Finally got the air-inflated greenhouse up this morning. Dad took off to help bro with a gate job. I've been busy trying to get some more pruning done quite behind schedule on that. Will go out to spray the peaches shortly.
Lots of interesting stuff happening in the world it looks like in the news feeds. Glad I'm too busy to concern myself.
Hope y'all have a fine day.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Weirdness Sunday
What a lovely day we had today! Stupid remnants of the flu kept us all just weak enough to barely be able to do anything with it. I got some cleaning done anyways. I suppose it's best to make this a day of rest anyways.
Been cruising a bunch of the transhumanist blogs this evening. What a fascinating group of people. Not exactly the most level-headed bunch but you've got to hand it to them for their optimism. Here's the last one I visited: betterhumans.com They also tend to make some really clean looking blogs. So you gotta give 'em that for style too.
What they've got me thinking about is how far our technology has come since I started in computers in high school. I remember arguing once back then with my dad that there'd never be enough storage space to make a list of every human on earth. That'd still take a lot of memory but a couple of half-terabyte drives at oh, 200$ each could do the job nowadays. It blows my mind that a gigabyte of flash is about what, 12$ or so? That's nuts.
And yet with all this memory and huge increases in processor power in the last 30 years or so the world really isn't that much different. You can still get a flame-broiled whopper at burger king. You'd think there'd be some sort of dramatic shift, but no the world is still largely a mystery; life is fleeting and precious.
Be happy!
Been cruising a bunch of the transhumanist blogs this evening. What a fascinating group of people. Not exactly the most level-headed bunch but you've got to hand it to them for their optimism. Here's the last one I visited: betterhumans.com They also tend to make some really clean looking blogs. So you gotta give 'em that for style too.
What they've got me thinking about is how far our technology has come since I started in computers in high school. I remember arguing once back then with my dad that there'd never be enough storage space to make a list of every human on earth. That'd still take a lot of memory but a couple of half-terabyte drives at oh, 200$ each could do the job nowadays. It blows my mind that a gigabyte of flash is about what, 12$ or so? That's nuts.
And yet with all this memory and huge increases in processor power in the last 30 years or so the world really isn't that much different. You can still get a flame-broiled whopper at burger king. You'd think there'd be some sort of dramatic shift, but no the world is still largely a mystery; life is fleeting and precious.
Be happy!
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Rainy Saturday
Mighty nice showery day out there. Glad I'm still recovering from the flu, I don't have to feel guilty about being slack.
Sure can feel spring moving our way though. I'm getting stir crazy, wanna run the plow and blow up the greenhouse. Won't be long and my blog posts will start to thin out. Dad's busy planting a 288 tray of tomatoes.
My stupid black cat is trying to get in on the typing here.
Y'all have a super day.
Sure can feel spring moving our way though. I'm getting stir crazy, wanna run the plow and blow up the greenhouse. Won't be long and my blog posts will start to thin out. Dad's busy planting a 288 tray of tomatoes.
My stupid black cat is trying to get in on the typing here.
Y'all have a super day.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Bloggers Unite!
The call must go out! Round up the troops and ring the bells!
Blogger Brian C Ledbetter has been issued a restraining order by the AP for criticizing their use of doctored images. They claim he is violating their copyright despite the fact that his usage was a clear and obvious case of fair-use. This sort of strong arm tactic could be used on any of us, of any persuasion, if we so much as criticize any news agency for poor conduct or shoddy reporting. Even if they don't win the case the AP and other big news agencies can use the scare of being hauled into court to suppress free speech.
More details here.
Blogger Brian C Ledbetter has been issued a restraining order by the AP for criticizing their use of doctored images. They claim he is violating their copyright despite the fact that his usage was a clear and obvious case of fair-use. This sort of strong arm tactic could be used on any of us, of any persuasion, if we so much as criticize any news agency for poor conduct or shoddy reporting. Even if they don't win the case the AP and other big news agencies can use the scare of being hauled into court to suppress free speech.
More details here.
Sick and tired
Of the 2008 election!
Recovering nicely from the flu though. We are all getting better rapidly. Still not ready to run that marathon yet but I'm itchin' to get out and put up the greenhouse.
Being stuck indoors is no fun especially with TV having degraded so far. I don't have and can't afford a DVR, tivo or whatever so just keep your suggestion about that. Television used to be Ok, but nowadays so many rotten ads. And the news channels really suck. I get ten times better news and information off the web, blogs and assorted info streams here.
Today I'm gonna order seeds and hopefully feel good enough to make a foray outside.
Y'all keep on truckin'.
Recovering nicely from the flu though. We are all getting better rapidly. Still not ready to run that marathon yet but I'm itchin' to get out and put up the greenhouse.
Being stuck indoors is no fun especially with TV having degraded so far. I don't have and can't afford a DVR, tivo or whatever so just keep your suggestion about that. Television used to be Ok, but nowadays so many rotten ads. And the news channels really suck. I get ten times better news and information off the web, blogs and assorted info streams here.
Today I'm gonna order seeds and hopefully feel good enough to make a foray outside.
Y'all keep on truckin'.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Terrorists in the pentagon?
Our U.S. government continues its program of ineptitude proving not only that power corrupts but that it apparently corrupts higher brain functions.
It makes me wonder how many incidents of espionage and subversion need to be exposed before the body politic's autoimmune system kicks.
You gotta wonder too, in a year when media outlets such as CNN and the democrats are hell-bent on reminding us of George Bush's failings (in preparation for the November election perhaps) why are they willingly overlooking such a scandalous story?
It makes me wonder how many incidents of espionage and subversion need to be exposed before the body politic's autoimmune system kicks.
You gotta wonder too, in a year when media outlets such as CNN and the democrats are hell-bent on reminding us of George Bush's failings (in preparation for the November election perhaps) why are they willingly overlooking such a scandalous story?
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Recovery
Been down mighty sick with the influenza for about 5 days now, finally starting to get a little better. This has to have been the worst case I've ever had. Uhg! Mom, dad and the Bro all got it too. Bro and mom are furthest along in getting well, dad and I are still a little symptomy.
To celebrate our fevers and chills, here's an article on global warming (can you guess what it says?)
To celebrate our fevers and chills, here's an article on global warming (can you guess what it says?)
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Quick! burn some coal
We're all gonna freeze to death! Call Al Gore and John Travolta, tell them to fly someplace or we're gonna lose all the bananas to polar bears.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Gentle showers
It's been raining lightly for the last couple hours. Mom's come down with a flu so me and dad are fending for ourselves today. (Yes, I know that's poor grammar)
Dad's busy planting tomato seeds and I'm about to go out and work in one of the barns I suppose. Maybe place a seed order first.
Y'all stay dry.
Dad's busy planting tomato seeds and I'm about to go out and work in one of the barns I suppose. Maybe place a seed order first.
Y'all stay dry.
Work, work, work
Got rain coming in later today but this morning dad and I will be rolling tomato wire and preparing some beds for peas and other early crops.
The turkey's are beginning their displays, coming around begging for corn. We saw our first hummingbird last week and put out a feeder for him. He was grateful I think. Hope this cold hasn't hurt him.
The ground is frozen and covered with frost. Will be interesting to watch the transition to rain.
Have a great day.
The turkey's are beginning their displays, coming around begging for corn. We saw our first hummingbird last week and put out a feeder for him. He was grateful I think. Hope this cold hasn't hurt him.
The ground is frozen and covered with frost. Will be interesting to watch the transition to rain.
Have a great day.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
An Archbishop of Canterbury Tale
Iowahawk has one fine piece of ye olde ynglish to be readyng. Heere Bigynneth the Tale of the Asse-Hatte.
I got quite a good bit of giggling out of this.
I got quite a good bit of giggling out of this.
Happy St. Valentine's Day
Wikipedia has some interesting things to say about this holiday.
