10:51 – Happy Labor Day. It’s a well-named holiday, because every year Barbara and I spend the whole Labor Day weekend working. At this point, we’re working desperately to get subassemblies built so that we can build more kits so that we can ship queued-up orders.
Barbara has started watching series three of Reven8e. I’ll kind of pay attention when it’s on because I’ll watch Emily VanCamp in almost anything. We were sitting in the den yesterday (working, of course) with the US Open on. Maria Sharapova was in the process of losing her match to the Danish girl. At first, I didn’t recognize Maria as herself. I honestly thought it was Emily VanCamp on the court, and wondered what she was doing playing tennis at the US Open. From certain angles, Sharapova and VanCamp look not just similar but like identical twins. Even from angles where they don’t look identical, they look like sisters. Their builds are also similar. Both are tall and slender and built like tennis players.
Last night, Barbara watched another episode of Reven8e. As soon as Emily appeared on screen, I of course commented, “Boy, she looks like Maria Sharapova.” The one difference I noticed was that Emily has very slender arms, whereas Maria is noticeably more muscular.
This is ‘no labor’ day for me. Last day of rest and save-up before 2 weeks of intense activity, with not all of that financially remunerative. The Roadmaster has problems with the security system. It refuses to allow me to start the car, saying I have the wrong key. Only problem is that I am using the one and only key matched to that car in recent work that involved changing the ignition switch — never mind the recent fiascos, this car was manufactured in 1994. I suppose the ignition could have worn out in 20 years, but nevertheless, changing the ignition requires changing the passkey coding.
So I am in a rental car this week. That is happening too many times, so I am out looking to replace the Roadmaster. According to my research, 1994 was the last year of mass manufacturing for Roadmasters, although they did make a model called the Roadmaster Limited until about 1998. I think it was just a Buick Limited that they plastered the name Roadmaster on, for those diehard Roadmaster buyers who were incensed that the Roadmaster was going out of production for the second time.
Anyway, Buick could not sell anywhere near all of them produced for 1994, so they just called the leftovers 1995 models (that is what mine is titled as, even though its tracks indicate clearly that it was manufactured in July 1994). Have a guy lined up who is a collector and hopefully will buy the car from me, either for restoration or as parts for another Roadmaster in his collection. He has several, some dating back to the 1950’s.
Nothing I have rented compares with the ride I get in that Roadmaster. My barber, who restores antique ’50’s cars, describes it as ‘floating’. Yeah, it does. I did not even notice that I-70 between Tiny Town and Indy has a stretch that is like being bounced up and down for about a mile and a half. I definitely found out about that stretch in the Honda Accord I am renting. Hopefully, the SUV’s I am looking at will ride better than the Accord.
I will be lucky to get the Roadmaster back this week.
I was glad to hear Sharapova got knocked out of the tournament. I hate her screeching. The WTA should ban it.
Oh man, I agree 200% – I hate the screeching or grunting with every shot. Once in a while, sure, it happens, but all the time? Really irritating.
There is actually a rule that the sound has to end by the time the ball is over the net, but some players regularly violate this. Maybe the opponent has to complain?
“Last day of rest and save-up before 2 weeks of intense activity…”
Ditto. With Mrs. OFD gone again, this time to Kalifornia and then the Syracuse, NY area.
On womens’ tennis; there was a player twenty years ago that did that loud grunt thing on every shot and it was very annoying. Can’t remember her name; first wife was a pretty good college player and we went to womens’ matches all the time, esp. the so-called Virginia Slims Tournament stuff. We once bumped into Navratilova and her then-gf coming out of a hotel elevator down in Woostuh. And it was fun watching the doubles matches with the Twin Towers, one German and one Czech, with the former occasionally shouting “scheiss!”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claudia_Kohde-Kilsch
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helena_Sukov%C3%A1
Achtung, MrAtoz!
Leavenworth could be lookin’ pretty good about now….?
“The Al Qaeda English language online magazine is now suggesting targets for Lone Wolf terror attacks. Among them listed are Times Square, Las Vegas and the Air Force Academy.”
http://denver.cbslocal.com/2014/08/29/al-qaeda-reportedly-targeting-the-air-force-academy/
Bright, that. Ensure that the people who have the capability to bomb you back into the gravel age, also have the will to go on and reduce gravel to dust.
Scheiße für Gehirne
Indeed. And there will be no questioning of such an enterprise ever again, assuming there has ever been one. The problem becomes that those creatures live and work and plan among ordinary schmuck citizens who want nothing more than to get through the day with themselves, their families and their property intact, much like we do.
Rather than bombing indiscriminately, a la shades of Dresden, Cologne, and Tokyo, on mostly civvie populations, what about building teams of operator assassins like we already have with Seals and Delta and cutting off the Hydra’s heads as fast as they pop up? In other words, a cooperative international police-detective and rapid-strike effort instead of Second-Generation failures repeated, ad infinitum, ad nauseum.
Here is where we could work something together with the Russians and the Chinese, who have already gotten a similar taste of these bastards in their own countries.
