New New New!

After much thought and castigation, I rewarded myself for being such a prince and purchased a GPS receiver for myself.

I took it out for a little walk this afternoon (in the 9o degree heat!). I NAILED five out of five Geocaches! I rock!

I also mailed the bills and checked out a book at the library.

I also saw some interesting vehicles at the body and paint shop.

A limo, a Datsun 2000 sporty car, an MGB, and a funny little Quaker State car.



I had misgivings about the identification of the MGB, I thought maybe it was a Midget, but now I am convinced it is an MGB. The lack of wire wheels threw me off.

Have you ever seen a Geocache?



You can see the "treasure" inside, and the somewhat worse-for-wear logbooks. This is poosibly an average sized cache. Of the five today, two were much smaller (micros), one was an ammunition box, and one was a larger plastic container. You can learn more about Geocaching at www.geocaching.com

Dazed & Confused

Every time I've gone to the grocery store in the last three weeks I have been looking for Sugar Smacks cereal. My wife requested that I buy a box for her. I have gone up and down the aisle, just can NOT find it. And it is quite a sight, me with my head tilted back and a pinched look as I try to see through the bottom of my bi-focals. And not all that successfully, either.

I Googled it today. Found a nifty commercial featuring Clark Kent. Probably saw that when I was a kid, I watched Superman all the time. Found the Wikipedia article. Guess what? There ARE NO Sugar Smacks! They changed the name in the 80s! Where was I?

Monday

OK, I wasn't the first to find this, I saw it on Reddit, but I've just GOT to pass it on...

from an Investor's Business Daily editorial, How House Bill Runs Over Grandma:

"People such as scientist Stephen Hawking wouldn't have a chance in the U.K., where the National Health Service would say the life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless."

That is almost the funniest thing I've read today!

Brown Gunk

I'm not sure why, but last night I got to thinking about health-related stuff from my youth. I remember my mother made me swallow a spoon of cod-liver oil (she insists it was my grandfather's idea) for good health. I remember this brown stuff they used to melt and stick on me. I searched and searched and Googled and Yahooed, and no luck. So, I telephoned her today and asked her. Go right to the primary source!

She remembers the stuff. She said it was called "brown plaster". She remembers it was like a crayon, tubular, and brown. You melt with match on to a piece a gauze and stick it where it would do some good. I forgot to ask her precisely what you used it for, though. She said it was so old that doctors nowadays never heard of it. She told me she had a little pieced that her mother gave here hiding somewhere, but she didn't remember where.

I tried looking up "brown plaster", and while getting a bunch of hits, nothing definitive emerged. I found an interesting blog titled Kilmer House, which is a history of the Johnson & Johnson company. Lots of interesting old pictures and stuff. The page about Medicated Plasters was interesting, but it does not specifically mention "brown plaster". It does have a nifty little picture of a bicycle racer wearing a "kidney plaster".

You would think someone would be selling some "brown plaster" on ebay, but no. So I am still searching for information about just what this stuff was, and who made it.

Radio Radio

What with all this talk of new radios, I just HAD to post this pic that I ran across on Fark the other day, and other days, too.



Ain't that special?

Here's my radio, in case you wanted to see it, set to my favorite FM station, KCRW. It is a Radio Shack DX-440. It is also a World Band Radio, but it does not put out 150w, it doesn't have television audio, and it costed a pretty penny more.

Fixing A Boo-Boo

While processing textbooks, on occasion, I zone out and forget what I'm doing. Usually while listening to something fabulous, like the Noisettes (and Patti Smith's Gloria. Holy Moly!). But I digress...

I wrote the wrong number on these books, then compounded the misteak by writing over it.

Looks awful!@!



I recalled learning about sanding sponges at SicPress.com. They sell book repair stuff, AND they have videos showing how to use them!

You merely scratch away at the boo-boo.



You want to support the edge of the text block so the pages don't tear. I used a book press. Not perfect, but good enough for the likes of me.



It's rather hard to get ALL of it off. That's why I used a Sharpie in the first place, so it would be hard!



After renumbering it, with a Sharpie pen, it looks pretty good. MUCH nicer than before.



You can hardly tell which books they were, eh?



The sanding sponge I used was a 3M product. I got the one with coarse grit on one side (and edge) , and fine grit on the other. It costs three bucks at the home improvement store.

THURSDAY!

On THIS blog, it's Thursday!

I went on a crusade to replace the seat and back on the director's chairs.

Where to find them?

I asked yesterday at San Carlos Hardware (VERY nice people). They did not have them. They suggested maybe someplace in Claremont. but I forgot the name, and I don't really go to Claremont all that much.

Target.com had them. Target.store? Couldn't find them.
Pier One Imports at Grossmont? Didn't see any.
World Market? Why, yes, just as I was leaving I spotted them. Bought, eight bucks a piece.

I get home, should be an EASY job to install them. No, no, no! The old ones don't want to come out. I nearly impale myself.

I slip on the back. Oh, no, not so fast there, buddy! They do not fit over the posts!
Ok, I'll use the old, faded, backs until I can resew them.

