Aack

The Future is Here

Popular Mechanics, 1954

I want to know if the wheel on the left is some prehistoric x/y position locator (aka a mouse). If it is, that is one huge rodent!

I especially like the "with teletype interface and the Fortran Language, the computer will be easy to use." No thanks, been there, done that, ran away!

Not Home

Hi. Joat's answering machine is broken and there's no more room on the fridge, so please post your comments and I'll make sure he sees them when he returns...whenever that'll be. Thank you.

The Barterer

Bard I am not, but barterer...now that I can do.

I got up this morning to go to physical therapy (you know - for the knee thing). I got up nice and early (like 6:30 am!) to do some work on a multimedia project that is a review of a trip that some friends made to Russia. About 8:15 am, 20 minutes before I needed to leave for PT, I started the car to warm it up. It was just above 0°F. I walked out at 8:30-ish, hopped in the car, and was stunned to find that it was still cold. I can't stop to figure out why, I crank up the heat and scoot off. Not 100 feet down the road my car starts beeping at me - hot engine.

Dang! I slam the sucker in reverse, re-park in the driveway, move my daily junk to the wife's rig and split.

After my PT session as well as an appointment with my knee-scopy Dr.'s PA (in which the they removed the stiches - yeah!), I returned home and proceeded to switch everything back over to my car. Hoping that it has cooled off sufficiently, I start to head to the mechanics.

I finally make it after altering between hot and cold for about 45 minutes. My mechanic gets the car in the shop and proceeds to work on it. A coulpe hours later its good to go. While waiting I spent my time working on his computer. Basic stuff - updates, patches, spyware detection as well as some computer education for his wife/secretary on handling scanned documents and e-mail. I did it because I was bored, but in the end he wanted to call the work done by each an even swap.

Me? I can wholeheartedly accept that proposition. Bartering is a good thing, we need to do it more often.

Mutant Slime, et al.

Wanted a place to record this for posterity - this was as good as any other...

Mutant Slime
1/2 cup Elmer's Glue
food coloring
3/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon borax
2 plastic bags

1. Pour glue into bag, add 1 drop of food coloring
2. Put warm water and borax into second bag. Shake to mix.
3. Pour 2 tbsp of water/borax mixture into colored goop. Seal & mix.
4. Pour rest of water/borax mix into goop. Seal & knead until mixture holds together.
5. Drain excess liquid & store in bag.

Magic Bubble Mixture
1 cup water
1 tablespoon white corn syrup (or glycerin)
1/3 cup dishwashing soap

Mix & Blow

Kids Say The Darndest Things

Thing One, at dinner tonight, makes the observation full of incredulity that, "Thanksgiving is on Thursday again this year!"

Life Imitating Art? Hope Not!

I stumbled across an article on InformationWeek's website. It starts with:

"WASHINGTON--A consortium of 28 aerospace and IT companies unveiled an initiative Tuesday to develop a common networking architecture for military and homeland security users. They, along with various sensor systems, would be linked to an interoperable, global network."

Did they not see Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines? Don't they know what they are doing?

Movie Day

I had today off (Veteran's Day) so we decided to go do a family movie. We saw The Incredibles.

What a hoot. I thoroughly enjoyed it (and so did the kids)! It was (as Pixar always does) a great cross-generational movie. Besides that, I thought the storyline was quite unique. I mean who knew that Supers could have issues and mid-life crisis just like us normal people. On some deeper level, I connected with Mr. Incredible, I mean, I totally understood his lack of...self assurance, self esteem, self realization...I'm not sure what to call it. Basic unhappiness with what you are doing compared to what you want to do. Weird, huh?

The animation was absolutely spectacular. Especially the attention to the level of detail. I was amazed most by the hair (or what was left on Mr. Incredible). I'm hoping that they make a good sequel. I want to see what Jack-Jack develops into.

I give it a:

Eternal Conundrum

Gloria as the same problem as my wife, but unlike my wife, she isn't looking in my drawer!

Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright

Tiger, Tiger, burning bright
In the forest of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?
And what shoulder and what art
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And, when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand and what dread feet?
What the hammer? What the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? What dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears,
And water'd heaven with their tears,
Did He smile His work to see?
Did He who made the lamb make thee?

Tiger, Tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

- William Blake (1757-1827)

Re-Invention of Joat

In the last several weeks, I've been poked and prodded by several docs. Basically having an overhaul. It all started because I get these headaches. I'm no where near figuring out why I get these headaches other than "they are vascular in nature" (and just what does THAT mean?), but in the process I've been subjected to a sleep study.

Aside from the sleep study and the colonoscopy, tomorrow I go in for probably the most serious surgery I've ever had - I'm having arthroscopic surgery done on my knee.

Three years agao I wiped out playing softball. Apparently I tore a meniscus. After being gone all summer, doing what I do, and abusing my knee more than what it liked, I decided that my knee needs to be fixed. This means 6 more weeks of pain and suffering. That's right, Physical Therapy.

I hope it's worth it in the end.

WIRIP

November 2, 2004

Today we decide who will run the country for the next 4 years. Whether you are a progressive liberal, a traditional conservative, or somewhere in between, make sure you vote.

I just hope the winner is by a clear margin and that we don't have to go through the same trashy in fighting that we did last time.