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Who is Brer Vole?
Feb. 1st, 2010
09:23 am - modern cars are really annoying and the indicator panels distracting.
Far to often while I'm trying to concentrate on a winding road, the panel flashes that my wheels are slipping. There's a light related to RPMs, the door being ajar and that the fuel is low (its all on the side of the tank!). Then there's this annoying beeper that forces me to take my eyes off the road and fasten the seat belt behind me as I need to be able to move freely side to side to remain vertical. To top it off, there's this power hungry check engine light that causes the car to de-accelerate and activates some annoying attention grabbing mechanism that vibrates the whole car.
My inspiration at "61 00:03:04,460 --> 00:03:06,330"
http://blog.tempwin.net/store/subs/T
And http://lolbeavers.mit.edu/images/medial
May. 3rd, 2009
12:52 pm - so angry im trembling.
Was curious to see what FTL upto these days - and then I opened a Pandora's box of government abuse.
First there is the case of Sam Dobson in Keene. Sam is a reporter that detained in the lobby of a Keene courtroom - and is now held for 2+ weeks for taking the 5th.
http://freekeene.com/2009/04/21/why-i
FTL has a phone interview with Sam:
http://media.libsyn.com/media/ftl/FTL20
Then there's the video of the (semi drunk) naked man at some arts festiable.
http://vimeo.com/4273363?pg=embed&sec=
Last week I watched an episode of 24 where Jack Bower used a Taser on a prisoner, and he was arrested for use of torture ...
Jan. 20th, 2009
11:59 am - A historic day
http://www.newhampshirefreepress.com/NH
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pessimisticOct. 29th, 2007
Jun. 17th, 2007
08:53 pm - boring bike stuff / hub motor dreams
A new level of tied.... I took the long way to work (yes Sunday afternoon). First I head out to Waldon pond, then go north/east on 62 until it hooks up with 3A. This takes me to mystic lake / Arlington and then onto Cambridge. Its only 41 miles - but I guess I rode hard.
( Read more... )
May. 21st, 2007
01:11 pm - No barcode, no party, no ID, no beers
Last summer I stopped carrying my out of state driver's license that expired in 2004. Despite the expiration date - it continued to serve a useful purpose every except the road.
Over the past few months I've been getting out to the kinds of places need proof of age to enter. Do you know I'm ~40 (I guess I look like (ack) I'm in my 20s still.) Fortunately, most of these places either just let me in when I appeal to reason or showed them a patient ID for Mass General that has my DOB.
Yet Saturday I tried to buy wine - and two credit cards, a MGH and two photo IDs wouldn't do it. The attendant pointed out that we have to run your bar codes though the machine.
I think its time for me to make own ID. I think I'll be from DPRK.
"Go back to bed America. Your government is in control again! You are free - to do as we tell you!" -Freeland
May. 18th, 2007
03:57 pm - But Who Was Right – Rudy or Ron?
Buchanan much to my surprise has an interesting essay over at antiwar.com.
"Ron Paul is no TV debater. But up on that stage in Columbia, he was speaking intolerable truths. Understandably, Republicans do not want him back, telling the country how the party blundered into this misbegotten war.
By all means, throw out of the debate the only man who was right from the beginning on Iraq."
----
A few weeks ago Justin Raimondo wrote this:
Ron Paul's Goldwater Moment : He's a Republican, he's antiwar – and the Establishment is deathly afraid of him
----
Hopefully enough people will hear Paul's message before elements of the major media destroy him....
May. 15th, 2007
12:30 pm - interval training
SOME gymgoers are tortoises. They prefer to take their sweet time, leisurely pedaling or ambling along on a treadmill. Others are hares, impatiently racing through miles at high intensity.
Each approach offers similar health benefits: lower risk of heart disease, protection against Type 2 diabetes, and weight loss.
But new findings suggest that for at least one workout a week it pays to be both tortoise and hare — alternating short bursts of high-intensity exercise with easy-does-it recovery.
( Read more... )
Mar. 15th, 2007
12:29 pm
Slashdot linked to a story about how 'global warming' is also occurring on Mars.
Its only a matter of time until man is blamed for this to!
Jan. 1st, 2007
02:11 pm - small steps.
