First, the Red Sox let Johnny Damon go the Yankees. Now, Adam Vinatieri goes to the Indianapolis Colts. What's next? Are we going to trade Barney Frank to Texas?
My Way - Sports News
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Who brings you the morning coffee?
The customer site where our meetings are taking place has a coffee station in the middle of the building. Each morning I pick up a coffee with an extra shot of espresso (the "Eye-Opener"). The woman working at the station started my order as soon as she saw me walk across the floor. "Nice to see you again," she said as I paid for my selection.
Now that we've kicked the United Arab Emirates out of our ports, are we ready to kick them out of our Dunkin' Donuts coffee shops?
There was a time in my life when it was a shot and a beer; now it's espresso and Kenyan.
One writer's comparison of life in junior high school and in a Bush presidency.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms has a kids' web site. There you can see art work from the children of agents to get their perspective on their parents' work.
The first Trader Joe's market has opened in New York and they're going bonkers in Yonkers. (The store is actually in Union Square.) These folks have provided a primer on how to shop at TJ's. We've had one nearby for several years; I shop there every week. Good stuff.
Nice touch on the new Chevvies. If you're listening to the radio, you can turn the car off and even remove the key. The radio will stay on until you open the door. On Chevvies in the 50s and 60s, you could remove the key while driving.
Now that we've kicked the United Arab Emirates out of our ports, are we ready to kick them out of our Dunkin' Donuts coffee shops?
There was a time in my life when it was a shot and a beer; now it's espresso and Kenyan.
One writer's comparison of life in junior high school and in a Bush presidency.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms has a kids' web site. There you can see art work from the children of agents to get their perspective on their parents' work.
The first Trader Joe's market has opened in New York and they're going bonkers in Yonkers. (The store is actually in Union Square.) These folks have provided a primer on how to shop at TJ's. We've had one nearby for several years; I shop there every week. Good stuff.
Nice touch on the new Chevvies. If you're listening to the radio, you can turn the car off and even remove the key. The radio will stay on until you open the door. On Chevvies in the 50s and 60s, you could remove the key while driving.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Of rock and roll and leftover candy
For the second time in this series of trips, United had trouble assigning people to seats on the plane. Their excuse, again, was that the seat configuration on the 737 that arrived at the gate was different than the one shown on their computers. As a result, there were several duplicate seat assignments. In addition, up until a few minutes before we pulled back from the gate, they weren't sure who was on the plane and who wasn't. The flight attendant would ask, "If M. So-and-so is on plane, please press your attendant call button. If M. Thus-and-such is on the plane, please press your attendant call button." I don't know if everyone who was finally on the plane was supposed to be there, but the flight to Chicago was uneventful.
Late last night we received email from the systems engineer who has been the lead person on our team in these customer meetings. He's running a fever of 102° and won't be able to attend today's meeting and perhaps not tomorrow's, either. In a word, yikes.
I'm listening to my collection of various versions of Johnny B. Goode. It's one of the most durable rock and roll songs for guitar heroes. The song was among a select few chosen to represent humankind on the Voyager Golden Record. Chuck Berry's version remain the reference standard, but Jimi Hendrix and Johnny Winter take it wider, higher, and deeper.
This time my rental car is a Chevy Malibu. It's a nice enough car. It has, however, this silly little rear spoiler. When I was a kid, I'd attach a playing card to my bicycle frame in the hope that it would sound like a motorcycle.
There are splotches of snow in the shade. Everything else in the open is brown, desperate for spring.
When I arrived yesterday, there was a strong north wind feeding a big storm in the south of the state. I stopped at a supermarket to pick up some fruit and stuff for breakfast. On the exit door, they had posted a very nice, four-color sign that said, basically, that there are high winds today, so please put your grocery carts at the collection stations in the parking lot. That they have enough high wind that it was worth it to them to print these nice signs says, well, none of the other supermarkets that I frequent have such signs.
Mmm, gummi lights.
I've spent too long already trying to think up captions for the stuff on this site. If I had an extra afternoon, I drive to the store to see if they are indeed real.
Before I left, I had to pick up a couple of things at our local drug store. Amid all of the Easter baskets and candy and decorations sit four boxes of leftover Valentine's candy. The candy was marked down 75%.
Late last night we received email from the systems engineer who has been the lead person on our team in these customer meetings. He's running a fever of 102° and won't be able to attend today's meeting and perhaps not tomorrow's, either. In a word, yikes.
I'm listening to my collection of various versions of Johnny B. Goode. It's one of the most durable rock and roll songs for guitar heroes. The song was among a select few chosen to represent humankind on the Voyager Golden Record. Chuck Berry's version remain the reference standard, but Jimi Hendrix and Johnny Winter take it wider, higher, and deeper.
This time my rental car is a Chevy Malibu. It's a nice enough car. It has, however, this silly little rear spoiler. When I was a kid, I'd attach a playing card to my bicycle frame in the hope that it would sound like a motorcycle.
There are splotches of snow in the shade. Everything else in the open is brown, desperate for spring.