Hope all of you with romantic involvements have a fun and flirtatious day of it.
Hope all of you with romantic involvements have a fun and flirtatious day of it.
Monday, February 11, 2008
For my crafty readers
This was an interesting article for any of my readers who like crafting unusual items...
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Political Stimulus Package
This is a great piece of statesmanship. Everyone needs to write their senator and agree with Jim DeMint on this one. You can find your senators here.
Finally! an explanation for why I'm still single...
I got quite a good laugh out of this, though many may not understand ;-)
Although I do often take long, meandering walks; but that's for a reason.
Although I do often take long, meandering walks; but that's for a reason.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
How did they get to Romney?
It's being reported that Mitt Romney is dropping out of the race for the republican presidential nomination.
This early in the race and with some considerable chance of making a last minute comeback (presumably as the conservatives wake up and realize that the republican party is being taken over by democrats posing as conservatives...) one is forced to ask, how on earth did they get to Romney? Did they threaten his children? Did they kidnap his dog? Was some terrible secret from his childhood uncovered? Just how is it that the republican electorate has been deprived of yet another choice?
The really disturbing part is that this isn't an isolated incident. The same pattern of transparent manipulations can be inferred in the democratic party. There are many liberal women I would vote for before I'd vote for Hillary Clinton and there are many liberal men-of-color whom I would vote for before I'd vote for B. Hussein Obama. But no one is being offered other options for change.
After all the office of the president is just far too important to be left to the choice of the common person.
This early in the race and with some considerable chance of making a last minute comeback (presumably as the conservatives wake up and realize that the republican party is being taken over by democrats posing as conservatives...) one is forced to ask, how on earth did they get to Romney? Did they threaten his children? Did they kidnap his dog? Was some terrible secret from his childhood uncovered? Just how is it that the republican electorate has been deprived of yet another choice?
The really disturbing part is that this isn't an isolated incident. The same pattern of transparent manipulations can be inferred in the democratic party. There are many liberal women I would vote for before I'd vote for Hillary Clinton and there are many liberal men-of-color whom I would vote for before I'd vote for B. Hussein Obama. But no one is being offered other options for change.
After all the office of the president is just far too important to be left to the choice of the common person.
Friday, February 01, 2008
The morning Load
Continuing the barrage of climate change chicken-little-ism, the national geographic has this article about the "Western U.S. Facing Drought Crisis". According to the article this is due to diminishing snow reserves.
It is of interest to note that the Siskiyou's snow pack is at an all time record high due the enormous storm which just pounded the west coast. Doesn't look good for my plan to grow pineapples here but at least we'll have lots of water for my corn.
It is of interest to note that the Siskiyou's snow pack is at an all time record high due the enormous storm which just pounded the west coast. Doesn't look good for my plan to grow pineapples here but at least we'll have lots of water for my corn.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Rod Snod Clod
As my ebonics speaking friend would say...
The I-5 corridor from Yreka, Ca to Ashland, Or has been closed in both directions due to heavy snowfall.
Here it has been raining a lot. Smooshy, mucky, muddy, snowy mess. There's still quite a bit of snow on the ground around the farm here though our main fields are completely clear. Doesn't make any of the jobs which are staring me in the face easier.
Hope y'all are having a fun day.
The I-5 corridor from Yreka, Ca to Ashland, Or has been closed in both directions due to heavy snowfall.
Here it has been raining a lot. Smooshy, mucky, muddy, snowy mess. There's still quite a bit of snow on the ground around the farm here though our main fields are completely clear. Doesn't make any of the jobs which are staring me in the face easier.
Hope y'all are having a fun day.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
No 1st amendment at Central Michigan University
Anyone who cares about free speech should check out this article and do some emailing/blogging about another assault on our freedoms.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Lovely snow and trespassers
The day started with some lovely snow covered hills for the morning walk. Cold but no wind so a very pleasant and exercise-rich walk.
Spent most of the day cleaning up. The leaky roof in the east wing of my barn knocked loose a little drywall, right into my stash of malathion, what a stink. The afternoon was entertaining but not very profitable as I dug through my numerous boxes of robot parts trying to decide what to throw out and what to keep.
This afternoon I had another confrontation with the mobile-home park kids. They're still imposing on us and endangering themselves by crossing our land. I've explained it repeatedly, that there's dangerous equipment and chemicals on our land but it's just not getting through their federally educated little "minds". So after their last incursion I closed the opening in the fence they've been using with some sturdy barbed-wire. No doubt this isn't the last I'll hear or see of it as the youngest was seen pacing the fence just like a deer or wild turkey will do in contemplating how to get around. That's ok, I've got lots of barbed wire and if worse comes to worse I'll contact the owner of the mobile-home park and lodge a formal complaint.
Hope you have a peaceful and private evening.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Grinning Snow-Storm Demon
It's snowing down pretty good out there right now, thanks global warming!
In this radar image you can just make out the grinning snow storm demon that is menacing my lands:
In this radar image you can just make out the grinning snow storm demon that is menacing my lands:
Worry for a rainy day
Just got through writing my senators, begging them to reject the so-called economic stimulus package. It really sucks when someone like me has to beg his representatives to make a common sense decision. If you think I'm wrong about the stimulus package, please read this before arguing with me.
There's a lovely downpour going on outside. The ground is all fluffy, puffy, squishy and weird from having been frozen and thawing out slowly beneath showery skies. I'm wondering what that aeration will do to the soil microorganisms. Undoubtedly be good for all sorts of living things. Might be a good morel season this spring.
Everybody have fun!
There's a lovely downpour going on outside. The ground is all fluffy, puffy, squishy and weird from having been frozen and thawing out slowly beneath showery skies. I'm wondering what that aeration will do to the soil microorganisms. Undoubtedly be good for all sorts of living things. Might be a good morel season this spring.
Everybody have fun!
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Sentimental rains
Showers all day have kept my moods gentle and subtle. No raging rants, to smoldering resentments. The ground is still mostly frozen despite the rains though mushy spots are starting to show up.
I had to play the grumpy old man today, some neighbor kids from the mobile home park have been crossing our land without permission. This is like the third time I've had to confront them and tell them to stop, I fear a call to the police will have to come soon if they don't quit. In the 20th century I could've just had a talk with their parents but nowadays that just might get me shot or something. With all the equipment on this place I just can't risk one of them getting hurt messing around, their parents would undoubtedly sue my behind off.
Been cleaning up again so of course everything in the barn looks even more demolished and cluttered than ever.
Wishing you all an interesting and educational day.
I had to play the grumpy old man today, some neighbor kids from the mobile home park have been crossing our land without permission. This is like the third time I've had to confront them and tell them to stop, I fear a call to the police will have to come soon if they don't quit. In the 20th century I could've just had a talk with their parents but nowadays that just might get me shot or something. With all the equipment on this place I just can't risk one of them getting hurt messing around, their parents would undoubtedly sue my behind off.
Been cleaning up again so of course everything in the barn looks even more demolished and cluttered than ever.
Wishing you all an interesting and educational day.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Whackadoo Saturday scadoo
Nothing much to report. Pruned apples today, visited with my Bro a bit. Ground is still frozen even a few tiny thin patches of snow from the day before laying about. Doing a little insomnia thing tonight despite the melatonin. Dreams last night were wholly unrestful so why bother?
Hope you're being peaceful and relaxed.
Hope you're being peaceful and relaxed.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Political Endorsements
The Guy has finally decided who he will endorse for the 2008 presidential primaries.
On the democrat side he will endorse ... Dennis Kucinich.
And on the republican side it's ... Mitt Romney.
Democrats were listed first due to alphabetics.
Justifications:
On the democratic side. I like an underdog. Those other 3 idiots are all scruff, fluff and bother. Plus Dennis keeps a copy of the bill of rights in his pocket. Hillary is just power hungry, B. Hussein Obama is too inexperienced and Edwards just creaps me out.
