"Men writing letters to men" .. at first this sounded slightly gay, but you're not talking about "love letters" doh :-)
That was kinda-sorta my point. Writing a letter to another man carries with it a connotation of gayness. Hence men don't do it. But they'll e-mail. Explain the difference. I can't ... except to say there's something intimate about handwritten letters.
* * *
The long forks on Graham's bike caught him quite a bit of flak on the motorcycle forum. The people split into three camps -- those in favor, those opposed, and those who stayed silent. I'm not a fan of long forks; they reduce the agility of a bike. But I stayed silent.
* * *
There are some motorcycles (and cars) coming out with Continuously Varitable Transmissions (CVT). It's essentially an automatic transmission, but without discrete gear ratios. It operates with a belt rather than gears. The technology has advanced to such a degree that Nissan has it in their Altima. That would solve the shifting problem for you -- just squeeze on the throttle and go. No shifting necessary. Your left leg can sit idle, watching the scenery go by.
* * *
I am so rusty at chess I can't see even one move out. Still, something smells fishy. The world's champion getting "schoolboy mated" in game 1? What's that all about? I have to believe there's only a limited number of possible rapid mate combinations, and surely any champion would know them all.
* * *
Yesterday was the day the Senior Certification board met to come to consensus on the candidates. So I'm in or not in, and there's nothing I can do about it now. I understand it's better not to hear -- they give bad news right away, but good news is delayed. I've heard nothing after 24 hours.
* * *
I took my Honda 1100 Shadow out for a 100 mile spin on Sunday ... up to the top of Kitt Peak and other places. It's not a bad bike. It's not a Wing, but then again it's paid for. The problem that bike has is it's not really all that good above 75mph or so. It'll do a ton, but the wind is so fiercely loud and the buffeting so bad it's uncomfortable. But out in the desert, where roads go on for miles and miles, the temptation to go 80 to 90 is great.
* * *
My mouth continues to heal up. The sutures are pretty much dissolved at this point. My big problem is I've developed the mother of all canker sores along the lower gumline, where (I think) the painkiller syringe went. It's more painful than the tooth.
Now I face an option -- implant, bridge, or nothing.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Checkmate !
Thanks for all the help and references re: digital cameras. The jury is still out and I need to fully explore as many possibilities as I can, although a purchase of a Canon is looking more probably than say the purchase of a Sony model.
Thanks also for the pointer to the device that enables changing gear by pressing down with either the heal or toe rather than up. This I may be able to handle in which case you'd be a brave man to let me drive your bike when (one day!) I visit you guys in Arizona :-)
"Men writing letters to men" .. at first this sounded slightly gay, but you're not talking about "love letters" doh :-)
Mods vs Rockers. Oh yes. I saw the tail end of this when I was a very young lad. In fact, my dad was a "rocker" apparently. Had the BSA an all.
It was marvellous to read the story you posted by Graham, and I've never liked taxmen (people who work for the Inland Revenue, you know the ones George Harrison was singing about on "Revolver") - for a number of reasons, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. He's a good writer, not dissimilar from your own good style sir. Looking at the picture of him on the bike though I smiled. Something is wrong here, linked to "machoness" or breeding rights, the bird with the brightest feathers - that sort of thing. I'm much more interested in functional - rather than good-looking - bikes. I do appreciate art, don't get me wrong, but the bike is just too fancy. Those long forks never helped anyone. I always wanted a Honda Transalp, probably because of my height, it's a tall bike, I never owned one.
I never owned a bike, but had long terms loans of two bikes in my time, a Suzuki 500 and a Kawasaki 550, and I can't even remember what models they were. Had lots of fun on them. I did a 3000 mile tour on the Suzuki (which I borrowed from a client!) in 1992 and went from London to see the Olympics in Barcelona and then onto Seville for the Exposition. Fond memories, I have lots of photos in the garage somewhere which I will have to dig out and scan in.
In the meantime here is a Transalp:
There is a chess tournament going on, the current World Chess Champion Vladimir Kramnik vs a computer called Deep Fritz 10. The World Champ was schoolboy mated in 1 and lost game 2, the match is now scored at 1.5 - 0.5 in favour of the silicon. Four games to go. Here is the position in which the human, playing with black pieces, decided to play his black queen to the e3 square. Can you see the move that the white comp played to mate the human? The pundits are calling Qe3 the biggest blunder ever made by a World Champion. Ever. People are saying that the match must be fixed, as before Qe3 was played, the game was effectively drawn, with perhaps even a slight advantage to the human.
The correct move was Kg8. In the press conference afterwards the human said "I have no explanation for the move I played".
Thanks also for the pointer to the device that enables changing gear by pressing down with either the heal or toe rather than up. This I may be able to handle in which case you'd be a brave man to let me drive your bike when (one day!) I visit you guys in Arizona :-)
"Men writing letters to men" .. at first this sounded slightly gay, but you're not talking about "love letters" doh :-)
Mods vs Rockers. Oh yes. I saw the tail end of this when I was a very young lad. In fact, my dad was a "rocker" apparently. Had the BSA an all.
It was marvellous to read the story you posted by Graham, and I've never liked taxmen (people who work for the Inland Revenue, you know the ones George Harrison was singing about on "Revolver") - for a number of reasons, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. He's a good writer, not dissimilar from your own good style sir. Looking at the picture of him on the bike though I smiled. Something is wrong here, linked to "machoness" or breeding rights, the bird with the brightest feathers - that sort of thing. I'm much more interested in functional - rather than good-looking - bikes. I do appreciate art, don't get me wrong, but the bike is just too fancy. Those long forks never helped anyone. I always wanted a Honda Transalp, probably because of my height, it's a tall bike, I never owned one.
I never owned a bike, but had long terms loans of two bikes in my time, a Suzuki 500 and a Kawasaki 550, and I can't even remember what models they were. Had lots of fun on them. I did a 3000 mile tour on the Suzuki (which I borrowed from a client!) in 1992 and went from London to see the Olympics in Barcelona and then onto Seville for the Exposition. Fond memories, I have lots of photos in the garage somewhere which I will have to dig out and scan in.
In the meantime here is a Transalp:
There is a chess tournament going on, the current World Chess Champion Vladimir Kramnik vs a computer called Deep Fritz 10. The World Champ was schoolboy mated in 1 and lost game 2, the match is now scored at 1.5 - 0.5 in favour of the silicon. Four games to go. Here is the position in which the human, playing with black pieces, decided to play his black queen to the e3 square. Can you see the move that the white comp played to mate the human? The pundits are calling Qe3 the biggest blunder ever made by a World Champion. Ever. People are saying that the match must be fixed, as before Qe3 was played, the game was effectively drawn, with perhaps even a slight advantage to the human.
The correct move was Kg8. In the press conference afterwards the human said "I have no explanation for the move I played".
Back In The Day
I am a member of an online motorcycle forum, as you may recall, and one of the members is from the U.K. He works for the revenue service -- Inland Revenue? -- and was a teenager back in the mid-60's when the music was exploding and the whole "Mod" and "Rocker" thing was going on. His nickname on the forum is "Collector". His real name is Graham.
He's a fan of "cafe racers" -- stripped down racing bikes:
(He doesn't own that bike -- it's just one he saw on eBay and admired. His bike, and him, can be seen here.)
After posting the picture of the cafe racer shown above, he wrote this:
"Just the thing for tooling down to Brighton at Easter to face off a few Mods."
Now that instantly put me in mind of the Who's album Quadrophenia, which was all about Mods and Rockers and the kind of disillusionment suffered by the main character, Jimmy, an aspiring Mod. So I asked him to recall the days. Here's his response:
He's a fan of "cafe racers" -- stripped down racing bikes:
(He doesn't own that bike -- it's just one he saw on eBay and admired. His bike, and him, can be seen here.)
After posting the picture of the cafe racer shown above, he wrote this:
"Just the thing for tooling down to Brighton at Easter to face off a few Mods."
Now that instantly put me in mind of the Who's album Quadrophenia, which was all about Mods and Rockers and the kind of disillusionment suffered by the main character, Jimmy, an aspiring Mod. So I asked him to recall the days. Here's his response:
There would have been around 5 or 6 of us that hung around together. We were the scruffiest bunch of individuals you ever did see. I recall my wife saying, before we got married, that if she saw me walking down the road and didn't actaully know me then she would have crossed over. LaughingI found that an interesting read ... a transportation to a different place and a different time. You and I are a bit too young to have recalled much from that era. But does any of what he writes here ring up memories for you?
We all wore black leather jackets with denim cutoffs, and they were covered in studs, chains and pins. I think I must have had the original pair of 'originals' which used to stand up on thier own when I took them off and would attack anyone they didn't know! Laughing
We belonged to the University of East Anglia motorcycle club because the bar was cheap and we spent an inordinate amount of time in a cafe called the 'Three C's' (Its emblem was a clover leaf) where we played the pin tables, drank awful coffee and tried (unsuccessfully) to sleep with the waitress. Not all at once, obviously.
We rode a variety of bikes. I had my Matchless, Alistair had a BSA 441 Shooting Star, Colin had BSA's of varying descriptions, as did Phil. Andy bought a cafe'd up 250 BSA that most of the bits fell off at one point or another, it shook so much. Pete didn't have a bike but rode bitch with anyone.
Bear in mind we were all young and had little money between us so we rode what we could afford. On Saturdays we would go to Tinklers motorcycle shop and look at all the nice shiny aftermarket stuff. That was the place to see bikes, also. There would be guys turning up on immaculate cafe'd up Nortons (the Dominator was a favourite), BSA's (Lightning, Gold Star, Road Rocket and *faint* Super Rocket). Then there would be Triumph Bonnies, Tritons, Tribsa's, Royal Enfields et al. If we were lucky we might get to see something a bit more exotic, like an Ariel Square Four, A Velocette Thruxton or *swoon* a Vincent.
But for all our appearances we were not out looking for trouble, and never looked for or got into fights. We were kind of in our own little bubble, if you get my drift. There were some hard core guys went into the Three C's cafe, though. One in particular with the nickname 'Brontus', 'coz he was f'n enormous. He rode a beautiful metalflake blue chopped Triumph and was associated with the HA's.
I remember one Saturday afternoon his bike was parked outside in the street when a bunch of football supporters on a post-match high came a-wandering down the road. They seen his bike and went for a touchy feely inspection. One of the guys warned them it was not a good idea. They should have listened. Brontus came lumbering out of the cafe, on his own, and told them all to f*ck off and leave his chop alone. There is always a stupid brave one, isn't there? Brontus picked him up and threw him over a car, punched out another couple and the rest ran away. We sat in the window and laughed.
We mainly ignored Mods. We felt that they were style over substance and in any case their scooters were two stroke heaps of kak that were slow and even more unreliable than our bikes. As I have said elsewhere, although it was an annual treat for Mods and Rockers to meet up at various seaside reorts to kick seven bells out of each other, I was never into gratuitous violence and so did not participate.
There was a local chapter of the Satan's Slaves. They were to be avoided at all costs; they were completely unpredictable and were responsible for a knifing in a pub in '73 or '74 (I think) when a couple of them got sent down and the rest kind of disappeared.
You are right when you say that Mods liked The Who. I was kinda pissed about that, coz I really liked all of their early stuff although I lost interest when they went into 'Rock Opera' phase. I think the Stones were more rocker oriented - remember Altamont?
My all time favourite Who track has got to be 'My Generation'.
And as for Harleys - what the hell were Harleys? Laughing We never saw any of them around because there just weren't many. We used to laugh and say that if you wanted something that didn't handle, stop, or go fast, then get a Harley. When AMC took them on there was huge reliability problems and the British MC press slated the hell out of them.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
More On Digital Cameras
There's a website here in the U.S. called "InstaPundit." The guy who runs it -- Glenn Reynolds -- is a law professor at the University of Tennessee. His site is really little more than a collector of links to other stories and such all around the web.
All that's just background. On occasion he'll run a "Carnival of the _____," where the blank is whatever topic he invites people to join in on. "Carnival" is an odd word, I think, but that's what he uses to describe a collection of reader input on a subject.
Recently he ran one for digital cameras. Three separate posts:
Carnival One
Carnival Two
Carnival Three
Lots of photo galleries with sample shots from the various cameras.
All that's just background. On occasion he'll run a "Carnival of the _____," where the blank is whatever topic he invites people to join in on. "Carnival" is an odd word, I think, but that's what he uses to describe a collection of reader input on a subject.
Recently he ran one for digital cameras. Three separate posts:
Carnival One
Carnival Two
Carnival Three
Lots of photo galleries with sample shots from the various cameras.
Bum Leg Shifting
You could actually operate a motorcycle with a leg that doesn't really work from the knee down. And it wouldn't take a Goldwing, though that bike could also be fitted with it. The device you need is called a "heel-toe" shifter. The stock shift lever of a motorcycle is intended to be tapped down or pulled up. The heel-toe shifter simply extends the lever to the rear of the fulcrum point rather than only towards the front. So you tap down on the front to downshift; tap with your heel on the back to upshift. A lot of Harley-Davidson riders have those. Not because they have bum legs, but because it allows them to wear hip boots and not have to worry about getting the toe under the little lever.
* * *
As for cameras, I think Canon has the market sewn up in the $250 - $600 range. Every discussion I see about digital cameras seems to mention Canon. That's what I have -- I have a Canon A80 Powershot, which is by now ancient history. I got it at Golden Circle three years ago.
I do have to take exception to the "You mean you have a camera that still takes batteries?" jab by your friends. I think that's a positive benefit rather than a hinderance. If you're planning on being out for an extended period and are at all concerned about running low on power, all you need to do is have an extra pack of AA batteries handy. But if a rechargeable battery runs down while you're out hiking in some mountain, you're out of luck.
