Coverth All The Bases

We are going to cover a few things here, so sit down and take a load off.

I really enjoyed listening to those "hipster know-it-alls" on This American Life on KCRW, Santa Monica Public Radio.

Ol' Blue Eyes was playing with a new Mac at work, trying to figure out how to use this "easy-t0-use" computer.



Why is the photo backwards? I don't know, must a Mac feature!

We got our roof finished up on Saturday. The roofers did a good job, not too many plants destroyed. But the inside of the garage is not QUITE how they found it.

There's a bit of gunk on the water heater!



I'm PRETTY sure I didn't leave that box and tire THERE!
And, my oil can is missing! (found it later, in the wagon...)



Hey, there's a fox hunting antenna on my model railroad! Good thing I covered the railroad with plastic (several years ago, albeit.)



Box of plastic misc. parts spilleded on the floor. Just outrageous!



The final gift from the roofers, a nail I found in my shoe. Thought it was a rock, at first!



Oh, and I just finished that book. Too little, too late!

I thought this bird was one of those fake scare-birds, but a little while late it was gone, so either it fell off, or flew away!



Crow or hawk? Or what?

Pet Peeve: Typos on greeting cards...



The sunflower in the front yard are growing really well. Thick stalks, much sturdier than the anemic ones in the back yard. Maybe they will grow tall enough to block the view!



My Gerber Mark II Combat Survival knife sheath has developed some kind of corrosion between the brass and the leather. What's up with THAT?

Green goo!



Look like a leaking battery!



It's corruded away!



Lastly, a closeup of the sunflower jungle in the front yard. There are a couple of sweet peas in there, and some weeds, too.

Stuff

I was looking for something in the garage yesterday, but I never found it, because I got BURIED in piles of stuff.

I have so MUCH crap in the garage, it is unbelievable!

Here is some of it:

• Slides from an Adelanto motocross in 1974.
• Slides from U.S. Gran Prix motocross at Carlsbad.
• Gerber Mark II with decomposing sheath snap. Yeah, it's GREEN!
• Program listings from computer class, circa 1981. COBOL, BASIC, etc...
• LM frequency meter tag. Hey, this boat anchor is for sale, BTW!
• Tecate To Ensenada medal I found.
• Father's Day cards, both to AND from.
• Business Card-size cards with obnoxious sayings on them.
• Library fine book from Pershing Jr. High School, circa 1965!
• VIC-20 programming and mod articles.
• Apple ][ programming and mod articles.
• Novice Roundup log.
• WAMO log.
• QSL card from a guy Phillip and I met back in 1965.
• And LOTS of other junk!
• Manual for Ringo Ranger
• Baby picture of Kimberly.
  

And I"m not saying this is VALUELESS stuff, but it's not what I'm looking for. I'm looking for a piece of paper with the serial number of the FMH transceiver that disappeared a decade and a half ago, so I could post a "Wanted Poster" here. Just on the off-chance...

But what I WANTED to say was, I found an article that struck a chord with me back in the day. But THAT'S not important.

What's interesting is, I Googled the author, found his books (out of print) and a couple articles written by him, and that's about all. No bio, no web page.

On the other hand, I Googled his children's names, and came up with his ex-wife's class reunion page, in which we find all SORTS of information about her and them, including her picture, and their birthdates.

You probably want to know who the author is.

I'm not telling you.

Ain't the intarnets wonderful?

Littering

Oh "CIGGY" from Wisconsin, why do you come to the Golden State to toss your burning cigarette butt out the window? Why don't you go badger someone, and somewhere, else? Especially when I'm listening to Street Hassle on the CD, and I'm just in a mood to give your black Solera a love-tap?

• Not absolutely positive about the automobile model.
• Was not actually listening to Street Hassle, but it WAS Lou.
• License plate may not be correct, but it IS representative.
  
• Badger, get it?

A tip of the fedoda to ACME License Maker!!

No Smoke Yet

UPDATE:

I have spoken to the powers, as it were, that be. The power switch in question has been determined to be defective, and so a new one is being ordered.

I have volunteered the use of my trusty Weller soldering gun when it comes time to do the deed.

Not my home Weller that has needed a new tip for the last 20 years, but my work Weller, the one that hasn't been dropped, AND has a good tip. Although the light doesn't work.

A Solder's Christmas Poem

The title has nothing much to do with this, just another typo on the intarwebs! Click here to see it in situ.

Interesting electrical problem I came across at work.