The bottoms? One of the new dowels is broken, and the slot seems to have shrunk. Maybe that's why the other put up such a fight coming out. No, the dowels are THICKER than the old ones! Ok, I'll use one of the old, rotten, dowels in this ONE slot that has shrunk.

But the bottoms (and backs, for that matter!) are about and inch or two shorter than the old ones, so the seat does not open all the way.

Fabulous.

This is why I never want to do anything.

Monday Evening

What I Learned Today

Nearly-sixty-year-olds should not be climbing six-foot chain link fences and jumping off.

It didn't go well when I was fifteen (jumping off the garage roof), it didn't go well now.

After picking myself up off the ground, I starting walking (slightly hobbling) towards the parking lot. Things were blurry. Huh. Oh, heck, where are my glasses? They must have fallen off. I went back to the fence and looked around in the pine needles and assorted detritus. I finally saw something that, in a blurry sort of way, look like it could be glasses. It was.

I was afeared I my have broken my camera or ripped my fine long-sleeved shirt, but they seem ok.

My hip is sore, but I walked home ok. My back was sore for a couple of minutes, but that stopped. Probably I'll be laid up tomorrow!

Hypnotique

I found this nifty plate laying about the place. My wife says she got it at the ninety-nine cent store, along with a red one that says "Bloody Mary" on it. We can't find the red one right now. I can't WAIT to see the picture on THAT one!



So cool, so laid-back, so drunk...



THE BACK of the plate. It say's "Shonfeld's" under the white gunk. They have a web site. It does not totally work.

Illegal Library

Saw a link to "Yahoo! Answers wins for once." I'm glad I clicked on it. It is titled "Is it OK to run an illegal library from my locker at school?" A student attends a high school that does not allow certain books in its library. The student is running a library out of their locker. It sounds like it is very popular. It also sounds like a good idea to me!

Of the books listed, I think we have about a third of the titles in our middle school library.

That And THIS

Firstly, I made this all-purpose holder for my folders. Bone, that is!



I covered a cardboard tube (from laminating film roll) with an old book jacket, since you asked.

Secondly, (shot while waiting for my épouse at doctor) what is this strap for, anyway?



Risque Accru de Capotage, indeed!

Thirdly, this (also shot while waiting for my épouse at doctor) is the first in a SERIES of images of the crook of my arm.




Be forewarned!

And fourthly, what do you call someone who zooms up the left side of a line of cars waiting to turn right, then noses in near the front of the line? I name them, "line cutter!" Fie on thee!



Ok, I am SO disappointed the picture did not turn out. These handheld-camera-waving-around-while-piloting-a-vehicle pictures never DO seem to turn out!

Of Plague And Yellow Fever

My neighbor is attempting to breed mosquitos.



It is possible there may have been an inadvertent weedicide/oil spill into the tub, however...

I talked to the guy about this container of water a couple of months ago. He agreed it was bad and said he was going to have a couple of guys clean it out soon. I guess he meant Real Soon Now.

I just read a nifty book titled Fever 1793, by Laurie Halse Anderson. It is based on a historical yellow fever epidemic in Philidelphia. Around 10,000 people died. It makes fine reading in this time of scary pig-diseases!

Also Friday

Here's the business end of an RCA 8134 vidicon television camera tube.



Just in case you had the hankering to see one. It's mirror-like!

The tube-type peek-hole in the box.



The box!



The tube!



Link to the datasheet, in pdf "format", for the RCA 8134 vidicon tube. You may want to head over to the home page, it has some vary interesting stuff about television broadcasting history, Iowan (?) postcards, and links to cable car information.

I'm out of here!

Easter Sunday

We went out to The Canyon this afternoon and had ourselves a nice little Easter feast. The kids played with the old games, and the old folks discussed their ills.

Check these little guys out!



Penguin appetizers, can you beat that? Olives, cream cheese, and carrot bits are all it takes. Too cute to eat!

In my penguin ecstasy I failed to notice the flower vegetables, until they were pointed out to me.



I recognize the radishes, but you may have to look at the big version on Zooomr to see that the orange flowers have a kernel of corn in the center.

Of course there were coloured eggs, and I got to take some home. I also got the bubble gum eggs!



Little plants in coloured eggshells, how cute is that? You get the LARGE version here, for enhanced cuteness!



There was a bit of drama as the visiting dog (Bug), seen here,



chased the resident cat (Old Yeller) up a tree. At press time, the cat had not come down.



That is all I have to report, except that a lovely time was had by all!

Earworm

My earworm song just played on KCRW! I am saved!

It's Fangela, by Here We Go Magic. I love it!

One Less Thing

A lady at the grocery store showed me the secret of getting the new plastic produce bags to open. Now I don't have to stand there like a dork fiddling with the darn things!

Remember how Johnny Carson would blow into an envelope before pulling out the letter? I always thought that was cool. It didn't work with the plastic produce bags, though!

On another note...

If you wanna see a very nice model of the H.M.S. Victory, dive into Raul Guzman Jr's site. Be sure to scroll down to see the surgeon operating on a guy. It's so gross!