When I arrived yesterday, there was a strong north wind feeding a big storm in the south of the state. I stopped at a supermarket to pick up some fruit and stuff for breakfast. On the exit door, they had posted a very nice, four-color sign that said, basically, that there are high winds today, so please put your grocery carts at the collection stations in the parking lot. That they have enough high wind that it was worth it to them to print these nice signs says, well, none of the other supermarkets that I frequent have such signs.
Mmm, gummi lights.
I've spent too long already trying to think up captions for the stuff on this site. If I had an extra afternoon, I drive to the store to see if they are indeed real.
Before I left, I had to pick up a couple of things at our local drug store. Amid all of the Easter baskets and candy and decorations sit four boxes of leftover Valentine's candy. The candy was marked down 75%.
Monday, March 20, 2006
The Chronicle: Wired Campus Blog: Accepted by iTunes
The Chronicle: Wired Campus Blog: Accepted by iTunes
Fitchburg State College, my mother's alma mater, will no longer send the traditional acceptance letters to their applicants. Instead, they'll learn about their future via podcast.
Fitchburg State College, my mother's alma mater, will no longer send the traditional acceptance letters to their applicants. Instead, they'll learn about their future via podcast.
Tra-la again, spring is here
The vernal equinox, allegedly marking the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, occurs at 18:19 UTC today. It's still well below freezing. The sap buckets aren't collecting much because the daytime temperatures are still too low.
Even as my doctor and I try different approaches to my treatment, it's still a "Doc, will I be able to play the piano?" situation. When I'm well, I'm still me. As a friend of my mother's used to say, "We do the best what we are."
We saw a number of long-time friends last night. Some were having a great time, particularly those who were retired. One couple had just returned from Finland. They were there when Conan O'Brien made his visit. Other friends weren't doing so well, their knuckles and fingernails pale from hanging on so tightly. As we drove home, Sandra and I talked about how grateful we are, that, in spite of some troubles that are very real, we have, at the core, a very good life. We are fortunate in more ways than we can say.
In the UK's proposed budget, women can receive free training as "plumbers, sparkies, and engineers." I had to dig around a bit, but I think that sparkie is colloquial for electrician.
I received this note from a list that tries to match freelance writers with projects.
Speaking of rants about grammar 'n stuff, always, always spell-check material before you send anything. I apologize for the typo in the title of Saturday's post.
Taking the tin-foil hats to a new level, you can now buy shirts, hats, aprons, and scarves that afford you EMF protection.
Even as my doctor and I try different approaches to my treatment, it's still a "Doc, will I be able to play the piano?" situation. When I'm well, I'm still me. As a friend of my mother's used to say, "We do the best what we are."
We saw a number of long-time friends last night. Some were having a great time, particularly those who were retired. One couple had just returned from Finland. They were there when Conan O'Brien made his visit. Other friends weren't doing so well, their knuckles and fingernails pale from hanging on so tightly. As we drove home, Sandra and I talked about how grateful we are, that, in spite of some troubles that are very real, we have, at the core, a very good life. We are fortunate in more ways than we can say.
In the UK's proposed budget, women can receive free training as "plumbers, sparkies, and engineers." I had to dig around a bit, but I think that sparkie is colloquial for electrician.
I received this note from a list that tries to match freelance writers with projects.
Writing / Editing Write MLM/Network Marketing Articles 3/16/2006So, not only do these folks want us to do evil, but they'll pay less than minimal wage. (I'll reserve my rant about the that vs. who usage for another day.)
I am looking for a writer that can write original, professional articles about MLM or network marketing. These articles will be used to post to article directories and will be used to promote an MLM lead / MLM education company. I will pay from $5 - 7 per article depending on the length.
Speaking of rants about grammar 'n stuff, always, always spell-check material before you send anything. I apologize for the typo in the title of Saturday's post.
Taking the tin-foil hats to a new level, you can now buy shirts, hats, aprons, and scarves that afford you EMF protection.
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Of politics and pie
The travelers left at 7:20 this morning. It will be clear and cool for most of the ride, with flurries in the forecast for PEI for the next few days.
We haven't armed our Coast Guard ships on the Maine/New Brunswick border, as was done in the Great Lakes, but it's only a matter of time. Who knows when the bad guys will come charging across the St. Croix River?
Last weekend, Sandra and I went to Boston to see Spamalot and to spend the night at the Parker House. Good show. Could have been better. The all-white audience seemed to have fun. One family brought their four daughters, ages seven through about 17. It seems that some of the material might have been a bit rich for the younger kids, said by one who sang the Lumberjack Song to his grandchildren at bedtime.
We went to Quincy Market for lunch. Outside, on the back steps of Faneuil Hall, Deval Patrick was having a rally. Patrick is a Democratic candidate for governor. He's making a good challenge at the front-runner, Attorney General Tom Reilly. Patrick's speech was clear, forceful, and inspiring, marred only by the pre-recorded applause that punctuated each of his major points. Oh, and, the crowds for the juggler and the escape artist were a bit bigger.
