Double Bailey

Here are two Bailey computers. I have no idea what Bailey computers are. Or, rather, were. Wikipedia doesn't seem to know either. They sure look businesslike, circa 1980, though. Picture taken this summer at the Henry Ford Museum.

I'm feeling much better today; thanks for asking. Don't know what brought me down yesterday, but 11 hours of sleep last night took care of it, I guess. Or my recent flu shot. Or my naturally robust constitution. Or Ghost Miners.

Got Office:mac 2008 in the mail today and installed it. First impression: as with the previous version, it's exactly what the latest Windows-based version (in this case, Office 2007) should have been. Of course, I need some time with it to really get a feel for the changes. The reviewers have been fairly kind, though.

One typical Microsoft annoyance, though - I had just finished installing the bloated (over 1 GB!) software fresh out of the box that arrived directly from Microsoft today and never sat on a retail shelf, and the updater ran and told me I needed to install nearly half a gigabyte of updates. Already. Why can't they ship the Really Latest Version? Anybody? Anybody? I didn't think so - they have no excuse.

We certainly do seem to have had commenting problems since I enabled Blogger's new "inline" feature. Loyal Reader Number Five couldn't get it to take her name. Nobody could comment on older posts. Et cetera. I've written a stern note to Blogger and gone back to the old system. Things appear to be back to normal. And I was so excited about the new system - I was sure it would increase the quantity and the quality of the comments. Sigh.

Not that there was anything wrong with the quality before, of course.

Rainy day in Lardville today, and the local Loyal Readers tell me there was thunder and lightning to go along with it. Trick-or-treating is threatened, although a quick check at weather.com tells me the probably of Halloween rain has gone down to 30% and the high temperature prediction has gone up to 72 degrees. So it's not all bad news.

Today's Morrowlife controversy: Where did this guy come from? And what would you do with him if you could get him? My answers: I think he's the result of a secret Danish government experiment gone horribly wrong. And I would definitely use him to get on the carpool lane.

Special bonus controversy: Does the picture look photoshopped to you too?

Tomorrow I fix the trailer's brakes. Unless I get rained out. Wish me luck.

See you then.

Ohio gasser

Here's one of my favorite vintage drag racers - Ohio George's famous Ohio Gasser. Photographed in the Henry Ford Museum. Part of my famous Machinery series.

Not feeling well this afternoon. It came on me suddenly, so I'm hoping it leaves just as suddenly. Some coworkers have told me about a bug going around - it's apparently nasty and lasts three very uncomfortable days. I'm hoping that's not it for me. I'm hoping my stomach is just going through a phase.

Otherwise a fairly normal day. Got up, got ready, commuted, etc. Came home on an earlier train than normal due to the aforementioned discomfort.

Tomorrow's work schedule is amazingly not meeting-strewn. I'm looking forward to it. Don't quite know what I'll do with myself, though.

I take that back. I do know. I have an exceptionally long list of fascinating and incomplete tasks. No problem.

Today's Morrowlife controversy: Did Loyal Reader Number One's friend capture a Ghost Miner in the picture attached to this post? My answer: Of course. Well, probably. Possibly, anyway. Maybe. I have no idea. Probably not. If it's not a ghost, though, what is it?

Perfect controversy for two days before Halloween, no?

By the way, can ghosts be photographed? If so, can they choose to make themselves visible to the camera? If so, why would the Ghost Miner have chosen to be in that picture? If they can't choose, wouldn't that make ghosts improbably rare? After all, people take a lot of pictures and Ghost Miners very rarely show up. Either way, the possibilities are staggering. At the very least, they trip a little.

Time to contemplate those Deep Thoughts. See you tomorrow.

Bird

Here's a bird. Picture taken Summer 2008 at the Detroit Zoo. In a rare twofer, part of both my Statue series and my Bird series.

Today was a great day to be in Northern California. During a telecon this morning, I learned that it was snowing at our old home in Gardenville, Pennsylvania. We had a few clouds yesterday and again today, but the snow has stayed away. In fact, it's stayed away since we got here. I enjoy some cool weather now and again, but I don't like commuting in it.

Loyal Reader Number Three is really struggling with the near-term plan. I have lots of ideas, but none of them is probably right for him. Keep praying for him, Loyal Readers.

Busy day at work. I was in meetings the entire day except from noon to 1:00. The meetings were all necessary, but it's tough to get all the other necessary things done. Fortunately, Tuesdays are usually meetingier than the rest of the week.