Working on the motor controller circuit - and noticing how my mouse hand/arm hurt. I just came from 40 mins of practicing piano. Whats new here is that 3/4 of that time was simply working on the most basic fingering exercises - the C major scale. Despite being able to play 1st movement of Moonlight Sonata fairly well - I'm just now learning basic scales! After just two sessions I can see the value of these "stupid exercises" in my improvement. And since my arm feels like I just came from a swim workout, it'll also probably improve my strength and speed - which I'll need for the 3rd movement.
Its exciting cause it is clear now that piano is a tractable problem for me. There's absolutely no reason that if I simply work the exercises that over time I'll be reasonably good amateur and the ability to play new songs will come more easily. I now see a path to fulfill a dream I've had at least since I was 10. Before I've just been applying brute force methods to learn (to play) song(s?) I like....
Nov. 21st, 2006
03:10 pm - Friedman : General, would you rather command an army of slaves?
"I don't like to hear our patriotic volunteers referred to as mercenaries
... "
"General, would you rather command an army of slaves? "
A tribute to the late / great Milton Friedman - and his efforts against draft:
http://www.antiwar.com/henderson/?artic
And then there are those that want everyone to sacrifice - equally.
"I do think we need a draft," says Charles Moskos, military sociologist and professor emeritus at Northwestern University. "Our country is experiencing what I call 'patriotism lite.' Nobody's willing to sacrifice anything. We don't even have gas rationing. Congress votes to go to war, but won't send its own children. We don't have enough troops. We've used reservists and the National Guard in an unprecedented manner."
... Military sociologist Moskos's answer is a three-tier system of required public service for all young men and women: uniformed military service, homeland security jobs (guarding borders, ports, nuclear plants, and other sites), or civilian tasks such as teaching in poor neighborhoods and helping the elderly.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1122/p01s
It makes me sick.
Oct. 30th, 2006
10:07 pm - Guy Fawkes day , Sunday Nov 5 - final moonlight sail
So around sunset - on Sunday Nov 5th the final moonlight sailing of the year will happen at MIT. We'll also celebrate Guy Fawkes day.
Lets hope this one don't fall on a Salon...
Oct. 12th, 2006
04:53 pm
The "energy" barrier created by time, emotion, and reason has been crossed successfully and safely. I'm free. It was amazingly friendly and anti-climatic and positive. Should have happened in April.
Oct. 4th, 2006
01:39 pm - somedays its better to just stay in bed
This is starting off as one of those days.
I think I didn't get enough good sleep. I'm so anxious these days.
For mental purity I was planing a ride to Walden on my way to Cambridge. It started with a bus that ran me off the road (he cut over after passing and stop quickly). Words were exchanged. About 1 min later, still having problems with him, I smashed into a back-side of parked 4x4 SUV. I had been going 32 to clear the bus, and had slowed to the low 20s now that we had some space.
( Read more... )
Update: I made it to work incident free - except that I left the keys in the scooter when I parked it.
12:24 am - fun with a photo shoot
Today the prof had a last minute photo shoot. It was for some award (or possibly background/support material for one of his professors). Anyway, when we were told the award - we all broke out laughing. I guess 6 months turned me into one of the resentful old timers here. Actually I am quite resentful at the moment cause I've been doing little more than technician work for too long. I just can't seem to get the ok to do the kick ass motor controller. Of course I'm working on it anyway - but well I have to divert my attention to power cables that make the motor run.
The cool part for me about the photo shoot is that photographers toured both of our labs, had the option of shots outside the lab etc. They choose my project work space and desk and back drops for the shot. When I objected that is was a chaotic mess he pointed out the whole labs is a mess and looks well worked and lived in - but that this mess was more interesting. I think it was the four 35AMP air-core inductors that impressed him.
Last week I amused the lab spectators soldering 12AWG wire to these bests. I had to use a torch. There were clouds of smoke rising and fire falling as the flux burned.
Anyway, I think slipped the CVM into the shot and believe my desk riser with the steel ribs did also....
I'm so resentful, its 12am and I've been at work 14 hrs now.
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weirdSep. 23rd, 2006
02:15 pm
Today I finally received my first copy of Mother Earth News (it was a 2005 Christmas gift). It's really cool - all these people living their dreams and wonderful stories! But the cover story is about "Easy Solar Power"....