Someone complained of sparks coming from their computer cart (hold 20 laptops w/chargers).

I didn't do the investigation, I'm just documenting it for you edification.

I observed some arcing on the plug.



Here is the layout of the power distribution system in the cart. Power comes in through the cord, goes through the power switch/circuit breaker, then out to the receptacles in what is probably a spring-grippy sort of thing. I would like to take one apart. The layout looks pretty good.



Let us take a closer look at the power switch. Oh oh!! I don't know where where the sparks were seen, but THIS isn't good! Looks like someone forgot to solder the wires to the power switch/circuit breaker! The wire on the left might even look a little discoloured, or maybe it was tinned, I don't know.



I guess we'll solder the wires to the power switch, and give it the ol' smoke test!

Later!

Poppy!

We went on little trip up to the California State Poppy Reserve yesterday. It's about four hours from San Diego, not counting the odd ill-advised detour. That is, we passed a rental RV from Canada, took a detour designed to save time, and passed the SAME RV in Pasadena.

We also saw a lot of accidents. I swear there were AT LEAST 15 accidents. On the way back, just south of Santa Clarita, there was a semi rig stopped in the middle of the freeway, with a Highway Patrol parked behind him, lights a=blinking! Then we noticed that another Highway Patrol was behind us, do the zig-zag thing, stopping all traffic! So we were that last ones through!

Here is my first picture of the poppy fields.



Seems to be a tuck in the way! Whoops!

Here's a better one.



This is the line waiting to pay their four dollars for parking. You don't NEED to park there, you can park down on the main road, but it's a bit of a walk. Actually, there are plenty of poppies to see without even going into the poppy reserve. The whole valley is covered in them!

We also did a little geocaching, and came down through San Francisquito Canyon, which has a lot of history. We only found two geocaches. One at the Poppy Fields was missing, and two that we walked nearly a mile to get to, looked like might be too physically challenging for us at this time, so we left them for another time.

There are way too many pictures to stick in here, so go over to my zooomr page and take a look at them. I will be working on captions and geotags for a couple of days, I bet! You can leave comments there, if you dare!

Of Tygers and Swings, and Manly Men

A class was in the libery today, composing poems. TWO of the kidlets turned in poems that started, "Tyger! Tyger! Burning bright"!!

Even I recognized THAT! I commented, "Hey, you misspelled 'tiger'"

Alfred Bester wrote "The Stars, My Destination", one of my favorite SF stories. It was originally, so I've heard, titled "Tiger Tiger", for reasons obvious when you see the book cover illustration linked to.

I've read somewhere it might be made into a movie. That would be way cool!

Back in the day (3rd or 4th grade), I tried to pass off Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Swing' as an original poem. Silly me! That was the LAST time I plagiarized anything. At least, before the internet came along!

The Swing
by Robert Louis Stevenson
from A Child's Garden of Verses

How do you like to go up in a swing,
Up in the air so blue?
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing
Ever a child can do!

Up in the air and over the wall,
Till I can see so wide,
Rivers and trees and cattle and all
Over the countryside--

Till I look down on the garden green,
Down on the roof so brown--
Up in the air I go flying again,
Up in the air and down!

It is available at Project Gutenberg

THE TYGER

By William Blake
from Poems of William Blake

Tyger, tyger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder and what art
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And, when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand and what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,
And watered heaven with their tears,
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the lamb make thee?

Tyger, tyger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

Also available at Project Gutenberg!

---

On the radio this morning they wuz replaying a bit wherein guys call in and share the most "guy" thing they have ever done. One guy had ridden his motorcycle at high speed down Cajon Pass with a buddy, another had taken a bullet south of the border.

I can't think of anything.

Trees Trimmed

You saw the letter, today they trimmed the trees.

Now we can see the house in back, for the second time in twenty years!



Shooting through the door screen adds a certain air of incompetence, don't you think?

When we moved in, twenty years ago, this palm tree was about waist high. Now it's OUT OF CONTROL! They trimmed the TON of dead fronds off, about five years worth, as I gave up cutting them when the tree grew out of reach of my pole saw. I wish they had cut the darn thing down. It might have made a nice table base! Instead of a rat-ladder!!

Proofreading

One would think a Professional Business would do a better job of proofing their communiqués. It's not like they are writing some crummy blog, they are In Business!