On the republicans. McCain is a great hero but a poor conservative, what good is it to have a strong military figure if he leaves the borders open? I figure Mitt can push the button as good as anyone plus I've known a lot of Mormons and they're ok. Ultimately Mitt is the least offensive and the most conservative now that Fred has quit.
On the democrat side he will endorse ... Dennis Kucinich.
And on the republican side it's ... Mitt Romney.
Democrats were listed first due to alphabetics.
Justifications:
On the democratic side. I like an underdog. Those other 3 idiots are all scruff, fluff and bother. Plus Dennis keeps a copy of the bill of rights in his pocket. Hillary is just power hungry, B. Hussein Obama is too inexperienced and Edwards just creaps me out.
On the republicans. McCain is a great hero but a poor conservative, what good is it to have a strong military figure if he leaves the borders open? I figure Mitt can push the button as good as anyone plus I've known a lot of Mormons and they're ok. Ultimately Mitt is the least offensive and the most conservative now that Fred has quit.
22 degrees F
The F is for "Freakin' Cold!" (only I didn't say Freakin')
Cold, dry, frozen harder than a Popsicle. Now I know this aint no Siberian, Alaskan, Canadian or Antarctic (sorry whoever I left out) kinda cold, but I'm used to a 40 degree winter with lots of rain and this stuff just hurts. So cold it's blowing right through my long-johns.
But man is it good for keeping down the pests. Insects and some fungus really get hurt by this sort of weather.
Today will be more pruning and clean-up. Getting ready for a big burn of all the loose branches and scrap fiber leftover from last years farming operation. Will have a couple piece of some new pottery to fire in that as well if I can squeeze a tiny bit more time into making a few more slips and glazes.
Stay warm and be happy.
Cold, dry, frozen harder than a Popsicle. Now I know this aint no Siberian, Alaskan, Canadian or Antarctic (sorry whoever I left out) kinda cold, but I'm used to a 40 degree winter with lots of rain and this stuff just hurts. So cold it's blowing right through my long-johns.
But man is it good for keeping down the pests. Insects and some fungus really get hurt by this sort of weather.
Today will be more pruning and clean-up. Getting ready for a big burn of all the loose branches and scrap fiber leftover from last years farming operation. Will have a couple piece of some new pottery to fire in that as well if I can squeeze a tiny bit more time into making a few more slips and glazes.
Stay warm and be happy.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
2008: World of Tomorrow
So freezing cold, 24F out there with a steady life-sapping breeze. Inside I am and reading the data stream from Google Reader.
Stock markets, Fed interest rates, Russian missile tests, new drugs, new diseases, science discoveries, claims of breakthrough-inventions, political games, political flames, political names, political blames and the weather.
So many forms of tyranny. To use Mr. Putin's retro-cold war military disco dancing as an example. How gauche! How passé! Mr. Amadenijad, Mr. Bush, Mr. Chavez, Mr. Putin; these are all tyrants in the technical sense. They exercise power with their choices over their people and the world, for better or worse. Like most humans their focus of attention is narrowly jammed into their specialty, the use of power. The cost of this narrowed focus is that like the rest of us they will occasionally overlook the storm shift that is coming towards their focus.
There is a distinct knew agent acting in the human world easily overlooked.
It's all the rest of us.
The internet and assorted webs built on it connect more people than any one country is populated by. All of those people have access to the same uniform information resource (except for a few who haven't figured out how to easily and safely circumvent government interdiction). Our responses to this information form an ever growing, involving and evolving zeitgeist wherein we sift, sort and mull the assorted truths.
As hours, days, weeks, months go by this "Internet country" ferments these truths into global policy plans and decisions. These choices are largely indifferent to strident demands of the old tyrant system and since they are taken into affect by a diffuse and ubiquitous membership these policies are largely irresistible. Due to their diffuse and pervasive source, the decision are also largely uninfluencable.
No wonder Putin and the rest are acting all psycho. They've recently been warned and are still getting over the shock of having to change their drawers.
Stock markets, Fed interest rates, Russian missile tests, new drugs, new diseases, science discoveries, claims of breakthrough-inventions, political games, political flames, political names, political blames and the weather.
So many forms of tyranny. To use Mr. Putin's retro-cold war military disco dancing as an example. How gauche! How passé! Mr. Amadenijad, Mr. Bush, Mr. Chavez, Mr. Putin; these are all tyrants in the technical sense. They exercise power with their choices over their people and the world, for better or worse. Like most humans their focus of attention is narrowly jammed into their specialty, the use of power. The cost of this narrowed focus is that like the rest of us they will occasionally overlook the storm shift that is coming towards their focus.
There is a distinct knew agent acting in the human world easily overlooked.
It's all the rest of us.
The internet and assorted webs built on it connect more people than any one country is populated by. All of those people have access to the same uniform information resource (except for a few who haven't figured out how to easily and safely circumvent government interdiction). Our responses to this information form an ever growing, involving and evolving zeitgeist wherein we sift, sort and mull the assorted truths.
As hours, days, weeks, months go by this "Internet country" ferments these truths into global policy plans and decisions. These choices are largely indifferent to strident demands of the old tyrant system and since they are taken into affect by a diffuse and ubiquitous membership these policies are largely irresistible. Due to their diffuse and pervasive source, the decision are also largely uninfluencable.
No wonder Putin and the rest are acting all psycho. They've recently been warned and are still getting over the shock of having to change their drawers.
Monday, January 21, 2008
I want my global warming!
Dammit! It is cold out there! After yesterday's promising showers it has frozen back up solid. Climate change my fat white American backside; this is the same freezing cr^p we've been having since I was 4. I'm gonna go burn some coal. Come on China, get with the program and burn some more stuff, I'm chilled to the bone and I want to grow pineapple here.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
A little math puzzle
6, 10, 12, 14, 18...
What is this set of numbers and what is the next in the series? Hint: it isn't defined by a procedure.
What is this set of numbers and what is the next in the series? Hint: it isn't defined by a procedure.
State of the art in war
Here's a little something for (primarily American) people to think about while we watch the housing market, trade imbalances and assorted political caucuses/primaries.
Hope your insomnia is treating you as well as mine.
Hope your insomnia is treating you as well as mine.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Strange melting
Most of the ground remains frozen but odd places around the yard have melted free from their frost. Fog lay low and frigid when the sun came up settling out as thicker layers of frost. But the same fog dispersed the sun and made warm regions and streams of breezes play across the landscape.
The orchard muds are still frozen hard as brick but here and there the frost is gone. The sun is already heading towards the skyline and it seems to me that I can feel the patches of frost waiting hungrily.
Have a great day.
The orchard muds are still frozen hard as brick but here and there the frost is gone. The sun is already heading towards the skyline and it seems to me that I can feel the patches of frost waiting hungrily.
Have a great day.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Winter wander
It was a delightful day beneath a deep blue sky and bright sun. The grass and leaves beneath my boots crunching like bags of chips from being so frozen and covered in frost. A black cat scampered across the pond when he spotted Sparky.
In the shade the frost crystals are growing huge from not melting for 3 days. The brown pick-up looks like it needs a shave.
I got a fair amount of pruning done today despite having a really sore neck. Pulled a muscle or kinked a vertebrae, probably from standing, mouse in hand, for hours last night while reading and designing molecules. Feeling much better now. Work usually helps.
Gotta go batten down for the night. Y'all sleep peaceful and dream happy.
In the shade the frost crystals are growing huge from not melting for 3 days. The brown pick-up looks like it needs a shave.
I got a fair amount of pruning done today despite having a really sore neck. Pulled a muscle or kinked a vertebrae, probably from standing, mouse in hand, for hours last night while reading and designing molecules. Feeling much better now. Work usually helps.