There's good news from Redmond today! The Windows of the Future will be less annoying!

No controversy today. There is absolutely nothing strange going on anywhere in the world. I know. I've checked. Maybe tomorrow.

See you then.

Edison's chemicals

Here are a few of the things that Thomas Edison discovered don't work for making a light bulb. Picture taken this summer at Greenfield Village. Part (barely) of my famous Workbench series.

Happy Monday. Pretty good day for me. I got several things done at work. Also commuted. That pretty much covers it.

The weekend was fine. As reported earlier, Loyal Readers Numbers Five, Six, and Twelve were here. LRN6 spent pretty much two entire days working on detailing their Honda. It looks great. Really great.

LRN5 substituted for us on the piano at choir practice on Sunday and also substituted as the soprano while Loyal Reader Number Two was accompanying us on the organ. At which they both did an excellent job.

Personally, I didn't do any detailing. Took the Suburban for its badly-needed first free car wash. It's definitely going again this weekend. Possibly on Friday, right before I take it to pick up the trailer for its badly-needed brake job.

The trailer has electric brakes, of course, which I've never worked on. I'm fully confident that I can fix them, though. They ought to be at least as easy as hydraulic brakes.

I think I need new solenoids. The brakes are grabbing really badly.

On the medical front, scientists have made an important discovery that may ensure several Loyal Readers a long, happy life. Or maybe it will just seem long. For everybody else, anyway.

I noticed one other article from the front lines of medicine that might have helped Loyal Reader Number One through his recent surgery. If only we had a banjo.

Juggernaut update: $7.76. I made 17 cents today alone.

Anyway. I can't think of any other weekend highlights right now. And it's past time for home evening. So I'm quitting.

See you tomorrow.

Devil

Here's Loyal Reader Number Twelve enjoying herself at this evening's ward Halloween party. We all had a nice time.

Extreme Short Shrift. The party took up all our time.

Loyal Readers Number Five, Six, and Twelve are here for the weekend. LRN6 and I hope to work on waxing our Hondas tomorrow. We're also going out for our family breakfast in the morning, and Loyal Reader Number Two has Youth Conference. The weekend should be busy.

I have uncovered the science behind Loyal Reader Number One's upcoming summer internship. Sounds like a job he can really enjoy.

The missing pieces for the UFO and helicopter arrived today! I've already flown the UFO a bunch and I hope to find time for the chopper tomorrow. Cool.

Time for bed. See you on Monday.

Family portrait

Here's a rare picture of Loyal Readers Numbers Two, One, Sixteen, and Four surrounding Your Humble and Obedient Servant. Picture taken at the Detroit Zoo this summer by Loyal Reader Number Eighteen.

Well. If we can believe yesterday's comments, I posted the same Great Art twice. The sad thing is that it wasn't one of my better works of Great Art. All I can say is we better hope I find a lot of things to take pictures of at our next camping trip.

Got to bed at about 9:00 last night, which is unusually early for me. The blog took little time to get ready (yes, I know it shows) and I was sleepy. So I went to bed. LRN4 was out with friends, so I never saw her.

One exciting Morrowlife Financial Juggernaut detail I forgot to mention yesterday - I actually made 36 cents yesterday alone! The blog is really capturing the hearts and minds of The American People. Nothing can stop me now.

I've discovered another exciting animal-related summer internship possibility for Loyal Reader Number One: Worm Grunter.

Had a couple of phone conversations with Loyal Reader Number Three today. He's really struggling to figure out a workable near-term educational/employment plan. I'm trying to offer constructive suggestions and points to consider, but it's ultimately his and Loyal Reader Number Fifteen's decision, and I don't envy them that.

One of the toughest decisions a young person has to make is his or her education. To a very large extent, that decision will determine his or her work (and therefore personal) life for the next thirty years or so, and the decisions have to be made with extremely limited future vision. Recommendation to LRN3 and LRN15: Pray. Pray like the wind! Also remember we've all been through it, and things generally work out.

Anyway. Situation otherwise normal. Tonight's meeting is canceled, so I might be able to find some time to work on Sudoku Solver. We'll see.

Today's Morrowlife controversy: Should we be checking the lock on Loyal Pet Number Two's cage?

Check out the new Blogger feature right below this. You can now enter your comments directly on the main page! That obviously means we'll be getting a lot more comments, doesn't it?

See you tomorrow.