Let us examine this letter:

• What is up with the date? No spaces, two commas? But look, they did it again the second time! At least they get points for consistency!
• Hey, that margin is a little raggedly! Line it up!
• Why is the "v" in "vehicles" capitalized? I would have capitalized the "p" in "property", too.
• I stuck in a couple of commas I thought would be appropriate, but I COULD be wrong.
• I forgot to underline the "am" after the time. It's an abbreviation. There are supposed to be periods. Two of them. At least it wasn't capitalized, as I would have mistakenly done!
• I believe "Allresidents" should be TWO words.
• The capitalization of the initial letter in each word of the closing line seems a bit much.
• "In Advanced"?
  
• While I edited out the address of the residents and the name of the company, I did NOT edit out the name and signature of the sender. There wasn't any...

A DISCLAIMER, SORT OF: I feel I can cast a few stones here, as the misteaks I make in my business communications are rarely as glaringly obvious as these!

Of Spring Weeds and Missing Trees

I was making a snarky comment about dandelions, and I was asked, "Just what IS a weed?"



Well, I looked it up, and the intarwebs consensus seems to be, a weed is a plant growing where it isn't wanted. Well, I've got dandelions in the lawn, I don't much care for THAT, but I guess in this bed of iceplanty things, it's just another flower.

The wife was out and about the other day. When she came home, she mentioned that the big tree was gone. I wasn't paying attention, as I was battle ling creeps on Desktop Tower Defense. When I went off to work the next morning I saw what she was talking about. The big tree IS gone!



Where WAS the Big Tree? Take a gander at this High-Quality Google Maps Street View of the area in question.



Nice lens flare! Hey look, you can see the same camper parked in the same place!

That tree was so big and beautiful. It's too bad they decided to cut it down. But how come I didn't notice it the day they did it?

Four For Friday

Four Things That Went Right Today

Firstly, the Earworm of the Day was the Public Service Announcement the local county television station play.

Here's the first stanza:

There's too many kitties in the cities,
Too many strays in the alleyways
They're on the street with nothing to eat
And they've got nowhere to stay.

Check out the video starting here, navigate your way to the PSA's.

What went right was, I found the lyrics on the net and got the earworm out of my head!

Nextly, someone actually checked out a book I recommended! It was Homer Price, by Robert McCloskey. You remember, Make Way For Ducklings and Blueberries For Sal? I love these books!

Thirdly, I discovered (for the second time, I think) (after digging around with a jeweler's screwdriver) that a tattoo from radiation treatments looks very like an ingrown hair or blackhead through not-very-clean bifocals...or maybe it's just a freckle. Will confirm with the doc in May. Maybe will get a "Don't Panic" tat to conceal it!

And Fourthly, the phone guy hooked our two extensions on "group" so now we can pick up either extension from, well, either extension! It's telephone heaven! And I've got no excuse for not answering the phone...

Later!

A Simple Mind Builds Something That Glows In The Dark

Feeling rather electrical the other day, I finally got around to hooking a LED up to the USB port.

A rather simple project, compared to building a Knight-Kit Star Roamer short-wave receiver (which didn't work...), it only took me an hour to solder the thing together. There are only three parts:

1. Green LED (salvaged from something, no specs)
2. Resister, 220 ohm (Red-Red-Brown-Gold 1/4 watt)
3. Heat shrink tubing
4. Wire, a bit of
5. USB connector and cable (salvaged from Apple mouse)

Wait, that's more than three...

Using my trusty Harbor Freight El Cheapo Brand multimeter (You can build a ECG with one!), I measured the current with the 220 ohm resister as 15 mA (Is that right? Milli amps? Micro amps? I forget!), which seems ok, according to this article it can't exceed 500 mA.

Testing the whole mess was a trial, as I only had one alligator clip to hold things together. I need to rig up a test jig for testing these misc. LEDs I have laying around.

Using some math, I suppose I could have calculated the optimum resister to use, but I felt a headache coming on. After all, the math in this article took me a half-hour to get through my head.

Works great, but I need a white LED to actually do any good, I think.



Why are there two reflections?

Today is Google blackout day, turn out your lights tonight for an hour!

Apple Pie, Baseball, and Lead

Our local television troubleshooter/reporter/lawyer told us a tale about a Little League Park that was closed because of lead pollution. Check it out here.

According to the child interviewed by our intrepid hero, there are only three things to do in Oceanside.

1. Baseball
2. Gangs
3. Stay home and do nothing

How sad is that?

I would recommend this young man develop some hobbies, or maybe even try reading a book.