Gotta go batten down for the night. Y'all sleep peaceful and dream happy.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
A Congress induced nightmare
Our illustrious congress is having hearings on the use of steroids in baseball.
I don't even know if I need to write anymore, that sentence alone is sufficiently insane.
One phrase I overheard on the telly my dad was watching:
"Baseball fans find themselves in a drug induced nightmare"
How about Americans in general? We've got a congress that thinks this hearing is actually worth doing. I am forced to wonder, have any of our congressmen or women ever been tested for drug or steroid use?
Because that's the only explanation I can think of for what they are doing. They must be smashed out of their gourds, hallucinating on some mescaline or wired up on crank to think that this is an appropriate use of their attention.
I don't even know if I need to write anymore, that sentence alone is sufficiently insane.
One phrase I overheard on the telly my dad was watching:
"Baseball fans find themselves in a drug induced nightmare"
How about Americans in general? We've got a congress that thinks this hearing is actually worth doing. I am forced to wonder, have any of our congressmen or women ever been tested for drug or steroid use?
Because that's the only explanation I can think of for what they are doing. They must be smashed out of their gourds, hallucinating on some mescaline or wired up on crank to think that this is an appropriate use of their attention.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Odd Monday
My newest desktop computer's hard-drive finally gave up the ghost last night so between runs at the orchard and clean-up trips I was irritated by the re-install of win98 and restoration of my backup files just about all day long. Shouldn't have taken all that long but the only hard drive I have laying around to spare right now is a slow old 10gig. Hopefully I can excavate the files from a newer 60gig my sister's previous computer had in it which will perhaps free me to use that drive. We'll see. Otherwise I've gotta kill something worth 50$ to buy a new 80gig.
But the orchard is really shaping up. Should be done plenty long before spring. Got to set a couple days aside and call George Reeves soon. I promised him I'd prune and spray his trees back at the end of summer and I mean to be a man of my word. Plus it's always fun to work over at George and Jody's.
Also had the privilege today to try out some fascinating new software from Nanorex. It's a molecular modeling package for nanotechnology design purposes called "Nanoengineer-1" or NE1. Didn't have as much time to try it out as I'd like today but did manage to construct some snazy branched hydrocarbons and render one 449 base Rhizobium baterium gene. Sometimes in the next couple days I'll write a review on my NanoGuy blog. Actually terribly cool stuff.
Hope y'all are staying happy and healthy.
But the orchard is really shaping up. Should be done plenty long before spring. Got to set a couple days aside and call George Reeves soon. I promised him I'd prune and spray his trees back at the end of summer and I mean to be a man of my word. Plus it's always fun to work over at George and Jody's.
Also had the privilege today to try out some fascinating new software from Nanorex. It's a molecular modeling package for nanotechnology design purposes called "Nanoengineer-1" or NE1. Didn't have as much time to try it out as I'd like today but did manage to construct some snazy branched hydrocarbons and render one 449 base Rhizobium baterium gene. Sometimes in the next couple days I'll write a review on my NanoGuy blog. Actually terribly cool stuff.
Hope y'all are staying happy and healthy.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Sunny winter day
Clouds blew off around 12. Been quite lovely since. Made a run down to spray copper ammoniate on the nectarine and peach trees. Lots of lovely bird action right now, had a red breasted nuthatch show up at the bird feeder (suet) around lunch time, only the second time we've seen one of those.
All the plants are showing their signs of recognizing that the days are getting longer. Already I can sense the upcoming stresses that will evolve into our first bursts of activity for this year's crop. Specifically, with the good weather, tomorrow. It's Monday after all.
So dad will be working at bro's on some final winter projects and I'll be pruning, cleaning up and doing operational maintenance on equipment here. Gotta have all the spray rigs, blower fans, etc. operating.
Uh-oh, Sparky's barking at something. Gotta go.
All the plants are showing their signs of recognizing that the days are getting longer. Already I can sense the upcoming stresses that will evolve into our first bursts of activity for this year's crop. Specifically, with the good weather, tomorrow. It's Monday after all.
So dad will be working at bro's on some final winter projects and I'll be pruning, cleaning up and doing operational maintenance on equipment here. Gotta have all the spray rigs, blower fans, etc. operating.
Uh-oh, Sparky's barking at something. Gotta go.
1st amendment dies in Oregon
Apparently the separation of church and state is more important than the first amendment in Oregon. I'm baffled as to why NWCN didn't want to even publish the "offending" motto?
No wonder high school students (still) feel disenfranchised by the American system.
No wonder high school students (still) feel disenfranchised by the American system.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
the most red-blooded defense of free speech you've ever seen
I know a lot of liberals fervently hate Hot Air, but totally trust me on this one, go there and watch the video[!]
I don't care if you're an irrational bible thumping conservative or a pot smoking homosexual liberal or any member of the spectrum in between. Every single one of us should agree that this is what free speech is all about.
I don't care if you're an irrational bible thumping conservative or a pot smoking homosexual liberal or any member of the spectrum in between. Every single one of us should agree that this is what free speech is all about.
"This is all hogwash" says head of global warming panel.
Rajendra Pachauri, the head of the U.N. Panel that shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, said "this is all hogwash"
I readily admit I've taken the man's words completely out of context, which is no different than what global warming enthusiasts do with their climatological data. So I figure that makes it ok....
I readily admit I've taken the man's words completely out of context, which is no different than what global warming enthusiasts do with their climatological data. So I figure that makes it ok....
Friday, January 11, 2008
A new link in my list
Rogue and Poet has won the coveted and disputable "honor" of being added to my list of blog links. I like the cut of this fellas jib. Jan. 11th poem was pretty darn good.
Orchard Ornithology
Out doing a little more for my fruit trees when suddenly I noticed a bird that was a little different than our usual jays, wood-peckers, flickers, finches, sparrows, gros-beaks, tow-hees, juncos, and chickadees. This one has a swept back tuft on its head. Then it hit me: Cedar Waxwings! Yee-ha, they are back for their mid winter visit. Unfortunately they (a pretty good sized flock) were too far up in the tallest black walnut tree for me to get a good picture.
Wishing a fun, feathery day to you all.
Wishing a fun, feathery day to you all.
Further evidence of Global Warming?
After we in Southern Oregon had the coolest, wettest summer in about 20 years, now it's snowing in Baghdad! Of course some moron climate alarmist is gonna come out and say "This proves the globe is getting warmer!"
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Single ladies listen up!
Or perhaps I should say, read up: A girl's guide to geeks Highly inaccurate, but it's worth a few giggles anyways.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
rain, wind and frustration
Brrrr... went for a walk this morning with the wind a cutting blast blowing down from snow covered hills. Rain just barely above freezing pelted nearly perpendicular to the ground.
My newest computer just fried its hard-drive so I'm a little irritated with technology right now. Gotta dig around in my scrap pile and see if I've got an old 6gig drive I can stick in there until I can afford a new one.
Everybody stay dry and out of the wind and be happy.
My newest computer just fried its hard-drive so I'm a little irritated with technology right now. Gotta dig around in my scrap pile and see if I've got an old 6gig drive I can stick in there until I can afford a new one.
Everybody stay dry and out of the wind and be happy.
Monday, January 07, 2008
Tech geek irony
Getting a smug chuckle from watching the G4 TV [channel 73 in the Rogue valley] coverage of the CES in Vegas. Here's a show entirely populated by geeks and techies at an industry event composed of nothing but cutting edge tech. But for some reason their audio feed is running about 2 seconds behind their video feed. It's like a really badly dubbed Japanese movie! Considering how often AOTS dogs on everyone else's inferior use of tech this is really quite funny.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Fielder Mt. snow
The snow stopped about 100 feet above our farm last night. What a lovely, cold, stark morning. The land and air washed so clean you could smell it, that crisp metal-y smell of nearby snow.