Not gonna happen, though; we’ll wait until they hit us hard again and then rinse and repeat the Iraq/Afghan scenarios. While ratcheting up the police-prison state here.
Orwell was only thirty years off.
When I’m inclined to watch women’s tennis I just turn down the volume.
Ditto. With Mrs. OFD gone again, this time to Kalifornia and then the Syracuse, NY area.
MrsAtoz off this am to Omaha, San Antone, Philly, back to Vegas. Then a week after that out for 5 weeks. Mrs. OFD and MrsAtoz have probably crossed paths several times, Mr. OFD.
Leavenworth could be lookin’ pretty good about now….?
And I just put in that rice patty. Bought two Jet Skis. In ground infinity pool. Damn Mooslims!
Yes, Mr. OFD, Leavenworth is looking good. My Bro lives in Port Orchard, WA. Maybe we’ll move there and start a family commune when the Mooslims arrive in Vegas. Nothing like safety in numbers (when it’s your own family).
Good policy, sir; wish I’d thought of it back then, but of course no way to turn it down at live matches. Scheiss!
It used to be considered unsportsmanlike conduct to make any sound on a tennis court while the ball was in play: grunts, squeals, etc. etc. were all forbidden on the basis that they might distract your opponent.
I have been at courtside watching matches between and I have also played against some of the most powerful hitters in the history of tennis, and not one of them made noise when striking the ball. It’s simply gratuitous.
x-posted with Colonel Atoz. Damn.
“Mrs. OFD and MrsAtoz have probably crossed paths several times, Mr. OFD.”
Quite likely; Mrs. OFD has been doing this gig for about five or six years now; she logs countless FF miles and uses them to schlep Princess all over the hemisphere and Europe.
“Maybe we’ll move there…”
Not familiar with that area in Washington but it might actually be preferable to Leavenworth; either is, compared to Lost Wages.
Hey science dudes, is this possible?
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2014/08/28/found_the_islamic_state_terror_laptop_of_doom_bubonic_plague_weapons_of_mass_destruction_exclusive
Rather than bombing indiscriminately, a la shades of Dresden, Cologne, and Tokyo, on mostly civvie populations, what about building teams of operator assassins like we already have with Seals and Delta and cutting off the Hydra’s heads as fast as they pop up? In other words, a cooperative international police-detective and rapid-strike effort instead of Second-Generation failures repeated, ad infinitum, ad nauseum.
Nope, we, the world, are heading towards a Muslim Europe. Futurologist Tom Kratman, ok ok, scifi writer, has chronicled his vision of Old Europe joining the middle eastern Caliphate to fight the great Satan:
http://www.amazon.com/Caliphate-Tom-Kratman/dp/1439133425
Warning, it is not a pretty read. It is downright unnerving and a view of a world gone dark.
“…and I have also played against some of the most powerful hitters in the history of tennis…”
Could you have met a serve from Martina? I couldn’t even see the damn ball when she hit it. Once saw her spin 360 degrees in mid-air and smack dat ting beyond reach of her opponent. Several doubles matches with Pam Shriver were awesome.
First wife and I also got to see matches played on grass, as at Longwood, in Chestnut Hill, MA.
“Warning, it is not a pretty read. It is downright unnerving and a view of a world gone dark.”
Who needs sci-fi or fantasy when we have the real world and real history staring us in the face hourly now?
In any case, an Islamicized Old Europe, combined with all billion hadjis, could still not defeat this industrialized Western juggernaut, not until industrial civilization itself falls apart, probably with the decline and eventual loss of cheap fossil energy.
Weaponizing bubonic plague, anthrax, etc.? Sure, it’s possible, assuming you have competent people to do it. That’s a big assumption when it comes to islam. Not many science papers come out of the islamic world. As a matter of fact, there are universities in the US and UK that put out more serious science papers every year than all islamic countries combined do. Not to mention winning more Nobel and similar prizes.
I actually hope they try it. If you wake up one morning and the headlines are about a bubonic plague epidemic raging in islam-land, you’ll know they tried it.
“If you wake up one morning and the headlines are about a bubonic plague epidemic raging in islam-land, you’ll know they tried it.”
Thanks, I needed a laugh today.
In any case, an Islamicized Old Europe, combined with all billion hadjis, could still not defeat this industrialized Western juggernaut, not until industrial civilization itself falls apart, probably with the decline and eventual loss of cheap fossil energy.
Definitely could not defeat the USA. However, a war of attrition would be a very bad thing for the world and the USA. Think of WWII going on for 30 years with the USA relegated to island status.
also have the will to go on and reduce gravel to dust.
Or dust into glass.
Molten glass.
Then vapor.
“Think of WWII going on for 30 years with the USA relegated to island status.”
I am pretty much of the opinion that we are at the tail end of another Hundred Years War, beginning with Sarajevo. And mostly remaining in that same island status throughout. We’re now going through a relatively new phase in warfare, whether we like it or not, or are prepared for it or not; Fourth-Generation; see William S. Lind’s writing on this, and also the late Air Force Colonel John Boyd:
http://www.lewrockwell.com/author/william-s-lind/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Boyd_(military_strategist)
I am pretty much of the opinion that we are at the tail end of another Hundred Years War, beginning with Sarajevo.