Seriously, "they" need to either tear this field down, or fix it up. It's an eyesore, a hazard, and a waste of space.

Easter Sunday

Here's a guy in a San Diego Padres cap about to eat a lemon.



Here's a guy in a San Diego Padres cap, who is annoyed about being referred to as a guy in a San Diego Padres cap, eating a lemon.



Here are some Easter cupcakes.



Here are some Easter lizards.



And lastly, here is an Easter Main Street.

Flower Time

We went out to the desert to see the flowers a Sunday week ago. Driving out the 8, then taking the scenic route past Lake Cuyamaca , we observed there was no snow, but the lake was quite a bit higher than it usually is. Hanging a right at nearly-Julian, we headed down the hill, on the 78 through the Banner Grade (Banner on a Motorcycle on Youtube). We followed some motorcycles down. Saw a big guy on a mini-type bike whizzing up the grade, slowly. Seemed like a bad idea.

Nice bike lanes on the ring road in Borrego Springs.

We found our way to the flowers. There were lots of people there.



The rest of the pics are over on the squeakycyclist zooomr page, with appropriate comments. Would that you could look at the big versions!

Looked up the flower identifications at the Desert Plants & Wildflowers section of the DesertsUSA site. Their Desert Wildflower Reports California section is very handy, too!

After talking to a fellow with a VERY large lens, who was very knowledgeable about the flowers, we took off. Deciding to take the freeway back, we drove WAY out of our way to get there, and did. Saw a lady bicyclist, not a tourist, climbing out of the desert on the freeway. It was getting to be dusk, I wonder where she was headed?

Well, that's about the end of the tale. There was probably lots more stuff I can't remember, like the Petco/fish food subplot, and the cash register fiasco therein, but the details are hazy.

Later!

Gone To The Movies

It occured to me the other day that I could count on two hands the movies I have taken one or both of my kids to see, when they wuz kids. So that doesn't count LOTR or Star Wars episodes I & II.

And here they are:

• Return To Oz
• Titanic
• Star Wars (On the big screen!)
• A River Runs Through It
• Searching For Bobby Fischer
• Fantasia
• Jurassic Park
• The Commitments

Stuff

When I got into the libery biz back in the 70s, it was during a expansion of library services. There were classes in library technology at the local Jr.C., people were being hired, books were being bought. It was exciting.

Over the years we have lost staff hours, and there has not been a budget for library books for several years. All over San Diego, new school libraries were built, but staff was cut. With the new wave of budget cuts, I know at least one high school is cutting its librarian. And one middle school.

We are losing our librarian next year.

What does this mean?

It means, everything other than checking out, checking in, and shelving, is not going to happen.

Well, I gotta go to work now.

Later!

Senior Moment

Took me four tries to get the debit card accepted at the grocery store this afternoon.

Seems the trick is to use the DEBIT card, and not the CREDIT card...

Yes, yes, I know the credit card will do debits, but I don't know the PIN "number" (from the Dept. of Redundacy Dept.) right off hand.

Albertsons is reorganizing their store. I'm thinking, the reason I go there is because I know the store. If I have to learn a new store, why don't I switch to a CLOSER store, like Vons, which is about two miles closer. Eh?

And at that I forgot the dry milk...

Messy Books

I'm not sure what the deal is with this, but I ran across this set of pictures of the Detroit Public Schools Book Depository Roosevelt Warehouse from a link on reddit. It looks like they need to fix the roof, or something!

Strange

C. went up to Mass this morning, in itself an exceptional thing. She thought she recognized someone there, a woman we went to high school with. It turned out to BE her. I remember this girl because she talked me into dancing with her at the Senior Picnic, and it was one of only three times I've ever danced in my LIFE, outside of cotillion.

I wonder if I would recognize her, I don't even recognize MYSELF in the mirror!

Rainy Sunday

There's has been a gentle rain falling all afternoon. Mr. Sun was peeking out this morning, but I wasn't fooled, no sir!

We had rolled tacos at Palominos on Convoy for lunch, then went down to Balboa Park to visit the Model Railroad Museum. There has been a lot of new stuff added since I was there last!

I was quite taken with this cabin scene:



There is a little pipe organ inside this church!



After the trains we walked over to the reflecting pond and reflected on the koi.



There was a big black catfish-looking thing in there, a kid said she thought it was a shark.

After looking around the Botanical Building a few minutes, we drove over to Mission Trails Park to see how much water was flowing over the dam.



The water was brown. And a little sudsy.



Matt climbed up on the dam for a better view.



