What you learn by reading last Sunday's Times this Saturday

via Defying Critics, Paterson Opens His Campaign

So, what do we call news that's old? Olds? Anyway, ...

via David Paterson Drops Out of New York Governor’s Race - NYTimes.com

More on intelligence

A review of some new and old links on the topic of intelligence.

via Indexed » Blog Archive » Frankenstein & his monster.

It seems as though smart people are evolving in some interesting ways. Robin Hanson writes, referring to a study, Why Liberals and Atheists Are More Intelligent, by Satoshi Kanazawa. (The full text of the study is behind a paywall.)

Adult intelligence predicts adult espousal of liberalism, atheism, and sexual exclusivity for men (but not for women), while intelligence is not associated with the adult espousal of evolutionarily familiar values on children, marriage, family, and friends. … Childhood intelligence at age 10 significantly increases the probability that individuals become vegetarian as adults.
via Overcoming Bias : Smart Beliefs

Hanson quotes  Kanazawa as saying

Liberalism … [is] the genuine concern for the welfare of genetically unrelated others and the willingness to contribute larger proportions of private resources for the welfare of such others.

This is something new in evolution, empathy for others outside the family or tribe.
It's true. You can look it up. You can also take comfort in knowing that Google won't make you stupid.
This, in turn, makes us need a nap. Y'see, researchers have shown that A midday nap markedly boosts the brain's learning capacity. And, when we wake, we'll have forgotten enough to get even smarter - In learning, the brain forgets things on purpose.
Apparently, in Connecticut, you can be too smart to be a cop - Judge Rules That Police Can Bar High I.Q. Scores:

Judge Dorsey ruled that Mr. Jordan was not denied equal protection because the city of New London applied the same standard to everyone: anyone who scored too high was rejected.

Finally, because I don't know where else to add this, here is a Spongebob Musical Thermometer for, as the catalog says, Oral, Underarm or Rectal Use:

via BD™ Digital Thermometers product catalog () by way of Boing Boing

More on online news

The Telegram story about traffic congestion, Slow spot, brings up a common annoyance and a missed opportunity with newspaper web sites.
The story is about traffic congestion, based on a nationwide study by INRIX, a company that does that sort of thing.
It would have been quite helpful to include a link to the full study and links to the details about Worcester.
Links such as this, INRIX National Traffic Scorecard 2009 Annual Report
and Worcester Metropolitan Area.
That wasn't hard too difficult. And I'm not even getting paid.

Please don't play tricks on old eyes

This Telegram.com story, Slow spot - i-290 gets nod as region's worst bottleneck, includes a couple of graphics which, online, are kinda fuzzy. So, the web editors kindly include a link that offers a larger version of the graphic.
'Cept that it doesn't. The linked image is the same file and same 21.3KB as the one originally shown in the story.

Here's how it's supposed to work. You have a smallish image with a link that brings up a larger one.

Click for full size

Crime in suburbia

From The Landmark (subscription required):
[Editor's note: There were 12 suspicious items this week.]

Holden

Monday, February 15

10:57 a.m. Homeowner found dead raccoon in his dog pen, Broad St.
11:04 a.m. Caller reports seeing a coyote, Longmeadow Ave.
5:11 p.m. Disabled motor vehicle with flashers, Reservoir St. Driver taking nature photos
6:51 p.m. Report of possibly intoxicated male walking into roadway, Main St.
7:00 p.m. Public service, Main St.
7:52 p.m. Panic alarm, Main St.

Tuesday, February 16

9:34 a.m. Suspicious vehicle, Fort Sumter Dr.
9:51 a.m. Report of tree company in roadway, Brattle St./Birchwood Dr.
1:55 p.m. Parking violation, Arizona Ave.
3:22 p.m. Panic alarm, all secure, Main St.
4:07 p.m. Panic alarm, Main St. All secure
4:32 p.m. Highway department asking that vehicle be removed from Arizona Ave.
4:45 p.m. DPW reports someone pushing snow out into the roadway, Wachusett St.
8:30 p.m. Person at station asking for assistance to fill out paperwork, Main St.

Wednesday, February 17

1:24 p.m. Possible fraudulent activity, Reservoir St.
2:33 p.m. Sheets of plywood in roadway, Main St.
6:51 p.m. Public service, provide direction, Shrewsbury St.
9:27 p.m. Disabled motor vehicle, front tire fell off, Main St.
11:47 p.m. Suspicious vehicle parked in front of house on Terrie Ln.

Thursday, February 18

3:11 a.m. Vehicle on side of the road with people screaming as though fighting, Manning St.
5:10 a.m. Public service, Municipal parking lot, Highland St.
8:43 p.m. Tanker truck parked for long period of time, Boulder Hill Rd.

Friday, February 19

2:12 a.m. Police check on vehicle, Alpha Rd.
4:44 a.m. Agency advising of repossession of vehicle, Main St.
10:04 a.m. Police check person delivering phone books, Sandy Glen Dr.
1:33 p.m. Suspicious person, Boyden Rd.
2:22 p.m. Person with questions regarding people hunting on private property in W. Boylston; told to contact W. Boylston PD
2:26 p.m. Three suspicious males in area of the railroad tracks, Pleasant St.
4:30 p.m. Request for officer to take a report, Frederickson Ave.

11:58 p.m. Police talk with male at business on Wachusett St.

Saturday, February 20

2:36 a.m. Parking violation, Stoneleigh Rd.
3:04 a.m. Parking violation, Cook St.
10:41 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicles, Hayfield Ln.

8:57 p.m. Broken glass on floor at laundromat, Reservoir St.
9:27 p.m. Suspicious activity on Main St., possible marijuana use

Sunday, February 21

1:01 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle on Main St., unattended
12:08 p.m. Needles found on Main St.
12:50 p.m. Motorcycle practicing at Dawson School
2:31 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Fox Hill Dr.
3:24 p.m. Hawk with broken wing, Steppingstone Dr.
5:33 p.m. Bobcat or lynx ran in front of vehicle, Manning St.
9:29 p.m. Motor vehicle hit deer, Causeway St.

Paxton

Wednesday, February 17

8:22 a.m. Check on well being of elderly female out walking in the cold, Grove St.
10:40 a.m. Suspicious white pickup truck in Howard St. area
4:28 p.m. Caller asking police to check his vehicle for sand and salt after plows went by, Highland St.
8:43 p.m. Man at station advising he will attempt to repossess a motor vehicle on Ridgewood Rd.

Thursday, February 18

8:37 p.m. Report of loose pit bull-type dog running around, Pleasant St.

Friday, February 19

6:05 a.m. Security company requesting to speak with officer, Sunset Ln.
7:00 a.m. Follow-up investigation regarding graffiti, Sunset Ln.

Saturday, February 20

5:26 p.m. Beagle found on Laurel St. ; Spencer Animal Control has the dog

Princeton

Monday, February 15

1:54 p.m. Disabled logging truck blocking both lanes of traffic, Worcester Rd.

Tuesday, February 16

2:47 p.m. Vehicle stuck on ice in roadway, Merriam Rd.

Wednesday, February 17

1:05 p.m. Caller wants to speak with dog officer about vicious dog in neighborhood, Redwood Dr.

Thursday, February 18

5:25 p.m. Police assist fire dept. at home with water and steam in basement, Mirick Rd.

