Wednesday, September 30, 2009
What a day!
This is a very busy time of the year for me. The conference is barely over 2 weeks away and preparations are in high gear. I have been shopping and purchasing gifts for the employees and taking orders for the two free company shirts they receive every year. So today when my DSL went down I decided to not become frustrated and take a break from the computer. I got a laptop set up and re-potted some violets. Then the mailman knocked on the door. He had a box for me. You have to go to my Violet Obsession blog to find out what was in it. (link is on the right).
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Eye Opening
Tonight we watched the "Holy Grail in America" on the History Channel. Now I've never been one to blindly believe everything I hear or read but I am open minded. Give me some new information and back it up with enough evidence and I'm interested. And I do mean interested. This program was amazing! It's controversial, but I'm approaching it with an open mind. Dad and I both enjoyed it immensely.
First of all, I had no idea there are ancient runestones in America. The story progresses in more and more eye-opening ways, all backed up with examples and scientific study. Well, some of it is theory of course, because we don't know everything, but the clues are unmistakably there.
The story starts with a large runestone in Minnesota, called the Kensington Runestone. Many archaeologists think it's fake because the writing doesn't fully match what they normally see on runestone. They think it's a modern fake. But new scientific evidence debunks the debunker's. The story hops back and forth from Europe to Scotland to Nova Scotia and then the US. Ha! That's cool. My dad's great grandparents came from Scotland to Nova Scotia and then to Massachusetts. Not that my family is any way connected. None of them were Templar Knights. There is an ancient stone tower in Rhone Island that aligns astronomically. Wait...what? Templar Knights? Yup. They are in the story, too. Did I tell you this story is Amazing!! I found the author's website. I think the book would be an interesting read. The website, The Hooked X, has links to the book, the film, the author (he's a scientist) and other links.
More links:
A bit about runestones in America - here
A blog with a good collection of pictures, including the Newport Tower in Rhode Island - here
First of all, I had no idea there are ancient runestones in America. The story progresses in more and more eye-opening ways, all backed up with examples and scientific study. Well, some of it is theory of course, because we don't know everything, but the clues are unmistakably there.
The story starts with a large runestone in Minnesota, called the Kensington Runestone. Many archaeologists think it's fake because the writing doesn't fully match what they normally see on runestone. They think it's a modern fake. But new scientific evidence debunks the debunker's. The story hops back and forth from Europe to Scotland to Nova Scotia and then the US. Ha! That's cool. My dad's great grandparents came from Scotland to Nova Scotia and then to Massachusetts. Not that my family is any way connected. None of them were Templar Knights. There is an ancient stone tower in Rhone Island that aligns astronomically. Wait...what? Templar Knights? Yup. They are in the story, too. Did I tell you this story is Amazing!! I found the author's website. I think the book would be an interesting read. The website, The Hooked X, has links to the book, the film, the author (he's a scientist) and other links.
More links:
A bit about runestones in America - here
A blog with a good collection of pictures, including the Newport Tower in Rhode Island - here
Cool Site
Take a look at the ancient gold http://www.staffordshirehoard.org.uk/ on this website!
Not much to write about tonight. We watched a good movie, Cadillac Records. We enjoyed it, even though the IMDB review isn't so great. Apparently it isn't fully historically correct, but so many movies aren't. But we enjoyed it.
Dinner tonight was breaded fried sole. I like sole because it doesn't taste fishy.
Not much to write about tonight. We watched a good movie, Cadillac Records. We enjoyed it, even though the IMDB review isn't so great. Apparently it isn't fully historically correct, but so many movies aren't. But we enjoyed it.
Dinner tonight was breaded fried sole. I like sole because it doesn't taste fishy.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
It's ok if you laugh
It's been a LONG time since I tried to crochet. Maybe 20 years. Even back then I was just learning. In fact I packed up almost all of my mom's knitting needles and crochet hooks after she passed and mailed them to a friend. I had to hunt to find any remaining ones, so I don't have a nice metal one right now. Then I didn't have any yarn handy because it's packed away in a bin in the closet. I found some cotton Lace Net Darning yarn but it's very hard to handle. Then I remembered a skein of yarn I tossed into my African Violet potting supply box. Ah-ha! Now I have purple yarn to practice with. Well---I can make a chain LOL. And then I worked in something I learned on http://crochet-mania.blogspot.com/. If I did it right it's the double crochet. It's kind of catawumpus and wonky. Oh well.
I want to make those pretty flowers!! But I can't read the patterns yet.
In other news, my daughter said tonight (in our ICQ chat) that it was beginning to rain. She added that she misses our lashing thunderstorms because the ones in Australia are mild and gentile. Then she said the weather is just now proving her wrong because a huge storm is coming in. The weather service reported, "Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce large hailstones, destructive winds, very heavy rainfall and flash flooding in the warning area over the next several hours." She's off-line now because hubby wanted her to drive the car over to his parent's and park it under the carport before the worst hit. I'll try to grab a radar screen shot when the biggest part of the storm is over Elizabeth, South Australia.