I used the flash and it looks kinda dramatic, don't it?

That's not the moon, it's a water drop. It's raining, remember?

Glory Be!

A bit of good news!

I visited the dentist on a business mission with the latest statement from the dental insurance company. The latest one wherefore they didn't pay. But, the dentist said that the insurance HAS finally paid most of the $1,200 dental bill that has been hanging, HANGING, I SAY, over my head for the last six months! And gave me a receipt (see next paragraph) to prove it!

Only $180.00 for my share, so I slipped 'em twenty bucks today.

C. found a white chocolate heart from Lorie's wedding that I had somehow managed not to eat.



So I ate it.

I was lurking in the garage, looking for an HO scale window, when I discovered a Tamiya Lotus Super Seven plastic model kit. Huh. I VAGUELY remember buying that. So that makes THREE plastic kits I haven't built, the other two being Maschinen Krieger Fledermaus, a Krote, and a Mercenary figure set. Oh, that's FOUR.

I also mowed the weeds today, watered the two marigolds, gave the plumeria a good stare, and surreptitiously trimmed a tree-like bush hanging over the fence a bit.

Of Earl, And Change

I manned up and took the vehicle to the local Ford dealership to get its 3,000 mile oil change (at 3,800 miles). This is its THIRD oil change, so don't think badly of me!

What do you get for your 27 (and change) bucks from Ford?

• Oil
• Filter (I hope, I didn't ask)
• Peace of mind
  

If you want the multi-point inspection, it's $18.00 more. I declined the suggestion tire rotation, it's not due till 5,000 miles, and that could be another year. At least! The cashier gave me a card for a free oil change after five paid ones. W00t!

What do you get at Jiffylube?

• Oil
• Oil filter
• Visual inspection
  
• Vacuum interior floors
• Clean exterior of windows
• Lubricate the chassis (when applicable)
• Check tire pressure
• Check and top off fluids
• Scary rumours
  

I don't know how much it costs, but I don't think it's any more than Ford. But they have had so much bad press, I'm scared to go there! I know people who do, with no problems, but, STILL...

What do you get from Factory Tire Automotive Services on Convoy St.?

• With synthetic blend oil. Up to 5 quarts 5W-30 oil.
• New oil filter
• 64 point inspection
• Check fluids
• Check tire PSI

How much does it cost? $19.95 with a coupon in the San Diego Reader.

So, DO you get what you pay for? Should I fork out the 18 bucks to get the windshield wiper fluid topped up?

I have never opened the hood on the vehicle.

This, from a guy who replaced the piston rings on ONE cylinder of a V-8.

This, from a guy who split the cases on a Hodaka to get to the transmission.

This, from a guy who pulled the engine on the Cortina TWICE to replace the clutch.

How sad is that?

Tea For Wednesday

I have accumulated quite a stash of tea, as it were, at home, mostly through gifts.



From left to right, not counting measuring cup, oh, and check out the Mug Rug my mother made for me! What do we have here?

• Whitefield Estates Organic Tea Pure Green Tea -- Haven't tried it yet. A gift from Brenda, thanks!
  
• Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Sunset -- This stuff is spicy and very aromatic! A gift from the other Cheryl, along with a tea mug at work, thanks!
  
• Whitefield Estates Organic Tea Classic Breakfast Tea -- Haven't tried it yet. A gift from Brenda, thanks again!
  

Und here we see:

• Salada 100% Green Tea -- Tastes green!
• PG Tips -- Have not tried yet. A gift from Cheryl, thanks!
  
• Celestial Seasonings Country Peach Passion -- Very peachy! Smells great!
• Albertsons Tea Bags Naturally Decaffeinated -- Cheap, but good enough for the likes of!
• Bigelow Earl Grey -- Almost gone! Good stuff.

I runned outa Splenda so I am drinking tea "commando", as it were. My non-educated palate much prefers a sweetner.

Yesterdays Crapola

I can't think of a whole lot that makes me angrier than someone trying to rip someone off, especially that that someone is old and/or mentally feibile.

Got this in the mail yeseterday. Wow, I've won $600,000!! W00t!!


You may have to view the image in a new window to see the whole thing.

Note my annotations...

It came in this envelope, that should have been the FIRST clue.



Here's the check, for your amusement.


You may have to view the image in a new window to see the whole thing.

If you don't know how the scam works, just look it up on the web. There are only about 160,000 hits on the terms "lottery" and "scam" on Google.

