Friday, December 31, 2021
It Would Be A Better World If
Tuesday, December 28, 2021
Michigan State University Cyclotron Story
As an undergrad, I hung around an anti-nuclear group at MSU (...and this is not a pronuke/antinuke story, let's just not go there, I promise there's a politically neutral punch line coming ...). Most of us had a certain look - we were skinny young men who had discovered the pleasure of letting our hair grow out and not shaving. Good times!
I was the rare social sciences student in the group; most of the others were into engineering or physics (...and loved to talk about stuff that sounded to me like the grown-ups in a Charlie Brown movie WAWK-WAWK-WAWK! ... their enthusiasm was wonderful, but I digress...
) They were also very good at organizing events - flow charts may have been involved.
At the last meeting I attended, the floor was open for discussion. A guy in the back, wearing the canonical flannel shirt and bluejeans, but with a crewcut and the sort of shoulder muscles you don't get at a keyboard, said, "Hey let's shut down the cyclotron!"
The Chair (physics) looked at the Vice-Chair (engineering). The Vice-Chair looked at the Chair. "Why would anyone do that"?
I have never before or since seen a room in which so many eyes rolled back in their heads ....
) They were also very good at organizing events - flow charts may have been involved.
At the last meeting I attended, the floor was open for discussion. A guy in the back, wearing the canonical flannel shirt and bluejeans, but with a crewcut and the sort of shoulder muscles you don't get at a keyboard, said, "Hey let's shut down the cyclotron!"
The Chair (physics) looked at the Vice-Chair (engineering). The Vice-Chair looked at the Chair. "Why would anyone do that"?
Crewcut: "It's nuclear, right?"
I have never before or since seen a room in which so many eyes rolled back in their heads ....
I still don't understand physics beyond the comicbook level, but I learned a valuable lesson that day:
Whether you're an agent provocateur for Lyndon La Rouche or merely gathering information for the Michigan State Police, it's super important to get your hair right.
Monday, December 27, 2021
Sunday, December 26, 2021
Home And Cozy
Evening Photo:
Nature is just saying: slow down!
Morning Photo, before the bulk of the snow:
I used the camera flash in the show, resulting in an interesting effect, then I went inside for coffee.
Friday, December 24, 2021
Merry Trashmas!
I put in quite some time with my camera on a tripod, trying to get the pose and the framing just right, but was never satisfied. Fortunately, a couple of people came by walking a dog, and one of them took this photo for me. Thanks!
I also recorded a video for Stage Time University - let's see if it works here: https://www.facebook.com/rewinn/videos/733633511374021/
Thanks to the City of Seattle for the nice garbage bags, grabber and gloves, which supplied the equipment as part of its initiative to support neighborhood cleanup, and to the Facebook Group A Clearer Alki, which got the stuff to me. Neighborhood works!
Thursday, December 23, 2021
Today In The War On Christmas
The end cap at the dollar store today has Valentine's Day gear! I used an app that shows the photo's date and time just to emphasize this point. While Christmas was overrunning Thanksgiving and heading for Halloween, Valentine's Day struck!!!
Wednesday, December 22, 2021
Winnie Weaves: My Niece's Awesome Artwork!
Too late for Christmas but ... if you want a custom piece of fiber art as a gift or for yourself, my wonderful niece[*] Stephanie Tilmon at Winnie Weaves is your first choice!
(See also her facebook page)
(See also her facebook page)
[*]ALL my nieces are wonderful, they are just wonderful in different ways!
You can call me a tree hugger, I don't mind!
Monday, December 20, 2021
Not Christmas Tomatoes
I saw these on my walk. They're pretty but I don't know what they are. Someone suggested goji berries or Jerusalem cherry.
Thursday, December 16, 2021
I'd better stock up while it's on sale!
But ... I've worked for large institutions before. Maybe that's the issue?
Anyway I took the bottles to the cash register with a photo and got the lower price. I don't think the clerk sent to have the issue resolved on the shelf - all they had to do was cover up the lower price, but what the heck
Thursday, November 25, 2021
Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner Packs
I neatly labelled everything with trimming from postcard stamps generated on the machine at the post office. This is better than the blue painter's tape, since I can use a ballpoint that doesn't smear like the sharpie did on the tape.
The door has a whole row of lasagna. Each is a good meal size!
Notice that the turkey is the first meat I've purchased all year (not counting the incidental meat in the lasagna). I am a mostly plant-based eater, although I enjoy a couple of cans of tuna a week, and I recently rediscovered how very much I enjoy hard boiled eggs! I dont really miss steak or pork chops, and the environmental benefits are good.