Happy Buddha

Here's a guy I saw in a Chinese restaurant in an airport. Maybe in Chicago. But I don't remember. Looks like maybe he's been eating a little too much. Picture courtesy of the now-retired famous RAZR-cam. Part of my famous Statue series.

The need for new Great Art grows ever more desperate. Fortunately, we have a camping trip scheduled for Thanksgiving weekend. Plus, it's a campground we've never visited before, so I'll be looking at things with a fresh eye. So hang on for a few more weeks, Loyal Readers.

There's also the ward Halloween party this Friday, if I can remember my camera. Which will probably be difficult, as I'm planning to leave the office an hour early and go directly from the station to the church. I'll have to either leave it in the trunk in the morning or ask the Loyal Readers to bring it for me.

I hear that Loyal Reader Number One received his computer's memory stick in the mail and got it installed today. Hey, it's working great! It's amazing how much faster your computer gets when you quintuple the memory.

Speaking of Macs, I ordered Office 2008 this afternoon. We get it through work for twenty bucks, so I couldn't resist. I recently got iWork, which I like very much (although I must admit I'm still having a hard time wrapping my mind around its paradigm), and the latest Beta of Open Office works quite well on a Mac, but there are times when you would like to have Office. Unfortunately.

I also installed Office 2007 on my laptop today. I don't hate it yet, but I haven't really used it much so far. I'm sure it won't grow on me.

Today's Morrowlife controversy: Does this look like a good retirement home?

Financial Juggernaut update: I'm up to $7.29! At this rate, I'll be able to afford that retirement home Real Soon Now.

See you tomorrow.

Bushwackers

Here are Loyal Readers Numbers One and Two crawling around in the bushes at Clark's Fork. I have no idea why. Part of my famous Camping series.

Another perfect weather day in the aptly named town of Sunnyvale. And I was indoors for 99.9 percent of the daylight hours. Sigh. Only four more years until I can retire.Theoretically , that is. I'd have to struggle to afford dog food in my hovel, of course. I have the motive; now all I need is the opportunity.

I heard from my old co-worker Jim today. He went to Florida a couple of months ago to take a really cool job at an Air Force base near Tampa. The job disappeared almost immediately, so he's looking again. Poor Jim.

But that's not what I'm talking about right now. When he left, he gave me three gifts: his small radio-controlled helicopter (just like the one I got myself for Christmas, except that this one didn't break on its second day), his big RC helicopter, and his RC UFO. They're all really cool, but I can't use the big helicopter because its battery charger is missing, and I can't use the UFO because its controller is missing.

Well, Jim just unpacked his household goods, and he found the missing pieces! He's mailing them to me.

The UFO is fun, but it has just a single control - it'll go either up or down. It has flashing LEDs and stuff, so it's still cool. The big helicopter, on the other hand, is a real RC flying machine. It's electric and self-stabilized, so it's easy to fly (they tell me), and it's big enough that it has to be flown outdoors.

I've played with the UFO when it was at Jim's desk, but I've never gotten to fly the chopper. Looking forward very much to trying it out. I'm hoping for at least two or maybe even three flights before I ruin it. Let's hope my extensive experience with the tiny one will translate up.

Called my Mom during the afternoon trip to the train station. It's her birthday. Although I really shouldn't need an excuse to call her. She's doing fine and appears to have had a happy birthday.

We talked about LRN2's recovery. I was happy to report that he's doing much better in the last few days. He's finally able to eat pretty much anything and is feeling well. Still can't play the violin, though.

No new controversy today. Still waiting for Dave Barry to get back from travel.

As mentioned in yesterday's comments, the musical road is back! I'll definitely check it out next time I go down there. Thanks to Loyal Reader Number I Don't Know Which for the tip.

That's all for now, Vladimir. See you tomorrow.

Salt factory

Here's another abstract vision from the exclusive Treo-cam. It's the salt factory near my office. Also near the train tracks. It's abstract because of the appallingly low quality of the Treo-cam, which Loyal Reader Number One and I are trying to turn into a popular art form.

Here's a link to some higher-resolution photos of the same place taken from roughly the same location. Now honestly, which picture do you like better. Okay, not so honestly.

The weekend's over. Sigh. And what did I accomplish? If we had asked that rhetorical question Friday evening, I might have been hard pressed to come up with anything besides Relaxation. Which isn't an inconsiderable thing, mind you.

But Saturday was a different story, full of accomplishments. Let's tally, shall we?