Friday, February 19

1:20 p.m. Person locked out of residence, Mirick Rd.
4:33 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle in driveway, Allen Hill Rd.
8:05 p.m. Disabled vehicle off side of Mirick/ Merriam Rds.
8:10 p.m. Police transport person to their home after their vehicle became disabled, Mirick/Merriam Rds.

Saturday, February 20

10:22 a.m. Suspicious red pickup truck, Whitaker Ln. People cross-country skiing
6:22 p.m. Caller concerned about two young girls wearing shorts and T-shirts walking on East Princeton Rd. Police transport them to station to be picked up by parent

Sunday, February 21

4:00 a.m. Vehicle went off Ball Hill Rd., later towed
5:20 a.m. Police transport individual home whose vehicle went off Ball Hill Rd.

Rutland

Monday, February 15

2:20 p.m. Caller reporting fox in yard, Hickory Dr.

Tuesday, February 16

11:01 a.m. Caller reports someone is smoking pot, smell coming up through ceiling, Maple Ave.

Wednesday, February 17

5:04 p.m. Welfare check on three people that left on snowmobiles around noon, Prison Camp Rd.

Thursday, February 18

1:08 a.m. Stray dog taken in for the night, Lynnwood Dr.
6:48 p.m. Vehicle partly in Wheeler Rd.
9:33 p.m. Loud music complaint, Maple Ave.

Friday, February 19

11:12 p.m. Assist N. Brookfield PD looking for female, Bushy Ln.

Saturday, February 20

12:00 a.m. Person reports being bitten by cat, Pleasantdale Rd.

Sunday, February 21

8:06 p.m. Report that man was bitten by dog at park, Crawford Rd.
8:32 p.m. Report of male that took off, Miles Rd.

Sterling

Monday, February 15

6:13 a.m. Vehicle in road with female who appears to be asleep, Crowley Rd./Redemption Rock Trl.
9:47 a.m. Caller reports numerous phone calls from person saying they are the police, Pleasant View Dr. Appears to be overseas call
8:38 p.m. Owl in roadway causing traffic problem, Clinton Rd.; transported to Tufts Veterinary School

Tuesday, February 16

1:46 p.m. Vehicle slid through fence into yard, Muddy Pond Rd.
3:28 p.m. Two dogs loose, Beaman Rd.
4:05 p.m. Multiple cars unable to get up hill, Maple St. Highway requested to sand and plow
7:14 p.m. Cat escaped from home, Redemption Rock Trl. Found next day

Wednesday, February 17

5:54 a.m. Ssuspicious vehicle with lights on outside house, Glendale Ave. Delivering papers

Thursday, February 18

9:51 a.m. Person at station reports mail had been opened and in the mailbox, Stuart Rd.

Friday, February 19

10:51 a.m. Missing black Australia shepherd dog, Heywood Rd. Later found
6:55 p.m. Vehicle got flat tire after hitting large pothole by railroad tracks, Newell Hill Rd.
10:29 p.m. Well-being check on person walking on Worcester Rd.
11:55 p.m. Dogs barking for long period of time, Meetinghouse Hill Rd.

Saturday, February 20

7:18 a.m. Caller complaining about howling, barking dog, Mellon Hollow Rd.
5:01 p.m. Caller reports youths smoking pot, Redstone Hill Rd.
11:27 p.m. Caller requesting police assistance after argument with family member attempting to walk to Holden, Princeton Rd./Redemption Rock Trl.

Sunday, February 21

2:05 a.m. Traffic cones from railroad tracks thrown at vehicles and mailboxes, Newell Hill Rd.

More on weather

Most New England snow storms are track-dependent - the amount and type of precipitation is mostly shaped by the location of the center of the low that's coming up the coast. If it stays close to and a bit to the left of the 40/70 sweet spot (40N, 70W),folks in central Massachusetts, particularly those north of Worcester, can expect a bunch of snow.
The storms this week ran right over us pretty much, opening the sluices for southern moisture.
And then it got really interesting and stays so. Relatively slight changes in elevation makes an enormous difference in the rain/snow mix. On Wednesday, we cleared about 10" of snow. Son Adam, who lives in the foothills of the Berkshires. That afternoon, I drove to Concord MA and saw the bare ground of the prison farm.

via Geostationary Satellite Image - NOAA


The storm that's coming today has similar characteristics, such that the storm warnings are saying that areas above 800 feet can expect 5-9" of heavy wet snow. Below that elevation, folks will get a few slushy inches.
The elevation at our house is 735 feet; the center of town is 810.

via 7-Day Forecast for Latitude 42.33°N and Longitude 71.88°W

Times and map makers were unkind to single women

By placement of an abbreviation, the maker of this 1870 map of Gardner, Mass. seems to have editorialized either on the financial status or morals of one Miss Wilder.
The map (thumbnail links to a full-size (3.2MB file):

On the north side of town, we see this:

Beware the Gargon

via Computer Gargon Baffles Users, Hinders Security: EServer Technical Communication Library

It's certainly part of Gargon's plan to baffle and hinder:

Gargon - The Urban Dead Wiki

Success by inexperience

Recently, I had a conversation with a hiring manager who had posted a job opening that sought junior people (less than five years of experience) for a particular assignment.
As we discussed the work, he said, "It's not about the pay rate. We're ok for funding. It's about the culture of a startup." He went on to describe not just the frenetic pace of the work, but, more particularly, the lack of structure in communications and decision-making. People who knew things were doing things and generally didn't have the cycles to sit down and write formal specifications. Those same smart and busy people often communicated irregularly, not necessarily because they were social misfits, but because they were just too damn busy.
More experienced workers, this manager had discovered, may have had the More junior people didn't have the backdrop of well-balanced workdays and figured that this craziness was and is normal. They didn't know any better and so could adapt better.
This manager was a gray-beard like yours truly. His comments weren't directed at people of a certain age, although the correlation between experience and age is hard to miss. No, it's about temperament.
We get old not when we lose energy or have aches or our stories trail off with lost characters fighting forgotten battles. No, that's not when we get old. We get old when we stop being able to see the world as it is and as it's becoming.
In part, then, age bias is less about not being able to do the work and more about the stereotype that we're not willing.

via Prejudices: third series, Volume 3 By Henry Louis Mencken

Cost to rebuild Haiti

The International Development Bank estimates that Haiti reconstruction cost may near $14 billion.
To put this in perspective, here are the folks on the Forbes  richest people list who could write a check to cover these costs.

via The World's Billionaires 2009 - Forbes.com
(The estimates of personal worth are from 2009. The Koch brothers might be depleting their accounts to cover the check.)

These companies had profits in 2009 that exceeded $14B.

via Fortune 500 2009: Top Performers - Most Profitable Companies: Profits

The American Gaming Association reports that we spent more than enough on gambling to afford to pick up Haiti's repair bill.

via American Gaming Association : Fact Sheets : Statistics

Crime in suburbia

From The Landmark (subscription required):

[Editor's note: There were 18 suspicious items this week.]