My MP3 player takes a single AAA battery. I wouldn't have it any other way. On airplanes I have many times had to swap in a new battery. I takes 15 seconds and I have another 10 hours of playing time. Rechargeables can't say that.
* * *
Yes sir, we have transitioned into the "older generation," haven't we? I can't recall exactly what I was doing recently where I experienced something akin to what you describe. I do recall thinking that my time to participate in such things has passed. I wasn't all that sad. I am where I am.
* * *
My daughter by the way is still adamant that she is moving in with me when Alice departs northwards, on my birthday Dec 16th. I'm intrigued to see what actually happens over the next few weeks
Keep me up to date on the goings-on of that saga. :-(
* * *
PS. I forgot to ask, why do you think this blog has survived?
For many of the reasons you cited, and one more ... and it's the reason why e-mail is so popular. What we're doing -- you and me -- is writing letters back and forth to one another. The exchanges of letters between men used to be quite common, but no more. It died in the 1960's and 70's. The advent of e-mail opened the world back up because for some odd reason, electronic mail is not as "personal" as a hand-written note. So two men can send e-mail to one another without any sense of exposure or vulnerability, whereas a handwritten note opens a man up to those feelings. This blog is like that -- an exchange of letters. The difference is it's like a series of letters that have been tacked to a bulletin board. And the world can read them, if they choose to.
Many blogs are one person affairs -- a soapbox where one stands and shouts their views to a world that's not listening. Our audience is really each other. I wonder how common that is -- a two person, back-and-forth blog like this?
Do you know anyone else who does this? Do you have another blog you maintain with someone else?
* * *
As for cameras, I think Canon has the market sewn up in the $250 - $600 range. Every discussion I see about digital cameras seems to mention Canon. That's what I have -- I have a Canon A80 Powershot, which is by now ancient history. I got it at Golden Circle three years ago.
I do have to take exception to the "You mean you have a camera that still takes batteries?" jab by your friends. I think that's a positive benefit rather than a hinderance. If you're planning on being out for an extended period and are at all concerned about running low on power, all you need to do is have an extra pack of AA batteries handy. But if a rechargeable battery runs down while you're out hiking in some mountain, you're out of luck.
My MP3 player takes a single AAA battery. I wouldn't have it any other way. On airplanes I have many times had to swap in a new battery. I takes 15 seconds and I have another 10 hours of playing time. Rechargeables can't say that.
* * *
Yes sir, we have transitioned into the "older generation," haven't we? I can't recall exactly what I was doing recently where I experienced something akin to what you describe. I do recall thinking that my time to participate in such things has passed. I wasn't all that sad. I am where I am.
* * *
My daughter by the way is still adamant that she is moving in with me when Alice departs northwards, on my birthday Dec 16th. I'm intrigued to see what actually happens over the next few weeks
Keep me up to date on the goings-on of that saga. :-(
* * *
PS. I forgot to ask, why do you think this blog has survived?
For many of the reasons you cited, and one more ... and it's the reason why e-mail is so popular. What we're doing -- you and me -- is writing letters back and forth to one another. The exchanges of letters between men used to be quite common, but no more. It died in the 1960's and 70's. The advent of e-mail opened the world back up because for some odd reason, electronic mail is not as "personal" as a hand-written note. So two men can send e-mail to one another without any sense of exposure or vulnerability, whereas a handwritten note opens a man up to those feelings. This blog is like that -- an exchange of letters. The difference is it's like a series of letters that have been tacked to a bulletin board. And the world can read them, if they choose to.
Many blogs are one person affairs -- a soapbox where one stands and shouts their views to a world that's not listening. Our audience is really each other. I wonder how common that is -- a two person, back-and-forth blog like this?
Do you know anyone else who does this? Do you have another blog you maintain with someone else?
Growing up
The Goldwing: Simply marvellous. Question, if you did not have use of your left leg from below the knee (so that you could not tilt your foot upwards) could you still ride one? Are the gears still on the left foot? (Including reverse :-)
Nice picture of your sunset also, I wonder if there is a name for such a beautiful cloud formation? The cloud type is stratocumulous perhaps? But is there a name for the formation I wonder ...
Talking of pictures I need a new digital camera. For some reason my current digital camera has started to take fuzzy pictures, and the red-eye results when using it have always been annoying. I went on a batchelor party (we call it a "Stag Do") for a friend of mine (the young chap who is recovering from MS - Multiple Sclerosis not Microsoft!) last night. Someone had a Canon IXUS 850IS and I was very impressed with the fact that it can automatically focus on the face of the subject, it has "face recognition" software - in a limited sense. Plus it started and was ready to snap immediately I turned the thing on, whereas I have to wait 10 seconds for my antiquated cheapo to be ready - often having missed the spontaneity of the moment. Plus the lads laughed at me .... "you mean you have a camera that still takes batteries??" :-) So now when I make it the wedding on Dec 27th I better have upgraded myself. Do you have any advice in the digital camera area - being the photographer that you are?
Going out with a group of seven twenty-something men was like going back in time. Hooters, a Curry House, a Night Club, a Kebab Shop, Hotel. Now I'm an observer rather than a participant and I was struck by the contrived nature of the whole dance that the puppet-master puts us humans through. In this case I am referring to the puppet-master known as natural selection. Generally I felt like the old man on the scene, and it was a role - although new to me - that I greatly enjoyed.
I was reminded that my daughter has yet to partake of the dance, she will have much joy and much heartache I am sure, as a parent one hopes for more of the former than the latter and that is my prayer, but of course life will bring both.
My daughter by the way is still adamant that she is moving in with me when Alice departs northwards, on my birthday Dec 16th. I'm intrigued to see what actually happens over the next few weeks.
+++
Given what you said about your childhood abode I can understand your paranoia over water leaking in. Plus, I would say that of all the people I know, you're one of the most conscious of the idea that "a stitch in time saves nine".
Still, in the UK, as you know, the stock and staple building material for houses is brick. So the Welsh stay dry - and the sheep remain worried :-)
PS. I forgot to ask, why do you think this blog has survived?
Nice picture of your sunset also, I wonder if there is a name for such a beautiful cloud formation? The cloud type is stratocumulous perhaps? But is there a name for the formation I wonder ...
Talking of pictures I need a new digital camera. For some reason my current digital camera has started to take fuzzy pictures, and the red-eye results when using it have always been annoying. I went on a batchelor party (we call it a "Stag Do") for a friend of mine (the young chap who is recovering from MS - Multiple Sclerosis not Microsoft!) last night. Someone had a Canon IXUS 850IS and I was very impressed with the fact that it can automatically focus on the face of the subject, it has "face recognition" software - in a limited sense. Plus it started and was ready to snap immediately I turned the thing on, whereas I have to wait 10 seconds for my antiquated cheapo to be ready - often having missed the spontaneity of the moment. Plus the lads laughed at me .... "you mean you have a camera that still takes batteries??" :-) So now when I make it the wedding on Dec 27th I better have upgraded myself. Do you have any advice in the digital camera area - being the photographer that you are?
Going out with a group of seven twenty-something men was like going back in time. Hooters, a Curry House, a Night Club, a Kebab Shop, Hotel. Now I'm an observer rather than a participant and I was struck by the contrived nature of the whole dance that the puppet-master puts us humans through. In this case I am referring to the puppet-master known as natural selection. Generally I felt like the old man on the scene, and it was a role - although new to me - that I greatly enjoyed.
I was reminded that my daughter has yet to partake of the dance, she will have much joy and much heartache I am sure, as a parent one hopes for more of the former than the latter and that is my prayer, but of course life will bring both.
My daughter by the way is still adamant that she is moving in with me when Alice departs northwards, on my birthday Dec 16th. I'm intrigued to see what actually happens over the next few weeks.
+++
Given what you said about your childhood abode I can understand your paranoia over water leaking in. Plus, I would say that of all the people I know, you're one of the most conscious of the idea that "a stitch in time saves nine".
Still, in the UK, as you know, the stock and staple building material for houses is brick. So the Welsh stay dry - and the sheep remain worried :-)
PS. I forgot to ask, why do you think this blog has survived?
Honda Goldwing Rental
On Saturday I rented a 2005 Honda GL1800 Goldwing and took it for a 320 mile tour. Here's me on the bike at the rental place:
That bike is a beast -- 800 pounds, 1800cc with six cylinders. You'd think that bike would be good only for open ride riding, but terrible for close quarter, slow speed maneuvering.
You'd be wrong.
The Goldwing is the most remarkably nimble bike I've ever been on. Slow speed, medium speed, high speed -- doesn't matter.
Back in 2002 Honda completely re-engineered the Goldwing. They sent the frame design responsibilities over to their sport bike group, who came up with an aluminum sport bike frame. They shortened the wheelbase and modified the rake of the front. After they did that, they sent the design to the fitment folks who tarted it up with fairings and bags.
The Goldwing is a sport bike at heart. It tours exceptionally well.
I'd love one ... one day I may have one. But at $20K new it's a bit pricey for my tastes.
That bike is a beast -- 800 pounds, 1800cc with six cylinders. You'd think that bike would be good only for open ride riding, but terrible for close quarter, slow speed maneuvering.
You'd be wrong.
The Goldwing is the most remarkably nimble bike I've ever been on. Slow speed, medium speed, high speed -- doesn't matter.
Back in 2002 Honda completely re-engineered the Goldwing. They sent the frame design responsibilities over to their sport bike group, who came up with an aluminum sport bike frame. They shortened the wheelbase and modified the rake of the front. After they did that, they sent the design to the fitment folks who tarted it up with fairings and bags.
The Goldwing is a sport bike at heart. It tours exceptionally well.
I'd love one ... one day I may have one. But at $20K new it's a bit pricey for my tastes.
Friday, November 24, 2006
Look, Look, Lookin' Out My Back Door ...
Well, my front, actually. Tonight. Sundown:
Bigger picture here.
The color and intensity lasted for about 3 or 4 minutes. Then it was gone. :-)
Bigger picture here.
The color and intensity lasted for about 3 or 4 minutes. Then it was gone. :-)
Rainy Days
Wales was interesting. As soon as one crosses the Severn Bridge, one hits miserable rain. Apparently it's often like that.
I can't imagine living in that kind of climate. I'm sure the lack of sunshine would eventually get to me, as would any kind of clammy humidty. But more than anything else ... rain and a wet climate makes me think of rotting wood and home destruction. The only way I could live in a place like that would be to have my "ideal" home:
When I was younger our house had many such leaks. The house was literally rotting around us, but we didn't have the money to fix it. It created a deep impression on me. To this day I would much rather spend money on things like roofs and caulking than on other things like electronics or carpeting.
During a particularly strong thunderstorm here in Tucson a few months back, I noticed a drip on the inside of one of the windows. You can't imagine how much that bothered me. It meant that water was getting inside the framing of the house. Where the leak was I have no idea. That's one of the problems with tile roofs -- the purpose of the tile is not to be the complete weather barrier, but rather to sheet off most of the water. There's a tar-paper layer under it that's supposed to be the weather barrier. But if that has a leak somewhere there's almost no way to figure out where it is, short of taking up the whole tile roof.
Subsequent rains yielded no drips from the window, so I'm going to assume that it was some weird case of water being blown into a crevice somewhere. Normal rains would not produce that ... that's my hope.
The other thing about Arizona -- aside from there being relatively little rain -- is that the humidity is so low any water that does get into the framing probably dries out long before any persistent moisture can accumulate. Rot comes from the wood being wet for a sustained period of time, not necessarily from it simply being wet.
I can't imagine living in that kind of climate. I'm sure the lack of sunshine would eventually get to me, as would any kind of clammy humidty. But more than anything else ... rain and a wet climate makes me think of rotting wood and home destruction. The only way I could live in a place like that would be to have my "ideal" home:
- Built on concrete pillars, 4 to 6 feet off the surrounding ground
- The entire structural frame of the house built of steel and concrete
- The root made of cast concrete, with a slope such that absolutely no water would pool
- The eaves would overhang the walls by 4 to 6
When I was younger our house had many such leaks. The house was literally rotting around us, but we didn't have the money to fix it. It created a deep impression on me. To this day I would much rather spend money on things like roofs and caulking than on other things like electronics or carpeting.
During a particularly strong thunderstorm here in Tucson a few months back, I noticed a drip on the inside of one of the windows. You can't imagine how much that bothered me. It meant that water was getting inside the framing of the house. Where the leak was I have no idea. That's one of the problems with tile roofs -- the purpose of the tile is not to be the complete weather barrier, but rather to sheet off most of the water. There's a tar-paper layer under it that's supposed to be the weather barrier. But if that has a leak somewhere there's almost no way to figure out where it is, short of taking up the whole tile roof.
Subsequent rains yielded no drips from the window, so I'm going to assume that it was some weird case of water being blown into a crevice somewhere. Normal rains would not produce that ... that's my hope.
The other thing about Arizona -- aside from there being relatively little rain -- is that the humidity is so low any water that does get into the framing probably dries out long before any persistent moisture can accumulate. Rot comes from the wood being wet for a sustained period of time, not necessarily from it simply being wet.
The Love Remixes
Why do you suppose this one continues on?
Well fundamentally I think we have some strikingly similar thoughts, albeit with very different approaches, Dawn used to think we were the same person if you recall, just in different places :-)
So there is that, which underlies a number of surface reasons:
1. This is a two person blog with equal ownership. It doesn't have one owner with others making comments. We all know the best way to get a customer to do something we want them to do is to get a customer executive to sponsor the project. Skin in the game, and all that.