I am constantly beset by these jerks, being in the circumstances I am, and it is quite trying. I may have to change my telephone number and get an unlisted, uh, listing.

What's To Eat?

Ran across the Foodopolis blog while searching for info. on a restaurant I had just came home from. Why I need a review of a place I've already been to, I don't know. Validation?

Anyway, lots of reviews of places in the San Diego area, and some in other places. Pictures! Lots of pictures!

This is my tea-drinking cup at work.



Everyone makes fun of me and my cup. One person has even hinted they are going to give me a "proper" tea cup for Xmas.

Hey, I LIKE the BIG CUP! I like the Pyrex, it's retro, babe!

And I use a two-cup measuring cup at home, too!

But I won't say no to a new cup for Xmas.

But it better be a BIG CUP!

Sunday Afield

The boy and I went geocaching this afternoon. Good thing, or I never would have accomplished ANYTHING at all. We found four caches, and I took this pic from atop a high hill, looking towards beautiful Santee.



Since it rained the other day, it was a little muddy. We saw six bicyclists, two runners, and one walker.

Tea For Friday

I drink A LOT of coffee at work, and I also drink tea.

I usually drink tea in a two cup Pyrex measuring cup.

I am often made sport of for this.

This is my current collection of tea, at work...

• Constant Comment -- The classic. Tastes good, smells good.
• Esensia Earl Gray -- Smells good, in weird sort of way.
• Trader Joe's Spiced Chai -- Doesn't smell much, tastes good.
• Lipton Herbal Tea -- Haven't tried it yet.
• Bigelow Cinnamon Tea -- Smells really good.

Another Day,, Another Day

The fine folks at the grocery store I patronize inform me that I am the only person in the world who enters the amount I have purchased, using a debit card, directly into the checkbook register. They find this confusing, thinking I am writing a check. They want me to STOP IT!

Hey, I took Elementary Accounting, I'm compulsive about keeping the checking account balanced!

It's the one tiny piece of sanity in my life!

Thanksgiving Day

I'm reading Making Money, by Terry Pratchett, today. I've been looking up words that I didn't know. Eleven words so far, and I'm not even half way through the book! I had the most trouble with beccles, but I finally found the source. Most fun word? Fornication.

Haven't gone out much this week, except to fetch cigs for the old lady. Have read a number of books, though.

I was taught that we were to put two spaces after at the end of a sentence, after a period or such. The Modern Language Association says one is the standard, but there is nothing wrong about two. Nice to know.

We are supposed to be giving thanks today, but I have trouble thinking of stuff to be thankful for.

Let me see...

1. I don't seem to have cancer at the moment, or any NEW diseases.
2. My kids are happy and well.
3. I have a nice vehicle to drive.
4. I have a job.
5. I have a place to live.
6. I'm not blind yet, oh wait, that goes with #1, eh?
7. I don't live in the 2nd or 3rd world.

Well, I guess I was able to think of some stuff.

Merry Thanksgiving!

Foggy Friday

It was incredibly foggy this morning. It was so thick that I could only see dim headlights on cars about a 100 feet away. Those that actually had their headlights ON, that is...

At the end of the day I had about 65 miles on the odometer for the week, including that 20-odd miles ride on holiday Monday.

Ran across this link showing time-lapse photography of the Harris fire in San Diego from Lyons Peak. Absolutely stunning!! It's in Macromedia Flash Format (.swf). Different views here. More interesting photos from the HPWREN project.

What Is My Favorite Book?

Good question. I was thinking about this the other day, but I couldn't come up with an answer. I'm not sure just what "favorite book" means.

What books have I read more than twice?

Right off hand, these come to mind:

Job, a comedy of justice, by Robert Heinlein
Starship troopers, by Robert Heinlein
The Lord Of The Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien.
The Postman, by David Brin.
Miles From Nowhere, by Barbara Savage.
Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis.

It's probably a tossup between Job and Miles, but I feel an itch to read Starship again!

If I can remember this theme, perhaps next week I will discuss my favorite food. Or music. Or toy from the 50s!

Hey, Mac!

Having located the OS X CDs hiding in an obscure file drawer I was able to get around the little problem of a couple eMacs that had an administrator password that no one seemed to remember.

I learned two things:

1. How to make the Mac boot from a CD.
2. How to make the Mac bootup in OS X.

I am so proud of myself!