The Parker House looks a bit worn, like an old rug at an estate sale. The room we had was oddly shaped, with the walls higher than they were wide. The Parker House has a lot of history associated with it. Ho Chi Minh worked there in the pre-WWI years, as did Malcom X. Parker House rolls originated there, as did Boston Cream pie. The rolls were that much different from what you'd get from Poppin' Fresh. The pie, though, was nothing like the layers of foam rubber and Cool Whip that passes for pies elsewhere. As lightning is to a lightning bug.
A few days ago, a drug on human subjects went very bad. Six people people were injured, two critically. The tests were conducted at the UK labs of Waltham, Mass.-based Parexel International. A British tabloid tried to find out from Parexel's CEO, Josef von Rickenbach, if the company would issue an apology. A company spokesman said, "He’s too busy to say sorry."
On the way home from work last night, I heard Bob Newhart's "Mrs. Grace L. Ferguson Airline and Storm Door Company." It's one of the finest bits in comedy delivered by one of the finest comedians.
We haven't armed our Coast Guard ships on the Maine/New Brunswick border, as was done in the Great Lakes, but it's only a matter of time. Who knows when the bad guys will come charging across the St. Croix River?
Last weekend, Sandra and I went to Boston to see Spamalot and to spend the night at the Parker House. Good show. Could have been better. The all-white audience seemed to have fun. One family brought their four daughters, ages seven through about 17. It seems that some of the material might have been a bit rich for the younger kids, said by one who sang the Lumberjack Song to his grandchildren at bedtime.
We went to Quincy Market for lunch. Outside, on the back steps of Faneuil Hall, Deval Patrick was having a rally. Patrick is a Democratic candidate for governor. He's making a good challenge at the front-runner, Attorney General Tom Reilly. Patrick's speech was clear, forceful, and inspiring, marred only by the pre-recorded applause that punctuated each of his major points. Oh, and, the crowds for the juggler and the escape artist were a bit bigger.
The Parker House looks a bit worn, like an old rug at an estate sale. The room we had was oddly shaped, with the walls higher than they were wide. The Parker House has a lot of history associated with it. Ho Chi Minh worked there in the pre-WWI years, as did Malcom X. Parker House rolls originated there, as did Boston Cream pie. The rolls were that much different from what you'd get from Poppin' Fresh. The pie, though, was nothing like the layers of foam rubber and Cool Whip that passes for pies elsewhere. As lightning is to a lightning bug.
A few days ago, a drug on human subjects went very bad. Six people people were injured, two critically. The tests were conducted at the UK labs of Waltham, Mass.-based Parexel International. A British tabloid tried to find out from Parexel's CEO, Josef von Rickenbach, if the company would issue an apology. A company spokesman said, "He’s too busy to say sorry."
On the way home from work last night, I heard Bob Newhart's "Mrs. Grace L. Ferguson Airline and Storm Door Company." It's one of the finest bits in comedy delivered by one of the finest comedians.
Friday, March 17, 2006
Green stuff run wild
One would think that the good folks of the Great and General Court of Massachusetts would have found a way to make St. Patrick's Day a state-wide holiday. Apparently, however, the religious and ethnic issues proved too daunting. The commissioners of Suffolk County (Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop) went back to the books and discovered a historically significant event - on March 17, 1776, the British were run out of Boston. So, since the early 20th century, Suffolk County has had Evacuation Day as a holiday. The school kids can walk right past the Revolutionary War exhibits on their way to the local pub for corned beef and cabbage.
Back then, in the late 19th centry, school was tough. How tough? This tough. Let me know how well you do with trigraphs, subvocals, diphthongs, cognate letters, linguals.
Woody is making corned beef and cabbage for our supper. I was tempted to make a novel dessert - Spam Swiss Pie - but won't have the time. (Mmm, Spam, whipped cream, eggs, cheese.)
Tomorrow, Woody is going to PEI with John and Suanne, They'll leave around seven in the morning. Tignish, where images of Jesus and the Virgin Mary have appeared on a cloth, is about 100 miles (160 km) away, so they probably won't have a chance to visit the site.
I like cats and I like guitar music, but that doesn't mean this is a good idea.
Tony Blair doesn't know how to use an iPod, but the Pope isn't afraid to try. Draw your own conclusions.
David Weinberger is one of the smartest people I know. Well, I don't know him directly, but we have mutual friends on a technology email list. So, I was a bit surprised when he wrote this in his blog. Of course, I wear penny loafers almost all of the time and shoes with Velcro straps aren't too many years away.
Back then, in the late 19th centry, school was tough. How tough? This tough. Let me know how well you do with trigraphs, subvocals, diphthongs, cognate letters, linguals.
Woody is making corned beef and cabbage for our supper. I was tempted to make a novel dessert - Spam Swiss Pie - but won't have the time. (Mmm, Spam, whipped cream, eggs, cheese.)
Tomorrow, Woody is going to PEI with John and Suanne, They'll leave around seven in the morning. Tignish, where images of Jesus and the Virgin Mary have appeared on a cloth, is about 100 miles (160 km) away, so they probably won't have a chance to visit the site.
I like cats and I like guitar music, but that doesn't mean this is a good idea.
Tony Blair doesn't know how to use an iPod, but the Pope isn't afraid to try. Draw your own conclusions.
