seemed a long time to a kid, while the ski operators reacted to come help. But I remember my dad saying “Hold on son, I’ve got you”. I was scared, but knew I was safe because my dad was there. He had caught me.

The Father is like that and more. He has a quiet and dependable love that surpasses any human capability or understanding. A Father who loves us so much He sent His son Jesus to redeem us all. God reminded me through that memory of my father that with Jesus’ outstretched arm, He has caught me from my fall. God reminds me during the storms, the worries and the sense of uncertainty, “Hold on my child, I’ve got you.” God has a quiet love that is always available, never ending, and a strength everlasting. It was an awesome feeling knowing my father caught me on that ski lift and saved me from falling. It is an indescribable sensation of awesome knowing my Father caught me and saved me from death with His quiet love through Jesus Christ. Once I was safely down back on the ground, my father’s quiet love carried through. He jumped down as well, never leaving his child. Now magnify that by infinity and you haven’t even scratched the surface of how great God’s love is for you. He’ll never leave you and will always be there for you.

Feel as though you are on the edge? Feel as though you are falling in life? God is literally a breath away. Jesus stands with open arms to catch you. Turn your eyes upon Jesus and look into His wonderful face. The things of earth will turn strangely dim as the song goes. Want to know more contact me and I’ll be happy to talk…

Thanks dad for the quiet love. I love you greatly.

Thank you Father for teaching my dad and me about quiet love. I love you more and more each day and give all praise and honor and glory to you.

-Kryptikos

Matthew 14:30-32 “Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.