Further benefit being that if someone is low on energy in the blog then the other, who might be in a high-on-energy phase, can push it forwards. Great partnerships, but out of us, who would be Lennon and who McCartney? :-)
PS. Listening to George Martin's new Beatles "Love" remixes is interesting. The end of "Strawberry Fields" is insane, including snippets of Penny Lane, Piggies, Hello Goodbye ...
2. We're good at listening to one anothers point of view even if we disagree with it. We'll still take the time to examine it.
3. Who else am I going to talk to?
Wales was interesting. As soon as one crosses the Severn Bridge, one hits miserable rain. Apparently it's often like that.
Well fundamentally I think we have some strikingly similar thoughts, albeit with very different approaches, Dawn used to think we were the same person if you recall, just in different places :-)
So there is that, which underlies a number of surface reasons:
1. This is a two person blog with equal ownership. It doesn't have one owner with others making comments. We all know the best way to get a customer to do something we want them to do is to get a customer executive to sponsor the project. Skin in the game, and all that.
Further benefit being that if someone is low on energy in the blog then the other, who might be in a high-on-energy phase, can push it forwards. Great partnerships, but out of us, who would be Lennon and who McCartney? :-)
PS. Listening to George Martin's new Beatles "Love" remixes is interesting. The end of "Strawberry Fields" is insane, including snippets of Penny Lane, Piggies, Hello Goodbye ...
2. We're good at listening to one anothers point of view even if we disagree with it. We'll still take the time to examine it.
3. Who else am I going to talk to?
Wales was interesting. As soon as one crosses the Severn Bridge, one hits miserable rain. Apparently it's often like that.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Coming up on Two Years
January will mark our 2nd anniversary of maintaining this blog. That's actually pretty remarkable. I'm sure many a blog is started and it dies not long after.
Why do you suppose this one continues on?
Why do you suppose this one continues on?
Pain
It's 8:38 PM. A full 6 hours since the completion of my extraction. I've taken nary a one prescribed pain killer, nor a Tylenol or an aspirin. I feel fine. No ache in my jaw ... nothing.
I'm waiting for it to hit. Is it possible that it won't?
* * *
Sunday night, when I was suffering with what I suspect was a migraine triggered by the tooth, I caught a glimpse of what people with chronic pain must go through. For instance, the pain you suffered when the cancer was pushing against your sciatic nerve. And as the knife-edge of pain shot through my temple to behind my ear, I thought: "I can surely see how people can become addicted to effective pain killers."
The pain finally subsided last night. I got up and took three aspirin. I don't know if that was what broke the pain or not. But when it went away I fell asleep. When I awoke, my tooth was aching in a more traditional manner, and that I could deal with.
* * *
For the first time in my life I had nitrous oxide administered to me during the procedure. The doctor could tell I was somewhat anxious. It wasn't so much the pain, for I knew they'd deaden the area with lidocaine. No, my anxiousness was due to what I knew would transpire: strong pressure and the sound of bone crunching. I can't explain why I was anxious about that, but I was. The doctor spotted that, and suggested I use a little NOS. I honestly don't know if it really made much of a difference. I did not break out into hysterical laughter.
* * *
Good luck in Wales. I don't know what you're doing there, but I'm sure you'll do it well.
I'm waiting for it to hit. Is it possible that it won't?
* * *
Sunday night, when I was suffering with what I suspect was a migraine triggered by the tooth, I caught a glimpse of what people with chronic pain must go through. For instance, the pain you suffered when the cancer was pushing against your sciatic nerve. And as the knife-edge of pain shot through my temple to behind my ear, I thought: "I can surely see how people can become addicted to effective pain killers."
The pain finally subsided last night. I got up and took three aspirin. I don't know if that was what broke the pain or not. But when it went away I fell asleep. When I awoke, my tooth was aching in a more traditional manner, and that I could deal with.
* * *
For the first time in my life I had nitrous oxide administered to me during the procedure. The doctor could tell I was somewhat anxious. It wasn't so much the pain, for I knew they'd deaden the area with lidocaine. No, my anxiousness was due to what I knew would transpire: strong pressure and the sound of bone crunching. I can't explain why I was anxious about that, but I was. The doctor spotted that, and suggested I use a little NOS. I honestly don't know if it really made much of a difference. I did not break out into hysterical laughter.
* * *
Good luck in Wales. I don't know what you're doing there, but I'm sure you'll do it well.
Up at night as usual
So did they put you out?
Just a quick post to say I'm glad you made it thru ok !
I should be asleep, I have to get up at 5am and drive 4 hours to Swansea, that's in Wales. Ugh. The things I do for the company. Two days in Wales.
It's 01:04 now, zzzz.
My root canal - different from your work admittedly - was a complete farce, they strung it out visit after visit after visit, through experience I have little respect for >90% of medical workers in this country, perhaps they are better in Wales.
It didn't hurt me but should have done - I think my nerves are shot.
And don't take too many pain killers sir - eventully they're not good for you.
Just a quick post to say I'm glad you made it thru ok !
I should be asleep, I have to get up at 5am and drive 4 hours to Swansea, that's in Wales. Ugh. The things I do for the company. Two days in Wales.
It's 01:04 now, zzzz.
My root canal - different from your work admittedly - was a complete farce, they strung it out visit after visit after visit, through experience I have little respect for >90% of medical workers in this country, perhaps they are better in Wales.
It didn't hurt me but should have done - I think my nerves are shot.
And don't take too many pain killers sir - eventully they're not good for you.
Fractured Tooth
My tooth is no more. Well, the tooth's atomic material is still present, of course, but the tooth as a composite thing is no longer in my mouth. It was extracted sometime between 1:00pm and 2:00pm Arizona Standard Time, which this time of year is equal to Mountain Time, or 2 hours behind New York City.
The tooth was split clean in two. The oral surgeon expressed some amazement at this, and said it was no wonder the tooth was as painful as it was. How it could split so completely while eating a slice of pizza is a mystery to me.
I am biting down on a piece of gauze now. I have some prescription pain killers and some antibiotics. It's 1.5 hours after the surgery and my jaw doesn't hurt ... yet. I'm sure it will. :-)
The tooth was split clean in two. The oral surgeon expressed some amazement at this, and said it was no wonder the tooth was as painful as it was. How it could split so completely while eating a slice of pizza is a mystery to me.
I am biting down on a piece of gauze now. I have some prescription pain killers and some antibiotics. It's 1.5 hours after the surgery and my jaw doesn't hurt ... yet. I'm sure it will. :-)
Dancer? Me?
I suspect then that you are one of these extremely well coordinated people that do well in dancing and playing musical instruments?
Ha! Lisa and I went to a dancing class once -- I walked away after five minutes. I'm so horribly uncoordinated it's laughable. It might be simply a matter of practice. But I doubt it. :-)
* * *
After Michigan lost to Ohio State, the computer ranking system still ranks Michigan #2 behind #1 Ohio State. So there's clamoring for a rematch. It'll never happen. My prediction is Ohio State will play either the University of Southern California (USC) or Notre Dame for the championship. OSU will whup-up on either.
* * *
I recall having some root canal work done 3 or so years ago, it went on for about 18 months, it's meant to hurt, so good luck and take care of it.
"It went on for 18 months" -- does that mean you had to go back and back? What went wrong?
"It's meant to hurt" -- what, that root canal surgery is meant to hurt? Or that the pain present prior to getting the root canal is a good sign that a root canal is indicated?
I'm actually not going to have a root canal. The tooth is fractured too extensively. So I'm looking at an extraction and implant. That takes place in a few short hours. I'll update you on the post-operative condition.
* * *
Last night the tooth pain triggered -- I think -- a migraine headache. Oh my goodness ... that was awful. I now have newfound appreciation and sympathy for anyone who suffers from those.
* * *
I have decided that we humans, for some reason, are seeking that feeling of "awe". If that is true, then what could be the reason (if any) that we are seeking this feeling?
I've read and heard that this can be explained this way: we have a natural, built-in need for the presence of God in our lives. But, as you know, we've largely rejected God. But that need for the presence of God -- that sense of awe -- is still there, gnawing at us. So we go in seek of it elsewhere.
Of course, that can't be objectively "proved." But neither can the idea of "awe" or our apparent need to seek it. Ain't the non-scientific things of life grand?
Ha! Lisa and I went to a dancing class once -- I walked away after five minutes. I'm so horribly uncoordinated it's laughable. It might be simply a matter of practice. But I doubt it. :-)
* * *
After Michigan lost to Ohio State, the computer ranking system still ranks Michigan #2 behind #1 Ohio State. So there's clamoring for a rematch. It'll never happen. My prediction is Ohio State will play either the University of Southern California (USC) or Notre Dame for the championship. OSU will whup-up on either.
* * *
I recall having some root canal work done 3 or so years ago, it went on for about 18 months, it's meant to hurt, so good luck and take care of it.
"It went on for 18 months" -- does that mean you had to go back and back? What went wrong?
"It's meant to hurt" -- what, that root canal surgery is meant to hurt? Or that the pain present prior to getting the root canal is a good sign that a root canal is indicated?
I'm actually not going to have a root canal. The tooth is fractured too extensively. So I'm looking at an extraction and implant. That takes place in a few short hours. I'll update you on the post-operative condition.
* * *
Last night the tooth pain triggered -- I think -- a migraine headache. Oh my goodness ... that was awful. I now have newfound appreciation and sympathy for anyone who suffers from those.
* * *
I have decided that we humans, for some reason, are seeking that feeling of "awe". If that is true, then what could be the reason (if any) that we are seeking this feeling?
I've read and heard that this can be explained this way: we have a natural, built-in need for the presence of God in our lives. But, as you know, we've largely rejected God. But that need for the presence of God -- that sense of awe -- is still there, gnawing at us. So we go in seek of it elsewhere.
Of course, that can't be objectively "proved." But neither can the idea of "awe" or our apparent need to seek it. Ain't the non-scientific things of life grand?
Sunday, November 19, 2006
42-39
From Yahoo sports:
The "Game of the Century," the first 1 vs. 2 matchup in this storied rivalry, was played a day after the death of feisty former Michigan coach Bo Schembechler. The teams couldn't have honored his memory with a better game, although it certainly wasn't the brand of football he and Woody Hayes coached when they battled for a decade.
Sorry your team were not the victors but then again it's not always about "winning". What is "winning" anyway? Sometimes by losing you win don't you?
+++
I much enjoyed your frisbee/aerobie recounts, I had not realized that you had this ancilliary ability! I suspect then that you are one of these extremely well coordinated people that do well in dancing and playing musical instruments?
+++
Your missive about your tooth, I am impressed with medical treatment in general in the US. You Americans recognize that health is a very important aspect of life and so specialize. We brits have General Practitioners, jacks of all trades and masters of none. I recall having some root canal work done 3 or so years ago, it went on for about 18 months, it's meant to hurt, so good luck and take care of it.
+++
Once human beings are able to turn an individuals cells back to their stem phase (thus despecifying them) and then making those cells turn into specific cells (heart, kidney, liver, limb) then the sky is the limit in terms of longevity isn't it? It's coming, it's almost here. Perhaps our children can live forever? .... Well for thousands of years anyway. This is awe inspiring.
I have decided that we humans, for some reason, are seeking that feeling of "awe". If that is true, then what could be the reason (if any) that we are seeking this feeling?
The "Game of the Century," the first 1 vs. 2 matchup in this storied rivalry, was played a day after the death of feisty former Michigan coach Bo Schembechler. The teams couldn't have honored his memory with a better game, although it certainly wasn't the brand of football he and Woody Hayes coached when they battled for a decade.
Sorry your team were not the victors but then again it's not always about "winning". What is "winning" anyway? Sometimes by losing you win don't you?
+++
I much enjoyed your frisbee/aerobie recounts, I had not realized that you had this ancilliary ability! I suspect then that you are one of these extremely well coordinated people that do well in dancing and playing musical instruments?
+++
Your missive about your tooth, I am impressed with medical treatment in general in the US. You Americans recognize that health is a very important aspect of life and so specialize. We brits have General Practitioners, jacks of all trades and masters of none. I recall having some root canal work done 3 or so years ago, it went on for about 18 months, it's meant to hurt, so good luck and take care of it.
+++
Once human beings are able to turn an individuals cells back to their stem phase (thus despecifying them) and then making those cells turn into specific cells (heart, kidney, liver, limb) then the sky is the limit in terms of longevity isn't it? It's coming, it's almost here. Perhaps our children can live forever? .... Well for thousands of years anyway. This is awe inspiring.
I have decided that we humans, for some reason, are seeking that feeling of "awe". If that is true, then what could be the reason (if any) that we are seeking this feeling?
Friday, November 17, 2006
Aerobie
Ah ... but when it came to throwing a disk for distance, nothing beats an Aerobie disc. These things are amazing. I used to take these things to the local soccer field, stand in one goal and throw across the field into the other goal. Easily. No strain. It was a point of pride that my Frisbee throwing prowess translated somewhat to Aerobie, only at greater distances.
My dog Rusty loved to play Aerobie disc. He'd chase it down, bite it, and in running back to me the disc would flip back so it was around his neck like a necklace. He's stand there, tongue dragging, a blissful look on his face. "Dad! Throw the disc again!"
I loved that dog. :-)
My dog Rusty loved to play Aerobie disc. He'd chase it down, bite it, and in running back to me the disc would flip back so it was around his neck like a necklace. He's stand there, tongue dragging, a blissful look on his face. "Dad! Throw the disc again!"