David Weinberger is one of the smartest people I know. Well, I don't know him directly, but we have mutual friends on a technology email list. So, I was a bit surprised when he wrote this in his blog. Of course, I wear penny loafers almost all of the time and shoes with Velcro straps aren't too many years away.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
More on working
From Tuesday morning's Worcester Telegram, and I quote, "The Wachusett Regional School Committee decided last night not to revote its decision to set no date for reimbursing $3.1 million received from the state for modular buildings." Standing boldly, they decided not to reconsider a decision not to set a date to do something. They done our town proud.
The problem with a job, says Jackie Mason, is that it takes all day.
And then some. I received an email last night around six, asking me (but not really asking) for a document that needed to be sent to a customer this morning. The material that the customer is seeking hasn't been documented before. It should have been, but it wasn't. So, I'll need to research, write, and verify the material. Fortunately, the customer is in the central time zone, so I get an extra hour of morning.
The white board in my cubicle is located inconveniently at the back of the fixed counter that is my desk. As a result, I can scribble just a few things, such as my phone numbers. (I don't call myself often, so I have a tough time remembering my internal line, external line, and new cell phone number.) It's almost impossible for two people to work at my white board, trading ideas and markers; some problems are better addressed visually than verbally. Anyway, I asked our office administrator if the facilities people could move my white board to the opposite side of my office. She said that she would ask, but that it probably wouldn't happen. "It's against company policy," she said.
"Is yours is like everyone else's?" she asked.
"Yes."
"Well, then it probably won't happen."
In preparation for the bird flu pandemic, Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt recommends that we put canned tuna and powered milk under our beds.
Did you know that if you lose a mitten in Canada, the National Mitten Registry may help you restore it to its mate?
How many ways can you make this guy sick? My score is 8.
One more from the Department of the Flippin' Obvious: "Heavy marijuana use for five years or more may impair memory and slow cognitive function, according to researchers here."
The problem with a job, says Jackie Mason, is that it takes all day.
And then some. I received an email last night around six, asking me (but not really asking) for a document that needed to be sent to a customer this morning. The material that the customer is seeking hasn't been documented before. It should have been, but it wasn't. So, I'll need to research, write, and verify the material. Fortunately, the customer is in the central time zone, so I get an extra hour of morning.
The white board in my cubicle is located inconveniently at the back of the fixed counter that is my desk. As a result, I can scribble just a few things, such as my phone numbers. (I don't call myself often, so I have a tough time remembering my internal line, external line, and new cell phone number.) It's almost impossible for two people to work at my white board, trading ideas and markers; some problems are better addressed visually than verbally. Anyway, I asked our office administrator if the facilities people could move my white board to the opposite side of my office. She said that she would ask, but that it probably wouldn't happen. "It's against company policy," she said.
"Is yours is like everyone else's?" she asked.
"Yes."
"Well, then it probably won't happen."
In preparation for the bird flu pandemic, Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt recommends that we put canned tuna and powered milk under our beds.
Did you know that if you lose a mitten in Canada, the National Mitten Registry may help you restore it to its mate?
How many ways can you make this guy sick? My score is 8.
One more from the Department of the Flippin' Obvious: "Heavy marijuana use for five years or more may impair memory and slow cognitive function, according to researchers here."
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
day in the U.S. (3/14).
Monday, March 13, 2006
Green for a day
It was the best treatment that the family name has received. Mike gathered family and friends and family of friends to march in yesterday's St. Patrick's Day Parade in Worcester. The float was a trailer carrying a replica of a housefront. Mike's box truck pulled the trailer. Atop the truck was Nate Schroeder, fresh from his heavyweight boxing championship at Notre Dame. The participants wore green t-shirts provided by Mike and his crew. During the parade, the crew handed out balloons to children of all ages.
When Sandra and I arrived, Marian was sitting on a couch with little Cassie asleep in her arms. In front of the truck and in back of the float, various youngsters carried banners of greeting from the Hakkarainen family. At several points, the gang started a chant - "Hakk a rai nen" - particularly when the announcer at the reviewing stand mangled the name. The weather was cool, occasionally showery, but all had a great time.
When Sandra and I arrived, Marian was sitting on a couch with little Cassie asleep in her arms. In front of the truck and in back of the float, various youngsters carried banners of greeting from the Hakkarainen family. At several points, the gang started a chant - "Hakk a rai nen" - particularly when the announcer at the reviewing stand mangled the name. The weather was cool, occasionally showery, but all had a great time.
Friday, March 10, 2006
Worcester County - St. Patrick's Parade
Mike, with family and friends, will have a float in this year's parade:
Worcester County - St. Patrick's Parade (#33 in Division 2). The O'Hakkarainens hope that you'll join in the celebration.
Worcester County - St. Patrick's Parade (#33 in Division 2). The O'Hakkarainens hope that you'll join in the celebration.
About this thing called work
Our afternoon turned into evening as my boss met with a few of us to plan our project activities for the next few months. To quote a former co-worker, "We're doomed." We have much too much work for the people we have on staff. We have a handful of open software engineering positions now and will open a few more in other disciplines, perhaps as early as Monday. Of course, the time spent recruiting and interviewing those people will consume the time that we need for work. My manager has a strong preference for personal recommendations, so anyone we bring in would have a fast track through the processes.