When the repair guy came today to take a away an eMac that freezes all the time, I was able to show him #2, of which he was not aware. Also, knowing #2, I was able to show him (having looked it up on a Windows machine!) how to find out the serial number, which the little darlings had removed from the CD-tray.

I am so double-proud of myself!

I ain't Heavy

Twenty five years, or so, of weight lost and gained, with a few years missing here and there, mostly there.



The chart represents every entry in the ubiquitous pink "Fat Chart" I started at work when our nurse organized a weight loss group.

Since it is memorialized here, I can FINALLY toss it!

Oh yeah, just for the record, my blood pressure on 2/4/81 was 115/70, and my height was 5 feet 11 inches. I bet the blood pressure is the same, but I think I've shrunk a couple inches!

Not My Problem

Here's a little tale I lived the other day.

Parent shows up at the Middle School library, wants a refund on a textbook his daughter returned. OK, let us check it out, sez the dude.

Parents do not know what book we are talking about. Ok, then. Check the Refund File. Nope. Check the Textbooks Paid file. Yep, there it is. Hmmmm....

• Textbook was due in June of 2005.
• Textbook was paid for in September, 2006.
• Textbook is turned in to High School in September, 2007, it is guessed from the cryptic notes I made, and checked in there.
• Textbook is received at Middle School in October, 2007, where it is noted (cryptically, that the textbook debt was paid a year ago.
  

So what I'm thinking is:

1. District Policy is that there are no refunds after one year.
2. Textbook is not a title being used any more, so it is of no use to the Middle School.

And it is noted on the "Charge Card" that there was no refund initiated for these two reasons.

Parent is adamant that he be paid, and that it is "not my problem, it is YOUR problem".

Parent says he got a letter "we" sent him, saying he was entitled to a refund. Nope, "we" don't send that kind of letter, "we" just send a check. Letter was probably a print-out from the Library Circulation System at the High School the student attends now. Letter was never produced.

Parent also said he received a letter in June 2007 threatening withholding of grades, promotion, etc. if debt wasn't paid. That's within the realm of possibility, as an old form may have been used by missteak. But I don't think so, as we aren't allowed to do that stuff any more. But the kicker is, this particular book was paid for ONE YEAR before, in September 2006. Since he was unable to produce THAT letter, I don't know what it actually said.

Parent goes to speak to principal. Not a problem for me, if they want to give him the money, But I'm not breaking the School District Published Procedures for a textbook that the student has had overdue for two years, and that we are not using anymore, on my own responsibility. (Feel free to correct that sentence so it makes sense!)

I was going to suggest he call the Board Of Education, since they approve the Policy and Procedures, but I didn't say anything. Probably better that way...

Anyway, Parent is getting a check, and I suppose the child learns a lesson about Personal Responsibility.

Or not.

What do YOU think?

This post is also available below in Russian:
This post is also available WAY below, translated BACK into English from Russian!
Этот столб также имеющиеся вышеуказанными на английском языке:

Здесь маленький сказ, котор я жил другой день.

Родитель показывает вверх на архиве средняи школа, хочет возврат на учебнике его, котор дочь возвратила. О'КЕЙО, препятствовало нам проверить его вне, sez dude.

Родители не знают что книге мы говорим о. О'кейо, после этого. Проверите архив возврата. Nope. Проверите учебники оплащенные архив. Yep, там он. Hmmmm....

* Учебник был должн в июне 2005.
* Учебник был paid на в 2006 -го сентябрь.
* Учебник повернут внутри к старшим клаччам средней школы в 2007 -го сентябре, угадано от криптических примечаний, котор я сделал, и проверило внутри там.
* Учебник получен на средняи школа в 2007 -го октябре, где замечено (cryptically, что оплатила задолженности учебника год тому назад.

Так я думаю является следующим:

1. Политика заречья что не будут возвратов после одного года.
2. Учебник не будет будучи использованным названием больше, поэтому он of no use к средняи школа.

И замечено на "платежной карточке" что не было возврата начатого для этих 2 причин.

Родитель несокрушим что он paid, и что будет "не моей проблемой, будет ВАШЕЙ проблемой".

Родитель говорит он получило письмо ", котор мы" послали его, говорить он был озаглавлен к возврату. Nope, "мы" не посылаем тот вид письма, "мы" как раз посылаем проверку. Письмом была вероятно распечатка от системы циркуляции архива на старших клаччах средней школы, котор студент присутствует на теперь. Письмо никогда не было произведено.

