Monthly Archives: October 2009

Celebrating the digital camera

Posted on October 25, 2009 | Comments Off on Celebrating the digital camera

And, not incidentally, the people who use its many varieties. Pictures by Rick Lee of Charleston, WVA.

Via Instapundit.

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Posted in Blogosphere, Library, Science/Engineering, Scribbles

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As We May Think

Posted on October 25, 2009 | Comments Off on As We May Think

I’d heard of this classic essay by Vannevar Bush (who was apparently unrelated to the later presidents) a few times but never read it until recently. Written in 1945, it summarizes some of the ways in which science helped win World War II (without getting specific about radar or much else, however) and what it will do in the future.

VB seems to predict the desktop computer, a Windows-like operating system (graphical user interface) and Google-type search engines: "Wholly new forms of encyclopedias will appear, ready made with a mesh of associative trails running through them, ready to be dropped into the memex and there amplified." Even digital photography gets a hint or two. It’s long, at twenty-two pages, and the sexism of the day is jarring, but it’s still worth the effort.

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Posted in Library, Science/Engineering

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Texas 41, Missouri 7

Posted on October 24, 2009 | Comments Off on Texas 41, Missouri 7

Best part of this blowout was watching the rejuvenated Tuscola Kid’s almost flawless passing and occasional good running against a 4-2 team while Bama almost lost to 3-3 Tennessee and Florida struggled with 3-4 Mississippi State. I’m sure the BCS computers won’t notice, however.

KVET FM’s good announcing made the Texas game, as always. Craig Way, "the Voice of the Longhorns" and his sidekicks aren’t homers but give equal measure to both teams and all of the players. Much more complete than the half-witted commentating on ABC. The overpaid network guys never seem to know enough to actually report the game-in-progress but just keep repeating the same conventional wisdom over and over again. But this ESPN guy isn’t bad.

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Posted in Texas Football

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Obamalot press pass

Posted on October 23, 2009 | Comments Off on Obamalot press pass

o-presspass.jpg

Barry’s assaults on Rush Limbaugh and Fox News scare some people. They make me laugh. What a doofus. Sure, it’s the Chicago Way. But, guess what, Barry, you’re not in Chicago anymore.

UPDATE:  Others better qualified at wordsmithing than I are laughing at Mr. Tough Guy, too.

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Posted in Obamalot

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Lake Travis drought ending

Posted on October 23, 2009 | Comments Off on Lake Travis drought ending

This week’s rain, particularly storms out in the Hill Country along the Pedernales and Llano rivers, and the subsequent runoff, have raised Lake Travis by more than six feet. The rise is expected to continue today, eventually bringing back about half of the fifty feet lowering by the drought.

That would still leave the lake about twenty feet lower than normal for this time of the year. But one more flash flood out there should be enough to fix that. Then I’ll have to scurry out to the lake and get some pictures to add to the befores I’ve already posted. Because, if things stay true to form, by Christmas we’ll be talking about the flooding on the lake. Heh.

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Posted in Sailing, Texana, Weather/Climate

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Sarah’s first endorsement

Posted on October 23, 2009 | Comments Off on Sarah’s first endorsement

It’s not a Republican. She’s backing Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman for congress from New York. Rogue, indeed. But when the NY Republicans nominate a RINO liberal, and the national party poohbahs are studiously ignoring her and touting Romney, Huckabee and the other usual retreads, she had to do something stunning. Looks like a good start.

Via Instapundit.

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Posted in Scribbles

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FCC sticks its big nose into the Internet’s tent

Posted on October 23, 2009 | Comments Off on FCC sticks its big nose into the Internet’s tent

It’s always the conservatives who the liberal news and entertainment media portray as being repressive. But it’s usually the liberals who want to pass more laws to regulate more things to their liking. Hence the new Democrat FCC’s new venture, which is certain to eventually go well beyond this apparently benign first move. The Electronic Frontier Foundation rightly fears a future power grab.

MORE: Worth remembering that the Democrat’s FTC already has its nose in the tent trying to regulate bloggers.

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Posted in Obamalot

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