"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.
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