Holden

Monday, February 8

1:55 a.m. Neighbor repeatedly parking vehicle wrong way on street
6:16 a.m. Vehicle obstructing sidewalk

10:49 a.m. Low-hanging wire, Princeton St.
2:20 p.m. Vehcle left gas station without paying, Main St.
3:51 p.m. Neighbor’s dog attacking raccoon
6:18 p.m. Shotgun and ammo turned in

Tuesday, February 9

9:53 a.m. Lookout requested by Worcester PD for child who got on wrong bus
10:44 p.m. Dog hit

Wednesday, February 10

12:41 p.m. Party wanting to sell firearm wants to make sure it’s clear and safe

Thursday, February 11

1:10 a.m. Individual entering funeral home; OK, it is undertaker
2:58 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Quinapoxet St.
10:35 a.m. Debris in roadway caused flat tire, Bailey Rd.
11:07 a.m. Complaints about two individuals in front of post office with anti-Obama signs; advised nothing can be done unless they’re disorderly; parties left of own accord
3:46 p.m. Footprints in snow around residence, Main St.; OK, telephone worker
4:52 p.m. Walk-in looking for lost black notebook
5:01 p.m. Walk-in with decorative knife to be destroyed

Friday, February 12

1:01 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Wachusett St.
8:43 a.m. Worcester PD requests Holden St. area check for suspicious vehicle
9:03 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Bailey Rd.
3:20 p.m. Possible financial scam phone calls
8:42 p.m. Vehicle traveling slowly on Rte. 31; something may be wrong with driver; OK, just traveling slowly due to road conditions

Saturday, February 13

1:42 a.m. Unoccupied vehicle in elementary school parking lot, Jamieson Rd.
9:35 a.m. 911: Caller’s phone not working; trying to call oil company

10:20 a.m. Caller believes she may have left water boiling on stove at home; advised apartment was smoked up, now taken care of
9:32 p.m. Dog ran off

Sunday, February 14

12:20 a.m. Caller reports phone call threatening her not to drink from her water bottle
9:47 p.m. Suspicious vehicle, Terrie Ln.

Paxton

Monday, February 8

9:50 a.m. Female reporting suspicious white van in neighborhood, Crystal St.
1:46 p.m. Vehicle disabled in bad area, Pleasant/Grove Sts.


4:54 p.m. Loose black Labrador nipped at person, Orchard Dr.

Tuesday, February 9

3:36 p.m. Caller advising of possible fire at building on Main St. Holden Fire called
7:26 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle parked at same location for period of time, Camp St.
7:51 p.m. Suspicious vehicle going in and out of driveways, Marshall St.

Wednesday, February 10

8:55 a.m. Person at station to speak with officer, Pleasant St.
10:01 a.m. Person at station to speak with officer, Pleasant St.
11:45 a.m. Person at station to speak with officer about threats, Pleasant St.
3:55 p.m. Caller wants to speak to officer about someone taking pictures of home, Hemlock St.

Friday, February 12

11:09 a.m. Police respond to burglar alarm, Dunanderry Way
1:01 p.m. Police respond to burglar alarm, Dunanderry Way
3:00 p.m. Police respond to fire call, light smoke in house, Dunanderry Way
3:31 p.m. Report of frozen faucet, Grove St.
7:59 p.m. Report of scam phone calls from party in Jamaica, Camp St.
8:48 p.m. Complaint about loud noise from equipment being run, Grove St.

Saturday, February 13

11:01 a.m. Suspicious male standing at entrance on Nanigian Rd. with shot gun in hand. Looking for lost dog

Sunday, February 14

12:16 p.m. Report of suspicious vehicle with hood open in driveway, Pleasant St. Dead battery, vehicle will be towed

Princeton

Monday, February 8

1:41 p.m. Dog lying beside road, possibly deceased, Houghton Rd. Police assist owner getting dog home

Tuesday, February 9

5:30 p.m. Suspicious vehicle, Worcester Rd.

Wednesday, February, 10

4:08 p.m. Motorist unable to make it up Allen Hill Rd. Highway notified

Thursday, February 11

7:13 a.m. Westminster PD found vehicle bumper in ski area parking lot. Want to meet with Princeton PD. Call later canceled
5:30 p.m. Suspicious white van in area, Houghton Rd.
7:45 p.m. Suspicious dark-colored vehicle parked at end of driveway, Mountain Rd.

Friday, February 12

5:00 a.m. Police transport individual from accident to station, Town Hall Dr.
10:09 a.m. Oil delivery person requesting officer at home where oil isn’t flowing into tank, Bigelow Rd.
11:32 a.m. Assist Sandwich PD trying to contact person on Lovers Ln.

Saturday, February 13

12:17 p.m. Assist Westminster PD regarding report of ice skaters on reservoir at bottom of Mile Hill Rd. Fitchburg water officials notified

Rutland

Monday, February 8

1:30 p.m. Male at station for escort while he picks up belongings, Main St.
1:30 p.m. Person wants to speak to officer about complicated civil matter, Main St.
2:37 p.m. Motor vehicle in a field, Glenwood Rd.
3:06 p.m. Student refusing to stay for detention, left school, Glenwood Rd. Later found
3:32 p.m. Dog complaint, Hickory Dr.
6:47 p.m. Assist Holden PD with person that fell, Main St., Holden
11:26 p.m. Person reporting loud noises from another apartment, Maple Ave.
11:47 p.m. Caller reporting neighbor stomping on floor in apartment, Maple Ave.

Tuesday, February 9

9:00 a.m. Person at station with cell phone found in Main St. parking lot
9:23 a.m. Caller requesting area around storm drain be cleaned, Barre Paxton Rd.
2:08 p.m. Report of suspicious activity at vacant dwelling, Rolling Ridge Rd.
2:37 p.m. Person at station to speak with officer, Main St.
3:40 p.m. Report that fox is living under shed, Juniper Ln.
4:05 p.m. Opossum in garbage bag in front of door to home, Wachusett St.

Thursday, February 11

12:06 p.m. Person complaining about people that set up altered photographs of President Obama in front of post office, Maple Ave. Advised no laws being broken

Friday, February 12

12:00 a.m. Officer wanted, Wildbrook Dr.
1:00 p.m. Request to deliver message, Maple Ave.
4:21 p.m. Person at station to speak with officer, Main St.
6:57 p.m. Person at station to speak with officer, Main St.
8:27 p.m. Person at station to speak with officer, Main St.

Saturday, February 12

9:01 a.m. Loose Rottweiler running in road, Main St.
10:00 a.m. Request for patrols in neighborhood due to door-to-door salespeople, Jackson Ave.
10:14 a.m. Caller’s dog terrorized by neighbor’s dog, Barre Paxton Rd.
11:05 a.m. Caller reports man standing at camp entrance holding shotgun, Pleasantdale Rd. Looking for lost dog
12:22 p.m. People left campfire burning on pond after they left, Turkey Hill Pond

Sunday, February 14

2:40 p.m. Suspicious man in tree, then on ground in pile of sticks, Barre Falls Dam

Sterling

Monday, February 8

1:26 p.m. Person requesting rules and procedures on school-aged bullying. Wants police to contact school and superintendent, Pratts Jct. Rd.
11:14 p.m. Transport individual with disabled vehicle to Gifford Road

Tuesday, February 9

1:25 p.m. Caller wants advice about getting rid of skunk living under their deck, Hilltop Dr.
3:32 p.m. Person wants to speak with officer about protestors at post office that blocked his way exiting the building, Leominster Rd.
11:10 p.m. Caller reports husky at her home, Holden Rd.

Wednesday, February 10

10:15 a.m. Caller reports suspicious motor vehicle with two males inside, then one individual was in back yard of home, Clinton Rd.
10:17 a.m. Person at station to speak with officer about people that used to live on Leominster Rd.
6:35 p.m. Caller requesting police to respond for out-of-control youth, Crowley Rd.

Thursday, February 11

3:15 p.m. Request for animal control officer to make kennel inspection, Gates Terr.
6:33 p.m. Report of fox hit and in roadway, Worcester Rd.
10:47 p.m. Suspicious vehicle pulled into driveway and turned lights off, Princeton Rd.