I disagree. I think that we are seeing a pause in the European takeover effort by the Muslims. The Muslims are currently building their numbers and will start the takeover of Europe, probably in the next 20 to 30 years. They may even go for a political takeover at first and save the military takeover for later.
You’ve now got Jews fleeing Europe for the USA and Israel again. To me, that is a bad sign that the authorities are either ineffective or do not care.
http://www.newsweek.com/2014/08/08/exodus-why-europes-jews-are-fleeing-once-again-261854.html
Weaponizing bubonic plague, anthrax, etc.?
Bioweapons are not as easy as people think. If you want to infect people, you have to get them to inhale enough of the agent to infect them. That means making an aerosol that will stay in the air for a long time. Plague in particular has to be the pneumonic strain to be used in that fashion. When the Japanese tried to weaponize it in WWII, they had a bomb spread infected fleas. So, you need to raise infected fleas without killing the lab staff and everyone around them – and it doesn’t work well. For anthrax and other agents, the key problem is taking the culture and milling it fine enough to aerosolize it without destroying it. Apparently not easy to do.
I’d say that it’s more likely that terrorists would try to use chemical agents – they are pretty straightforward to make, and can be easily dispersed. But, they aren’t as effective as you might think from TV. The Japan subway attacks in 1995 are instructive, as there were few deaths despite using the agent in an enclosed space.
“To me, that is a bad sign that the authorities are either ineffective or do not care.”
Don’t forget the third choice: they welcome it enthusiastically. Some of them honest enough to say so.
Don’t forget the third choice: they welcome it enthusiastically. Some of them honest enough to say so.
Very true, Muslims are a voting bloc also. We are even seeing that in the USA, I have seen notes about it around Minneapolis if I remember correctly.
More on my foray into Linux and last post for a while as I duck and run.
Rot is not limited to Windows. I finally switched all my audio work back to the Windows computer. Audacity on Mint 17 suffered increasing weirdness ranging from sudden crashes to playing smaller selected (marked) sections of audio at lower volumes than longer pieces, and finally putting a pop at every edit — at both in and out points. Except for the pops, which started appearing suddenly one day last week, it was a slowly building thing. It is clear that having more than one program with an audio part to it (like VLC player) affects other open audio programs, like Audacity. This does not happen in Windows (at least to me). However, it was the pops that were the final straw that made me return to Windows.
A little research on CentOS indicates that it is, indeed, oriented to Enterprise work, as OFD noted, with the principal drawback being that desktop features, like Office apps, do not come with useful repositories automatically attached. That differs from the desktop-oriented distros like Debian and its derivatives — including all the Ubuntus and Mint — which have most everything a home or office user needs, all set to go in software repositories already entered and ready to install.
There is a CentOS distro maintained by one guy, which attaches all those useful softwares (I’m going world language here) and it is called Stella. Get more info on Stella from this Croatian guy who raves about it:
http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/stella-linux.html
An older article of his on how to pimp out CentOS for a nice office-productive desktop is here:
http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/centos-desktop-cool.html
I decided I am not going to move to CentOS on the current Linux laptop. It took 3 whole days to figure out how to install the Mint 17 OS on a mere 20gb of SSD memory grafted permanently to the motherboard, and use the spinning drive for data storage, and I really do not feel like tackling that with a Red Hat derivative. Some might remember my foray into Red Hat way back around 2003, which ended badly after about 6 weeks of trying. I am cringing just thinking about repeating that. But it appears clear that the radio automation runs defect-free on CentOS, while other distros have a never-ending supply of problems with it. At the moment, getting that running without hitches is one of my highest priorities.
By now, it is pretty clear that while I can move a good portion of my work to Linux, I cannot move everything there without suffering significant productivity losses, which I am not going to tolerate. Outside of sound and video, there are only a few bothersome bugs, and I will continue to use Linux as my main daily OS for the usual mail, surfing, and IM apps.
Sigh.
http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2014/09/in-cambridge-md-a-soviet-style-punishment-for-a-novelist/379431/
You’ve got to be kidding. Well, I wish you were kidding. The Daily Kos notes that the book in question was written three years ago, while the guy was still in college. So now he gets investigated as an imminent threat?
It’s for the children.
Wow, the education bureaucracy found a three year old e-book! Maybe they aren’t as incompetent as I thought? On second thought, they’re probably even less competent than I thought.
Chuck, thanks for documenting your experiences with Linux. I find your writings very helpful, mostly because you actually try to use the OS and apps, whereas most writers and reviewers have much more shallow experiences. I have come to a similar conclusion: I can’t make do with just Windows or Linux. Both are good, but some things are better on each.
I started to read the Dedoimedo links you posted, but will have to wait until I have time. I discovered his reviews a few years ago, and like his insights. Always wondered where he is from, but never took the time to look. Some of my ancestors were Croatian; no wonder I like his stuff!