Ok, got pictures:
10:07pm Sunday our time but it's Monday afternoon in Australia. I put purple dots for Elizabeth (where my daughter lives) and Virginia (where her in-laws live). Look near the center of the map, just to the lower right of center. If you look south from Elizabeth you will see Adelaide. That's where her hubby works. You can also find Adelaide on any Australia map. This is a 64 km view.
Now here is the storm at 250 km at 10:19 pm our time.
I want to make those pretty flowers!! But I can't read the patterns yet.
In other news, my daughter said tonight (in our ICQ chat) that it was beginning to rain. She added that she misses our lashing thunderstorms because the ones in Australia are mild and gentile. Then she said the weather is just now proving her wrong because a huge storm is coming in. The weather service reported, "Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce large hailstones, destructive winds, very heavy rainfall and flash flooding in the warning area over the next several hours." She's off-line now because hubby wanted her to drive the car over to his parent's and park it under the carport before the worst hit. I'll try to grab a radar screen shot when the biggest part of the storm is over Elizabeth, South Australia.
Ok, got pictures:
10:07pm Sunday our time but it's Monday afternoon in Australia. I put purple dots for Elizabeth (where my daughter lives) and Virginia (where her in-laws live). Look near the center of the map, just to the lower right of center. If you look south from Elizabeth you will see Adelaide. That's where her hubby works. You can also find Adelaide on any Australia map. This is a 64 km view.
Now here is the storm at 250 km at 10:19 pm our time.
And now zooming in to 64km again to show they heavy rains now hitting her area.
Rain like this is a common experience for us but Australia is coming out of a six to ten year drought.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Kangaroos
My daughter's mother-in-law bought some paint that wasn't quite the right color, but she couldn't return it because one of the roos ate her receipt so she can't take it back. Let me explain. My younger daughter lives in Australia. She and her husband and his parents are part of a wildlife rescue program. So both households have the pitter patter of little orphaned kangaroo feet. Baby roos are too little to live outside without a mother roo.
So----much like the dog ate my homework story, roos really eat paper. My daughter said roos really LOVE paper, and they know they aren't supposed to eat it, so when they see you coming they suck it up like noodles and poof it's gone! So went the receipt.
Now that's funny!!
So----much like the dog ate my homework story, roos really eat paper. My daughter said roos really LOVE paper, and they know they aren't supposed to eat it, so when they see you coming they suck it up like noodles and poof it's gone! So went the receipt.
Now that's funny!!
Baby Oan in his bassinet
Baby Russ in his basket with kitties. The grass is for him to munch on.
Russ and Iggy
Russ is growing up. When he is old enough and the weather is warm he can live in the pasture with the other adult roos.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Where did that come from??
I've been reading my friend's Knit and Run blog for quite some time now, but I've said again and again I'm all thumbs when it comes to needlework, so I never do any of it. Well, I don't know why but for some reason I pulled out one of my mom's crochet hooks and grabbed some yarn and started crocheting. Just the simple stuff---I don't even know what you call it. And the yarn kept slipping off my little finger just like it did when my mom taught me....oh....now it's all coming back. She taught me, I just never kept up with it, or learned patterns, or any of that good stuff that actually leads to making something. So maybe I'll try to make something. Finally...after all these years.
Oh----we opened a jar of the tomato jam. It tastes LEMONY. Really sweet and lemony, like lemon candy. So I'm not crazy about it. There were some other recipes with other flavors so we might try one of them.
Oh----we opened a jar of the tomato jam. It tastes LEMONY. Really sweet and lemony, like lemon candy. So I'm not crazy about it. There were some other recipes with other flavors so we might try one of them.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Plug into the Borg
Microsoft is sounding more and more like plugging into the Borg Collective. The big push toward Cloud Computing (computing without walls they say) just reminds me that resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.
As much as I disliked Windows 7 (past tense---it's deleted) I even more so hated Windows Live Mail that wanted me to login to receive something better than not being logged in, whatever that was, I don't know, because I never logged in. It never sent my test email and there is no Send button! I downloaded Thunderbird, which works fine, of course.
If you are wondering what Cloud Computing is, The Cloud is a metaphor for the Internet, and instead of buying software to run on your own computer, you subscribe to online services that are managed by others.
Some time ago I read that Microsoft was planning a shift from purchasing rights to run software on a computer (you never "own" Microsoft software, silly, you just buy a product key to unlock it so it runs on one, maybe two computers) to online subscription services that are constantly updated so you always have the newest version ($$ ka-ching $$).
Which also leaves me wondering---who are the "others" who are running the clouds you log into? What country(ies) are they located in?