I loved that dog. :-)
Frisbee
I recall the summer of 1967 when my oldest brother bought his first Frisbee disc. We lived on a street named "MacArthur" -- named, presumably, after the famous WWII and Korean War general of the same name. Our yard was too small to play Frisbee, so we went into the street. The street was not heavily traveled, so we had enough uninterrupted time to throw the disc back and forth.
Note: if someone did spot a car coming, we'd cry out: C-A-R. Not "car!" but the spelling out of each letter. We'd often repeat it: "C-A-R ... C-A-R." Odd, isnt' it?
Today the predominate Frisbee game is Ultimate, but we played a different game. Given our lack of an open field, and our lack of imagination to come up with anything different, we created this game:
Later, when Frisbee Golf took hold, I became somewhat proficient in that as well.
I sometimes wonder if today's kids are missing something with their Nintendo and X-Box games. A $1 disc of plastic entertained us for hours. It gave us exercise.
Am I just being an old fart?
Note: if someone did spot a car coming, we'd cry out: C-A-R. Not "car!" but the spelling out of each letter. We'd often repeat it: "C-A-R ... C-A-R." Odd, isnt' it?
Today the predominate Frisbee game is Ultimate, but we played a different game. Given our lack of an open field, and our lack of imagination to come up with anything different, we created this game:
- Two teams squared off against one another, some 50 feet apart on the street. The number of players on each team did not matter. The number did not even need to be evenly balanced.
- The Frisbee was thrown back and forth. An attempt to catch the Frisbee with a drop resulted in one point. Points were bad.
- Before the game we agreed on how many points constituted a loss. Typically it was 5.
- Various strategies were created to force errors: throwing very fast; throwing curves; throwing floaters; throwing to my little sister.
- Would-be receivers had the option to not attempt to catch a throw. So if something was coming faster than they thought they could catch, they'd let it sail past them. Of course, it was then their obligation to chase down the Frisbee and return it to play.
- The game had no time limit. Sometimes we'd play into dusk and beyond, barely able to spot the Frisbee. Games often ended shortly thereafter.
Later, when Frisbee Golf took hold, I became somewhat proficient in that as well.
I sometimes wonder if today's kids are missing something with their Nintendo and X-Box games. A $1 disc of plastic entertained us for hours. It gave us exercise.
Am I just being an old fart?
Bo Schembechler, 1929 - 2006
Former University of Michigan football head coach Glenn E. "Bo" Schembechler died today at the age of 77.
Schembechler took over the head coaching responsibility at Michigan in 1969. I was 9, going on 10. University of Michigan football, and indeed football in general, was not on my radar screen. My sports enthusiasm, to the extent I had any, was for Detroit Tigers baseball and -- this was a new invention at that time -- Frisbee.
My interest in Michigan football came to life in 1973 when my sister entered the university as a freshman. That would have been Schembechler's 4th season at Michigan. He finished 1973 with an overall record at Michigan of 48 wins, 6 losses and 1 tie. In all his years as head coach at Michigan or Miami of Ohio before that, Schembechler never suffered a losing season. He is Michigan's all-time winningest coach. Michigan is U.S. college football's all-time winningest football program.
I never met the man. But one of the things I recall about Bo Schembechler was his fierce devotion to discipline, execution of fundamentals, and strict adherance to honor and integrity. In 20 years of coaching at Michigan, his teams never were under penalty for recruiting violations. Never once was there even an allegation of it. In my 47 years on this earth I've not once -- not once -- read or heard of any former player of Schembechler's utter anything but high praise for Schembechler the man and the coach.
Schembechler appears to have been an example of one of those leaders who demands and exacts the most out of those he leads. And those under him give it, and feel privileged to have done so. He was famously tough, but apparently utterly fair and infused with honesty and integrity.
I can't carry off the "tough" part of that, but I sure do admire the "fair, honest and integrity" part. That to me is what sets great men apart.
I am struck by an odd sense of loss. Like I said, I never met Schembechler; never saw him in person except from on the sidelines of the stadium itself. Perhaps his passing marks the passing of one element of my youth.
Tomorrow the University of Michigan plays Ohio State University in football. It is billed as the greatest rivalry in U.S. college football. This year Ohio State is ranked #1 with a record of 11-0; Michigan is ranked #2 with a record of 11-0. The winner goes on to the national championship game.
Schembechler took over the head coaching responsibility at Michigan in 1969. I was 9, going on 10. University of Michigan football, and indeed football in general, was not on my radar screen. My sports enthusiasm, to the extent I had any, was for Detroit Tigers baseball and -- this was a new invention at that time -- Frisbee.
My interest in Michigan football came to life in 1973 when my sister entered the university as a freshman. That would have been Schembechler's 4th season at Michigan. He finished 1973 with an overall record at Michigan of 48 wins, 6 losses and 1 tie. In all his years as head coach at Michigan or Miami of Ohio before that, Schembechler never suffered a losing season. He is Michigan's all-time winningest coach. Michigan is U.S. college football's all-time winningest football program.
I never met the man. But one of the things I recall about Bo Schembechler was his fierce devotion to discipline, execution of fundamentals, and strict adherance to honor and integrity. In 20 years of coaching at Michigan, his teams never were under penalty for recruiting violations. Never once was there even an allegation of it. In my 47 years on this earth I've not once -- not once -- read or heard of any former player of Schembechler's utter anything but high praise for Schembechler the man and the coach.
Schembechler appears to have been an example of one of those leaders who demands and exacts the most out of those he leads. And those under him give it, and feel privileged to have done so. He was famously tough, but apparently utterly fair and infused with honesty and integrity.
I can't carry off the "tough" part of that, but I sure do admire the "fair, honest and integrity" part. That to me is what sets great men apart.
I am struck by an odd sense of loss. Like I said, I never met Schembechler; never saw him in person except from on the sidelines of the stadium itself. Perhaps his passing marks the passing of one element of my youth.
Tomorrow the University of Michigan plays Ohio State University in football. It is billed as the greatest rivalry in U.S. college football. This year Ohio State is ranked #1 with a record of 11-0; Michigan is ranked #2 with a record of 11-0. The winner goes on to the national championship game.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Dyson Sphere Vacuum Cleaners
Good golly ... geeeeeeeks! Think of the time invested in that?
* * *
I'm sorry to hear about K's mother being so self-absorbed. I know of another mother who was equally self-absorbed, but the manifestation of it took a different turn. There'll be no reasoning with her, you know. All you can do -- all you can be -- is the anchor point; the safe port in the storm. Blessed is K for having you.
* * *
Tuesday night I bit down on a piece of pizza and heard a loud "crunch." My tooth shot through with pain. In time, the pain subsided, and I thought I'd give it a day or two to see if things returned to normal. Today -- Thursday -- it still had a dull ache, so I called the dentist and asked if it was possible to come in for a "semi-emergency" visit.
The dentist confirmed the fracture. Tooth #18 -- lower left molar, one forward from wisdom tooth. Normally, he said, that indicated a root canal. But he wanted to refer me to a specialist, so off I went to the endondist.
The endondist took one look at it and said, "Nope. Fracture runs too deep. The tooth can't be salvaged. It'll have to be extracted."
Back to the dentist, who said, "Nope ... not me. Let's get you to an oral surgeon."
Oral surgeon appointment on Monday.
The expected course of treatment here is extraction, then the placement of a metal post in my jawbone, on which one day will be glued a new (fake) tooth. But for four to six months I'm going to have to live with a gaping hole in my left side lower jaw. Then, when it's all healed back up I go back in and presumably someone will deftly cut back my gum and put a tooth on the post.
It's all goodness, though -- I live in a time and place when this can be done relatively safely. And I have insurance which will pay for a good deal of this.
* * *
I'm going to guess that pressure cookers operate at 15psi in addition to the general atmospheric pressure present. The mechanism most cookers use to regulate the pressure is simply a weighted cap that fits on a stem that comes out the top of the lid. The weight of the cap holds pressure in, but will lift up when 15psi is reached. That would imply 15psi over and above the ambient pressure.
Soups come out wonderfully in pressure cookers -- the flavor of herbs and spices seem to really "pop" in pressure cooker soups.
* * *
I'm sorry to hear about K's mother being so self-absorbed. I know of another mother who was equally self-absorbed, but the manifestation of it took a different turn. There'll be no reasoning with her, you know. All you can do -- all you can be -- is the anchor point; the safe port in the storm. Blessed is K for having you.
* * *
Tuesday night I bit down on a piece of pizza and heard a loud "crunch." My tooth shot through with pain. In time, the pain subsided, and I thought I'd give it a day or two to see if things returned to normal. Today -- Thursday -- it still had a dull ache, so I called the dentist and asked if it was possible to come in for a "semi-emergency" visit.
The dentist confirmed the fracture. Tooth #18 -- lower left molar, one forward from wisdom tooth. Normally, he said, that indicated a root canal. But he wanted to refer me to a specialist, so off I went to the endondist.
The endondist took one look at it and said, "Nope. Fracture runs too deep. The tooth can't be salvaged. It'll have to be extracted."
Back to the dentist, who said, "Nope ... not me. Let's get you to an oral surgeon."
Oral surgeon appointment on Monday.
The expected course of treatment here is extraction, then the placement of a metal post in my jawbone, on which one day will be glued a new (fake) tooth. But for four to six months I'm going to have to live with a gaping hole in my left side lower jaw. Then, when it's all healed back up I go back in and presumably someone will deftly cut back my gum and put a tooth on the post.
It's all goodness, though -- I live in a time and place when this can be done relatively safely. And I have insurance which will pay for a good deal of this.
* * *
I'm going to guess that pressure cookers operate at 15psi in addition to the general atmospheric pressure present. The mechanism most cookers use to regulate the pressure is simply a weighted cap that fits on a stem that comes out the top of the lid. The weight of the cap holds pressure in, but will lift up when 15psi is reached. That would imply 15psi over and above the ambient pressure.
Soups come out wonderfully in pressure cookers -- the flavor of herbs and spices seem to really "pop" in pressure cooker soups.
Dyson Sphere
See the largest on http://scifiuniverse.ytmnd.com/
Did you see the episode of Star Trek TNG where Scottie was rescued, having been held in a tranporter beam buffer? ... from startrek.com
"Scotty had bought a boat in anticipation of his retirement three months after the Khitomer peace conference in 2293, but Kirk persuaded him instead to come back to active duty. On hand for the ceremonial christening of the U.S.S. Enterprise-B, he helped save the newly launched starship from destruction by the Nexus temporal ribbon and save El-Aurian refugees, witnessing Kirk's apparent death in the process.
Did you see the episode of Star Trek TNG where Scottie was rescued, having been held in a tranporter beam buffer? ... from startrek.com
"Scotty had bought a boat in anticipation of his retirement three months after the Khitomer peace conference in 2293, but Kirk persuaded him instead to come back to active duty. On hand for the ceremonial christening of the U.S.S. Enterprise-B, he helped save the newly launched starship from destruction by the Nexus temporal ribbon and save El-Aurian refugees, witnessing Kirk's apparent death in the process.
He finally did retire the next year at the age of 72, after 52 years in Starfleet, but for years was presumed lost with his courier ship U.S.S. Jenolen en route to the Norpin Colony, his new home. Not until 2369 was it discovered he was the only survivor of the ship's crash on the exterior of a Dyson Sphere, kept alive only as a transporter beaming loop until, ironically, he was rescued by an away team from the U.S.S. Enterprise-D — so disoriented that he thought Kirk had come to rescue him. After trading barbs and quips with Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge and helping to save that Enterprise, he received a permanently "loaned" shuttlecraft, the Goddard, from Captain Jean-Luc Picard and set off to roam the galaxy."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyson_sphereRoad kill
Do you believe her mother would allow such a thing?
No, I don't. Her mother is the reference "control freak" and she must always get her way. Both children are distraught about leaving their schools but their mother really does not care, although she says "it pains me". You know she doesn't care because her actions reveal that she only has her own best interests at heart. My suggestion to her was "Why don't you wait another 10 years before you start your old ways of moving around again? You have other people to consider now." And the answer, as usual, is "Oh no, I will be happier if I move, therefore the children will be happier". This is a false argument of course, one she always uses.
At the moment my daughter is saying she wants to come and live with me, but Alice will try to emotionally blackmail her to stay with her. Other than calling Alice today and asking her to reconsider for the sake of the childrens stability (to which she said a firm "no") I am just sitting on the sidelines, offering my support to my daughter and trying to get her to realize that:
a) it's not the end of the world
b) she has options
- she moves with Alice, i pick her up in the mornings and take her to school everyday and drop her off in the evenings
- she lives with me during the week, her mother at weekends, or some combination of the two
c) nothing is final, whatever my daughters wants to do is ok, she can change her mind at any time
I did ask Alice how she knew that she wouldn't move again and disrupt them again .. Alice said "Oh maybe I will, who knows what life will bring?"
In my opinion this is entirely the wrong type of person who should have children. When you have kids you do have to consider what is best for them as well, too much disruption in their education at ages 9 and 13 can only be counterproductive.
So maybe I will need to mount a legal challenge if Katherine really does want to live with me. Key to winning that will be her not leaving her current school. I'll give it a week or so and monitor my daughter's wishes on this, she has only just heard of her mothers plan. She called me last night and said a lot of things, she also said "If mummy does this now how do I know she won't do it again and move me out of school again?" and "Daddy we are not moving right, we're staying put?" To me this says that stability is very important to her. I said "Don't worry we're not moving, and you shouldn't have to think about this stuff, these are adult worries that you'll get later on in life anyway, as a child you should be happy and skipping in a field of buttercups, don't worry it will all be ok".
She said "Daddy stop it!!" with that jokey voice she uses. It was good to hear her smile.