Cleaned the pond filter. Got the Honda and Sable washed. Got rich and famous. Built a working rocket launch pad. That's about it.

About the rich and famous thing. Loyal Reader Number Four and I took my car for gas and a car wash. No problem. Then we took her car for gas and a car wash. We were greeted by the car wash owner, who informed us we were the lucky fifteen thousandth customer, for which we were rewarded with a month-long unlimited car wash pass and our picture in the paper. Fame and fortune. It's nice at the top.

About the launch pad thing. It's the water rocket (link advisory: this is a picture of my old friend Dan and one of his famous multi-bottle water rockets) launcher discussed Friday. We built it. It works. Sort of. Almost. Well, it gets up to 40 PSI, anyway, after which it can't take the pressure and starts leaking. A little tweak or two and we'll be up to the required 60 PSI level. Even in its crippled state, though, it's really cool. Our couple of test launches of an unmodified bottle with a non-scientifically determined water level and substandard pressure flew up to fifty feet or so. I'll take a picture and post it Real Soon Now.

They're finally cracking down on crime in Ohio. Thank goodness.

Today's Morrowlife controversy: Is it too late for England? My answer: Yes.

See you tomorrow.

Union Pacific

Here's an abstract vision of rail travel's past and present. Snapped a couple days ago with the famous Treo-cam as a freight train passed on the next track.

As discussed yesterday, I was home today. Did about two hours of telecons in the morning and a few minutes of time cards this afternoon, but that was it for work. So did I accomplish all those things I mentioned yesterday?

No. Of course not. Maybe tomorrow.

We did go to Home Depot and buy the bits and pieces we need for a water rocket launcher for Loyal Readers Numbers Two and Four to use at the Science Olympiad. We're going with a hybrid design, based on several plans we've seen online.

One of the events at the Olympiad is making a water rocket out of a one-liter bottle that will launch an egg. You get points for how long the rocket is in the air, with additions for returning the egg unbroken and for having some separating parts. We need to make our own launcher for the team to practice.

It occurred to me this afternoon that it's been a long time since we jacuzzified. I'm thinking of going out there tonight to make up for it. LRN4 has been working hard on getting the Hanging Gardens of Lardville ready for winter, and it's looking very nice back there.

It should be a perfect night for being out, too. It was about 90 degrees today, as predicted, and it'll probably still be well over 70 by 9:00 or so. Perfect comfort.

They've finally found a use for Disco music, thirty years after the fact. Still, better late than never. After reading the article, I can't get that tune out of my head, so I guess I'm ready to save a life.

- Later -

Just got out of the jacuzzi. Turns out it was the perfect night.

See you Monday.

Business end

Here's one more picture of a Proton from my deep archives. I have got to get out and take some more Great Art. Maybe a brief vacation is in order.

I missed an important milestone yesterday. It was my 600th post! Great celebration, huh? Woo hoo! Welcome to number 601.

The work week's over. Although I'll probably end up working several hours tomorrow anyway. I at least have to prepare for and hold my 10:00 meeting. Also do timecards. Also fill out an overdue form telling how we're complying with some corporate requirements.

On the personal side, I must wash the Honda and Sable this weekend. Then there's a bunch of stuff I want to do on the Sudoku Solver program. I have some ideas for a better user interface as well as a beefed-up solution algorithm and a general code cleanup. Then I need to come up with a design for the Spinfo site that will actually allow me to post software on it. I want a nice stylish, clean design for once, so I'm not going to just slap something up there. I'm thinking Blacktree Software as an example (although I think their design has gotten less impressive with time). Do any of my Loyal Readers have other sample websites that feature stylish, tasteful, and cool design? I'd love to check them out.

Loyal Reader Number Two's recovery continues, though slowly. He's not relying on painkillers right now, and he's not feeling very good. It's hard to figure out whether he needs medical advice or whether things are still on track. I think we're going to call the doctor tomorrow and see what he has to say. Keep those prayers coming, Loyal Readers! Not to mention sympathy rays.

Time for bed. See you tomorrow.

Cannes Christmas

Here's Christmas in Cannes a few years back. Very festive.

Warm weather again today - we're having another little heat wave. It's supposed to be back above 90 degrees by Friday, with lows in the lower fifties. Then back to more standard highs/lows of 70s/40s within a couple more days. I've worn my light jacket a time or two lately because of the cool fall mornings.