Modern education
This is what "outcome based education" will get you:
Flunked: 14 Signs of a Deficient Intellect
Flunked: 14 Signs of a Deficient Intellect
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Did earthquakes trigger levee break?
There were 3 earthquakes ranging from 3.8 to 4.2 RS to the east of Fernley, NV about 30 miles (details) in the hours preceeding a levee break that has forced the rescue of 3,500 people.
The last quake was at 4:03am, just about 20 minutes before the levee failed completely.
The last quake was at 4:03am, just about 20 minutes before the levee failed completely.
Friday, January 04, 2008
The death of advertising
I am getting so sick of the advertising on tv. It's bad enough what I've got to pay for the privilege on a monthly basis, cable, subscription, tv upkeep etc. I mean, I already pay to have the signal brought to my house.
I figure that in a given week I watch 2 hours a day for 6 days. 20 minutes of each hour (at least) is wasted on commercials. That's like, uhmm... 4 hours a week. At minimum wage that amounts to an additional fee of 29 dollars a week! 1500 dollars a year, and for me that's been at least 30 years. The advertising industry owes me $45,000 damn it! And the same goes for anyone else trapped in the insidious tv addiction.
I say we put together a class action suit and sue for it! It'd keep the lawyers busy at least.
I figure that in a given week I watch 2 hours a day for 6 days. 20 minutes of each hour (at least) is wasted on commercials. That's like, uhmm... 4 hours a week. At minimum wage that amounts to an additional fee of 29 dollars a week! 1500 dollars a year, and for me that's been at least 30 years. The advertising industry owes me $45,000 damn it! And the same goes for anyone else trapped in the insidious tv addiction.
I say we put together a class action suit and sue for it! It'd keep the lawyers busy at least.
Global warming fallacies
Found this interesting and revealing graphic on the placement of temperature stations around the globe. [click to enlarge] It is readily apparent that the majority of new stations in the last 50 years have all been near the equator. I'd be willing to bet that if you graphed these placements the resulting figure would look like a hockey stick. Anyways, one thing is for sure: if these additional sites are being included in the global average, that average would only appear to increase. In fact, any progressive comparison would be invalidate by the inclusion of these additional sites.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Night-time animal conundrum
During a brief nocturnal sojourn I cross paths with an interesting animal.
Seen at a distance of about 30 feet in flash-light it looked sort of like an opposum. After it ran away into the shrubs I walked by where it had been. A distinct and pungent aroma of skunk filled the air there. And yet, that was no skunk. To add to the oddity was the way it ran off. In my 36 years of living in Oregon I've never seen skunk or opposum run away like that. I've walked up to within 5 feet of opposum before and he just hissed at me and waddled off. Don't need to explain why skunks never run off.
So what was that critter? Way too fast for skunk but smells like skunk, way to fast for opposum but looks like opposum.
Ahhh, the wonderful mysteries of night.
Seen at a distance of about 30 feet in flash-light it looked sort of like an opposum. After it ran away into the shrubs I walked by where it had been. A distinct and pungent aroma of skunk filled the air there. And yet, that was no skunk. To add to the oddity was the way it ran off. In my 36 years of living in Oregon I've never seen skunk or opposum run away like that. I've walked up to within 5 feet of opposum before and he just hissed at me and waddled off. Don't need to explain why skunks never run off.
So what was that critter? Way too fast for skunk but smells like skunk, way to fast for opposum but looks like opposum.
Ahhh, the wonderful mysteries of night.
Warm winter evening
After a week of frost and ice this sub-tropical stuff makes me feel down right smothered. Times like this I can really tell my people are from northern Europe. Come on neandertal genes, mellow out! Gonna have to go tromping in the cold dark and kill me a mammoth. Well, an evening walk anyways.
Doesn't help that my American lifestyle means I'm carrying about 80 pounds of totally unnecessary flab. Sure, it turns on the ladies, but is it worth it?-)
Dreamt about my weird little ol' Amerindian friend Syd last night. She picked me up hitch hiking near the coast in her little red volkswagon. She used to live across the road from me when I was doing computer programming in Veneta. We lost touch a few years back because of an obviously stupid remark I unintentionally made. In my dream we went to the grocery store and got some chips, it was a sunny day and some young men were playing hackysack in front of the store and she joined in. Considering how poor Syd's health was last time we spoke this dream somehow makes me think she might have passed beyond. The boys she was playing hacky with resembled the son of a classmate who recently passed. I dream about the dead a couple times a year, it always freaks me out a little. Especially when it's someone I had unfinished business with. Sorry about that comment Syd, I didn't mean to offend just chose my words poorly.
On that creepy note I'll wish you all a loving, life filled night with no misunderstandings.
Doesn't help that my American lifestyle means I'm carrying about 80 pounds of totally unnecessary flab. Sure, it turns on the ladies, but is it worth it?-)
Dreamt about my weird little ol' Amerindian friend Syd last night. She picked me up hitch hiking near the coast in her little red volkswagon. She used to live across the road from me when I was doing computer programming in Veneta. We lost touch a few years back because of an obviously stupid remark I unintentionally made. In my dream we went to the grocery store and got some chips, it was a sunny day and some young men were playing hackysack in front of the store and she joined in. Considering how poor Syd's health was last time we spoke this dream somehow makes me think she might have passed beyond. The boys she was playing hacky with resembled the son of a classmate who recently passed. I dream about the dead a couple times a year, it always freaks me out a little. Especially when it's someone I had unfinished business with. Sorry about that comment Syd, I didn't mean to offend just chose my words poorly.
On that creepy note I'll wish you all a loving, life filled night with no misunderstandings.
You could be a TV critic too!
Or for that matter so could your pet monkey.
Troy Patterson over at Slate.com holds forth on last night's Leno and Conan return to tv without writers. Considering the content of his column, it's easy to see why the world is getting on fine without any guild writers. I can hardly think of a better example of shallow elitist drivel; really makes me sad that I was too tired from working to stay up and watch Jay and Conan. I bet they were actually pretty good standing on their own two feet again.
Wouldn't it be super if Jay and Conan let some bloggers write for them? I bet they'd be way funnier than tired ol' WGA writers.
Troy Patterson over at Slate.com holds forth on last night's Leno and Conan return to tv without writers. Considering the content of his column, it's easy to see why the world is getting on fine without any guild writers. I can hardly think of a better example of shallow elitist drivel; really makes me sad that I was too tired from working to stay up and watch Jay and Conan. I bet they were actually pretty good standing on their own two feet again.
Wouldn't it be super if Jay and Conan let some bloggers write for them? I bet they'd be way funnier than tired ol' WGA writers.
Storm #1
It is just raining down out there. The ground was still frozen at 6am but it's about 43 right now and raining even harder than it was when I started typing.
NWS says this is the first of 3 storms and that tomorrow's will be even worse. Won't be much pruning going on but I've got plenty of other work to do. My barn is still a huge mess and I've got like 20 other projects that could all use my attention plus whatever I manage to do with the computer. Maybe I'll summon the courage to write that pruning guide now. If I'm really courageous I'll tackle a neat MAKE project I saw and cobble together my microscope and an old webcam. That should satisfy both the geek and scientist in me.
Lots of weird stuff going on in the news. We're all gonna be so sick of hearing about the campaigns by November, uhg I'm totally saturated on Iowa already.
Everybody keep dry and happy.
NWS says this is the first of 3 storms and that tomorrow's will be even worse. Won't be much pruning going on but I've got plenty of other work to do. My barn is still a huge mess and I've got like 20 other projects that could all use my attention plus whatever I manage to do with the computer. Maybe I'll summon the courage to write that pruning guide now. If I'm really courageous I'll tackle a neat MAKE project I saw and cobble together my microscope and an old webcam. That should satisfy both the geek and scientist in me.
Lots of weird stuff going on in the news. We're all gonna be so sick of hearing about the campaigns by November, uhg I'm totally saturated on Iowa already.