Alice is the kind of person who when driving on the motorway hears a report on the radio that says there is a big accident ahead and to turn off the road. She duly ignores the advice and carries on regardless. After she gets entangled in the accident she says "Life really does buffet me about, it's so hard, I'm so unlucky, where will it take me next?" She could control her life much more but allows it to control her. I wonder if all "control freaks" are like this at heart? The reason they are always wanting to control other peoples lives is that they cannot control their own?
The girls are waking up to the person that their mother really is, and they do not like it. It is very sad to behold, but had to happen, it will only get worse before it gets better, but it is always darkest before the dawn.
+++
Only 15 PSI? But air pressure at sea-level is 14.7 PSI anyway .. does that mean the pressure in the cooker is only 0.3 PSI greater than air pressure, or 14.7 + 15 = 29.7 PSI ? Depending on how elevated your kitchen is of course.
+++
I much enjoyed reading about your biking missive up in the hills, nice job, great photos! You are really plugged into that community pal, but didn't see the "Hells Satans" T-Shirts anywhere :-)
No, I don't. Her mother is the reference "control freak" and she must always get her way. Both children are distraught about leaving their schools but their mother really does not care, although she says "it pains me". You know she doesn't care because her actions reveal that she only has her own best interests at heart. My suggestion to her was "Why don't you wait another 10 years before you start your old ways of moving around again? You have other people to consider now." And the answer, as usual, is "Oh no, I will be happier if I move, therefore the children will be happier". This is a false argument of course, one she always uses.
At the moment my daughter is saying she wants to come and live with me, but Alice will try to emotionally blackmail her to stay with her. Other than calling Alice today and asking her to reconsider for the sake of the childrens stability (to which she said a firm "no") I am just sitting on the sidelines, offering my support to my daughter and trying to get her to realize that:
a) it's not the end of the world
b) she has options
- she moves with Alice, i pick her up in the mornings and take her to school everyday and drop her off in the evenings
- she lives with me during the week, her mother at weekends, or some combination of the two
c) nothing is final, whatever my daughters wants to do is ok, she can change her mind at any time
I did ask Alice how she knew that she wouldn't move again and disrupt them again .. Alice said "Oh maybe I will, who knows what life will bring?"
In my opinion this is entirely the wrong type of person who should have children. When you have kids you do have to consider what is best for them as well, too much disruption in their education at ages 9 and 13 can only be counterproductive.
So maybe I will need to mount a legal challenge if Katherine really does want to live with me. Key to winning that will be her not leaving her current school. I'll give it a week or so and monitor my daughter's wishes on this, she has only just heard of her mothers plan. She called me last night and said a lot of things, she also said "If mummy does this now how do I know she won't do it again and move me out of school again?" and "Daddy we are not moving right, we're staying put?" To me this says that stability is very important to her. I said "Don't worry we're not moving, and you shouldn't have to think about this stuff, these are adult worries that you'll get later on in life anyway, as a child you should be happy and skipping in a field of buttercups, don't worry it will all be ok".
She said "Daddy stop it!!" with that jokey voice she uses. It was good to hear her smile.
Alice is the kind of person who when driving on the motorway hears a report on the radio that says there is a big accident ahead and to turn off the road. She duly ignores the advice and carries on regardless. After she gets entangled in the accident she says "Life really does buffet me about, it's so hard, I'm so unlucky, where will it take me next?" She could control her life much more but allows it to control her. I wonder if all "control freaks" are like this at heart? The reason they are always wanting to control other peoples lives is that they cannot control their own?
The girls are waking up to the person that their mother really is, and they do not like it. It is very sad to behold, but had to happen, it will only get worse before it gets better, but it is always darkest before the dawn.
+++
Only 15 PSI? But air pressure at sea-level is 14.7 PSI anyway .. does that mean the pressure in the cooker is only 0.3 PSI greater than air pressure, or 14.7 + 15 = 29.7 PSI ? Depending on how elevated your kitchen is of course.
+++
I much enjoyed reading about your biking missive up in the hills, nice job, great photos! You are really plugged into that community pal, but didn't see the "Hells Satans" T-Shirts anywhere :-)
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Moving House
How would that work? If K said she wanted to live with you, her mother would have ultimate say in whether that took place, right? I can't imagine the wishes of a minor would trump the wishes -- skewed as they may be -- of the lawfully appointed parental guardian. Do you believe her mother would allow such a thing?
* * *
"Star Fruit?" Wikipedia, as usual, has the answers. I've seen them before ... I just didn't know what they were. What I found was this:
* * *
Pressure cookers are more than steamers. They have a locking mechanism that prevents the lid from coming off when pressure builds inside. A regulating mechanism prevents the pressure from getting too high. The typical pressure -- used in 99% of the recipes -- is 15psi.
Tonight I had catfish, sprinkled with "Cajun Seasoning," cooked for 6 minutes sharp. The technique used to suspend cooking, and to immediately release the pressure and steam, is to run the whole pot under cold water. That allows the lid to be removed in a few seconds, as opposed to allowing the pressure to come off naturally, which might take 10 minutes or more. During that time, of course, the food inside continues to cook. Fine for soups and stews, not fine for fish.
* * *
Yesterday I took off from work and spent the day motoring around Arizona with a fellow member of an online forum I'm a member of. Marc is from Minneapolis; he drove his mother-in-law down to Arizona so she could winter here. He trailered his Yamaha FJR1300 so he could ride here and ride it back. Here's my writeup:
http://www.hondashadow.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=38418
His tag name is "Grampa," my tag name is "TucsdonDon".
* * *
"Star Fruit?" Wikipedia, as usual, has the answers. I've seen them before ... I just didn't know what they were. What I found was this:
Individuals with kidney trouble should avoid consuming the fruit, due to the presence of oxalic acid. Juice made from carambola can be even more dangerous due to its concentration of the acid.I scoffed at the notion of Wikipedia early. I was a fool.
* * *
Pressure cookers are more than steamers. They have a locking mechanism that prevents the lid from coming off when pressure builds inside. A regulating mechanism prevents the pressure from getting too high. The typical pressure -- used in 99% of the recipes -- is 15psi.
Tonight I had catfish, sprinkled with "Cajun Seasoning," cooked for 6 minutes sharp. The technique used to suspend cooking, and to immediately release the pressure and steam, is to run the whole pot under cold water. That allows the lid to be removed in a few seconds, as opposed to allowing the pressure to come off naturally, which might take 10 minutes or more. During that time, of course, the food inside continues to cook. Fine for soups and stews, not fine for fish.
* * *
Yesterday I took off from work and spent the day motoring around Arizona with a fellow member of an online forum I'm a member of. Marc is from Minneapolis; he drove his mother-in-law down to Arizona so she could winter here. He trailered his Yamaha FJR1300 so he could ride here and ride it back. Here's my writeup:
http://www.hondashadow.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=38418
His tag name is "Grampa," my tag name is "TucsdonDon".
An Odd Day
I gotta get me one of those pressure cooker thingymagigs then, so how much pressure (PSI) is the fish under when cooking then? Obvious not enough to crush it .. or is the device really just a steamer?
+++
Good news on the kidney front, I drove to a hospital in Oxford and got the results of my urine and blood tests today, they found no signs of calcium or protein and the doctor said that although the kidney is providing borderline function it is doing ok, just keep a watch out for any loin pains, drink lots of water and stay off of "star fruit". Apparently "star fruit" -- and especially the continued eating of it -- does no end of damage to kidneys!
+++
Then I picked my daughter up from school, as I do on every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays now. Ellen came over and they played. Dropped them back off with their mother at 7pm.
Then I get a call from Katherine in floods of tears ... "Mummy is moving house far away and I have to go to a new school". Turns out that Alice wants to move to a village about 40 minutes drive north of the village where both she and I live now -- and guess what -- it's very close to her new job in a bookshop. So both girls in tears, cannot believe how selfish their mother is. Katherine said "Mummy promised she wouldn't move me out of this school, she broke her promise again". It was the "again" that got me for there have been many times her mother has gone back on her word with the children.
I offered to drive Katherine to school everyday but Alice said no .. at this moment Katherine is adamant that she is coming to live with me! That would obviously change my lifestyle/work etc but if that is what it takes to give Katherine some stability then that is what I will do, what could be more important than that? Please God let me stay alive and healthy for another 10 years to bring my daughter up.
+++
Many thanks for your help today with Le Francais, it's much appreciated, as always.
+++
Good news on the kidney front, I drove to a hospital in Oxford and got the results of my urine and blood tests today, they found no signs of calcium or protein and the doctor said that although the kidney is providing borderline function it is doing ok, just keep a watch out for any loin pains, drink lots of water and stay off of "star fruit". Apparently "star fruit" -- and especially the continued eating of it -- does no end of damage to kidneys!
+++
Then I picked my daughter up from school, as I do on every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays now. Ellen came over and they played. Dropped them back off with their mother at 7pm.
Then I get a call from Katherine in floods of tears ... "Mummy is moving house far away and I have to go to a new school". Turns out that Alice wants to move to a village about 40 minutes drive north of the village where both she and I live now -- and guess what -- it's very close to her new job in a bookshop. So both girls in tears, cannot believe how selfish their mother is. Katherine said "Mummy promised she wouldn't move me out of this school, she broke her promise again". It was the "again" that got me for there have been many times her mother has gone back on her word with the children.
I offered to drive Katherine to school everyday but Alice said no .. at this moment Katherine is adamant that she is coming to live with me! That would obviously change my lifestyle/work etc but if that is what it takes to give Katherine some stability then that is what I will do, what could be more important than that? Please God let me stay alive and healthy for another 10 years to bring my daughter up.
+++
Many thanks for your help today with Le Francais, it's much appreciated, as always.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Pressure Cooker
Apropos of absolutely nothing we've discussed in the last several months ... I've discovered a new way to cook salmon: in the pressure cooker. Put the salmon on the steam rack with about 1/2 cup of water. Salt, pepper and a pat of butter. Seal it up and turn on the heat. 6 minutes after it comes to pressure, release the pressure and there sits a wonderfully cooked, moist and tender piece of fish.
Pressure cookers are wonderful inventions.
Pressure cookers are wonderful inventions.
Natural Disposition
Me: ... there's something about my disposition that just finds everything a struggle. It's been that way for as long as I can remember. There are brief periods where the struggle abates, but it always returns.
You: ... Two questions 1) What that's all about then? and 2) is it something unique to your good self or does everyone feel that way but keeps quiet about it? (for whatever reason ...)
Answer to #1 -- I have no real good handle on what that's all about. But I do love the way you phrased that ... so British. "What's that all about then?" It's the "then" at the end of that which makes it so British. :-)
Answer to #2 -- I suspect there's a good many people who suffer in silence with this. There are also a good many people who seem to have a sunny, devil-may-care attitude. They too may be hiding their true feelings.
* * *
As for Sacha Baron Cohen ... there was a news story out today saying that those "trapped" by Cohen are upset by it. One -- a news producer at a TV station in Jackson, Mississippi -- apparently lost her job after having allowed Cohen on the air live. I guess a producer does have the responsibilty to make certain anyone they let on the air will act responsibly. I have a sneaking suspicion the producer did interview Cohen prior to letting him on the air, and I'd be willing to bet he behaved in a way entirely different from how he behaved when on camera.
One of the writers on National Review Online called the movie one of the five funniest of all time. I don't get it. I honestly and truly don't see how that's possible. As I mentioned, the audience at the screening I attended didn't laugh all that much. Some, but not nearly as much as I witnessed for a movie like, for instance, Dodgeball.
I thought the movie South Park was far funnier. I laughed so hard during that I couldn't breathe. I liked Team America, but didn't think it was quite as good as South Park. So I'm not averse to crude humor.
I am averse to bad humor.
And very averse to hurtful "humor."
You: ... Two questions 1) What that's all about then? and 2) is it something unique to your good self or does everyone feel that way but keeps quiet about it? (for whatever reason ...)
Answer to #1 -- I have no real good handle on what that's all about. But I do love the way you phrased that ... so British. "What's that all about then?" It's the "then" at the end of that which makes it so British. :-)
Answer to #2 -- I suspect there's a good many people who suffer in silence with this. There are also a good many people who seem to have a sunny, devil-may-care attitude. They too may be hiding their true feelings.
* * *
As for Sacha Baron Cohen ... there was a news story out today saying that those "trapped" by Cohen are upset by it. One -- a news producer at a TV station in Jackson, Mississippi -- apparently lost her job after having allowed Cohen on the air live. I guess a producer does have the responsibilty to make certain anyone they let on the air will act responsibly. I have a sneaking suspicion the producer did interview Cohen prior to letting him on the air, and I'd be willing to bet he behaved in a way entirely different from how he behaved when on camera.
One of the writers on National Review Online called the movie one of the five funniest of all time. I don't get it. I honestly and truly don't see how that's possible. As I mentioned, the audience at the screening I attended didn't laugh all that much. Some, but not nearly as much as I witnessed for a movie like, for instance, Dodgeball.
I thought the movie South Park was far funnier. I laughed so hard during that I couldn't breathe. I liked Team America, but didn't think it was quite as good as South Park. So I'm not averse to crude humor.
I am averse to bad humor.
And very averse to hurtful "humor."
Sacha Baron Cohen
aka Borat and well known as "Ali G" for about the last ten years in the UK. The "Ali-G" character has a number of sayings, one which a white colleague of mine said to a black policeman outside of a Manchester United football game, my colleague -- mildy the worse for wear after pre-match beer drinking - felt that he was being harrassed and stupidly said the famous Ali-G quote:
"Is it coz I is black?"