Ok, so maybe you think I'm old-fashioned, but I'm just not "into" the online-everything concept. Which is why my next desktop computer will be Ubuntu. Ubuntu Linux is far from old-fashioned. It's just unfamiliar, and not in the public eye as much as Windows is. No wonder---try searching for an Open Source machine. And because of that, some manufacturers don't bother offering Linux drivers for their hardware. That leaves some people feeling that Linux doesn't work, because there are no Linux drivers for certain Windows-based hardware. However, the Linux community is growing, and hardware support is growing with it.
Dinner tonight---homemade pizza. The movie---most of the way through "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". Good movie, long, will finish tomorrow.
As much as I disliked Windows 7 (past tense---it's deleted) I even more so hated Windows Live Mail that wanted me to login to receive something better than not being logged in, whatever that was, I don't know, because I never logged in. It never sent my test email and there is no Send button! I downloaded Thunderbird, which works fine, of course.
If you are wondering what Cloud Computing is, The Cloud is a metaphor for the Internet, and instead of buying software to run on your own computer, you subscribe to online services that are managed by others.
Some time ago I read that Microsoft was planning a shift from purchasing rights to run software on a computer (you never "own" Microsoft software, silly, you just buy a product key to unlock it so it runs on one, maybe two computers) to online subscription services that are constantly updated so you always have the newest version ($$ ka-ching $$).
Which also leaves me wondering---who are the "others" who are running the clouds you log into? What country(ies) are they located in?
Ok, so maybe you think I'm old-fashioned, but I'm just not "into" the online-everything concept. Which is why my next desktop computer will be Ubuntu. Ubuntu Linux is far from old-fashioned. It's just unfamiliar, and not in the public eye as much as Windows is. No wonder---try searching for an Open Source machine. And because of that, some manufacturers don't bother offering Linux drivers for their hardware. That leaves some people feeling that Linux doesn't work, because there are no Linux drivers for certain Windows-based hardware. However, the Linux community is growing, and hardware support is growing with it.
Dinner tonight---homemade pizza. The movie---most of the way through "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". Good movie, long, will finish tomorrow.
*******Where were you 8 years ago on September 11?*******
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Dual Boot
Some days I just need to challenge myself. I enjoy the learning process, including the set-backs and minor failures that make success all the more fun. So today I decided to get rid of that awful Windows 7 on my test laptop and put Vista back on with an Ubuntu dual-boot. You might have read in my August 10th post that I installed Ubuntu on one laptop and Windows 7 on another. I had to format and re-install Windows XP on the Ubuntu laptop so I could get it ready for a new employee. That left me with Windows 7 on the test laptop. It isn't mine but I get to keep it as long as I remain the equipment manager.
It took three tries for me to get all the details right. The harddrive is 120 GB but I actually only had 101 GB to play with because of a Dell partition and a recovery partition. So Ubuntu got 30 GB and Vista got 71 GB. I'm not planning to install much on it anyway.
Because Vista is installed first, it goes on the faster (outer) area of the drive, and Ubuntu installs second, more toward the center, where the disk spins more slowly. It's a moot point though, because you wait for Vista to boot up. You know, I've had something come up where I needed to get online pronto and then sat there fidgeting while my XP machine booted up. I think Vista is slower, and that's on a faster processor with 2 GB memory. Ubuntu just pops on.
I still have lots to learn, but Ubuntu is much more friendly to use and learn than past Linux versions, especially for those of us who started out with Windows and are used to clicking on things as opposed to typing in commands.
In other news, the yearly conference will be held at the Natchez Trace State Park in Tennessee. It looks absolutely gorgeous there! Looking forward to it. Dad is going this year, so I don't have to fly. Hopefully with his help we can get the work done in time to enjoy some of the fall colors and scenery.
Dinner tonight was battered and friend sole fillets and hash browns. I'm such a picky fish eater but this was really good!
It took three tries for me to get all the details right. The harddrive is 120 GB but I actually only had 101 GB to play with because of a Dell partition and a recovery partition. So Ubuntu got 30 GB and Vista got 71 GB. I'm not planning to install much on it anyway.
Because Vista is installed first, it goes on the faster (outer) area of the drive, and Ubuntu installs second, more toward the center, where the disk spins more slowly. It's a moot point though, because you wait for Vista to boot up. You know, I've had something come up where I needed to get online pronto and then sat there fidgeting while my XP machine booted up. I think Vista is slower, and that's on a faster processor with 2 GB memory. Ubuntu just pops on.
I still have lots to learn, but Ubuntu is much more friendly to use and learn than past Linux versions, especially for those of us who started out with Windows and are used to clicking on things as opposed to typing in commands.
In other news, the yearly conference will be held at the Natchez Trace State Park in Tennessee. It looks absolutely gorgeous there! Looking forward to it. Dad is going this year, so I don't have to fly. Hopefully with his help we can get the work done in time to enjoy some of the fall colors and scenery.
Dinner tonight was battered and friend sole fillets and hash browns. I'm such a picky fish eater but this was really good!
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