Everybody keep dry and happy.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Pruning endurance
Standing on a twelve foot ladder holding a ten foot pole pruner can give one very sore shoulder muscles. That's been my major chore this morning and the brisk air is the only thing keeping the job from being truly irksome.
I keep hoping I could marshal the time to post a rudimentary pruning guide up here that I was putting together earlier but there always seems to be some other chore stopping me.
Mom's running errands in town and dad's putting a new faucet in the kitchen sink. Like always, that's more work than the words make out. 1945 built house has some crummy piping in it.
I've started getting a line on boxes for this years tomato harvest. Next week dad will contact his friend Dave at GreenLeaf Industries to see if they can provide about 3000+ tomato plants this spring and early summer. I've already found sources for a couple miles of support wire and that just leaves finding a stick mill for the stakes. We used to get tomato stakes from the Meur mill on Redwood highway but they got bought out by Albertsons and bulldozed shortly after.
Wishing you all a comfy, safe winter day.
I keep hoping I could marshal the time to post a rudimentary pruning guide up here that I was putting together earlier but there always seems to be some other chore stopping me.
Mom's running errands in town and dad's putting a new faucet in the kitchen sink. Like always, that's more work than the words make out. 1945 built house has some crummy piping in it.
I've started getting a line on boxes for this years tomato harvest. Next week dad will contact his friend Dave at GreenLeaf Industries to see if they can provide about 3000+ tomato plants this spring and early summer. I've already found sources for a couple miles of support wire and that just leaves finding a stick mill for the stakes. We used to get tomato stakes from the Meur mill on Redwood highway but they got bought out by Albertsons and bulldozed shortly after.
Wishing you all a comfy, safe winter day.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Pause before the push
Today was another slack day, with the ground hard frozen and the air sucking moisture away from everything.
I suppose it wasn't really a slack day, just felt that way to me. I did plenty of work today; cleaning up, pruning, writing software, working on assorted high tech and low tech machines. But in my mind there is a creaping and insidious awareness of the recently turned season.
The days are getting longer now. Bit by bit, even under the frost, plants are beginning to swell. A faint vibration in their osmotic attentions.
This year's growing season promises to be especially hectic. You see we've made arrangements with a local grocery store chain to start providing our high quality locally grown tomatoes to their produce departments. This will at least triple the amount of tomatoes we have to raise. Since tomatoes are something we do especially well demand may even be higher than that.
So my subconscious casts days like this in the light of a surging urgency. Only a matter of time until time will be the only matter.
Hoping you all are getting a fine and frisky start on this freaky 2008.
I suppose it wasn't really a slack day, just felt that way to me. I did plenty of work today; cleaning up, pruning, writing software, working on assorted high tech and low tech machines. But in my mind there is a creaping and insidious awareness of the recently turned season.
The days are getting longer now. Bit by bit, even under the frost, plants are beginning to swell. A faint vibration in their osmotic attentions.
This year's growing season promises to be especially hectic. You see we've made arrangements with a local grocery store chain to start providing our high quality locally grown tomatoes to their produce departments. This will at least triple the amount of tomatoes we have to raise. Since tomatoes are something we do especially well demand may even be higher than that.
So my subconscious casts days like this in the light of a surging urgency. Only a matter of time until time will be the only matter.
Hoping you all are getting a fine and frisky start on this freaky 2008.
Feedburner Frustration
Been struggling with Feedburner and RSS for the last couple of hours, trying to get my blog posting to update correctly. Unfortunately, at least for Google Reader, I seem to be up Stuff Creek. I'll probably be forced to write my own XML page for RSS of the material or something, I suppose. For some reason Feedburner doesn't accept the validity of the XML currently being generated (by blogger I guess.)
Come one folks! Blogger, Google Reader and Feedburner are all owned by Google. Company with 16,000 employees many of them millionaires and they can't get a simple range of interoperability working. Cheese!!
Come one folks! Blogger, Google Reader and Feedburner are all owned by Google. Company with 16,000 employees many of them millionaires and they can't get a simple range of interoperability working. Cheese!!
Frog buloney on the web
The Uk's "the telegraph" is demonstrating just how bad journalism has become. They have a panic article about "Virus threatens mass extinction of frogs" but don't specify what virus. When I ran a search down I got articles going back to Feb 17, 2007 describing the same "Amphibian Ark" project but in that case it was a fungus not a virus. Still no definite explanation of which fungus or virus or trans-dimensional frog hunter is leading to the extinction of frogs.
We had frogs and toads serenading here well into mid-November, several weeks later than usual.
This project just strikes me as one more special interest boondoggle. Don't get me wrong, I care deeply for the environment and frogs. So much so that I actually work to make sure my farm is nature friendly.
What bugs me is how often we are being poorly informed or just plain misled by the media and so-called specialists. Exactly how many amphibians are dying? Not just "might die" or "could lead to the biggest mass extinction since the dinosaurs" Heck, that'd be like 10 times the number of amphibians that there are in the world. Where are we gonna get these extra frogs from before we can extinct them?
We had frogs and toads serenading here well into mid-November, several weeks later than usual.
This project just strikes me as one more special interest boondoggle. Don't get me wrong, I care deeply for the environment and frogs. So much so that I actually work to make sure my farm is nature friendly.
What bugs me is how often we are being poorly informed or just plain misled by the media and so-called specialists. Exactly how many amphibians are dying? Not just "might die" or "could lead to the biggest mass extinction since the dinosaurs" Heck, that'd be like 10 times the number of amphibians that there are in the world. Where are we gonna get these extra frogs from before we can extinct them?
Monday, December 31, 2007
Open source media
The Viewer's Strike of 2008 is a pretty great idea. Throw in a transparent mesh network layer built around 802.11 or the public broadcast bands and there'd be no way the legacy system could reimpose its will on the people.
Happy 2008!
Wishing happiness to everyone, especially anyone reading here. May this new year bring us all enthusiasm, good will and well being.
Redneck hobbies
(Warning! not suitable for some non-redneck viewers) I laughed so hard I thought I was going to injure myself.
Going RSS
Been enjoying the Google Reader for compiling all my news, science and tech feeds so I got inspired and ran up the syndication code for my site (links under my profile)
Friday, December 28, 2007
Another assault on (Un)reason
I'm on a roll tonight.
Uncle Al has a sermon about the seven deadly virtues. Ol' Ben Franklin would love this guy.
Uncle Al has a sermon about the seven deadly virtues. Ol' Ben Franklin would love this guy.
Enjoying wikipedia
Been following assorted trails from the mathematics portal and found my way into regions of belief and uncertainty. Found a new (to me...) definition which amused:
I'm not saying that's my viewpoint, only that I found the definition amusing.
I encourage anyone who has the means to contribute to Wikipedia; in my opinion it may turn out to be one of the great endeavors of the human race.
Ignosticism—the view that a coherent definition of God must be put forward before the question of the existence of God can meaningfully be discussed. If the chosen definition isn't coherent, the ignostic holds the noncognitivist view that the existence of God is meaningless or empirically untestable. It should be noted that A.J. Ayer, Theodore Drange, and other philosophers see both atheism and agnosticism as incompatible with ignosticism on the grounds that atheism and agnosticism accept "God exists" as a meaningful proposition which can be argued for or against. The ignostic would say, "I don't know what you're talking about when you refer to God. Unless we first figure that out, debates over whether god exists are meaningless."
I'm not saying that's my viewpoint, only that I found the definition amusing.
I encourage anyone who has the means to contribute to Wikipedia; in my opinion it may turn out to be one of the great endeavors of the human race.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Dave Lindorff: The voice of the world farting
Excuse my crudeness!
The article "Global Warming Will Save America from the Right...Eventually" by Dave lindorff had me laughing so hard I just had to type it.