Fall is definitely here. The tomato trucks are dropping tomatoes at all the street corners, and the pumpkin fields are pretty full. The corn maze has been open since the first if the month. I'd like to go one of these upcoming Mondays. Maybe next week.

No leaves down yet, though. Let's not be ridiculous.

Who knew the Hubble Space Telescope's computers were running Windows?

I've seen an old, rusty steam locomotive parked behind a building near Fremont. It's visible from the train. I keep hoping to get a photograph, but I haven't identified any waypoints nearby, so I keep missing it. Maybe tomorrow. I think it might turn out to be Great Art.

Loyal Reader Number Two took the PSAT this morning. He thinks it went pretty well. Good job, LRN2!

Speaking of LRN2, he's still not feeling very well. He can't eat without pain - even soft foods. Loyal Reader Number Four may check in with the doctor to see if he's still on track, healing-wise.

Just in case Loyal Reader Number One can't get the Monkey Man job with ACE, I have another opportunity for him: restaurant worker!

Loyal Reader Number Five wonders why we canceled our traditional Saturday morning breakfast the other day when they just happened to be there. There were no sinister motives, but thanks for the idea. Sadly, the state of LRN2's throat was still not allowing him to take much solid food. The breakfast is merely postponed. We're talking about the 25th now. Presumably, the nearby Loyal Readers will be here, and we can all go together.

I have to agree with Loyal Reader Number One's observation about the Lazy Dog Inn (see yesterday's comments). You might not want to leave your pet in their "Doggie Play Area" without checking it out pretty carefully.

Otherwise, no news from me. See you tomorrow.

Bobbling readers

Here are Loyal Readers Numbers One and Two posing as bobbleheads. Taken at Jellystone Park during a camping trip in Virginia long, long ago. Part of my famous Camping series.

That picture was in honor of LRN1's 18th birthday. Happy birthday, LRN1! You haven't changed a bit. You can now vote. Use this superpower wisely.

Worked like a dog. And not like Loyal Pet Number One, either. I prefer it the other way.

Thanks for the many thoughtful comments yesterday. I've decided to use the Mighty Putty to tow just the Suburban, but to do it uphill, and with the transmission in Park. Now there's a challenge for you.

Maybe I should try it on somebody else's car first, though.

I've found the perfect job for any college-student Loyal Readers who aren't able to get a great Apple gig next summer: Monkey Man! (Link warning: strange news report with sound.) We could use one on the ACE train.

Time for other things. See you tomorrow.

Pollution interdite

Here's an interesting sign in Cannes. Dog owners, be sure to interdite your pollution! Photo courtesy of my crummy old SiPix camera.

Weekend's over, and it was a good one. I got only two things checked off my list - getting the Ranger's transmission leak fixed and Loctiting the towel racks. Everything else has been pushed off to next weekend. I just didn't feel like washing cars or cleaning filters or any of those other things. And I'm not at all sorry.

Loyal Readers Numbers Five and Twelve were here, as reported earlier, and they came bearing gifts, including a magazine featuring Loyal Reader Number Six's father and his very cool sand rail, which is powered by a modified Cadillac drivetrain. It was a great article and looks like a very cool vehicle. Congrats, LRN6's dad!

They also brought us some Mighty Putty (link warning: loud commercial featuring that annoying guy with the black beard), which LRN6 apparently happened upon at the store. I had seen the TV commercial about the stuff and had wondered aloud whether it really works. Now we can find out. Coincidentally, we received an issue of the Reader's Digest containing an article documenting their test of various "as seen on TV" products, which included a test of Mighty Putty. They said it really does work great and their only complaint was of a vinegary odor while it dries. Now we just have to figure out what to fix. I'm thinking of breaking the handles off of some mugs so I can fabricate new ones. Loyal Reader Number Four's not so sure about that, and since the goo was actually given to her, I need to tread lightly in this area.

Today's Morrowlife Deep Question: What should I do with the Mighty Putty?

Morrowlife Financial Juggernaut update: I'm up to $6.34! Let's see, how shall I spend the money?

Today's controversy: Where do you think the cows have gone? My answer: Into an udder dimension.

Big celebration on Wednesday - it'll be post number 600!

See you tomorrow.

Blockhead

Here's an odd bit of statuary in downtown Nice, France. Somebody actually paid for this. Possibly a lot of money. Part of my famous Statue series.