Friday, February 12

8:16 a.m. Construction company requesting police to respond to work site regarding suspicious activity during off-hours, Chocksett Rd.

Saturday, February 13

2:08 a.m. West Boylston PD asks that person on E. Park Rd. be advised that female needs to be picked up at the West Boylston station

Sunday, February 14

2:44 p.m. Person reports road rage incident on Rte. 62 in Lancaster by Chace Hill Rd.

On trademarks, dead or not or something

On the front cover of the latest phone book was this sticker.

I saw that logo on the right side, As Seen On TV, and started to wonder if this was a trademark infringement, either directly or as the result of
likelihood of confusion, (USPTO definition) where the image looks enough like the trademark belonging to someone else.
Y'see, the good people who bring us SnuggieWorld

via Snuggie World - The Official Site Of AsSeenOnTV.com, New Colors, Designer, Snuggie for Kids, Snuggie for Dogs
and some other, um, products, have claimed trademarks for two URLs.

Copyright © 1995-2009 AsSeenOnTV.com TM, and or SeenOnTV.com ®

They also use a teeny-tiny mark in their logo, suggesting, if not claiming, that the image is registered.
So, let's see about that.
As search at the United States Patents and Trademarks office shows up some interesting data:
Both ASSEENONTV and ASSEENONTV.COM show up as abandoned trademarks while the phrase SeenOnTV.com comes up empty.
I'm gonna send this post to a couple of attorneys to see if they have any comment. Stay tuned.

An old book delivered lazily

If there was a more bored guy around, I don't want to see it. This guy was walking so slowly that he was almost walking backwards. From his car, he trudged up the driveway, threw the bag on our steps, trudged across the law to the neighbors' house, tossing another bag, and then back to his car. He sat for a few minutes in the driver's seat and then drove 50 feet to the next driveway, the trunk of his car wide open, there to perform the same ponderous toss.
No wonder. He was delivering the phone book. The new, straight-out-of-1960s phone book.
It's the first time in about that long that we haven't been listed in the book. We gave up our landline last year and have fallen from the pages.
(When I mentioned to Adam that I saw a half page of Hakkarainens in the Jyväskylä phone book, he said, "That's right. You read phone books for fun, don't you?)
The only time that we typically use the phone book these days is to check a local ZIP code when we're away from the computer. Other than that, it's a big book of yellow and white pages that used to tell an interesting story about the people around us.

Firefox gives it all

Wait, what?

It turns out that it's not a Firefox problem, but a video configuration setting.
And, apparently, there's a fix for it.
Add this to your xorg.conf file:

Section "Device"
    Identifier  "Configured Video Device"
    Option "AccelMethod" "XAA"
EndSection

Relearning who I am or was or something

Originally posted on Karl Hakkarainen's Holden Blog at OnTheCommon.com.
It started last year after we'd had a free energy audit sponsored by the municipal light department. The inspector noted several places where we could do a better job of insulating the house. One place was in the attic. The fiberglass batting was in disarray, in need of rearrangement, if not replacement.
Quite a few years ago, we adopted a house rule that nothing goes into the attic unless something comes out. And, for those years, that steady-state had served us well. Now, however, we needed to empty the attic so that we can take care of the insulation.
Of course, the stuff that had gone into the attic was there precisely because we didn't know what to do with it. My mother, who lived with us for the last years of her life, died nearly 10 years ago. Busily, uncertainly, and perhaps even cowardly, I'd put several boxes of her papers in the attic in the hopes that some wiser person would know what to do with them.
There was one large plastic bin with a yellow Post-It® note that said "Discard if not needed by 1/2010." The bin contained mostly her financial records, including canceled checks, bank statements, and receipts. Those things were easy. Into the wood stove, they went.
Succeeding layers are harder because it's not clear what they mean. Other boxes included some of my father's papers. In that dig, we've hit a layer of pictures of old Finns who are indistinguishable from other pictures of old Finns. These were pictures from my father's parents. (They died 35 years ago.) Amid the stacks of nimetön vanhasuomalaiset were a few pictures of my grandparents in their 20s, my grandmother pregnant with my uncle.
My mother's collection includes pictures of her family on the dairy farm in Jaffrey and some others dating to the time when that family lived in Worcester in the 20s.
Yet another archive included letters that I wrote to Sandra when I was in college and we were courting. These are letters that are hard to read, but we did.
Those people who wrote and read those letters back then are an essential part of who we are now. Makes the brain hurt, doesn't it? The letters show, among other things, how close I was to getting things grievously wrong. It's not that I wanted or want a different outcome; I just wish that it had been easier on us all.
I'm not one who says that everything turns out just as it's supposed to. (That's a discussion for another day.) But I also know, and the idea was reinforced in some of my mother's letters, that if you change one thing, you change everything.
So we read on, watching the story unfold even as we know the outcome. We stare at the pictures to see these people in the hopes of seeing ourselves, and come away alternately enriched and overwhelmed.
In one sweet taste of irony, I had written to Sandra about a course I was taking, a course on historical research methods, given by one of my favorite professors. I was to learn about the procedures for reading primary sources and then writing important analyses about people's lives. I aced the course.

C'mon, folks. At least try.

Note that it's not even today's date:

via News/Talk 580 and 94.9 FM WTAG at 2010-02-16 06:53

On the radio, Jim Polito is interviewing Moo Moo Evans.

Meanwhile, down in Boston, ...

via Weather Alerts || Boston Weather at 2010-02-16 06:55

More on snow

Here's what the weatherman who's not on TV is reporting at this hour (~8:00z)

Best chance for 8 inch amts vicinity orh to lwm mht afn region. 

Next shift has the opportunity to convert. 

This holding back on a conversion should be an indicator to all 
customers our uncertainty regarding snow amounts...especially the 
afternoon daylight hours with temperatures near freezing. Treated/plowed roads 
at times during the afternoon in the watch area may be just wet...after 
the initial morning burst of snowfall. 
via Weather Discussion : Weather Underground

Meanwhile, in the Mother Country,

Met Office warns Britain to brace itself for more heavy snow

The South East is forecast to see the worst of the freezing weather, with up to four inches falling on high ground in Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Sussex and Kent.

...
'Icy roads will be a major problem as the gritters will have a small window of time to cover a large area.'
via Mail Online

On the ride home from the hilltowns ...

Iso, Buppy, and Lily will bring to the picnic [1]:
an apple
banana
coconuts
donuts
eggplant
falafel
grapefruit
horseradish
ice
jumping-jacks
kiwi
langostinos
mushrooms
noodles
onions
pie
quart of milk
raddichio
salt
towels
utensils
Victrola
watermelon
Xena Warrior Princess
yeast
Zebra cookies

More on probability

How I know that I have a Valentine

If they ask you to work from home, ...

maybe it's a polite way to say that you need to offset some more of those desktop emissions.

via Sam's Club - "Plant a Tree" Donation - Offset Desktop Emissions

Librarians in the desert

Sandra's mother used to drive the bookmobile for the Holden library, bringing books to people around town. She had to be a skilled driver to maneuver such a vehicle through the narrow town roads.
There are places in the world, however, where even the most intrepid librarian has to step out of the van. It's time for Camel Mobile Library (via Kenya: The Camel Mobile Library Service « ResourceShelf).