Every time I try to be open minded and consider all the points-of-view, someone like Lindorff comes along and spoils any chance of my listening objectively to liberals for at least a couple of days. This man is a typical slogan chanter, a sin to be found on both sides of the political aisle for sure. But you've got to wonder if this fella has ever had an independent thought. He's certainly never experienced objective skepticism.
The Will to Doubt, Mr. Lindorff, the will to doubt.
The article "Global Warming Will Save America from the Right...Eventually" by Dave lindorff had me laughing so hard I just had to type it.
Every time I try to be open minded and consider all the points-of-view, someone like Lindorff comes along and spoils any chance of my listening objectively to liberals for at least a couple of days. This man is a typical slogan chanter, a sin to be found on both sides of the political aisle for sure. But you've got to wonder if this fella has ever had an independent thought. He's certainly never experienced objective skepticism.
The Will to Doubt, Mr. Lindorff, the will to doubt.
Snowy day
Kept myself busy with an oddment of assorted ephemera and chores today. Snow fell in flurries and blowing showers almost all day.
Mom and dad took down most of the holiday decorations today. Dad has been suffering from a bit of ear and sinus infection the last couple days, probably brought on by the cold and recent increase in candy consumption. His blood pressure has been running high this last week so the doc has him on some new BP medicine which seems to be taking hold now.
Gonna go have a cup of chicken soup now. Hope y'all are enjoying life.
Mom and dad took down most of the holiday decorations today. Dad has been suffering from a bit of ear and sinus infection the last couple days, probably brought on by the cold and recent increase in candy consumption. His blood pressure has been running high this last week so the doc has him on some new BP medicine which seems to be taking hold now.
Gonna go have a cup of chicken soup now. Hope y'all are enjoying life.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Doubly wireless blogging
Not really sure how this post is going to look when I'm done. I'm using my new wireless keyboard and mouse while routing the video output through my ol' tv set. Text is little and a little blurry. But it is really nice to kick back in a comfy position and be able to control this machine. If I ever get liquid I'll invest in a big screen tv that accepts 1024x760 resolution. Or maybe a projector. That will make writing code a smooth cool breeze.
It's snowing outside at the moment. Flurries been blowing through all day.
Hope you are all happy and well.
It's snowing outside at the moment. Flurries been blowing through all day.
Hope you are all happy and well.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Merry Christmas
A fine, frozen Christmas morning here in Southern Oregon.
Gifts have been exchanged, much sated happiness abounds. I got a wireless keyboard and mouse. Will make computing more delightful. Also lots of clothes, some candy treats and other cool little tools and items. I gave mom one of those little indoor fountains and dad a new craftsman screw-gun, and of course other minor items.
Wishing all of you as fine a day or better.
Gifts have been exchanged, much sated happiness abounds. I got a wireless keyboard and mouse. Will make computing more delightful. Also lots of clothes, some candy treats and other cool little tools and items. I gave mom one of those little indoor fountains and dad a new craftsman screw-gun, and of course other minor items.
Wishing all of you as fine a day or better.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Energy Victory
Been listening to Robert Zubrin on C-span. Wow! he's not the world's best public speaker, but he's sure got his ducks in a row when it comes to energy independence. Once more I'm ferociously pissed off at my government for not listening to someone like him. His website and book are here. If you can afford to buy, let me borrow it when you're done!
But seriously, listening to him one comes to realize really how easy it would be to solve a plethora of problems while also freeing America from its oil addiction.
Keep up the good work, Mr. Zubrin.
But seriously, listening to him one comes to realize really how easy it would be to solve a plethora of problems while also freeing America from its oil addiction.
Keep up the good work, Mr. Zubrin.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Evening contemplations
Train rumbling by in the night, sound the horn in darkness 'neath moonlit sky
Snow covered ridge so cold, so beautiful
Lights on the freeway moving, always moving
Silhouette trees dreaming in their winter slumber
Feral cat filching a snack in my barn
Christmas gifts that (desperately) need wrapping
Shadows silently reading
Snow covered ridge so cold, so beautiful
Lights on the freeway moving, always moving
Silhouette trees dreaming in their winter slumber
Feral cat filching a snack in my barn
Christmas gifts that (desperately) need wrapping
Shadows silently reading
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Senate kicks global warming in the butt
Over 400 Prominent Scientists Disputed Man-Made Global Warming
Well, at least they (our representatives) aren't totally full of you-know-what
Well, at least they (our representatives) aren't totally full of you-know-what
Lakota Seccession
I have mixed feeling about this but I'm so pissed-off at my so-called government right now that I've gotta tell the Lakota people "Rock on, you crazy aborigines!" I totally hope you kick DC's butt. DC isn't even representing those citizen that want to be part of their institution anymore.
Interestingly, this is parallel to one of the "ShadowRun" story lines (the books, not the games) I wonder if the authors knew about the '74 proceedings or if they just came up with this?
Interestingly, this is parallel to one of the "ShadowRun" story lines (the books, not the games) I wonder if the authors knew about the '74 proceedings or if they just came up with this?
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
More political Cr^P from DC
The illustrious "More-ons" in Washington DC have done it again. Spending literally trillions on every foible, abuse and social corruption and now they've cut the R&D and science budgets (details at ScienceNow, the AAAS website)
If anyone had a doubt about our government belonging to OPEC and/or big oil, just check out the fact that they cut funding to the ITER project which WAS the world's most advanced fusion project and was slated to deliver loads of cheap electricity at some point in the next 50 years. No radioactive byproducts, no CO2 and no oil dependence, we gotta make sure that doesn't happen.
Any hope for MIT's proposed geothermal plants is pretty much toast.
We might not mind these cuts, if a matching amount of the pork had been cut from their budget or if the border fence had been left intact. Arrrrrgg!!
If anyone had a doubt about our government belonging to OPEC and/or big oil, just check out the fact that they cut funding to the ITER project which WAS the world's most advanced fusion project and was slated to deliver loads of cheap electricity at some point in the next 50 years. No radioactive byproducts, no CO2 and no oil dependence, we gotta make sure that doesn't happen.
Any hope for MIT's proposed geothermal plants is pretty much toast.
We might not mind these cuts, if a matching amount of the pork had been cut from their budget or if the border fence had been left intact. Arrrrrgg!!
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Forgive my laughter....
From Muslim Rage Boy: Warning, bloody and macabre, but This would be freakin' hilarious (if it wasn't so true)
I'm sure Youtube will yank it shortly, they just hate the first amendment.
I'm sure Youtube will yank it shortly, they just hate the first amendment.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Government Spending Transparency
Another FINALLY! moment.
The feds have finally started to comply with recent transparency legislation making it possible for us to see how they're wasting our money. Check it here.
On the Oregon page it is quite clearly visible to see when the feds stopped paying their taxes on the O&C railroad lands which they confiscated and will not return to our stewardship. From 2005 on there has been a precipitous drop in money coming to southern Oregon. They should either return those lands to us or pay what they promised.
Update
Been digging around there a bit and can already see the pattern of obfuscation we have come to expect from our government. The database is difficult to access and search, browsing is all but impossible especially when done by category. Listings are limited to the first 500 of tens of thousands or all of them, no page-by-page display. Typical methods of keeping the public from using it. God forbid they issue an actual database interface so someone could use datamining on the set. How about allowing us to download the data as a spreadsheet, would that kill anyone?
The feds have finally started to comply with recent transparency legislation making it possible for us to see how they're wasting our money. Check it here.
On the Oregon page it is quite clearly visible to see when the feds stopped paying their taxes on the O&C railroad lands which they confiscated and will not return to our stewardship. From 2005 on there has been a precipitous drop in money coming to southern Oregon. They should either return those lands to us or pay what they promised.