The weekend is here! As discussed before, Loyal Readers Numbers Five and Twelve are here. LRN12 is even cuter than on her last visit, if that's possible. And it is. The pickup is at my friend Dave's mechanic, as discussed before. His name is Vito. He does indeed work out of his barn, which is a beautiful, well-stocked, but very crowded building. His family invited us to dinner. I have high hopes for good work.

Otherwise, I'm looking forward to the weekend. I have a few computer software things to do and I would like to wash the Honda and the Sable. Otherwise, I'm pretty open.

Loyal Reader Number One called this afternoon. His interview with Apple appears to have gone very well, and he's quite hopeful. He's done everything he could do, so he should be pleased with himself whether he gets the job or not. Best of luck, LRN1!

Loyal Reader Number Twenty-Three called this evening. He's thinking of buying a newer, bigger boat than the one he has now. Sounds like he'll probably do it. Good luck with it, LRN23!

Time for bed. See you tomorrow.

Horses

Here's a guy with a couple of horses. Don't know the guy. Don't know the horses. None of them are Loyal Readers. All I know is they're all Early American. Picture taken this summer at Greenfield Village.

I'm delighted to hear about Loyal Reader Number One's upcoming interview with Apple. Just getting an interview with such a major company as a freshman is quite an achievement by itself. We'll hope for the best for him. Loyal Readers, start up your Encouragement Rays!

Stayed up too late last night help Loyal Reader Number Three with a little assembly language problem. I slept in this morning and missed the last train. So the Miata went to work today. The morning trip was kind of long, but I stayed at work late, so the afternoon trip was shorter than usual. I still would have preferred to ride the train, though.

I went to lunch with five co-workers at Chef Chu's yesterday. We've been there a few times before. The food's quite good, although the lunch portions are a little small. I'll eat again, though. I had hot and sour soup, lemon chicken, and a nice big glass of water. Also a fortune cookie. It was fun to go out.

Speaking of which, Loyal Readers Numbers Two and Four and I are continuing our new family tradition on Saturday morning. We're now going out for breakfast one Saturday a month. We haven't talked about where to go this month, but I'm thinking of trying someplace new. Maybe 7-Up Johnny's.

- Later -

Just spent several minutes talking with LRN1, helping him prepare for The Interview. We talked about the kinds of things they might ask and had a mock interview. He did fine. I hope he gets the job. If not, I just hope my "help" isn't the thing that ruins it.

Loyal Reader Number Two is even better today than yesterday. He's picking up a little school work now, but won't be back to Seminary until Monday. It's for the best.

Today's Morrowlife controversy: Did L'Oreal really put the wrong colored dye in the box, or does the plaintiff's original hair color explain why she couldn't read the box? My answer: I have no opinion. None at all.

Extra credit question: If she was truly a natural blonde, why did she need the dye in the first place? My answer: I have no opinion.

See you tomorrow.

Canine art

Here's a statue of a . . . umm . . . wolf? Dog? Coyote? Mongoose? Wolverine? Something else? Anway, it was wearing a yellow suit and the picture was taken in downtown Sacramento several months ago when we went to see Phantom of the Opera and is courtesy of the exclusive - and now retired - RAZR-cam. Part of my famous Statue series.

The blog is in bad shape, Great Art-wise. I'm really in barrel scraping mode. I need to get out more and not leave my camera at home so much. But mostly I need to get out more. Maybe Saturday.

Speaking of Saturday, my late friend John's memorial service is Saturday morning. We'll attend, of course. He will be missed by his friends, who are many.

Loyal Readers Numbers Five and Twelve are coming over this weekend. Loyal Reader Number Six is staying behind for some much-needed Alone Time. We'll miss him, but can't argue with his logic.

Thanks to my Loyal Readers for their comments on yesterday's controversy. What's the scariest car you've ever seen? My answer: I'd have to say it's a toss-up between the Aztek (link warning: I believe the car shown is the concept version that's not nearly as ugly as the production model) and the Pacer. However, the Lincoln Versailles gave them both a run for their money.

Loyal Reader Number Two's recovery continues to go well. The doctor warned us to expect a downturn on the third or fourth day, so we're hoping things at least maintain. Keep those sympathy rays (and prayers, of course) coming.

I have a meeting with my friend Bill tonight, so I'm cutting out now. See you tomorrow.

Ice cream

Here's Loyal Reader Number One having a little trouble with his ice cream a few months back at Greenfield Village. Wet cleanup on aisle three. Photo courtesy of Loyal Reader Number Eighteen.