Each year, the camels bring more than 7,000 books to nomads in Kenya's impoverished North East Province, often because camels are the only means of crossing the inhospitable terrain.

Whose woods these are, I wish I knew

So, what do you think?

A case could be made for a black bear, except that only four toes are distinct. Bobcat? Then what about the large rear print?

The one on teh right could also be one of these, except that he'd not be walking bare (bear) foot in the snow.

More on Linux software

OpenOffice is a very impressive collection of free software that is an excellent alternative to the Microsoft Office product set. OpenOffice includes a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, and database products that can read and write Microsoft formats and provide a rich set of features that work wonderfully in their own right. You can read more about the goodness that is OpenOffice here.
Linux is an open source operating system that, on most days and in most respects, is an excellent alternative to Microsoft Windows. Most days. There are times, however, when Linux betrays its bleak, geeky soul.
For example, OpenOffice 3.2 was released this week. The new version will be available as a part of a system update feature shortly. (It takes a while for testing and configuration of new products.) If you want to have the new version of OpenOffice on your Ubuntu (a popular version of Linux and the one that I use) system, you can install it yourself.

via How To install OpenOffice 3.2 in Ubuntu | Ubuntu Geek

Happy Birthday, Michael

And a special tune for this milestone birthday:



Editor's note: Michael is our oldest grandchild, turning 20 today.

Continuing the drive to irrelevance

From the Worcester Business Journal, we learn that the Fitchburg Sentinel-Enterprise plans to start charging for selected content. The bankrupt parent company, Media News Group, is considering a model similar to what it thinks the New York Times will use, giving free access to a limited number of page views and then charging users for more access.
Dan Ariely offers some ideas about how pay walls can and should work - My Take on the NY Times Pay Wall. In brief, in order to be successful, a paid site must offer a unique experience so that the site visitor is being charged for the same old stuff that used to be free.
So, let's see what the Sentinel has to offer.
This?

via Police / Court - Sentinel & Enterprise
Sign me up.

Men of science

I think that it was son Mike who asked, a long time ago, and I'm paraphrasing here, "If there is a God, why are there mosquitoes?"
The answer, son, is that mosquitoes give us a chance to develop new weapons:  Slashdot Science Story | Directed Energy Weapon Downs Mosquitos.
Of course, we should also remember that much of our science, as well as our understanding of many social issues, is just trying to catch up with what Monty Python told us 40 years ago.

Smart city. Not yours.

I wonder what something like this plan for Holyoke, Cisco Plans to Make a Massachusetts City Smarter, Rather Than Build One From Scratch, would do for Worcester.
Granted, Worcester is a much larger city by a factor of four, so the project would be that much more complex. It may also be that Holyoke, being a poorer city, would show more dramatic improvement.
A lot of politicking, in the better sense of the word, goes into a project such as this, raising the issue of how well Our Fair City can articulate its value to potential corporate investors.
Is Holyoke a better place to live now? Probably not. Will Holyoke be a better place to live than Worcester? Could be.

If you're so smart, how come you're dead?

So, let me see if I've got this right: children with a high IQ have a reduced risk of mortality as adults.
Now, we've all heard about the Darwin Awards, special recognition that we give to people who, by their stupid actions, improve the gene pool by taking themselves out of it. This latest study, however, is the first that tries to make a direct correlation between intelligence and a long life.
The study includes a twist, however, because the correlation between high IQ and decreased mortality is stronger for males than for females. Other data show that, on average, women live longer than men, although the gap is narrowing (free registration required to view link).
Two quick thoughts come to mind:

• Harry Belafonte told us a long time ago - Man Smart, Woman Smarter. ()
• If we're smart enough, will we live forever? Two sources say yes.
  
  
  
  
  • Immortality only 20 years away
  • The Highest IQ Ever Recorded

Crime in suburbia

From The Landmark (subscription required):

[Editor's note: There were 20 suspicious items this week.]

Holden

Monday, February 1

2:41 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Main St.
7:01 a.m. 911 from resident having issues shutting off water in bath tub, Flagler Dr.
7:51 a.m. Attempt to make warrant arrest
9:13 a.m. State police report teens walking in roadway, Reservoir St.
1:49 p.m. Child locked in car with engine running, Mason Rd.
3:51 p.m. Walk-in about annoying phone calls, wants to identify phone number; advised to call phone carrier and if problem continues, call
4:18 p.m. Possible rabid beaver, Village Way; animal transported
9:10 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Reservoir St.

Tuesday, February 2

10:45 a.m. Missing beagle, Malden St.
2:21 p.m. Fraud reported
4:16 p.m. Driver without placard parked in handicapped space
8:22 p.m. West Boylston PD transferring individual to town

Wednesday, February 3

12:27 p.m. Tool box in road, Reservoir St.
1:14 p.m. Individual reportedly kicked dog, then harassed homeowner
1:59 p.m. Rabid fox reported near high school football field
5:14 p.m. Motorist requesting directions

Thursday, February 4

4:45 p.m. Owner locked out of vehicle; will fetch extra key
7:55 p.m. Several items found in roadway, Wachusett St.

Friday, February 5

12:28 a.m. Possible breaking-and-entering, Chapel St.; nothing out of place
1:10 p.m. Caller reports seeing drug transaction taking place
2:32 p.m. Sterling PD reports daughter texted mother that fight was to take place at Grove Cemetery; multiple youths found there
8:16 p.m. Suspicious vehicle going into several driveways, Blair Dr.
9:18 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle with individuals possibly smoking or doing something they shouldn’t, Main St.
9:25 p.m. Loose dog, Bailey Rd.

Saturday, February 6

12:09 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicles at high school
12:40 a.m. Suspicious person dressed in black staggering into roadway, Wachusett St.; party transported
12:59 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Main St.; OK, manager of business
1:12 a.m. Suspicious person, Wachusett St.; returned home
1:27 a.m. Suspicious person at Grove Cemetery; sent on his way
1:25 p.m. 911 call; child called number to show what he learned at school
1:45 p.m. Animal Rescue League has Holden resident’s dog; owner notified
2:18 p.m. Worcester PD requests lookout for car full of males throwing trash at passing cars

9:44 p.m. Loud noises from neighbors, Fruit St.
10:46 p.m. Dog hit by vehicle, Plymouth Rd.

Sunday, February 7

2:28 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle unattended in post office lot, Princeton St.
3:15 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle unattended, Main St.

Paxton

Tuesday, February 2

1:33 a.m. Motor vehicle rollover, driver not located, Reservoir Rd. Operator summoned
8:10 a.m. Loose white dog with leash, Richards Ave./Arrowhead Dr.
9:13 a.m. Resident at station to have fire dept. remove ring from finger, Pleasant St.
12:15 p.m. Person at station to speak with officer, Pleasant St.

Wednesday, February 3

9:30 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle in area of Marshall/Hemlock Sts. Person taking pictures of homes in area
4:03 p.m. Caller reports male followed him to business on Pleasant St., hit his car, then continued to follow him to another location
7:25 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle parked in front of home, Shanandoah Dr.

Thursday, February 4

2:44 p.m. Person brought license plate he found to station
5:15 p.m. Person at station reporting phone calls soliciting money, Pleasant St.
6:42 p.m. Two vehicles speeding on Maple St, driving onto front lawn on Grove St.

Sunday, February 7

9:30 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, person taking photos, Hemlock St.

