Hook Up

Using the fabulous OptiVISOR (and a soldering iron!) I managed to FINALLY solder the wires on the USB extension cable I'm making for to be able to plug in flash drives that won't seat properly because of their fat housings.



I certainly can't brag about the soldering job, but when I did the smoke test..no smoke! The computer recognized and read my flash drive, and the LED lit up!

I PROBABLY should have checked the cable for shorts using a multimeter, but, you only live twice!

Now I have to get some RTV to insulate and hold it together, wrap the shreds of copper shielding around it from the original connector, and, well, that's it.

The Bees Are Back!

As I mentioned over in the bike blog, the bees have returned.

What's the story? A bunch of years ago, a swarm of bees settled in around an ill-fitting board on the upstairs apartments' patio. We, and by "we" I mean, not me, called the off-site apartment managers. They said, "It's your problem."

Ok, what do I care? The bees moved in, builded themselves a hive! Surprise!

A year, or maybe two, later, the apartment managers came to the conclusion that it was a bad thing to have a hive. So they hired some guys, under the table, no doubt, to rip out the boards, rip out the honey comb (and there was a TON of it!), and put some new boards up. Apparently, they didn't get all the honey. Whenever it gets hot, the bees come back.

And here we are!



This one has been rotated and gamma fidgeted to un-darken the bees. For your viewing pleasure. Too bad they didn't shoot a little gunk into those voids!



It's like the bottom board/entrance to one of Kelly's bee hives! All the workers scurrying about, looking for someone to sting. Someone allergic. Someone like ME!

Ain't nature wonderful?

Murder, I Say!!

I went out to the front yard to water the sunflowers, and THIS is what I found!



Is that not outrageous?? Is the foul fellow who did this two-legged, or four?

There are a couple of suspicious cats that frequent the area...

I'd like to THINK it was cats.

At any rate, just last Sunday, you will recall, they looked like this...



They survived the roofers, only to die an ignominious death at the hands of, what?

There are only a couple of sweet peas left, and all those other green things sprouting up, that I know not what they are, so I continue to water.

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?