First the important news: Loyal Reader Number Two is doing very well, thank you. As long as the pain medication keeps coming and he doesn't try to do too much, he feels pretty good. He'll lie low for at least a few more days.

Very busy day at work - it was pretty much meetings from start to finish. That's what they pay me for. So I'm not complaining. Beats working. Wait a minute: maybe it doesn't! I'll have to try working one day and see which is actually better. I'll let you know.

No other news. We do have a mild controversy. Regarding this fascinating research into what "faces" people prefer on their cars, can my Loyal Readers name some cars that look angry, happy, hungry, or some other emotion? And yes, hungry is definitely an emotion. Comment, Loyal Readers!

LRN1 recently wrote an interesting technical article on his blog. I recommend it to all my CS-minded Loyal Readers. Other Loyal Readers might just enjoy his blog in general.

I found a little more information on the Gravely Ford post from about a month ago - on Wikipedia, of course. It turns out the E. Clampus Vitus group is (apparently) for real, and they have their own year numbering scheme. Sounds like a worthwhile organization.

That's it for tonight. See you tomorrow.

Surgery time

Here's Loyal Reader Number Two ready to hit the operating table. Apparently, they're not going for style there.

First the Truly Important News: LRN2's tonsil surgery (link warning: gross pictures down people's throats) went very well today. He's home and resting uncomfortably. The pain medication is doing its job, though. Frequently. We're really glad to have the surgery behind us.

Fine weekend, although it passed fairly quickly. I worked pretty much all day on Friday and watched general conference pretty much all day Saturday and Sunday. And spent pretty much all day in the hospital today. Back to work tomorrow.

We got enough rain on Saturday to slightly dampen the sidewalk. So much for Extremely Heavy Showers. I should have known.

In my spare moments, I did manage to finish version 0.1 of my Sudoku Solver program for Palm OS. It seems to run error-free and solves easy puzzles. Sadly, I've run a more difficult puzzle through it, and it doesn't even come close to a solution. Note to self: work on a new solving algorithm. There are also other odds and ends that need to be cleaned up, like not asking before overwriting an old puzzle file. That kind of stuff.

So other than not performing its intended function all that well, it's working great! Oh, and the user interface isn't too attractive either.

Great work, me!

Anyway, I'll post it to one of my websites soon and let you know.

Conference was very nice. Interestingly, the church has already uploaded three of the four public sessions onto iTunes, so I'll be hearing it again soon.

That's it for today. See you tomorrow.

Rocket guy

Here's one more work of Great Art from Baikonur, with a rare guest appearance by Your Host. Also starring a Proton K/Block DM rocket. And a guy who looks like he works for Domino's.

Thanks to Loyal Reader Number One for the kind words about yesterday's Great Art. We live to serve.

Had a nice evening at the local high school football game. The good guys won, 36-7. Rain was predicted, but we got no more than a few drops. The weather wasn't hot and it wasn't cold. Just comfortable. We sat with several friends and enjoyed ourselves.

It was off Friday. I worked more hours than I would have if I had been in Sunnyvale. I'm still glad I was home, though. It was a great day.

We're watching an old Monk. It's hilarious, as always. So I'm through blogging for tonight.

See you Monday.

Train greeting

Here's a guy on a train in Baikonur. I've been looking at some old pictures. This is one of them. Truly Great Art.

Last day in the office for four days. Tomorrow's off Friday, Saturday and Sunday are the weekend, and Monday is Loyal Reader Number Two's tonsil surgery, as discussed before. I have to do a few hours of work tomorrow, but even that is fine. I'd much rather be doing it at home.

Weekend planning is fairly light, with most of the heavy lifting scheduled for tomorrow, what with the rain coming on Saturday. The Weather Channel is even calling for "extremely heavy" showers Friday night. Yikes.

Don't worry about us, though, Loyal Readers. We're very likely to survive this extreme natural phenomenon.

I finished another library book yesterday. This one was titled, Writing Better Technical Articles, by Harley Bjelland. I finished in an evening and a train ride. And not because I couldn't put it down. Quite the contrary - I hope never to pick it up again.

Let's detail some of its faults. It's pathetically dated - written in1990. The author spends numerous pages extolling the virtues of using computers to write, and even the newfangled "modem." Now, I realize this isn't the author's fault. All this stuff may have been relevant when he wrote the book.

But it wasn't, really. The book is supposed to be about writing technical articles and books, and it wastes about a quarter of its pages on the tools, rather than the trade.