Geek to Live: ETech Highlights, part I - Lifehacker: "“Continuous partial attention” leaves us overstimulated, overwhelmed and unfulfilled" - they've been readng my mail.
There are some jobs where women make more than men. I don't know about pay, but, in my business, here and before, men and women were pretty much equaly represented up to the director level. Above that, into the VP and Chief Whatever Officers, it's mostly white guys.
Fortune is carrying an interesting piece on the origin and evolution of the cubicle. Cubicles weren't intended to be evil. As with reengineering, however, once the concept became known as a cheap solution, well, game over.
My automated search for a technical documentation job turned up this offering - On-Site Coast Guard WMD/HAZMAT Professional. Yep, I could go searching for Weapons of Mass Destruction, provided that I had the right HAZWOPPER skills.
Geek to Live: ETech Highlights, part I - Lifehacker: "“Continuous partial attention” leaves us overstimulated, overwhelmed and unfulfilled" - they've been readng my mail.
There are some jobs where women make more than men. I don't know about pay, but, in my business, here and before, men and women were pretty much equaly represented up to the director level. Above that, into the VP and Chief Whatever Officers, it's mostly white guys.
Fortune is carrying an interesting piece on the origin and evolution of the cubicle. Cubicles weren't intended to be evil. As with reengineering, however, once the concept became known as a cheap solution, well, game over.
My automated search for a technical documentation job turned up this offering - On-Site Coast Guard WMD/HAZMAT Professional. Yep, I could go searching for Weapons of Mass Destruction, provided that I had the right HAZWOPPER skills.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Mental Typewriter? Really? - Gizmodo
Mental Typewriter? Really? - Gizmodo. When our thoughts can go straight from our heads to our computers, we've turned a corner and are heading down a new and twisting road.
When I saw this story, I thought of a line from Bruce Springsteen's Johnny 99, "And if you can take a man's life for the thoughts that's in his head ..."
When I saw this story, I thought of a line from Bruce Springsteen's Johnny 99, "And if you can take a man's life for the thoughts that's in his head ..."
Monday, March 06, 2006
Of work and sleep and stuff between
Note to self: near the rocks at the opening of the cove leading to the boathouse, there is a small spring. The spring water wears away the ice from below, so that the ice looks safe, but isn't. The water at that point is knee-deep.
On Friday afternoon, Miss Cassie came for a visit. We fed her, read to her, and tried to teach her to make a raspberry sound whenever she saw George Bush on the TV.
I didn't watch much of the Oscars. Lots of other folks have witty things to say, so I won't clutter the blogwaves. I'm glad that Wallace and Gromit won.
It's quite common in our business for people to work at home. Everyone has laptop computers. Most people have high-speed Internet connections at home. Add a cell phone or landline phone and you're all set to work. It can require extra effort to stay focused. A recent study has shown that many people find that they're more productive and less stressed in the, um, more casual environment.
According to this BBC news item, your sleep position can describe facets of your personality. The fellow who replaced me in a previous job not only slept in his office, but he snored. I guess sleeping in a office chair describes your future state as being unemployed.
Finally, these luncheon meats, ham and chicken in one package, pork in the other, are made with beef and mutton. And don't forget Purplo's, the purple sausage.
On Friday afternoon, Miss Cassie came for a visit. We fed her, read to her, and tried to teach her to make a raspberry sound whenever she saw George Bush on the TV.
I didn't watch much of the Oscars. Lots of other folks have witty things to say, so I won't clutter the blogwaves. I'm glad that Wallace and Gromit won.
It's quite common in our business for people to work at home. Everyone has laptop computers. Most people have high-speed Internet connections at home. Add a cell phone or landline phone and you're all set to work. It can require extra effort to stay focused. A recent study has shown that many people find that they're more productive and less stressed in the, um, more casual environment.
According to this BBC news item, your sleep position can describe facets of your personality. The fellow who replaced me in a previous job not only slept in his office, but he snored. I guess sleeping in a office chair describes your future state as being unemployed.
Finally, these luncheon meats, ham and chicken in one package, pork in the other, are made with beef and mutton. And don't forget Purplo's, the purple sausage.
Friday, March 03, 2006
It's snow, y'know, and it really should go
One time a friend asked me how I was doing.
"Fine," I said.
"Great. Why don't you tell your face?"
I'll never ridicule the Massachusetts Highway Department again. During yesterday's ride home from New York, through Connecticut, just a few of the 150 miles of highway were cleared of snow. Most roads had one, some two lanes covered with a slushy two or three iniches of snow. It had stopped snowing hours before, except for a few flurries. My fellow travelers were well-behaved, moving along at speeds appropriate to the rotten conditions. In a comparable snowfall last weekend, the Massachusetts crews laid down sand and psuedo-salt before the snow fell to ensure that drivers could get traction. Later, after the snow stopped, they used this marvelous contraption, and someone really should tell Connecticut about it, called a snow plow. It pushed snow off the roads. Can you believe it?
The folks in Aberdeenshire in Scotland have found a way to bring technology to their snow management tasks.