Sunday, November 21, 2021
Moot Court Presiding Judge Day
Today I served as Presiding Judge at a Moot Court session of the Emerald City Open at University of Washington School of Law.
It's a grand title but the major qualifications are to be a lawyer and to volunteer for the gig. I was happy to do it, because the student contestants need people to fill the roles. I am quite competent firmly and succinctly directing the counselor-contestants to be seated, begin, state their objection, respond, and to allow a reasonable amoung of debate (because debating objections is a major part of the competition) and then giving a quick ruling. I am very pleased that the Scoring Judges, who had actual trial experience, told me that my rulings sounded reasonable.
This was a thoroughly positive experience. These young students (undergraduates, not in law school) are thorough, quick and smart. We got to chat some afterwords and I was able to share some tips based on my speaking experience. I also learned who valuable it was to mention my WPTL work, since one of the Scoring Judges basically offered to talk about his practical human rights work. It pays to talk proudly about these things!
Sunday, October 31, 2021
Monday, October 18, 2021
Election of the Doge, Barony of Septentria, SCA
 |
| Septemtrian 300 Ducat coin, 5.4 cm (about 2.1 in.) |
Renaissance Venice being a republic ruled by the wealthy, the rules for voting were simple: whoever amassed the most ducats won the office - for is not the accumulation of wealth, by any means whatsoever, the surest sign of
both ability and divine favor?
All who signed the event book got a stack of ducats to do with as they pleased:
* Wager on battles, arts contests, etc,
* Pay fighters to switch sides mid-battle,
* Purchase promise of public office,
* Anything really.
The sun shone as if approving on a glorious day of combat, contest, politicking and haggling. Factions quarreled, negotiated, and merged behind a few candidates. Glorious!
At Court that evening, the Baron called for The Accounting. The leading candidate produced a suspiciously large pile (but there was no rule against amassing wealth by suspicious means.) The Baron stood to proclaim the new Doge.
A voice rang out, "Wait!"
The last remaining opposition candidate strode forward and spilled an even larger pile of ducats on the floor!
"Count them both!" ordered the Baron. A helpful bystander lept to help each candidate count.
Much to his surprise, the challenger was found to have far fewer ducats than he had calculated. The other candidate was awarded the robe of the Doge and a mighty feast was held!
Afterward, it was observed that the volunteer counting the challenger's pile was a close friend of the winner. Did this not demonstrate the wisdom of the new Doge?
Thursday, October 14, 2021
Most Useful Photo
When they write about their situation, maybe they are asking for a moment of humanity. A quick supportive response costs nothing but a few seconds, but I feel words are not enough. Images do more than words so I like to include an original photo of my own, not just something I found on the web.
To judge by the reaction, these are greatly appreciated and - as I said - it takes only a few seconds.
Try it!
Thursday, June 24, 2021
It's Not All About Money
Today I could do a lot of mystery shops; the money is adequate and useful. But it's not all about money; I need to live life as well. So I am going to do one and let the others worry about themselves.
I actually enjoy going places, meeting people, and that part of the shop; I'm not interested in the drudgery detail which is understandably necessary. I did one gas shop today, then went home.
Zumba at 5:30 was live an enjoyable.
During it I thought of my next joke for my facebook group "Garak is love. Garak is life. Garak is queer.":
Naturally I had qualms because the episode 3 line "A bit of both" also refers to Loki's orientation, and I do not want to unnecessarily upset people of that oritentation but it was used first in episode 1 I figured most people would understand that to be the reference, especially if I published right away while many people would not have seen ep3.
I'm getting a whole lot of positive feedback from this, which is gratifying. It was a nice challenge crafting the letters from the materials available using only MSPaint!
Sunday, June 20, 2021
Happy Father's Day
I was happy to get a loving Father's Day wish from Kiara. It made me happy.
Otherwise, I believe that the only person I spoke with today was rain rain, when I stopped by to see about the plants she was giving away.
Sunday, May 23, 2021
Some Weeks Of Photos
I have gotten out of the habit of posting daily, but I still takes pictures every day so perhaps that is almost as good as a record.
Sunday, May 02, 2021
Monthly Cat Care
Today 5/1/2021
- Ginny
- 12 pounds
- Imp
- 8.2 pounds
- Shadow
- Weight 10 pounds exactly
- Flea Treatment
- Note: Shadow calls very often - when she's at the water dish, but mostly to take me to her pillow in the office and demand treats. She eats a lot of wet food and dry food. She likes being brushed on back and side, but not on chest or belly where there are small mats.
 |
| Ginny's has a straight back over her forepart and a rounded back over her belly. Does it mean anything? |
 |
| Ginny is active and curious She has a mark on the left side as if that eye were draining but it's always there |
 |
| Imp's eyes seem clear She is active and playful |
 |
| Shadow is much more vocal and demands more treats than she used to |
Friday, April 30, 2021
City Of Nightmares: My Bookclub Reads "City Of Dreams"
The first book we read for the West Seattle Time Bank book club was "City of Dreams" b Beverly Swerling.