There's a lot of other dated content. The "how to research" section goes into a lot of detail on the Dewey Decimal System. That was wasted space back then and is totally useless now. There's advice on how to take notes and how to write an outline. This might be appropriate for an elementary school student, but hardly useful for a working or aspiring writer.

The rest is trite fluff.

The book is published by Tab Books, the publisher known far and wide for their useless "technical" books. Figures. A quick web search fails to locate TAB, so they may be out of business. Their distribution center was sold in 1997. I doubt the world misses them too much.

I recommend that my Loyal Readers look elsewhere for their technical writing instruction.

It's General Conference weekend! That means eight hours of televised instruction, all of which is useful and uplifting. And delivered directly to us in the comfort of our own pajamas. Plus two more hours of Priesthood meeting at church on Saturday evening. Don't miss a minute, Loyal Readers.

Today's Morrowlife question: Following up from yesterday, what's on your Christmas list?

See you tomorrow.

Woody hat

Here's my old friend Woody trying on a chapeau in the Leninsk market. I think he bought it. Picture courtesy of my old SiPix digital camera. That thing was a total piece of junk, but at least it was cheap.

Interestingly, good old SiPix knows how to stay alive (link warning: cheesy music). They're into much more interesting things than defective mass-market digital cameras.

It's October already! Where do the days go? It is finally cooling down to Fall-like weather - 70's during the day are predicted this weekend, with rain on Saturday. Perfect back-to-school weather, only a month and a half late. That's not bad, I suppose.

Anyway. Leaves will be blowing into the pool in no time. I need to start getting my Christmas shopping done. More importantly, I need to start getting my Christmas list done.

Loyal Reader Number Two achieved the important milestone of completing his first semester's worth of Biology today, with a very solid "A" so far. He still has to take the Final, but that will be easy. Nice work, LRN2!

More LRN2 news: we have the go-ahead for his tonsil surgery on Monday. Start those encouragement rays back up, Loyal Readers!

I'm listening to last weekend's General Women's Conference on my iPod this afternoon. Still on the first talk. It's quite good so far. She's commenting on some of the issues I've been concerned about, such as the odd feeling some women in the church seem to have that they're "not in Relief Society" when they're serving in another auxiliary. I don't think there's a single man in the church who thinks he's "not in the Elder's Quorum" when he's serving in the Young Men. He may feel a little disconnected from the quorum, but there's never any doubt that he's a full-fledged member. I will never understand why women feel any different. And I'm convinced that they can't afford to feel that way. And it's very unfortunate that Relief Society leaders have to expend so much energy convincing women that they really do belong.

Anyway. The conference is great so far.

Today's Morrowlife controversy: Do you think this guy has any chance of getting into space? My answer: Maybe, but it's very doubtful. Space travel is a highly complex - and therefore highly expensive - endeavor. True, early pioneers like Goddard were able to lay the groundwork on a very small budget. However, governments quickly had to get into the act, partly because of the military potential, but also because they were the only ones who could afford to do it and because there was no profit to be made from it at the time.

It's now possible to make a profit in space, but nobody (or almost nobody) has ever gotten into the space business without heavy government support, at least at first.

Think of the automotive industry. A hundred years ago, a good mechanic with a small shop could start making and selling cars, and he had as good a chance of becoming successful as anybody else. However, times have changed. The industry is heavily regulated and consumers have become very demanding. Even a billion dollars is not nearly enough to develop, build, sell, and service a competitive product line. It's simply not practical for anybody else to become a serious player in that market unless he has a motivated government backing him.

I suspect that the space launch business is essentially the same at this point. You could point to companies like Orbital Sciences. They're becoming real players in the small satellite and launch vehicle market, which has been essentially abandoned by the bigger players. However, they've gone through a lot of government money to get where they are, and they're not showing many signs of competing with the heavy lift players.

Anyway. Sadly, I don't think the guy in the article has much of a chance. I hope I'm wrong, though.

Incidentally, several of my old ILS colleagues have moved over to Orbital. I hope they're prospering beyond their wildest dreams.

Women's Conference update: it just ended. Highly recommended - each talk. President Uchtdorf was the concluding speaker. One of many highly quotable comments: "In the end, the number of prayers we say may contribute to our happiness, but the number of prayers we answer may be of even greater importance." Deep thought.

Nothing else to report. Don't forget to check out Loyal Reader Number One's education blog. And leave a comment or two. And write a few words here, too!

See you tomorrow.