To be fair, the forecasts called for up to eight inches of snow. I counted two in New York and somewhat more in Connecticut. Fully half of the people in the New York office either stayed home or went home early. The office HR director sent mail at 11AM saying that people could go home if they wanted to. We were working hard and wanted to have lunch brought in. None of the area caterers were delivered because of the storm, so we went out. We worked through the afternoon and I left for home at 5:00.
At home we received an amount of snow that you could clear away with a sneeze.
On the ride home, I listened to Bonnie Raitt sing the John Prine masterpiece, Angel from Montgomery. If he wrote no other songs ever, I still say that he had a successful career with that one tune.
The latest in a series of web sites that explain grown-up things to kids: all about Dubai Ports Authority.
This guy may love Jesus, but not so much that he'd give up wireless broadband access.
If Geraldo Rivera and Madonna try to move to Israel, I don't know whether it's better for Israel not to let them in or not to let them out.
"Fine," I said.
"Great. Why don't you tell your face?"
I'll never ridicule the Massachusetts Highway Department again. During yesterday's ride home from New York, through Connecticut, just a few of the 150 miles of highway were cleared of snow. Most roads had one, some two lanes covered with a slushy two or three iniches of snow. It had stopped snowing hours before, except for a few flurries. My fellow travelers were well-behaved, moving along at speeds appropriate to the rotten conditions. In a comparable snowfall last weekend, the Massachusetts crews laid down sand and psuedo-salt before the snow fell to ensure that drivers could get traction. Later, after the snow stopped, they used this marvelous contraption, and someone really should tell Connecticut about it, called a snow plow. It pushed snow off the roads. Can you believe it?
The folks in Aberdeenshire in Scotland have found a way to bring technology to their snow management tasks.
To be fair, the forecasts called for up to eight inches of snow. I counted two in New York and somewhat more in Connecticut. Fully half of the people in the New York office either stayed home or went home early. The office HR director sent mail at 11AM saying that people could go home if they wanted to. We were working hard and wanted to have lunch brought in. None of the area caterers were delivered because of the storm, so we went out. We worked through the afternoon and I left for home at 5:00.
At home we received an amount of snow that you could clear away with a sneeze.
On the ride home, I listened to Bonnie Raitt sing the John Prine masterpiece, Angel from Montgomery. If he wrote no other songs ever, I still say that he had a successful career with that one tune.
The latest in a series of web sites that explain grown-up things to kids: all about Dubai Ports Authority.
This guy may love Jesus, but not so much that he'd give up wireless broadband access.
If Geraldo Rivera and Madonna try to move to Israel, I don't know whether it's better for Israel not to let them in or not to let them out.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Report from where the York is New
I've been sitting in meetings in a small room for two days, with another day to go. Naturally, my attention wanders.
The folks at Microsoft Research have come up with a way for you to read your email while dancing. It could be a happy dance or a stomp on that pointy-haired boss's idiotogram - your choice.
My automated search for a technical documentation job turned up a Supervisor of Housekeeping job in Oakland. "Maintain a high level of cleanliness in assigned areas." Yeah, that has my name on it. And, the job is made more attractive with "Will be exposed to chemicals on a constant basis requiring special clothing or safety equipment."
Sir Paul arrives on PEI to slay the dragons. No, wait, to protect the seals.
When you meet the Buddha, run away.
Dick Cheney wants one of these for Christmas.
When I walked out of the building after our meetings concluded at 7PM, the security guard was already sound asleep in his chair.
The folks at Microsoft Research have come up with a way for you to read your email while dancing. It could be a happy dance or a stomp on that pointy-haired boss's idiotogram - your choice.
My automated search for a technical documentation job turned up a Supervisor of Housekeeping job in Oakland. "Maintain a high level of cleanliness in assigned areas." Yeah, that has my name on it. And, the job is made more attractive with "Will be exposed to chemicals on a constant basis requiring special clothing or safety equipment."
Sir Paul arrives on PEI to slay the dragons. No, wait, to protect the seals.
When you meet the Buddha, run away.
Dick Cheney wants one of these for Christmas.
When I walked out of the building after our meetings concluded at 7PM, the security guard was already sound asleep in his chair.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
10 times 7
Sandra had been reading the local paper and had seen a classified ad for a black Lab. The dog had been in a shelter and the folks in the shelter couldn't keep him much longer. Day after day, Sandra read the ad and wondered aloud if we should take the dog. My mother was living with us. It would affect her more than anyone. Ever agreeable, my mother said that it was fine with her if we got a dog.
So, on the last night that he would be in the shelter, on the last night of February in 1997, we drove to West Brookfield to collect our new dog.
We named him Marley, after Bob Marley. The shelter didn't know his name. He was found wandered along the road some weeks before and taken to a pound. The pound went out of business and the shelter, affiliated with a vet's office, took him in. The staff nicknamed him Reebok because he always had a tennis ball in his mouth. They didn't know his exact age, but estimated that he was a year.
He was (and is) exuberant, affectionate unless you are a dog. We walked him around the building and knew before we were halfway around that we wanted him. We went to the office, settled up with the paperwork, and put him in the car. He showed his gratitude by eating the small plastic wastebasket in the back of my car.