And sat the match out behind bars in the local cells :-)
Cohen is of course a white, upper-middle class jew who went to Cambridge University. Some of his sketches are rather funny (to me), but he does have this habit -- like you say -- of making fun at the expense of other people. He seems to be trying to expose what he sees as stupidity and double standards and the pompousness that some western folk have. I think possibly he has gone too far and that it's no longer funny to many, as people will not allow their basic beliefs to be attacked with impunity. There are a couple of legal cases pending on that movie now I believe, Cohen is being sued.
Expect to see more of him in the news, his next movie is about one of his other characters a gay fashion stylist (I think) called "Bruno". He'll be targetting American Christianity and constitutional racism again no doubt, I can take it or leave it.
"Is it coz I is black?"
And sat the match out behind bars in the local cells :-)
Cohen is of course a white, upper-middle class jew who went to Cambridge University. Some of his sketches are rather funny (to me), but he does have this habit -- like you say -- of making fun at the expense of other people. He seems to be trying to expose what he sees as stupidity and double standards and the pompousness that some western folk have. I think possibly he has gone too far and that it's no longer funny to many, as people will not allow their basic beliefs to be attacked with impunity. There are a couple of legal cases pending on that movie now I believe, Cohen is being sued.
Expect to see more of him in the news, his next movie is about one of his other characters a gay fashion stylist (I think) called "Bruno". He'll be targetting American Christianity and constitutional racism again no doubt, I can take it or leave it.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Borat ...
... the movie. Have you heard of it?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443453/
I went to see it on Sunday. By myself; I asked and Lisa said she had no interest. I figured I might like it, since I'm a fan of low-humor done well. (Example: "South Park")
I walked out after 1/2 hour. It was awful. It wasn't that I was offended by the crude humor. Rather, I did not like the way innocent people were tricked into appearing foolish. The humor was being done at other people's expense.
I noticed that the audience wasn't laughing all that much either.
Awful, awful movie.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443453/
I went to see it on Sunday. By myself; I asked and Lisa said she had no interest. I figured I might like it, since I'm a fan of low-humor done well. (Example: "South Park")
I walked out after 1/2 hour. It was awful. It wasn't that I was offended by the crude humor. Rather, I did not like the way innocent people were tricked into appearing foolish. The humor was being done at other people's expense.
I noticed that the audience wasn't laughing all that much either.
Awful, awful movie.
In Walked Luck
Bagwell's first "Gimme Shelter" post , hmm a while ago now (is this becoming a theme? :-) and I am so pleased that your medical result was not as bad as you had expected it might be in that post ! :-)
I read the Derbyshire "renunciation" (?) I think that the root cause of his problem is right here in a question put to him:
Q. Have you ever had a religious experience?
A. No. I’m a bit miffed about this.
Absolutely. How on Earth does one expect an intelligent thinking human being, which Derbyshire clearly is, to put his faith is something that he has no evidence of?
A very interesting read though thanks for pointing me at it.
And again I am learning stuff, this "mysterion" category that Derbyshire puts himself into, Wikipedia says "New Mysterianism is a philosophy proposing that certain problems will never be explained or at the least cannot be explained by the human mind at its current evolutionary stage. The problem most often referred to is the hard problem of consciousness; i.e. how to explain sentience and qualia and their interaction with consciousness."
I have to say that I wholeheartedly believe that that is a complete cop-out! They've given up, it's no better than pseudo-science -- shades of intelligent design or multiverse theory? By that I mean, "All things are possible therefore we exist because an infinite number of things exist so by definition we, humanity, is a subset of those infinite happenstances, so that's why we are here - pure chance". If that is how it is, then -- how unsatisfying.
+++
"evolution vs. creation head-on" and "Might it be that God, who is timeless, willed the development of man "in His image," though it took the slow forces of natural selection billions of years to realize the commandment?"
It might be. I can point you at the reference work in this are, this is what Ned Flanders said to one of his sons in "The Monkey Suit", an episode of The Simpsons seventeenth season that aired on May 14, 2006:
Todd: Daddy, was Mommy a monkey? I can't remember.
Ned: No one was ever a monkey! Everything is what it was and always will be! God put us here and that's that!
Todd: But you said a stork brought me.
Ned: Umm...that was God disguised as a stork.
Rod: Then who brings baby storks?
Ned: There's no such thing as storks! It's all God!
Todd: (Kneeling beside a statue of a stork) Please bless Daddy and Roddy...
Ned: Stop praying to that stork!
:-)
A lot of Christians believe that. They will be hard pressed to accept that they evolved from lower life forms. Although The Bible does not document the journey to the arrival to man from these lower lifeforms, The Bible does have enough non-specificity in it that it allows us to interpret it in the way that the physical evidence suggests, ie. that we evolved from lower life forms.
+++
... there's something about my disposition that just finds everything a struggle. It's been that way for as long as I can remember. There are brief periods where the struggle abates, but it always returns.
Two questions 1) What that's all about then? and 2) is it something unique to your good self or does everyone feel that way but keeps quiet about it? (for whatever reason ...)
I read the Derbyshire "renunciation" (?) I think that the root cause of his problem is right here in a question put to him:
Q. Have you ever had a religious experience?
A. No. I’m a bit miffed about this.
Absolutely. How on Earth does one expect an intelligent thinking human being, which Derbyshire clearly is, to put his faith is something that he has no evidence of?
A very interesting read though thanks for pointing me at it.
And again I am learning stuff, this "mysterion" category that Derbyshire puts himself into, Wikipedia says "New Mysterianism is a philosophy proposing that certain problems will never be explained or at the least cannot be explained by the human mind at its current evolutionary stage. The problem most often referred to is the hard problem of consciousness; i.e. how to explain sentience and qualia and their interaction with consciousness."
I have to say that I wholeheartedly believe that that is a complete cop-out! They've given up, it's no better than pseudo-science -- shades of intelligent design or multiverse theory? By that I mean, "All things are possible therefore we exist because an infinite number of things exist so by definition we, humanity, is a subset of those infinite happenstances, so that's why we are here - pure chance". If that is how it is, then -- how unsatisfying.
+++
"evolution vs. creation head-on" and "Might it be that God, who is timeless, willed the development of man "in His image," though it took the slow forces of natural selection billions of years to realize the commandment?"
It might be. I can point you at the reference work in this are, this is what Ned Flanders said to one of his sons in "The Monkey Suit", an episode of The Simpsons seventeenth season that aired on May 14, 2006:
Todd: Daddy, was Mommy a monkey? I can't remember.
Ned: No one was ever a monkey! Everything is what it was and always will be! God put us here and that's that!
Todd: But you said a stork brought me.
Ned: Umm...that was God disguised as a stork.
Rod: Then who brings baby storks?
Ned: There's no such thing as storks! It's all God!
Todd: (Kneeling beside a statue of a stork) Please bless Daddy and Roddy...
Ned: Stop praying to that stork!
:-)
A lot of Christians believe that. They will be hard pressed to accept that they evolved from lower life forms. Although The Bible does not document the journey to the arrival to man from these lower lifeforms, The Bible does have enough non-specificity in it that it allows us to interpret it in the way that the physical evidence suggests, ie. that we evolved from lower life forms.
+++
... there's something about my disposition that just finds everything a struggle. It's been that way for as long as I can remember. There are brief periods where the struggle abates, but it always returns.
Two questions 1) What that's all about then? and 2) is it something unique to your good self or does everyone feel that way but keeps quiet about it? (for whatever reason ...)
Gimme Shelter ...
... since we're on the theme of blog posts with the titles of rock songs of the 70's. :-)
Is this the "I'm a Christian I can't wait to get to Heaven" thing or "I've had enough and I don't want to wake up ever -- even in Heaven -- when I feel like this" thing?
The latter. I'm not sure enough of my faith to yearn for Heaven like Paul writes in one of his books. For me, it's a yearning to simply escape the struggle. I envy those who seem able to accept life for what it is and go about relatively cheerfully. Though I have been blessed in many ways, there's something about my disposition that just finds everything a struggle. It's been that way for as long as I can remember. There are brief periods where the stuggle abates, but it always returns.
There was a time I had hoped the Christian faith might help in this regard. It may yet. But again, I'm not sure I've really tapped into it sufficiently to know.
* * *
John Derbyshire, a writer for National Review Online, and a ex-patriot Brit, recently published a piece where he essentially recanted his Christian faith. It's not clear to me that he ever really was a Christian, in the more strict definition of the term. Still, I find it interesting that he has rejected -- or, perhaps more precisely, drifted away -- the faith due to advances in biology.
What I would like to see is a theologian approach the subject in this manner:
I suspect at its root the question will involve discussing the distinction between creation and development. Is it possible that God created the universe and life, and that the "in His image" part of the Bible has nothing whatever to do with physical appearance? Might it be that God, who is timeless, willed the development of man "in His image," though it took the slow forces of natural selection billions of years to realize the commandment?
Can such an argument be made without appearing as if one is force-fitting religion around science?
I just don't know.
In truth, it doesn't much matter to me personally. But it strikes me that if it's possible to provide an answer given my assume stipulation, it might be helpful to some.
Is this the "I'm a Christian I can't wait to get to Heaven" thing or "I've had enough and I don't want to wake up ever -- even in Heaven -- when I feel like this" thing?
The latter. I'm not sure enough of my faith to yearn for Heaven like Paul writes in one of his books. For me, it's a yearning to simply escape the struggle. I envy those who seem able to accept life for what it is and go about relatively cheerfully. Though I have been blessed in many ways, there's something about my disposition that just finds everything a struggle. It's been that way for as long as I can remember. There are brief periods where the stuggle abates, but it always returns.
There was a time I had hoped the Christian faith might help in this regard. It may yet. But again, I'm not sure I've really tapped into it sufficiently to know.
* * *
John Derbyshire, a writer for National Review Online, and a ex-patriot Brit, recently published a piece where he essentially recanted his Christian faith. It's not clear to me that he ever really was a Christian, in the more strict definition of the term. Still, I find it interesting that he has rejected -- or, perhaps more precisely, drifted away -- the faith due to advances in biology.
What I would like to see is a theologian approach the subject in this manner:
Let's stipulate that evolution and natural selection occurred, and occurs, as postulated. With that, let's now see whether the Bible, and traditional notions of creation and God, necessarily conflict with it.I'm not sure there is a conflict there, but that's just me. I've read many things that say that faith and science are not mutually exclusive, yet none seem to tackle the question of evolution vs. creation head-on. For many people, Derbyshire included, there seems to be a sense that one must choose one or the other, but not both. My personal belief is that's a false dichotomy. But I'm not skilled enough in the ways of theology to explain exactly why I think that.
I suspect at its root the question will involve discussing the distinction between creation and development. Is it possible that God created the universe and life, and that the "in His image" part of the Bible has nothing whatever to do with physical appearance? Might it be that God, who is timeless, willed the development of man "in His image," though it took the slow forces of natural selection billions of years to realize the commandment?
Can such an argument be made without appearing as if one is force-fitting religion around science?
I just don't know.
In truth, it doesn't much matter to me personally. But it strikes me that if it's possible to provide an answer given my assume stipulation, it might be helpful to some.
Golden years
Thanks for the background on Rumsfeld and the US military, not an area that I am familiar with at all. And for the link to Scythians and Scythia, I had never heard of them before .. a lack of a classical education I'm afraid.
+++
Sometimes I wish I would just not wake up one day.
Is this the "I'm a Christian I can't wait to get to Heaven" thing or "I've had enough and I don't want to wake up ever -- even in Heaven -- when I feel like this" thing?
I recall when my daughter was first taken away -- which was the darkest time of my life so far -- that I wanted it to just stop, I had had enough, there seemed to be too much pain and anguish in this world and I really no longer thought that I wanted to live.
Then of course, about 3 years later, I was shown very clearly that I really did want to live - I was shown that life is a state so rare and precious that I'd like to continue it for as long as possible, ok I may want to be a recluse on an island communing with nature until humanity learns not to war against itself, but that doesn't mean I don't treasure my life. Thank you for my life God.
Especially at times like this when both of the girls are happy in the room next door playing, it's a good thing. I'm wondering for how long does this responsibility to bring children up last? Well responsibility for them is forever of course, but the "bringing up" part, probably another 7-9 years of high-investment-quality time and then my job there is mostly done, the kids will want to spread their wings and fly into the world and practise what they've learned, making their own mistakes along the way too of course. I will be 50,51,52 then and what will I do? I don't know I just want to get there pal! If I can get to 55 and retire then maybe I will go and live on that island, who knows. Thinking about it, there are things called grandchildren, there may be no rest until the end :-)
What do we do in our twilight years?
+++
Sometimes I wish I would just not wake up one day.
Is this the "I'm a Christian I can't wait to get to Heaven" thing or "I've had enough and I don't want to wake up ever -- even in Heaven -- when I feel like this" thing?
I recall when my daughter was first taken away -- which was the darkest time of my life so far -- that I wanted it to just stop, I had had enough, there seemed to be too much pain and anguish in this world and I really no longer thought that I wanted to live.
Then of course, about 3 years later, I was shown very clearly that I really did want to live - I was shown that life is a state so rare and precious that I'd like to continue it for as long as possible, ok I may want to be a recluse on an island communing with nature until humanity learns not to war against itself, but that doesn't mean I don't treasure my life. Thank you for my life God.
Especially at times like this when both of the girls are happy in the room next door playing, it's a good thing. I'm wondering for how long does this responsibility to bring children up last? Well responsibility for them is forever of course, but the "bringing up" part, probably another 7-9 years of high-investment-quality time and then my job there is mostly done, the kids will want to spread their wings and fly into the world and practise what they've learned, making their own mistakes along the way too of course. I will be 50,51,52 then and what will I do? I don't know I just want to get there pal! If I can get to 55 and retire then maybe I will go and live on that island, who knows. Thinking about it, there are things called grandchildren, there may be no rest until the end :-)
What do we do in our twilight years?