Princeton

Monday, February 1

8:26 a.m. Traffic control, Sterling Rd.
8:42 a.m. Injured deer beside Hubbardston Rd.
10:49 a.m. Traffic control, Merriam Rd.
1:15 p.m. Person at station for advice regarding recorded phone conversations, Town Hall Dr.
9:06 p.m. Caller reports black dog in road with flashing collar, Coal Kiln Rd.
9:40 p.m. Traffic control, Merriam Rd.

Tuesday, February 2

11:47 a.m. Caller wants to speak with officer about neighbor’s dog, Dowds Ln.

Wednesday, February 3

7:22 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Houghton Rd.
4:50 p.m. Officer removed muffler/traffic hazard from middle of Rte. 140 N
6:05 p.m. Police transport person from disabled vehicle to Wachusett Mountain from Rte. 140 N
8:42 p.m. Large white horse in middle of Beaman Road; owner notified

Thursday, February 4

5:15 p.m. Person wants to speak with officer about suspicious checks, East Princeton Rd.
7:00 p.m. Black and chocolate Labrador missing, Beaman Rd.; found and returned to owner

Friday, February 5

10:14 a.m. Report of suspicious activity, Main St.
10:47 a.m. Police assist person getting into Town Hall
12:40 p.m. Caller found brown pit bull with no collar, Fitchburg Rd.

Saturday, February 6

4:52 p.m. Police transport individual to station after car towed, Town Hall Dr.
7:00 p.m. Vehicle is traffic safety hazard, must be moved, Ball Hill Rd.
8:21 p.m. Police find open gate, Mountain Rd.
9:25 p.m. Traffic control, Merriam Rd.

Rutland

Monday, February 1

12:48 p.m. Attempt to serve restraining order, Watson Ln.

Tuesday, February 2

9:06 a.m. Attempt to serve restraining order, Pleasantdale Rd.
2:05 p.m. While out walking, woman reports man wanted to take photo of her, Rolling Ridge Estates
3:46 p.m. Report that sliding door is off its track, Maple Ave.
4:00 p.m. Person in for community service, Main St.
4:46 p.m. Larceny by false pretenses, Charnock Hill Rd.
5:52 p.m. Loose black/brown dog, Peters Ave.
7:19 p.m. Person at station to speak with officer, Main St.

Wednesday, February 3

11:18 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle parked near Laurelwood Rd./Edson Ave.
8:14 p.m. Person at station to speak with officer about registry problem, Main St.

Thursday, February 4

10:15 a.m. Loose dog in neighborhood, Peters Ave.
12:14 p.m. Missing cat, Brintnal Dr.
3:26 p.m. After motor vehicle stop, person needs to make arrangements for a ride, Main St.
5:15 p.m. Caller reports two dogs in her yard, Hickory Dr.
9:00 p.m. Person at station to speak with officer, Main St.

Friday, February 5

1:35 a.m. UMass calling for information on individual involved in previous incident, Main St.
2:01 a.m. Records check, Main St.
10:51 a.m. Person wants to speak with officer regarding student that brought inappropriate items to school, Main St.
10:51 a.m. Request for officer for traffic control at school dance, Main St.

Saturday, February 6

9:39 a.m. Caller concerned about young beaver attempting to build dam in her yard, Campbell St.

Sunday, February 7

11:43 a.m. Golden retriever in yard, Campbell St.
12:45 p.m. Person at station to speak with officer, Main St.
2:28 p.m. Golden retriever followed person home, Bigelow Rd.
11:26 p.m. Motor vehicle lockout, Miles Rd.

Sterling

Monday, February 1

8:44 a.m. Caller wants to speak to officer about letter he received, Bean Rd.
6:21 p.m. 911 hang-up, Evergreen Cir.; children playing with phone

Tuesday, February 2

6:52 a.m. Caller’s van broke down, Heywood/Tuttle Rds.
8:23 a.m. Attempt to serve warrant, Holden Rd.
8:39 a.m. Attempt to serve warrant, N. Cove Rd. Person moved
9:00 a.m. Caller reporting dog tied up at Brookside Ln./Wilder Rd. Transferred to animal control officer
9:14 a.m. 911 hang-up, Park St. Everything secure
1:06 p.m. Caller reports people with political signs harassing people walking into building, Main St.

Wednesday, February 3

7:22 a.m. 911 hang-up, Chestnut Ave. All secure
8:32 a.m. Dog, possibly cocker spaniel, hit and injured, Rowley Hill/Taft Rds.
9:16 a.m. Caller lost wallet, Leominster Rd.
3:23 p.m. Officer wanted, issue with child on van, Boutelle Rd.
4:06 p.m. 911 hang-up, Boutelle Rd. Caller was child
9:55 p.m. Caller reports a lot of howling in Meetinghouse Hill Rd. area
10:12 p.m. Footprints near rear entrance of building, Albright Rd. Caller wants police to make extra checks at night
10:25 p.m. Request for assistance securing door, Park St.

Friday, February 5

9:04 a.m. Caller wants to speak with animal control officer about tracks in snow, Heywood/North Row Rds.
d. 2:29 p.m. Caller received text message regarding fight about to happen in a Holden graveyard
3:50 p.m. Beagle-type dog found, Pamela Ln.
8:18 p.m. Burglar alarm, Northeast Blvd. Workers on site, all secure
8:50 p.m. Animal rescue organization from Maryland trying to get back German wirehaired pointer from its new owner because he has not complied with contract, Rowley Hill Rd.

Saturday, February 6

8:31 a.m. Burglar alarm accidentally set off by employee, Clinton Rd.
1:02 p.m. Burglar alarm, Boutelle Rd. Door was unsecured
1:32 p.m. Request for officer, Boutelle Rd. Unsecured door
8:05 p.m. Suspicious vehicle behind business, Chocksett Rd.

Sunday, February 7

12:32 p.m. Suspicious male walking and jogging, Princeton Rd.
2:48 p.m. Police check doors where burglar alarm sounding, Boutelle Rd.
3:35 p.m. Wallet found, Leominster Rd.
6:36 p.m. Officer investigation, Taft Rd.

Spring begins at noon today

The 2010 Spring Training Truck Day presented by JetBlue Airways is scheduled for Friday, February 12. The Red Sox equipment truck will depart Fenway Park for the 1,480-mile trip to the club's Spring Training home in Fort Myers, Florida on Friday at approximately 12 noon.
Spring Training Truck Day Presented by JetBlue Airways Scheduled for Friday, February 12 | redsox.com: Official Info

Maybe this is the stuff that State Sen. Anthony D. Galluccio had been using:

via Whisky toothpaste Boing Boing

A road by any other name ...

If you get away from geometry and algebra for three or four decades, you're likely to forget quite a bit of stuff. Even a long walk on a country road can't bring it back. It doesn't help, either, that you're walking on one country road that has three names from there to here....
Continued at OntheCommon.com

It's a good thing that I'm not relying on WTAG for my storm info

We have to go all the way to Boston to find out what's going on in our fair city.

Obligatory Super Bowl notes

• The best thing about the Super Bowl is reading yesterday morning's newspapers today.
  
  
  
  via One thing not up for debate: Colts will win - The Boston Globe
• It'll be interesting to learn if the on-side kick was a part of the plan going into the game.
• We had a good discussion early in the 4th quarter about who should be MVP. At that point, Garrett Hartley, Pierre Thomas, or Drew Brees could have credible candidate. At game's end, Brees was a good choice.
• Has a lineman, offense or defense, ever won an MVP for anything? Arguably, Peyton Manning would be just a very good quarterback if it wasn't for the Indianapolis front line (even if Jeff Saturday made some lousy snaps.)
  Wouldn't it be great for some 300lb. defensive tackle to be shouting out, "We're going to Disney World!"
• It was good Who.