And my mother was the one most affected. The two of them became best buds. She would make a large salad every afternoon for our evening meal. Marley came to like broccoli stalks, tops of the tomatoes, carrots, and pretty much every else except celery (unless it had salsa on it). She was the only one who could get him to sit and wait before diving into a bowl of whatever.
So, Happy 10th Birthday, Marley, whether it's today or some other day.
So, on the last night that he would be in the shelter, on the last night of February in 1997, we drove to West Brookfield to collect our new dog.
We named him Marley, after Bob Marley. The shelter didn't know his name. He was found wandered along the road some weeks before and taken to a pound. The pound went out of business and the shelter, affiliated with a vet's office, took him in. The staff nicknamed him Reebok because he always had a tennis ball in his mouth. They didn't know his exact age, but estimated that he was a year.
He was (and is) exuberant, affectionate unless you are a dog. We walked him around the building and knew before we were halfway around that we wanted him. We went to the office, settled up with the paperwork, and put him in the car. He showed his gratitude by eating the small plastic wastebasket in the back of my car.
And my mother was the one most affected. The two of them became best buds. She would make a large salad every afternoon for our evening meal. Marley came to like broccoli stalks, tops of the tomatoes, carrots, and pretty much every else except celery (unless it had salsa on it). She was the only one who could get him to sit and wait before diving into a bowl of whatever.
So, Happy 10th Birthday, Marley, whether it's today or some other day.
Monday, February 27, 2006
Bouncing around zero
This is one of the coldest mornings of the season, if not the coldest. The temperature touched zero before bouncing back up. It shot up to .5 and now sits at -.1. I received a digital thermometer as a gift last year, so this is its first winter with us. The outside sensor is about a meter off the ground on our fence. We didn't receive the snow that was predicted for Saturday, but the few inches that fell have made everything look fresh and clean.
Yesterday afternoon was full and, for the most part, fun. We went to Mike and Lynn's to celebrate Lynn's birthday. Several folks asked if it was going to be a big party. As we've noted before, what we might call a big party Mike and Lynn call lunch. A splendid time was had by all.
Afterwards, we went to my father's. He'd been having trouble with his garage door opener. The Jeep with the plow was on one side of the door and the driveway with the snow was on the other. He was finally able to get the door open, the driveway plowed, and the path to the wood pile cleared. He was tired, but doing well.
He was also subdued. His long-time friend, Arne, died yesterday morning. Arne was the last of my father's friend of the same age. Arne used to come to my father's house for coffee on Sunday mornings. He was a nice guy - soft-spoken with a good sense of humor.
The more I drive it, the more impressed I am with my Subaru. It has about 130,000 miles on it; there are dog hairs all over the inside and more than a few scratches on the outside. There are some rattles, but none that can't be overpowered with the radio. Yesterday we drove to the camp. The car walked up the hill through the fresh snow as though it was springtime.
We walked around the lake some. It was windy and very cold. In many places, the wind had blown the ice free of snow. On the southwest corner of our property we have a small pond, perhaps 40' square. We often forget that it's there, as we did yesterday, until we stepped onto the ice and slipped and nearly fell. Marley came running, slipped and tumbled, reminding us of how my mother would say that Marley enters a room like Kramer.
According to the folks at the Pew Research Center, I'd be happier if I was a Republican. Sometimes, as we know, the price of happiness is too high. (Here's more about the study.)
OK, I don't dispute that this trial program might be working. Nevertheless, the idea that you'd treat homeless alcoholics with maintenance doses of wine seems, well, seems loony to the eighth power. I'll grant that science sometimes proves that the obvious isn't true, proving, for example, that the Earth revolves around the sun when our eyes would tell us otherwise. But, still, I mean, c'mon.
Several people have mentioned that they have difficulty getting to the blogspot web site, either because of problems with their email or browsers or because their workplace is blocking such access. So, I will resume sending the full text of the journal entries in email. If you'd rather not receive these mailings, please let me know and I'll remove your name from the list with no further questions. Thanks.
Yesterday afternoon was full and, for the most part, fun. We went to Mike and Lynn's to celebrate Lynn's birthday. Several folks asked if it was going to be a big party. As we've noted before, what we might call a big party Mike and Lynn call lunch. A splendid time was had by all.
Afterwards, we went to my father's. He'd been having trouble with his garage door opener. The Jeep with the plow was on one side of the door and the driveway with the snow was on the other. He was finally able to get the door open, the driveway plowed, and the path to the wood pile cleared. He was tired, but doing well.
He was also subdued. His long-time friend, Arne, died yesterday morning. Arne was the last of my father's friend of the same age. Arne used to come to my father's house for coffee on Sunday mornings. He was a nice guy - soft-spoken with a good sense of humor.
The more I drive it, the more impressed I am with my Subaru. It has about 130,000 miles on it; there are dog hairs all over the inside and more than a few scratches on the outside. There are some rattles, but none that can't be overpowered with the radio. Yesterday we drove to the camp. The car walked up the hill through the fresh snow as though it was springtime.