Plastic Goo

I broke down and bought some Squadron putty at the model railroad store yesterday. I've started assembling a couple of the SF3d figures I bought a zillion years ago. The putty is to fill in some of the gaps and such-like.



Oh, and that link is to some mighty fine model-building, not MY work!

Vacuum Between The Ears

Is this guy kidding or what?

Ohhh, it's The Tube Thing. Lots of links to interesting tube n' valve stuff.

Tube Box art.

Porn And The Art Of Vacuum Tube Fabrication. A 17 minute video...

Remember, real radios glow in the dark!

I was inspired to pop the case off my LM-16 Frequency Meter so you can see the tubes



I'm afeared to put voltage on it, so you don't get to see the glow.



This is World War II-era equipment. There are more pictures on my zooomr page, if you can stand it!

Argentine Antennas

We haven't had any antenna pics lately, so here are a few I snagged from the photographer's website. These are all from his trip to Argentina.

You can click on the image to see a bigger version!

A bunch of commercial antennas.



A large HF log periodic antenna. Possibly on a government building, in Medoza.



A small beam on a water tower.



Various commercial antennas on what I assume is a water tower.



This looks like a stacked array of two meter beams. With giant bathtubs.
Somewhere along the road to Iguazu Falls.



Quite an antenna farm there! Somewhere in Buenos Aries.



So, it looks like LU land (Argentina) is prime antenna-spotting territory!

Friday Finally

It's been a sunny week in San Diego since all those rains. I've been riding these last three days, and I've accumulated 31.67 miles.

I noticed a couple of (more!) old cars along the route. I don't know why there seem to be so many cars from the 60s (and 50s) about. That was forty years ago, for goodness sake! When I was a teen back then I never saw Model As or Model ts in everyone's driveway!

This 50s Ford station wagon is parked in the driveway of a boarded-up house. Notice the electric meter is gone. One wonders...



Down the street from the station wagon is this 60s Ford Econoline van. The mommy van of the era.



I know not why old people prefer to walk in the street instead of the sidewalk, but I see a lot of it. What's up with that?



Today I found a sponge, still in its wrapper, and a faded pink leash, perfect for walking the cat!



Oh, and I found a quarter the other day!

YESTERDAY's STUFF

It irks me no end when cops let people park in the bike lane for traffic stops! They wouldn't let them stop in the car lanes, now would they?



Here's the obligatory (and blog-redeeming) cat picture.

Ironic cat studiously ignores the mouse on his paw.



That is all!

Sunday

Not much going on here, but I did run across this exchange of Valentine's Day sentiments between two hashers, as quoted on The Half-Mind Weblog.

Cheers!

The Big Trip -- Day Three

Comfort Inns--A Comparison

Hanford

Refrigerator
Train Tracks
Complimentary Cookies
Eggs AND Sausages
Waffle Maker
Tub
Sink In The Bathroom (Where It Belongs!)

Seaside

No Refrigerator
No Train Tracks
No Cookies!
Hard Boiled Eggs
Scary Toilet!! (High Pressure Flush!!!!)
Shower
Lovely Scenery
Waffle Maker
Sink In The Bedroom

Both locations were nice, really, and the staff were very nice.

Some places we didn't visit--



Maybe next time!

Heading south on Highway 1 we found there was a bit a road repair going on. We had to wait for a bit for our turn on the one open lane. Several people got out to enjoy the view. I stayed inside and complained. And then we had to WAIT for them to get back into their vehicles when we got the green flag, as it were! The NERVE!



Traffic was very slow in Santa Barbara, too, but the sky was sure purty!



It was very clear and we could see the Channel Islands out to sea, and the oil wells, too.



There were a lot more oil wells when I was a kid. Not so attractive. Seems a shame that some people want to build more.

This is pretty much the last entry in the saga. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

I'd like to thank my son for enabling this trip, driving, and putting up with me.

LATER: Oh, how could I forget my daughter and her help!! If not for her, I would not have been able to go AT ALL! Period! Zip City! ¡¡¡Nada!!! But she was able to help, she volunteered, and it all happened!

Thanks, kids!

Ah, What Was That Again?

I spent a couple of hours trying to remember (and Googling) the name of an artist.

Finally it hit me, POW, it was ZORN! Anders Zorn!

Ok, now that it's documented here if I forget again, all I have to remember is, check this blog entry!

Why, you ask? Well, we had a this picture, by said artist, hanging on the wall for many years. I always thought it was a painting of my grandfather. It looks very like him, if one imagined him with a beard.

--> Here's a link to the painting <---

--> Here's link to the website about him <--

Wasn't that educational?

“There are three things I always forget. Names, faces, and – the third I can't remember.”

Italo Svevo (1861 – 1928) Italian novelist

The Big Trip -- Day One, Part Two...Or So

One of the nifty old things we saw in Hanford was this old car with startling paint job.



It looks a lot like Jay Leno's 1955 Buick Roadmaster, except for maybe the paint...