Crime in suburbia

From The Landmark (subscription required):

[Editor's note: There were 10 suspicious items this week.]

Holden

Monday, January 25

10:56 a.m. DVD found at Dunkin’ Donuts
5:30 p.m. Caller lost wallet
7:02 p.m. Caller asking for nephew to be picked up until he can come get him

Tuesday, January 26

8:42 a.m. Motor vehicle struck by vehicle that didn’t stop, South Rd.
8:44 a.m. Worker on Timber Lane locked keys in vehicle
6:20 p.m. Party reporting disabled motor vehicle in Worcester; advised to call Worcester PD
11:30 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle in lot, Shrewsbury St.

Wednesday, January 27

7:35 a.m. Driver believes may have hit cat; ran off
9:33 a.m. Caller doing walk-through at property; wanted police to know due to history with wife
11:15 a.m. Kayak with gear inside found on Quinapoxet River; belongs to party in West Boylston
1:39 p.m. Caller reports mailbox destroyed, Reservoir St.^[1]
1:56 p.m. Raccoon on Flagler Dr.
3:23 p.m. Vandalism/graffiti to electrical box in yard, Jennifer Dr.
6:13 p.m. Road rage incident started in Worcester, now on Brattle St.
7:18 p.m. 911 hang-up, Blair Dr.; woman concerned about computer virus

Thursday, January 28

8:03 p.m. 911 caller’s dog hit by car
10:01 p.m. Princeton PD calling about whether town had contact with individual; advised negative

Friday, January 29

12:30 a.m. Open door at Dawson School, clothes on ground, burglar alarm sounding
6:54 a.m. Pedestrian could not be located
10:25 a.m. Animal freezing or sick, Chapel St.; appears to be porcupine
12:44 p.m. West Boylston PD requests back-up, Woodland St.; later advises disregard
4:24 p.m. Cars parked on both sides of Laurelwood Rd.
4:27 p.m. Snow drifts on Reservoir St./South Rd.
7:57 p.m. Officer reports that fire department disobeyed road sign exiting plaza after fire call
10:18 p.m. Seven youths left Main St. headed down Holt Rd.
10:40 p.m. Flag stuck in light fixture outside home, Wachusett St.
10:55 p.m. Vehicle egged multiple times, mirror damaged, Rte. 122A

Saturday, January 30

12:06 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Shrewsbury St.
7:24 a.m. Caller reports animal in attic; advised to contact Critter Control
8:00 a.m. No water at residence, Johnson St.
9:50 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Main St.
8:30 p.m. Dog found on Sterling Rd.

Sunday, January 31

12:17 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle in parking lot, Shrewsbury St.
12:59 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Main St.
9:26 a.m. Coyote seen in yard, Cook St.; advised to keep animals and kids in. Second call reporting same
11:00 a.m. Railroad gate down with no train

Paxton

Tuesday, January 26

9:50 p.m. Report of ice in road near Camp St./ Rte. 122
10:07 p.m. Car carrier picking up vehicle, Pleasant St.

Thursday, January 28

9:51 a.m. Caller reporting she has no water, Marshall St.
5:11 p.m. 911 hang-up, child playing with phone, Nipmuck Rd.
6:06 p.m. Recycling bin in middle of Pleasant St., creating hazard

Saturday, January 30

10:47 a.m. 911 hang-up call, West St., at school. Child playing with phone
5:30 p.m. White poodle found, Maple Ave. Owner found

Sunday, January 31

5:12 p.m. Caller concerned about children on ice in Worcester. Worcester PD advised

Princeton

Monday, January 25

7:38 a.m. Police stand by while vehicle is pulled from snow bank, Rte. 140 N
8:12 a.m. Trash truck off road, Pheasant Hollow Run
3:45 p.m. Police assist motorist locked out of vehicle, Main St.
7:18 p.m. Dog found wandering in middle of Gregory Hill Rd., brought to police station. Owner found

Tuesday, January 26

8:21 a.m. Police transport person to Thomas Prince School from Houghton Rd.
4:34 p.m. Two suspicious males selling meat door to door from truck, Houghton Rd.
8:45 p.m. Westminster PD requests assist with transporting person to Pheasant Hollow Run

Wednesday, January 27

9:30 a.m. Police assist motorist with fixing flat tire after striking rock in road, Sterling Rd. Police remove rock

Friday, January 29

12:45 a.m. Police find gate open, Mountain Rd.
2:00 p.m. Police remove trash containers and recyclables from roadway, Boylston Ave.
7:46 p.m. Suspicious males in vehicle in driveway of home, Ball Hill Rd.

Saturday, January 30

8:15 a.m. Police remove large branch from roadway, Rte. 140 N
8:44 a.m. Police stand by with disabled motor vehicle until it is towed, Rte. 140 N
10:00 p.m. Caller reports deer walking in road appears to have been hit, Main St. Ran into woods

Sunday, January 31

11:42 a.m. Report of black Labrador wandering in Worcester Rd.
3:51 p.m. Westminster PD requests assistance, Worcester/Patricia Rds., Westminster

Rutland

Monday, January 25

4:25 p.m. Report that teen isn’t cooperating, Highland Park Rd.
5:55 p.m. Suspicious person standing at end of driveway, Birchwood Rd.

Tuesday, January 26

6:33 p.m. Community service, Main St.
11:17 p.m. Person reporting black ice, Barre Paxton Rd.

Wednesday, January 27

8:09 a.m. Report of missing old, blind, deaf Yorkie dog, East County Rd. Dog picked up on Rte. 68 and returned to owner
9:21 a.m. Police out at Rutland Plaza
2:00 p.m. Person rang doorbell and is in back yard of home, Carly Cir. Found to be assessor
2:06 p.m. Yellow dog in trash, Skyline Dr.
3:32 p.m. Person wants to speak with officer, Main St.
4:55 p.m. Person at station to speak with officer about juveniles throwing objects at car when she picks up passenger at bus stop, Hickory Dr.

Thursday, January 28

11:28 a.m. Suspicious vehicle in driveway, Juniper Ln.
11:28 a.m. Suspicious men walking around neighborhood, Wildbrook Dr.
1:32 p.m. Officer wanted, juvenile issue, Main St.
2:32 p.m. Person at station to speak with officer re: juvenile issue, Main St.
3:18 p.m. Complaints about person throwing snow from the road into woman’s flower garden, Birchwood Rd.; neighbor dispute, police had to return
3:40 p.m. Person at station to speak with officer, Main St.
5:24 p.m. Person complaining about car parked on corner near restaurant, Fairview Ave.

Friday, January 29

3:34 a.m. Person at station to speak with officer, Main St.
6:38 a.m. Caller locked keys out of small school bus, Wachusett St.
10:04 a.m. Person at station to speak with officer, Main St.
10:32 a.m. Person at station to speak with officer about ongoing issue, Main St.
1:10 p.m. Person at station to speak with officer about road rage incident, Intervale Rd.
1:51 p.m. Person wants to speak with officer about incident between her and her daughter, Main St.
3:20 p.m. Person at station to speak with officer, Main St.
5:24 p.m. Caller needs help getting out his dog stuck under the deck, Bushy Ln.