We walked around the lake some. It was windy and very cold. In many places, the wind had blown the ice free of snow. On the southwest corner of our property we have a small pond, perhaps 40' square. We often forget that it's there, as we did yesterday, until we stepped onto the ice and slipped and nearly fell. Marley came running, slipped and tumbled, reminding us of how my mother would say that Marley enters a room like Kramer.
According to the folks at the Pew Research Center, I'd be happier if I was a Republican. Sometimes, as we know, the price of happiness is too high. (Here's more about the study.)
OK, I don't dispute that this trial program might be working. Nevertheless, the idea that you'd treat homeless alcoholics with maintenance doses of wine seems, well, seems loony to the eighth power. I'll grant that science sometimes proves that the obvious isn't true, proving, for example, that the Earth revolves around the sun when our eyes would tell us otherwise. But, still, I mean, c'mon.
Several people have mentioned that they have difficulty getting to the blogspot web site, either because of problems with their email or browsers or because their workplace is blocking such access. So, I will resume sending the full text of the journal entries in email. If you'd rather not receive these mailings, please let me know and I'll remove your name from the list with no further questions. Thanks.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Winter tries again
The earthquake that rumbled through Upper Canada last night was not the ruling on the Blackberry. The judge deferred a decision, although it remains likely that the court will order Blackberry to stop using the technology in question. The Ottawa area, meanwhile, had a real earthquake, magnitude 4.5. Maybe it's retribution for the easy passage that, according to Bill O'Reilly, Canada offers to "Muslim crazies."
For a couple of days, the weather forecasters have been saying that we'll have light snow today. Just a few minutes ago, the National Weather Service sent out a heavy snow warning for up to 8".
If you're going to have a donut in Massachusetts, make it a Boston Cream. It is, after all, our official donut.
Bill Clinton has established a foundation in his own name, William J. Clinton Foundation, to do lots of good things around the world. Even better, he's hiring interns.
Yesterday afternoon I had to make it across town and little spare time. I don't think of myself as a fast driver until I get behind someone who's doing the speed limit.
According to this study, we say that we dislike meetings at work, but secretly, we think they're kinda ok.
Happy Birthday, Lynn.
For a couple of days, the weather forecasters have been saying that we'll have light snow today. Just a few minutes ago, the National Weather Service sent out a heavy snow warning for up to 8".
If you're going to have a donut in Massachusetts, make it a Boston Cream. It is, after all, our official donut.
Bill Clinton has established a foundation in his own name, William J. Clinton Foundation, to do lots of good things around the world. Even better, he's hiring interns.
Yesterday afternoon I had to make it across town and little spare time. I don't think of myself as a fast driver until I get behind someone who's doing the speed limit.
According to this study, we say that we dislike meetings at work, but secretly, we think they're kinda ok.
Happy Birthday, Lynn.
Friday, February 24, 2006
Black Friday?
Well, today will lead to something. NTP and RIM will be in court today to hear the judge's ruling on a possible shutdown of Blackberry services in the U.S. There are lots of stray threads on this one, any one of which could change the outcome of the case. So, we'll watch the news wires and, more importantly, that little red light on the top of the Blackberry that says we have new mail.
Bunny Wailer was part of Bob Marley's band before starting a solo career in the mid-70s. On the way to work the other day, I heard Wailer perform that old folk standard "This Train." There's one reader on this list who will cringe when thinking about that song. He and I lived through the Great Folk Music Scare of the 60s. We sang "This Train" so often and sometimes so not well that we sent the song into permanent exile.
I attended a product strategy presentation yesterday. The senior program manager was using a set of marketing slides. One of the slides showed three people in a pyramid (teamwork). The PM said, of the people on the bottom of the pyramid,"These two are basically women."
Indeed.com is a job search site. You can see trends regarding various jobs, based on keywords that you provide. This chart, for example, plots the jobs that match the keywords "village idiot" and "Massachusetts". Although trending slightly downward, prospects are mostly steady.
Every once in a while, I'm asked about my hobbies. I usually mumbles sometting about music and maybe computers and related technology. These hobbies can get a bit expensive, but they're mostly harmless and don't creep people out, not like this mole trap collector.
Bunny Wailer was part of Bob Marley's band before starting a solo career in the mid-70s. On the way to work the other day, I heard Wailer perform that old folk standard "This Train." There's one reader on this list who will cringe when thinking about that song. He and I lived through the Great Folk Music Scare of the 60s. We sang "This Train" so often and sometimes so not well that we sent the song into permanent exile.
I attended a product strategy presentation yesterday. The senior program manager was using a set of marketing slides. One of the slides showed three people in a pyramid (teamwork). The PM said, of the people on the bottom of the pyramid,"These two are basically women."
Indeed.com is a job search site. You can see trends regarding various jobs, based on keywords that you provide. This chart, for example, plots the jobs that match the keywords "village idiot" and "Massachusetts". Although trending slightly downward, prospects are mostly steady.
Every once in a while, I'm asked about my hobbies. I usually mumbles sometting about music and maybe computers and related technology. These hobbies can get a bit expensive, but they're mostly harmless and don't creep people out, not like this mole trap collector.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)