My anxiety seems to have subsided a bit this week. The end of last week was terrible - the anxiety / panic that a single glance created. It would take one of Rand's multi-page rants to adequately describe what it all means. Unfortunately I haven't a clue other than most likely nothing and that I spend too much time trying to assign meaning to meaningless events.
Probably I was/am driving everyone crazy - so I took off for a long ride. Was trying to make it to SW NH and back in one day - but didn't quite have it in me (I got a late start). Ended up with 90 miles and some swimming at Waldon. I'm taking it easy this week as a cramp at Waldon strained my sartorius. Next weekend for sure - i hope- but I'll take overnight gear just in case. Possibly visit some land or go to Mt. Monadnock. But the Saturday ride (last week) really helped. After just 2 hrs my head was relatively clear - but for purity the total trip went on for 9hrs. I rode hard most of the time - setting a few anger induced personal records : 38 in a 30 (mostly flat), and accelerated to 30 while going uphill. In Fitchburg, the passenger of some car (I slowly passed) thought it necessary to inform me that should be riding on the sidewalk - so I showed him! Maybe if I keep it up I'll be able to hit 40 on flat ground - or get killed.
Sep. 22nd, 2006
10:37 am - How we need the police.
So my friend's rather expensive scooter was vandalized last night. The cost to repair may exceed the replacement cost. It was legally parked along the street - right next to all the rather expensive cars that park on the street. The scooter is titled and licensed with the city/state as the law requires.
She called the Cambridge police to report this vandalization and request an investigation. The "peace officer" stated that we have hundreds of these events, we can't send someone out to take a report (the scooter isn't insured) - much less investigate.
Looking around, I believe I understand why the peace officers don't have time investigate a real crime - one where there was a real victim and real property damage. It looks like they're too busy with their social control programs, enforcement of arbitrary traffic laws, working overtime standing at construction sites chatting with the workers paid with tax dollars, confiscating knitting needles at public events, harassing my MIT educated "black" friend, steeling my bicycle parked on my own property, and a whole host of other victimless "crimes". Basically - the Cambridge police don't seem to be interested in creating peace or enforcing laws unless their's money in it for the city.
Fuck them...
09:03 am - Coup in Thailand - again
I just heard the military had another coup in Thailand this week. This happens periodically when the corruption gets out of the hand - the military moves in and sweeps the crooks out of power. The funny thing is - the military doesn't hang onto to power and the "monarch" supports the coup. Fortunately it fairly benign as far as coups go - except that their appears to be some media and Internet censorship. Hopefully it'll blow ever quicky. Ohh how I miss that place....
Sep. 14th, 2006
09:26 am - RoHS madness.
The fracking EU ordered that electronic components not contain lead. Instead of the justice of reality plunging the EU into a lead-free dark age - spineless manufactures and distributors scrambled to transition to lead free products. One result has been chaos in the electronics components area. It seems as though because of the transition manufacturing slowed and/or distributors reduced (pre Pb free) inventory for fear that everyone would demand the lead free crap. Now so much stuff I need has a led time - even from Digikey!
One learns that before fabricate a PCB to verify availably of components What happens when things are so disordered that critical components disappear between schematic / PCB submission and component ordering!
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annoyedJul. 21st, 2006
01:29 am - fun with skunks.
Was reading something and came across the word mammal. It's one of my favorites. This reminded me of some recent encounters with one of the cutest.
On my ride home Thur morning, I saw a cuteie crossing the road towards me, and coming towards him, a big truck. Fortunately the skunk's evasive maneuvers made mine unnecessary - as the truck didn't hit the skunk or me. Anyway I stopped and took photos and video.
Last week, I came down the driveway on bike around 3am, and as I passed the parked car, just in back saw another little cuteie only 3 feet from me! Fortunately he wasn't nearly as startled as I was. He walked off and as I grabbed my camera noticed that he retreated to a little hole in a covered section of the porch to our house. I'll probably avoid using this driveway late at night from now on.
While writing this brilliant prose, I received a phone call from my friend with the dogs asking for the complete cleaning formula for bathing pets recently sprayed by a skunk. Seems as though Lady (Bobo's hoe) went after one, killed and ripped it to pieces, but only moments after being sprayed.
Ohh - and a few weeks ago, on the way home, saw what I believe is a red fox!
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