Saturday, January 30

12:05 p.m. Two dogs loose in yard, Hickory Dr./ Sumac Cir.
2:50 p.m. Complaint about two dogs on private property, Hickory Dr./Sumac Cir.
4:54 p.m. Stray poodle, Maple Ave.

Sunday, January 31

12:42 a.m. Disabled motor vehicle, police stand by while tire is fixed, Main St.
11:39 a.m. Person wants to speak with officer about bail, Main St.
10:06 p.m. Assist person locked out of vehicle, Miles Rd.

Sterling

Monday, January 25

12:30 a.m. Vehicle stuck diagonally across Colby Rd. due to ice
5:27 a.m. Deer struck and in roadway, North Row Rd.
3:51 p.m. Person at station to speak with officer, Leominster Rd.
4:05 p.m. Caller reports seeing bobcat, Legate Hill Rd.
5:10 p.m. Community policing, Meetinghouse Hill Rd.

Tuesday, January 26

11:07 a.m. Police assist Dept. of Conservation and Recreation personnel advising person not to post signs on Rail Trail

Wednesday, January 27

8:38 a.m. 911 hang-up, children playing with phone, Riverview Rd.
10:04 a.m. Civil complaint left in mailbox, Malvern Hill Rd.
1:09 p.m. Person at station about possible missing check, Leominster Rd.
2:10 p.m. Civil complaint put in mailbox, Patriots Way

Thursday, January 28

12:19 a.m. Caller reports some sort of animal beside roadway, Redemption Rock Trl./Crowley Rd.
11:19 p.m. Police respond to burglar alarm, Boutelle Rd. Likely caused by wind

Friday, January 29

1:45 p.m. Caller reports seeing wolf in area of Holden/Mason Rds.

Saturday, January 30

10:02 a.m. 911 hang-up, child playing with phone, Pine St.
12:30 p.m. Person at station to speak with officer about item given to his son, Leominster Rd.

Note to self:

A contractor friend of mine used to say that the best shortcut on any project is a trip out to the truck to get the right tool for the job.
In that spirit, I've learned that nail-clippers, even large ones, are a very poor substitute for needle-nose pliers. Needle-nose pliers can do two things - forcibly extract that widget from that place and pick out the pieces of broken plastic that resulted from forcibly removing the widget.
When it comes to extracting software, it's often the case that that there are pieces left over. Windows applications are supposed to obey a standard set of protocols for installation and uninstallation. Anything that is written to the Registry should be removed when the product is uninstalled. Files, including programs, configuration resources, and even data files, should be removed when you decide to remove a product.
Most programs, however, fall short of these best practices. As a result, after installing trial versions of programs and the like, it's easy to have a bloated Registry full of unused keys, your Program Files directory littered with stray entries, and your %APPDATA% directory cluttered with old data.
Enter one of my favorite programs and one of the first things that I install when I get a new Windows system -
Revo Uninstaller. It not only runs an application standard uninstallation script, but it also scrubs the registry and file system of detritis. The free version does a great job, while the paid version adds some extra system maintenance tools and gives you the satisfaction of paying for something that you find of value. (Feature comparison table is here.)
And, yes, there are other solutions - sandboxes, virtual machines, and the like - for installation and removing trial software. Having trashed system configurations beyond repair by editing the Windows Registry when trying to remove a badly configured installation, I know that Revo Uninstaller is the right tool when you need it. It's a lot better than trying to make your own tools.


see more There I Fixed It

Give me your tired, your poor

So, here's an idea. People want to come to America? Give 'em snow shovels and let them help to dig our nation's capital out of Snowmaggedon. That's what they're doing in Finland. Asylum seekers are clearing the snow from Helsinki streets.
As an increasing number of people seek safety from oppression and terror in Iraq and Somalia, they're settling in Finland and other European countries. Finland is trying to do the right thing by providing information to refugees and asylum seekers, even to the point of building new shelters, reception centres, they call them.
No word if the refugees were using the Pikku-Mikko LUK-45 (Little Mike) or other products from hakkarainen.com.

Uncle Sam wants you to have a healthy baby

Healthy babies are a good idea. Texting is cool. Lots of companies and organizations want to help you (or the woman you impregnated) have a healthy baby by sending you text messages. Welcome to maternity in the twenty-teens.
First, you go to a site called text4baby - http://text4baby.org/. 
Here you are able to sign up for weekly free text messages during your pregnancy. 
How do they know that you're pregnant? They ask and you tell.

You can even tell them when your last menstrual period will be in the future.

And, best of all, this is brought to you by the Department of Defense and MTV, among others.

via /. -  The New National Health Plan Is Texting

Uh, oh. He's thinking again.

If you make it to age 30, you've usually got a pretty good story about the rocks you had to climb over, cliffs that you fell down and survived, accidents you've witnessed. Few people live tidy lives along a path that's straight, narrow, and true. We've left behind a good bit of wreckage and watched others do the same.
And, as a result, we develop stories about heroes. People who have done great things or people who have survived great hardship in the quest of something very ordinary. Recently, I heard the story of a Maine lobsterman, nearly 90, who got his hand caught in the ropes and had the ends of four fingers cut off, but the old salt still managed to bring all of the traps.
We hear these stories and wonder why we can't be like that guy. We see Curt Schilling and an infamous bloody sock. The Japanese gymnast in the Olympics many years ago who broke his leg during one routine and still nailed the landing with barely a grimace.
Why can't we be like that guy? Because we're not and, pretty much, we ain't gonna be. We change, but not much. For every kid who rises out of nowhere to become great, there are a hundred or maybe a thousand who stay behind. And what becomes of those people who stay behind? They go work. They become mothers and fathers. They worry about caring for their parents and making their neighborhoods better. Quite a few will die before their time because of booze, drugs, or just too much of too much. In all of those cases, our heroes could do little for us because they've already got full-time jobs being our heroes.
Look, if you're in trouble, whatever it might be. Pick something. Who's going to show up and help you when you're scared and confused? Not Oprah. Not Dr. Oz. Not Scott Brown. Not President Obama or Curt Schilling or that lobsterman from Maine. Not Taylor Swift or Bruce or Sergey Brin. Nope.
It's gonna be one of your kids, one of your neighbors, a friend you just met a few weeks ago. They're doing a little better than you right now and they can help. Another day, you'll be doing a little better than them and you can help. You take turns carrying each other. Those are the heroes who are gonna get you, or at least me, through another day.
So, the theory which is mine is that we're going to learn a lot more about living better from people who are more like us than we from our heroes.

Cousins

Sandra's returning home today after visiting with her cousin, Beverly, in Arizona. Beverly's the eldest cousin of her generation of the Bradford clan.
Sandra reports in her Twitter feed:

A lovely sunny day to ride 'round town in my cousin's golf cart to exercise class and lunch. Then, we enjoyed old fam pics and diaries. Sigh

GroundYak Day

via Whirled of Kelly: YAK!

changing everything carefully

I happened to scroll down the page of my preferred weather site, wunderground.com, and saw this bit of hopeful news.in the Sports Weather section

We're still a few weeks away from the official start of spring, the day that the Red Sox equipment van leaves for Florida. Single-game tickets went on sale yesterday. (The first Yankee series is already sold out.)
And even though the lawns in this part of the country are hard-packed with snow and ice, we can start to think ahead to the verdant months ahead. In a short while, you'll be able to buy the type grass seed that's used at Fenway Park.(MLB, Scotts celebrate lure of real grass | MLB.com: News)

via bookofjoe: 'Field of Dreams' in your back yard