When I first heard we were going to read "City of Dreams" I was excited because taht history (by Tyler Anbinder) looked like an interesting!. Then I learned that, no, it was going to be the historical novel.
Well, ok. I ordered it through Pegasus and marched through it. I wrote This Review.
"For a book with "Dreams" in the title, it was mostly a nightmare. None of the characters had much in the way of redeeming qualities except for the capacity to endure pain, of which there was a lot. Every character who is not almost immediately killed or raped is unlikeable. The American revolutionaries are slavers, the British loyalists liked to spank their prostitutes. The Europe-training doctors killed their patients with ineffective medicines and the surgeons killed their patients by experimenting on them. All in all, "City of Dreams" is not a place we'd want to visit.
It might have been worth touring this nightmare if there had been something like a plot or if it had been a reliable vehicle for learning history (after all, much of history involves a lot of pain.) However, the only plot-like structure is that the mixed-race child of a rape was so enraged at the casual racism of being rejected for marriage due to her heritage, that she engaged in a multigenerational revenge (despite a subsequent highly successful marriage) that did not actually accomplish much except the crippling of a completely innocent uncle. That is not a very interesting plot because there is no suspense or direction to the revenge.
As for history: in the afternotes we read that the author studied period medical notes and therefore we can trust the gory details. Otherwise we are left guessing as to what is is real and what is invented. Did colonists torture slaves? Probably yes. Did a privateer and pirate get captured by the British during a hopeless attempt to save Nathan Hale from hanging? Probably not. Was there really a "Women of Conmara" society of herbalists? We learn in the notes the answer is "no". What events and details can we trust? It's too much trouble to figure out.
So: we can't read this for history. We can't read it for character. We can't read it for plot. I read it because our book club chose it because it's cover blurb said it was a "perfect historical novel" ... and that is a lesson in itself."
Well, ok. I ordered it through Pegasus and marched through it. I wrote This Review.
"For a book with "Dreams" in the title, it was mostly a nightmare. None of the characters had much in the way of redeeming qualities except for the capacity to endure pain, of which there was a lot. Every character who is not almost immediately killed or raped is unlikeable. The American revolutionaries are slavers, the British loyalists liked to spank their prostitutes. The Europe-training doctors killed their patients with ineffective medicines and the surgeons killed their patients by experimenting on them. All in all, "City of Dreams" is not a place we'd want to visit.
It might have been worth touring this nightmare if there had been something like a plot or if it had been a reliable vehicle for learning history (after all, much of history involves a lot of pain.) However, the only plot-like structure is that the mixed-race child of a rape was so enraged at the casual racism of being rejected for marriage due to her heritage, that she engaged in a multigenerational revenge (despite a subsequent highly successful marriage) that did not actually accomplish much except the crippling of a completely innocent uncle. That is not a very interesting plot because there is no suspense or direction to the revenge.
As for history: in the afternotes we read that the author studied period medical notes and therefore we can trust the gory details. Otherwise we are left guessing as to what is is real and what is invented. Did colonists torture slaves? Probably yes. Did a privateer and pirate get captured by the British during a hopeless attempt to save Nathan Hale from hanging? Probably not. Was there really a "Women of Conmara" society of herbalists? We learn in the notes the answer is "no". What events and details can we trust? It's too much trouble to figure out.
So: we can't read this for history. We can't read it for character. We can't read it for plot. I read it because our book club chose it because it's cover blurb said it was a "perfect historical novel" ... and that is a lesson in itself."
This seemed to be the general conscensus of the book club - we did not especially like it, but wanted to try another book. Next month it'll be "The Hotel At The Corner Of Bitter And Sweet". Wish us luck!
Thursday, April 29, 2021
St Ed's Preview
I, along with many other alumni, were invited to a preview of The Lodge At St Edward Park.
I walked around with Tom Boulanger for a while, then sat in the Refectory (which has a new name) at a table with a guy who seemed to know a lot; employees kept asking him questions and he'd give directions. Just to make conversation, I asked how had he connected with St. Ed's and he revealed that he was Daniels. Ha! the force behind this renovation is a genuinely nice guy.
Later John Pinette came along and we chatted briefly; I saw a few others but it was time to go. I'll be back.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)