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Politics
A struggle is coming? So why did Rumsfeld go? Is now really the time to leave the battlefield?
He didn't leave ... he was fired. Rumsfeld is an interesting man ... very smart but very ascerbic. President Bush nominated him for Secretary of Defense before 9/11 because he wanted someone to force a transformation of the military. The U.S. military was deeply committed to the Cold War model, where massive armies squared off against one another in the Eurasian theatre. Many thought the model had long since passed the stage of history. The new phrase was "asymmetrical warfare" -- where established armies had to fight much smaller terrorist actions. Rumsfeld was brought in to bring about the change necessary to face this new model. His ascerbic style was thought to be just the ticket for that.
Note: an example of the Cold War mindset ... a project, since canceled, called for a new 80 ton self-propelled artillery piece. Powerful yes; flexible and easy to deploy rapidly, no.
September 11th, 2001 changed all that. Rather than being able to focus on transforming the military, Rumsfeld had to manage an actual war. His strategy for Afghanistan -- small teams of elite personnel supported by massive airpower -- is generally recognized as being brilliant; the precise solution to the problems that plagued the Soviet Union when they invaded back in 1980. But his handling of Iraq came under greater scrutiny. Word is the entrenched military had become severely annoyed with Rumsfeld as well.
Had the Iraq war been going well, Rumsfeld would not have been ousted. But it's not going well (but it is going better than is being portrayed by the popular media). Rumsfeld had become a political liability; the "face" of the problems in Iraq.
The much bigger political question is: why didn't Bush fire Rumsfeld before the elections? Many feel it might have made the difference in many of the races (almost all of which were very closely decided). The Republicans might well still hold one or both houses of Congress had that been done.
I don't claim to know all the ins-and-outs of the politics of this.
* * *
People will always fight. It does not really matter the reason; they'll invent one. Two broad themes from the Bible come to mind:
Note: The specific inclusion of "Scythians" there is interesting. One commentary said that by including the Scythians, Paul was saying, in effect, "Yes, even the very bottom of the barrel, the most horrible among us." The Wikipedia article doesn't much allude to that aspect of the Scythians, though.
That solution only works when Christ is above all the competing factions. And it only works when "Christianity" is more than what it has generally become in our day. See our many, many posts about our complaints along these lines.
* * *
Yes, I too wish to just go off to some peaceful place and be away from all this turmoil. Sometimes I wish I would just not wake up one day.
He didn't leave ... he was fired. Rumsfeld is an interesting man ... very smart but very ascerbic. President Bush nominated him for Secretary of Defense before 9/11 because he wanted someone to force a transformation of the military. The U.S. military was deeply committed to the Cold War model, where massive armies squared off against one another in the Eurasian theatre. Many thought the model had long since passed the stage of history. The new phrase was "asymmetrical warfare" -- where established armies had to fight much smaller terrorist actions. Rumsfeld was brought in to bring about the change necessary to face this new model. His ascerbic style was thought to be just the ticket for that.
Note: an example of the Cold War mindset ... a project, since canceled, called for a new 80 ton self-propelled artillery piece. Powerful yes; flexible and easy to deploy rapidly, no.
September 11th, 2001 changed all that. Rather than being able to focus on transforming the military, Rumsfeld had to manage an actual war. His strategy for Afghanistan -- small teams of elite personnel supported by massive airpower -- is generally recognized as being brilliant; the precise solution to the problems that plagued the Soviet Union when they invaded back in 1980. But his handling of Iraq came under greater scrutiny. Word is the entrenched military had become severely annoyed with Rumsfeld as well.
Had the Iraq war been going well, Rumsfeld would not have been ousted. But it's not going well (but it is going better than is being portrayed by the popular media). Rumsfeld had become a political liability; the "face" of the problems in Iraq.
The much bigger political question is: why didn't Bush fire Rumsfeld before the elections? Many feel it might have made the difference in many of the races (almost all of which were very closely decided). The Republicans might well still hold one or both houses of Congress had that been done.
I don't claim to know all the ins-and-outs of the politics of this.
* * *
People will always fight. It does not really matter the reason; they'll invent one. Two broad themes from the Bible come to mind:
You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. (Exodus 20:17, NIV)I don't think it's a coincidence that God made this the last of the Ten Commandments. Is not covetousness at the root of most of our problems?
Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. (Colossians 3:11, NIV)If covetousness is at the root, is not the outcome of that covetousness the desire (or worse, the irresistable urge) to derive classifications of people; to separate people so one group has superiority over the other? Here Paul says that when we kill off our old life (that which covets and seeks to divide) and take up the life Christ offers, we find that there is no division. Our differences fade away as Christ becomes the center of our lives.
Note: The specific inclusion of "Scythians" there is interesting. One commentary said that by including the Scythians, Paul was saying, in effect, "Yes, even the very bottom of the barrel, the most horrible among us." The Wikipedia article doesn't much allude to that aspect of the Scythians, though.
That solution only works when Christ is above all the competing factions. And it only works when "Christianity" is more than what it has generally become in our day. See our many, many posts about our complaints along these lines.
* * *
Yes, I too wish to just go off to some peaceful place and be away from all this turmoil. Sometimes I wish I would just not wake up one day.
The rich declare themselves poor
A struggle is coming? So why did Rumsfeld go? Is now really the time to leave the battlefield?
+++
Why do humans form groups and then those groups go and fight eachother? "Them" and "us". Groups. "We". It's like children in the playground. Time and time again we see it, in team sports for instance. If it wasn't religion they were fighting over it would be something else, a football, some land, with one side wanting to have more than the other.
I'm also reminded about that episode of The Simpsons where they added a new dialling code to the Springfield telephone exchange and people looked down on those that had "the wrong" dialling code. As you said, and I paraphrase, life is The Simpsons is life.
I don't want any better than my fellow human being. The trouble is I don't want any worse either - and we all have our own, and often different, sense of what is "worse".
I feel totally helpless to change the situation (potentially another character flaw in myself) so just want to go and live on as island alone somewhere and paint. But I'd miss my daughter and she needs me, so I don't. I think having kids keeps one grounded in the struggle that is living in society.
+++
Why do humans form groups and then those groups go and fight eachother? "Them" and "us". Groups. "We". It's like children in the playground. Time and time again we see it, in team sports for instance. If it wasn't religion they were fighting over it would be something else, a football, some land, with one side wanting to have more than the other.
I'm also reminded about that episode of The Simpsons where they added a new dialling code to the Springfield telephone exchange and people looked down on those that had "the wrong" dialling code. As you said, and I paraphrase, life is The Simpsons is life.
I don't want any better than my fellow human being. The trouble is I don't want any worse either - and we all have our own, and often different, sense of what is "worse".
I feel totally helpless to change the situation (potentially another character flaw in myself) so just want to go and live on as island alone somewhere and paint. But I'd miss my daughter and she needs me, so I don't. I think having kids keeps one grounded in the struggle that is living in society.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
First Move
Look for Iran to make an aggressive move in the region, perhaps escalating their involvement in Iraq or -- not out of the question -- an overt military action into Iraq. This will test two things: 1) what remains of President Bush's political capital, and 2) the resolve of the new Democrat Congress.
Bush has no capital left, just as Blair has little to none. The Democrats in Congress will make noise, but take no action. Iran will have a greater hand in the region.
In the meantime, other Muslim countries in the region, fearful of Iran having dominance, will rush for nuclear capabilities.
Israel is now all alone. Someone will make a move on them. Israel will respond, ultimately with nuclear weapons.
America is the last thing between Islamists and their desire for domination. America blinked. America blinked because a majority of this country desired -- deeply -- to go back to sleep; to pull the covers up over their heads and imagine it was the 1990's again. What will wake them out of their slumber will not be a few planes into buildings, but something far, far more devastating.
Pray for your daughter. She will need it.
Bush has no capital left, just as Blair has little to none. The Democrats in Congress will make noise, but take no action. Iran will have a greater hand in the region.
In the meantime, other Muslim countries in the region, fearful of Iran having dominance, will rush for nuclear capabilities.
Israel is now all alone. Someone will make a move on them. Israel will respond, ultimately with nuclear weapons.
America is the last thing between Islamists and their desire for domination. America blinked. America blinked because a majority of this country desired -- deeply -- to go back to sleep; to pull the covers up over their heads and imagine it was the 1990's again. What will wake them out of their slumber will not be a few planes into buildings, but something far, far more devastating.
Pray for your daughter. She will need it.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Democrats Take Senate
Which means a return to appeasement and isolationism. The end of western civilization begins now ... it may take a few years, perhaps 50, but history -- those left to write about it -- will speak of this as being the turning point.
America has blinked. Islamic Facism will take notice. They will now rise and march. Mark my words.
Update: votes not all counted in Montana. But my guess is it goes Democrat.
America has blinked. Islamic Facism will take notice. They will now rise and march. Mark my words.
Update: votes not all counted in Montana. But my guess is it goes Democrat.
Democrats Take House of Representatives
The mood of this country seems to favor a change in parties. The U.S. House of Representatives seems poised to be taken over by the Democrats. All appropriations bills must originate in the House. That means the Democrats can effectively control policy by providing or prohibiting funding.
Much hangs in the balance for the next 20 or so years. Literally, the very survival of western civilization and, perhaps, mankind itself will be decided by decisions forged in the next 20 years.
Our enemy -- Islam -- makes no bones about it ... they want us subjugated or dead.
They do not respect appeasement.
As Margaret Thatcher once said to the first George Bush: "Now is not the time to go wobbly."
Much hangs in the balance for the next 20 or so years. Literally, the very survival of western civilization and, perhaps, mankind itself will be decided by decisions forged in the next 20 years.
Our enemy -- Islam -- makes no bones about it ... they want us subjugated or dead.
They do not respect appeasement.
As Margaret Thatcher once said to the first George Bush: "Now is not the time to go wobbly."
Minimum Wage
Here in many of the state elections, the ballot initiative to raise the minimum wage to something like $6.75 (or something) seems to be passing.
On the surface, this would appears like the right, decent thing to do.
But here's the rub: I could walk into any McDonald's and get hired for between $7.50 and $9.00 an hour. That's well above the minimum wage.
So who earns minimum wage? Those not qualified to do work such as offered by McDonalds.
In other words, extremely low-skilled positions.
Raising the minimum wage brings pressure on employers to give serious consideration to whether the job itself is worth keeping around. That's basic economics. Drive the cost of something above its worth, and there'll be no more buyers.
So the effect of such ballot initiatives will have two effects:
On the surface, this would appears like the right, decent thing to do.
But here's the rub: I could walk into any McDonald's and get hired for between $7.50 and $9.00 an hour. That's well above the minimum wage.
So who earns minimum wage? Those not qualified to do work such as offered by McDonalds.
In other words, extremely low-skilled positions.
Raising the minimum wage brings pressure on employers to give serious consideration to whether the job itself is worth keeping around. That's basic economics. Drive the cost of something above its worth, and there'll be no more buyers.
So the effect of such ballot initiatives will have two effects:
- Make those who vote for the minimum wage feel like they're helping the low and unfortunate, and
- Eliminating the very jobs the low and unfortunate might otherwise have used to gain a toehold in the employment market to move up to better paying jobs
Large Surface Ships
I wonder if their days are numbered. The battleships are gone, as ship-to-ship warfare is now done entirely with aircraft and guided missles. I can see the need for aircraft carriers as mobile airfields. But I imagine they must be horribly vulnerable to missle attack. Perhaps there's some incredible anti-missle technology I don't know about.
* * *
Now that Saddam is to be put to death it sort of vindicates Bush slightly, will this have a bearing on the election?
I doubt it. The U.S. is an almost evenly-divided electorate, with a slim 5% to 10% in the middle that ends up deciding the elections. They often are "undecided" to the last minute. That means they have given almost no thought to the issues and ramifications, and more often than not base their vote on something revolving around their narrow self-interests.
I have no idea why anyone would spend $10M to be a U.S. Senator. Something like 50% of their time is spent fundraising for the next go-around. They earn just a tad more than you and I do. The only thing I can think of is the after-service perks such as lucrative consulting gigs and such. Or maybe there's just a lot of value to these people to be addressed as "Senator."
But what about County Clerk of Pima County?
I should talk -- I was president of my homeowners' association in Virginia. Why? I like to say it was because it afforded me the opportunity to make sure others didn't ruin my neighborhood. But in truth there was a lot more pride involved.
* * *
I had my first and perhaps only interview for the senior stuff. Seemed to go well, but I'm exposed to do lack of big-customer, big-dollar deal brokering. I really am not concerned or worried ... I can only offer what I have done and what I do, and nothing more. If what I've done is not sufficient qualification, then so be it. Honestly, that's where I sit in my mind.
* * *
Now that Saddam is to be put to death it sort of vindicates Bush slightly, will this have a bearing on the election?
I doubt it. The U.S. is an almost evenly-divided electorate, with a slim 5% to 10% in the middle that ends up deciding the elections. They often are "undecided" to the last minute. That means they have given almost no thought to the issues and ramifications, and more often than not base their vote on something revolving around their narrow self-interests.
I have no idea why anyone would spend $10M to be a U.S. Senator. Something like 50% of their time is spent fundraising for the next go-around. They earn just a tad more than you and I do. The only thing I can think of is the after-service perks such as lucrative consulting gigs and such. Or maybe there's just a lot of value to these people to be addressed as "Senator."