Родитель также сказал он получило письмо в 2007 -го задерживать в июне угрожая рангов, промотирования, ETC если задолженность не была paid. То находится в пределах realm возможности, по мере того как старая форма может быть использована missteak. Но я не думаю так, по мере того как мы не позволены сделать то вещество больше. Но брыкунья, эта определенная книга была paid на ОДИН ГОД перед, в 2006 -го сентябре. В виду того что он был неспособен произвести ТО письмо, я не знаю он фактическ сказал.

Родитель идет поговорить к главе. Не проблема для меня, если они хотят дать ему деньг, то только я не ломаем процедуры по школы опубликованные заречьем для учебника что студент имеет overdue на 2 лет, и что мы не используем больше, на моей собственной ответственности. (чывство свободно, котор нужно исправиться что предложение поэтому оно делают чувство!)

Я шел предложить он вызывает отдело народного образования, в виду того что они одобряет политику и процедуры, но я не сказал что-нибыдь. Вероятно улучшайте ту дорогу...

В лубом случае, родитель получает проверку, и я полагаю ребенок учит урок о личнаяа ответственность.

Или не.

ВЫ думаете?

And here it is translated BACK into English from Russian!!

This post also existing by those pointed out above in the English:

Here small tale, is which 4 it lived another day.

Parent shows upward on the archive of srednyai school, wants recovery on his textbook, it is which daughter it returned. O'KEYO, prevented us to verify it outside, sez dude.

Parents do not know that to the book we we tell In the o'keyo Is., after this. You will verify the archive of recovery. Nope. You will verify textbooks paid archive. Yep, there it Hmmmm....

• The textbook was of dolzhn during June 2005.
• Textbook was paid on into 2006 - GO September.
• Textbook is turned inside to elder klachcham of secondary school into 2007 - GO September, ugadano from the cryptic notes, I is which it made, and it verified inside there.
• Textbook was obtained on srednyai school into 2007 - GO October, where it is noted (cryptically, that it paid the debts of textbook yr ago.

So I think it is the following:

1. Policy of district that not they will be recoveries after one year.
2. Textbook not it will be being the name used more; therefore it of no use to srednyai school.

And noted on the "pay card" which not there was recovery of that begun for these 2 reasons.

Parent is indestructible that it paid, and which will be "not my problem, will be YOUR problem".

Parent speaks it obtained letter ", we was which" they sent it, to speak it was entitled to the recovery. Nope, "we" do not send that form of letter, "we" exactly send checking. By letter there was probably printout from the system of the circulation of archive on elder klachchakh of secondary school, was which student it is present on now. Letter not was never produced.

Parent also said it obtained letter into 2007 - GO to detain during June threatening ranks, promotions, ETC if debts not was paid. That is within the limits of realm of possibility, in proportion to old form can be used missteak. But 4 I do not think so, we are not permitted to make the substance more in proportion to. But the kicker, this specific book were paid for ONE YR before, into 2006 - GO September. In the form of the fact that it was incapable to produce TO letter, 4 he do not know it is actual he said.

Parent goes to have a talk to the chapter. Not problem for me, if they want to give to it den'g, then only 4 we do not break procedure on the schools those published by district for the textbook that student it has overdue to 2 years, and that we is not utilized more, on my own responsibility (chyvstvo is free, is which necessary to be corrected that proposal therefore it makes a feeling!)

I went to propose it is caused division public education, in the form of the fact that they approve policy and procedures, but 4 he did not say that -nibyd6. Probably improve that road...

In by bast the case, the parent obtains testing, and I assume child it teaches lesson against lichnayaa responsibility.

Or not.

YOU do think?

Well, THAT was weird!

Translations courtesy of AltaVista Babelfish.

Working On The Railroad

Back in the day there was a rumour going round that there were military suplus Harley Davidson motorcycles to be had. I dis-remember the exact details, but I do remember a group of us Air Force types were to pool our money to get one, or several in a lot, or something.

Anyway, it never happened. The book The Vanishing Hitchhiker, by Jan Harold Brunvand, mentions this urban legend.

Well, I'm re-creating the dream on my model railroad by putting one of those motorcycles I was working on in a shipping crate. So far, I've got the crate done, made out of plastic.



This picture is pretty much the same, so don't look at it.



I think the box came out rather well. Now I need to get some guys to stand around looking at it.

---

I was given this cute little pencil lead box. You may look at it.







The leads would be contained in the wooden tray.

Pencil Lead webpages of interest:

Leadholder.com

Roger Russells' Scripto Pencil History Page