Update
Been digging around there a bit and can already see the pattern of obfuscation we have come to expect from our government. The database is difficult to access and search, browsing is all but impossible especially when done by category. Listings are limited to the first 500 of tens of thousands or all of them, no page-by-page display. Typical methods of keeping the public from using it. God forbid they issue an actual database interface so someone could use datamining on the set. How about allowing us to download the data as a spreadsheet, would that kill anyone?
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Rain peaceful
Just a light sprinkle going on right now, not enough to even switch the radar from "Clear air" mode.
The ground is wet and the sound of a running chainsaw fills the air. Should check and see if it is a burn day.
Soon will be leaving to weld, cut and machine.
Wishing you all a peaceful and rewarding day.
The ground is wet and the sound of a running chainsaw fills the air. Should check and see if it is a burn day.
Soon will be leaving to weld, cut and machine.
Wishing you all a peaceful and rewarding day.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Global Warming?
Brrr.......
Spent most of yesterday working at Bro's shop on a forced-air heat extractor for our wood stove. Will make it much more efficient. Probably do the same today.
The turkeys are back, gleaning the apples from our numerous trees. Some of them have taken to flying up into the trees to get the apples hanging there. Guess they like to eat in peace. The turkeys are the only spots of color out there now; everything else is covered in frost. Thank god for global warming.
Hope y'all have a fine, comfy day.
Spent most of yesterday working at Bro's shop on a forced-air heat extractor for our wood stove. Will make it much more efficient. Probably do the same today.
The turkeys are back, gleaning the apples from our numerous trees. Some of them have taken to flying up into the trees to get the apples hanging there. Guess they like to eat in peace. The turkeys are the only spots of color out there now; everything else is covered in frost. Thank god for global warming.
Hope y'all have a fine, comfy day.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Religion of Peace
If anyone is still open minded about the Religion of Peace, they should read this.
Monday, December 10, 2007
cold and fog, frost and cloud
Fielder mountain is covered in frost and fog. A low lying cloud darkens the northern sky, casting Fielder in the image of dark fortress or frost giant realm.
Pruning apples as often and for as long as I can stand it. The air is about 33 in the shade. Out in the sun, the wind is up so I'd say out there it's about 20. Brrrr...
Been suffering through a light flu the last couple days. Low level nausea, sore swollen joints, intermittent fevers. The usual winter funk, actually quite mild compared to some I've had. Still icky feeling. Grateful for the mildness of it, considering the alternative.
Gotta go be useless. Hope y'all are doing well.
Pruning apples as often and for as long as I can stand it. The air is about 33 in the shade. Out in the sun, the wind is up so I'd say out there it's about 20. Brrrr...
Been suffering through a light flu the last couple days. Low level nausea, sore swollen joints, intermittent fevers. The usual winter funk, actually quite mild compared to some I've had. Still icky feeling. Grateful for the mildness of it, considering the alternative.
Gotta go be useless. Hope y'all are doing well.
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Pray for Rae
Taking a few minutes after some clean-up in the north barn and I came across the comment from Rae-Ann telling me she had a burst appendix last week. Wow! what a bummer. Everybody send her a bundle of wellness and happy wishes. She said she's out of the hospital and slowly recovering but that is still a very heavy illness to suffer from so I'm sure a little well-wishing is appropriate.
Get well Rae.
Get well Rae.
Insomnia and mortgage crisis, part 2
Apparently I'm not working hard enough during the day to get a good nights sleep.
Cspan is reviewing some mortgage crisis hearings from Wednesday. I am still astonished by the situation that the mortgage industry is putting itself into. Facing imminent foreclosure catastrophe brought on by their own practices, that industry acts as if it is not composed entirely of human beings. Can you imagine sticking a thumb-tack into your arm and then saying "Ow!" and then sticking yourself again and again until you bleed to death? That's exactly what the mortgage industry is doing to itself.
No one is holding a gun to the head of these people saying "you better foreclose on these loans" or "you've gotta raise those interest rates or I'll blow your brains out!"
All these banks have to do is to act, well, human. Alter their loans to make it possible for people to continue to pay. Why do they need congress to hold their hands and walk them to the potty?
In the words of Brian Regan "I give up on this species...."
Cspan is reviewing some mortgage crisis hearings from Wednesday. I am still astonished by the situation that the mortgage industry is putting itself into. Facing imminent foreclosure catastrophe brought on by their own practices, that industry acts as if it is not composed entirely of human beings. Can you imagine sticking a thumb-tack into your arm and then saying "Ow!" and then sticking yourself again and again until you bleed to death? That's exactly what the mortgage industry is doing to itself.
No one is holding a gun to the head of these people saying "you better foreclose on these loans" or "you've gotta raise those interest rates or I'll blow your brains out!"
All these banks have to do is to act, well, human. Alter their loans to make it possible for people to continue to pay. Why do they need congress to hold their hands and walk them to the potty?
In the words of Brian Regan "I give up on this species...."
Friday, December 07, 2007
No news is no news
Christmas shopping again this morning, had to take some stuff back and get the right things.
Pruning most of the afternoon, both grapes and apples. Been planning on writing up a short "pruning tips" post with a couple of pictures from the orchard but haven't had the energy to do so yet. Got the pics made already, just need to transfer them and come up with appropriate text describing the pruning process as I see it.
The last couple of days when I take a break and come into check the web for news I have been sublimely disappointed. It seems like this is the dullest time of the year for informational material. It's as if the news and science sites I usually peruse are barely even trying, just repeating a lot of stuff going back over the last 6 months with different titles or variations on the same explanations. Even the search engines are becoming balky and uncooperative. When I enter a search I have to wade through a crap-pile of commercial sites and advertising much of which is only remotely connected to what I entered in my search. Oh, for the carefree days of Gopher to return!
Hope everyone out there is feeling fine and acting kind.
Pruning most of the afternoon, both grapes and apples. Been planning on writing up a short "pruning tips" post with a couple of pictures from the orchard but haven't had the energy to do so yet. Got the pics made already, just need to transfer them and come up with appropriate text describing the pruning process as I see it.
The last couple of days when I take a break and come into check the web for news I have been sublimely disappointed. It seems like this is the dullest time of the year for informational material. It's as if the news and science sites I usually peruse are barely even trying, just repeating a lot of stuff going back over the last 6 months with different titles or variations on the same explanations. Even the search engines are becoming balky and uncooperative. When I enter a search I have to wade through a crap-pile of commercial sites and advertising much of which is only remotely connected to what I entered in my search. Oh, for the carefree days of Gopher to return!
Hope everyone out there is feeling fine and acting kind.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Very large smoke plume on Fielder Mountain
A very large plume of smoke, presumably from a large fire, shot up from the slopes of Fielder Mountain above I-5 near the small city of Rogue River, Or. today shortly after 3:00 pm. The smoke appeared to originate from the vicinity of a quarry operation known to use explosives in its mining process. The column of smoke was approximately twice the size of that caused by a burning three bedroom house. The cause of the fire could not be ascertained from this location but the color of the smoke was alternately white to dark, dirty gray with only hints of petroleum black. Most such mining operation use ammonium nitrate/fuel explosives which are also highly combustible in open air. Speculation is running in that direction as to the cause.
Monday, December 03, 2007
Rainy goose day
It is like, totally pouring out there. Has been all morning.
Did some Christmas shopping this morning, taking advantage of a free trip into town as mom was getting a perm today. Got most the stuff I was looking for in gifts and a few more items for some of my art projects.
As we pulled up the driveway we were astonished to see about 50-60 geese parked in the field below the grapes. Probably a lot of good food out there leftover from this year's crops. Was quite a flock, here's a pic:
Did some Christmas shopping this morning, taking advantage of a free trip into town as mom was getting a perm today. Got most the stuff I was looking for in gifts and a few more items for some of my art projects.
As we pulled up the driveway we were astonished to see about 50-60 geese parked in the field below the grapes. Probably a lot of good food out there leftover from this year's crops. Was quite a flock, here's a pic:
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