But what about County Clerk of Pima County?
I should talk -- I was president of my homeowners' association in Virginia. Why? I like to say it was because it afforded me the opportunity to make sure others didn't ruin my neighborhood. But in truth there was a lot more pride involved.
* * *
I had my first and perhaps only interview for the senior stuff. Seemed to go well, but I'm exposed to do lack of big-customer, big-dollar deal brokering. I really am not concerned or worried ... I can only offer what I have done and what I do, and nothing more. If what I've done is not sufficient qualification, then so be it. Honestly, that's where I sit in my mind.
Circus of politics
I recently saw an episode of "The Simpsons" where Homer started a motorcycle gang called "Hell's Satans" and Marge was abducted by another motorcycle gang called "Hell's Satans" because Homer had stolen their name. Very humourous and I thought of you.
+++
That is indeed an impressive shot of the Iowa firing it's main guns. I've always doubted that there could be any ship recoil, given the masses and velocities involved, and that picture seems to bear that out. I guess though, were you on the gun side and saw the wake, you could be forgiven for thinking that the ship had recoiled.
Looking at Google Earth, the Iowa currently appears to be mothballed in California:
http://googlesightseeing.com/maps?p=680&c=&ll=38.067589,-122.096697&spn=0.005946,0.011477&t=k&hl=en
+++
Politics, what encourages people to go into politics? Aren't power and wealth completely overrated? I don't see any good coming of them. Now that Saddam is to be put to death it sort of vindicates Bush slightly, will this have a bearing on the election? A picture of you here, giving W a hug just after you cast your vote .. sorry but you seem to have been eating too much lately :-)
+++
How's the class? And have you been "made up" in "The Professions" yet or did you get whacked?
+++
That is indeed an impressive shot of the Iowa firing it's main guns. I've always doubted that there could be any ship recoil, given the masses and velocities involved, and that picture seems to bear that out. I guess though, were you on the gun side and saw the wake, you could be forgiven for thinking that the ship had recoiled.
Looking at Google Earth, the Iowa currently appears to be mothballed in California:
http://googlesightseeing.com/maps?p=680&c=&ll=38.067589,-122.096697&spn=0.005946,0.011477&t=k&hl=en
+++
Politics, what encourages people to go into politics? Aren't power and wealth completely overrated? I don't see any good coming of them. Now that Saddam is to be put to death it sort of vindicates Bush slightly, will this have a bearing on the election? A picture of you here, giving W a hug just after you cast your vote .. sorry but you seem to have been eating too much lately :-)
+++
How's the class? And have you been "made up" in "The Professions" yet or did you get whacked?
Monday, November 06, 2006
Fascinating Photo
This is an aerial shot of the U.S.S. Iowa firing two 16" rounds starboard. Aside from the raw might displayed, note the shockwave pattern on the water.
Note: click on the photo for an 800-pixel wide version. The original photo can be seen in glorious high-resolution here.
I find this photo utterly fascinating.
I believe the U.S. Navy decommissioned its last battleship recently. Some years back, I took a tour of a decommisioned battleship when I lived in North Carolina. It was remarkable for two reasons: the size and massiveness of it; and the relatively tight living quarters. The ship housed something like 4,000 men. Bunks were stacked four or five high, with little more than 18" between bunks. The lavatory was little more than a steel trough. The gun barrels were huge.
I've often wondered ... how does one manufacture something like that? How does one cast, then turn and rifle a 16" inside-diameter barrel that weighs something like 20 tons?
* * *
I am reading, for the second time, the book "The Longest Day" by Cornelius Ryan. It is a historic accounting of the events of June 6th, 1944 and the invasion of Normandy. The book tends to weave the account from several personal perspectives, most notably General Erwin Rommel. If you're at all interested in that period of history, I'd recommend the book.
Note: the accounting of all that went wrong in the opening hours of the invasion is amazing. The aerial bombardment was off by several miles, as were many of the paratrooper drops. Amphibious tanks simply sunk. Soldiers weighed down by over 100 pounds of gear stepped into water over their heads and drowned. The accounting of went went wrong on the German side of the battle is equally amazing. Such is the fog of war.
The book "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" by William Shirer is another utterly fascinating book, detailing a much longer period of history. It is not a trivial book. It is studded with footnotes and lots of German names. Still, for a glimpse into the workings of Nazi Germany, the book has no equal.
* * *
Tomorrow (November 7th) is mid-term election day here in the United States. The stakes are considerable as control of both houses of Congress are in theory up for grabs. I voted by early ballot since I knew I'd be in Atlanta, not Arizona.
Note: click on the photo for an 800-pixel wide version. The original photo can be seen in glorious high-resolution here.
I find this photo utterly fascinating.
I believe the U.S. Navy decommissioned its last battleship recently. Some years back, I took a tour of a decommisioned battleship when I lived in North Carolina. It was remarkable for two reasons: the size and massiveness of it; and the relatively tight living quarters. The ship housed something like 4,000 men. Bunks were stacked four or five high, with little more than 18" between bunks. The lavatory was little more than a steel trough. The gun barrels were huge.
I've often wondered ... how does one manufacture something like that? How does one cast, then turn and rifle a 16" inside-diameter barrel that weighs something like 20 tons?
* * *
I am reading, for the second time, the book "The Longest Day" by Cornelius Ryan. It is a historic accounting of the events of June 6th, 1944 and the invasion of Normandy. The book tends to weave the account from several personal perspectives, most notably General Erwin Rommel. If you're at all interested in that period of history, I'd recommend the book.
Note: the accounting of all that went wrong in the opening hours of the invasion is amazing. The aerial bombardment was off by several miles, as were many of the paratrooper drops. Amphibious tanks simply sunk. Soldiers weighed down by over 100 pounds of gear stepped into water over their heads and drowned. The accounting of went went wrong on the German side of the battle is equally amazing. Such is the fog of war.
The book "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" by William Shirer is another utterly fascinating book, detailing a much longer period of history. It is not a trivial book. It is studded with footnotes and lots of German names. Still, for a glimpse into the workings of Nazi Germany, the book has no equal.
* * *
Tomorrow (November 7th) is mid-term election day here in the United States. The stakes are considerable as control of both houses of Congress are in theory up for grabs. I voted by early ballot since I knew I'd be in Atlanta, not Arizona.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
"Damn it, Jim ... I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer!"
Ah, silicone. Yes ... I believe the Horta was based on this. :-)
* * *
Water is one of those things pointed to as evidence of a Creator. I don't recall all the specifics of it, but apparently the presence of water in liquid form is a somewhat rare thing in what we know of our universe. If the earth were just a bit closer to the sun, our oceans would boil off; if we were a bit more distant our oceans would freeze. Or something like that. I don't know how valid an argument that is.
* * *
The motorcycle is working out okay. I went for a 250 mile ride yesterday. I have come to conclude that my preference for riding is long tours on open highways. (As opposed to cruising the city boulevards or "carving canyons" on sport bikes.) That said, the model of bike I purchased isn't optimal. It's adequate, but not optimal.
A better choice would have been the Honda Goldwing:
But that's a darn expensive bike ($20K US for the basic model). Many people I speak with say the Honda ST1300 -- "ST" for "Sport Tourer" -- is a fine compromise between sport bike and touring bike:
That's a bit more reasonable at $14K new. Those I speak with say it's every bit as comfortable for long days riding as the Goldwing, but I can't hardly believe it. The Goldwing is like riding in a "comfy chair." And the "wind management" of the Goldwing is exceptional.
Ah ... silly dreams.
* * *
I'm off to Atlanta today to help teach the SOA workshop. This is the last running of the class ... no more are scheduled and I won't permit any more to be scheduled. Or, I won't participate in any more that are scheduled. That's how much I disagree with the format of this workshop. :-)
* * *
Water is one of those things pointed to as evidence of a Creator. I don't recall all the specifics of it, but apparently the presence of water in liquid form is a somewhat rare thing in what we know of our universe. If the earth were just a bit closer to the sun, our oceans would boil off; if we were a bit more distant our oceans would freeze. Or something like that. I don't know how valid an argument that is.
* * *
The motorcycle is working out okay. I went for a 250 mile ride yesterday. I have come to conclude that my preference for riding is long tours on open highways. (As opposed to cruising the city boulevards or "carving canyons" on sport bikes.) That said, the model of bike I purchased isn't optimal. It's adequate, but not optimal.
A better choice would have been the Honda Goldwing:
But that's a darn expensive bike ($20K US for the basic model). Many people I speak with say the Honda ST1300 -- "ST" for "Sport Tourer" -- is a fine compromise between sport bike and touring bike:
That's a bit more reasonable at $14K new. Those I speak with say it's every bit as comfortable for long days riding as the Goldwing, but I can't hardly believe it. The Goldwing is like riding in a "comfy chair." And the "wind management" of the Goldwing is exceptional.
Ah ... silly dreams.
* * *
I'm off to Atlanta today to help teach the SOA workshop. This is the last running of the class ... no more are scheduled and I won't permit any more to be scheduled. Or, I won't participate in any more that are scheduled. That's how much I disagree with the format of this workshop. :-)
Saturday, November 04, 2006
The Chemistry of Life
The inability of hydrogen to bond to oxygen would eliminate water which I think is elemental to all life as we know it, right?
Chemical life as we know it Jim, yes.
Some life forms don't need much, but they all need some ... am I correct? I mean, in addition to the basic need of water in DNA.
Yes, life as we know it -- the cell -- needs a solvent to live in, to handle things like getting other molecules (food) and disposing of molecules (waste). Liquids are best for this solvent as they give the opportunity for molecules to encounter eachother, solids are too rigid to generally allow this and the encounters between gas molecules are too infrequent for the rate of information transfer required. Water is ideally suited as a solvent for life for lots of reasons, and it's made of two of the most abundant elements found in the Universe. You probably know more than I do about this stuff having read that book on the cell :-)
Question: is possession of DNA a definition of "life?" Some things -- simple viruses for instance -- have RNA but not DNA, correct?
Correct, an example is the influenza virus, it has RNA as it's basic material - it's "genome" is based on RNA. The HIV virus also has an RNA based genome but manufactures DNA from this RNA, so it's a retrovirus, by definition. Life without DNA is possible for sure.
Are they considered "life?" Do all plants and animals have DNA, including things like fungus and lichen?
Yes I think virii and retrovirii are considered "life", they respond and adapt to their environment after all. Looking back at my old definition of human nature in our blog I see:
I think this pretty much sums up my view of what "life" is too. Note that "artificial life" or "non-chemical life" -- computers, machines etc might be able to do the same one day.
All plants and animals have DNA, to my knowledge.
The lack of carbon means the elimination of complex molecular strings, does it not? Isn't carbon one of the basic things that allow long chains?
Well, because of the strength of the carbon double bond there really isn't anything yet found that could act as a better elemental building block for life. Silicon has been posited as being a second candidate as it has some similar properties to carbon, but comes in a distant second to carbon when you look at it's chemical suitability for the job.
You have a Periodic Table on your wall? You do? Seriously?
Oh yes !
+++
How is the motorcycle working out? You know the fab four, The Beatles, got their name from a biker film starring Marlon Brando? Are you a fully paid up member of the Tucson Chapter of Hells Angels yet?
+++
My daughter has a friend over for a sleepover tonight and they are still awake and playing with Shelly the hampster (at 00:33!) I'm about to put my foot down ... :-)
Chemical life as we know it Jim, yes.
Some life forms don't need much, but they all need some ... am I correct? I mean, in addition to the basic need of water in DNA.
Yes, life as we know it -- the cell -- needs a solvent to live in, to handle things like getting other molecules (food) and disposing of molecules (waste). Liquids are best for this solvent as they give the opportunity for molecules to encounter eachother, solids are too rigid to generally allow this and the encounters between gas molecules are too infrequent for the rate of information transfer required. Water is ideally suited as a solvent for life for lots of reasons, and it's made of two of the most abundant elements found in the Universe. You probably know more than I do about this stuff having read that book on the cell :-)
Question: is possession of DNA a definition of "life?" Some things -- simple viruses for instance -- have RNA but not DNA, correct?
Correct, an example is the influenza virus, it has RNA as it's basic material - it's "genome" is based on RNA. The HIV virus also has an RNA based genome but manufactures DNA from this RNA, so it's a retrovirus, by definition. Life without DNA is possible for sure.
Are they considered "life?" Do all plants and animals have DNA, including things like fungus and lichen?
Yes I think virii and retrovirii are considered "life", they respond and adapt to their environment after all. Looking back at my old definition of human nature in our blog I see:
- We learn through response to stimuli
- Once we've learned something we have a preference for it over something that we haven't learned (ie. We prefer the familiar to the unfamiliar)
I think this pretty much sums up my view of what "life" is too. Note that "artificial life" or "non-chemical life" -- computers, machines etc might be able to do the same one day.
All plants and animals have DNA, to my knowledge.
The lack of carbon means the elimination of complex molecular strings, does it not? Isn't carbon one of the basic things that allow long chains?
Well, because of the strength of the carbon double bond there really isn't anything yet found that could act as a better elemental building block for life. Silicon has been posited as being a second candidate as it has some similar properties to carbon, but comes in a distant second to carbon when you look at it's chemical suitability for the job.
You have a Periodic Table on your wall? You do? Seriously?
Oh yes !
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How is the motorcycle working out? You know the fab four, The Beatles, got their name from a biker film starring Marlon Brando? Are you a fully paid up member of the Tucson Chapter of Hells Angels yet?
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My daughter has a friend over for a sleepover tonight and they are still awake and playing with Shelly the hampster (at 00:33!) I'm about to put my foot down ... :-)
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