Date:	2009-11-09 10:53
Subject:	If People Switched Places: The Consequences (Part I)
Security:	Public
Mood:	dorky

If People Switched Places: The Consequences .... Glenn Gould would have had to learn to play the piano with both feet and his nose.

Date:	2009-06-06 23:04
Subject:	That movie, "UP": Go See It!
Security:	Public
Mood:	satisfied

demonhusky, Zach, and I went to go see the Disney/Pixar movie "UP" this evening. I'd rate it somewhere above 8 out of 10, and there's enough nuance to it that I intend on going to see it again in 3D this time. :-)

Short form: Go See It!


Prior to that was a trip to Gallo's -- they've changed owners again, but the recipes have transferred. Delicious as always. :-)

Now, some Yalumba Winery (Angaston, South Australia) Museum Reserve black Muscat.

A book I've been looking forward to reading has arrived, but it'll have to wait until I've finished its predecessor.

Date:	2009-03-12 00:24
Subject:	My Virgin Slide-Rule...
Security:	Public
Mood:	geeky

My Virgin Slide-Rule is a Frigid Bitch.

That's what I get for leaving her out in the cold.

:-)

Date:	2009-02-21 19:51
Subject:	Goodnight, Furp.
Security:	Public
Mood:	depressed

Goodnight, Furp.

I'm going to miss you, Furp. We barely had a chance to say hi to eachother at FC, but you seemed to be quite happy at the time.

*****

http://www.insidesocal.com/news247/2009/02/motorcyclist-killed-in-twentyn.html

By Melissa Pinion Whitt
February 19, 2009 7:30 AM

A motorcyclist died along Highway 62 in Twentynine Palms on Wednesday night when a vehicle turned in front of him and he struck it while traveling 65 mph, coroner's officials said.

Patrick Reed [aka Fire_Pyro, Furp, evil_dwagon, [aged] 29, of Twentynine Palms was riding east on the 62 at Indian Cove Road at 5:52 p.m. [on February 18th] when he crashed. He was thrown from his bike and pronounced dead at the scene, San Bernardino County coroner's officials said.

Date:	2009-01-24 21:40
Subject:	At FC until Monday
Security:	Public
Mood:	amused

Room 547

Date:	2009-01-02 11:10
Subject:	Do you backpack or day-hike? (REI clearance stuff)
Security:	Public
Mood:	nostalgic

Lots of REI clearance stuff available...


High Sierra Long Trail 90 Pack - Special Buy (Item # 760601) $100 was $260
http://www.rei.com/outlet/product/760601


REI Grand Tour Travel Pack - Special Buy (Item # 768924) $70 was $185
http://www.rei.com/outlet/product/768924


REI Alpine 35 Plus Pack - Special Buy (Item # 768905) $50 was $100
http://www.rei.com/outlet/product/768905


REI Alpine 50 Plus Pack - Special Buy (Item # 768907) $50 was $100
http://www.rei.com/outlet/product/768907


JanSport Scout Pack - Special Buy (Item # 773364) $50 was $115
http://www.rei.com/outlet/product/773364


High Sierra Torrent Hydration Pack - 70 oz. - Special Buy (Item # 770460) $40 was $90
http://www.rei.com/outlet/product/770460


GSI 2-Person Thrive Set - '08 Closeout (Item # 781957) $30 was $60
http://www.rei.com/outlet/product/781957

Date:	2009-01-01 00:15
Subject:	G'bye 2008
Security:	Public
Mood:	thoughtful

G'bye 2008

Hello 2009.

Date:	2008-12-28 23:53
Subject:	Weekend summary: Errands, Waffles, Underwear, Knives, and Eyeballs, oh my!
Security:	Public
Mood:	cheerful

Mmm. Nothing quite says <3 <3 <3 like some hawt new underwear, and sharp new knives.


Added to my sharp shinies collection:

Kershaw -- Model 1900 -- G & G Hawk designed "E.T." (Apr. '08)

Böker Plus -- Item no. 01BO583 -- Rescom Black

As a general rule, I'm not partial to the feel of G10 and similar fiber-reinforced plastics for tactical knives, but I'll make exceptions. :-)

**

Added to my underwear collection:

Shyah, right. Maybe elsewhere. ;-d

**

Waffles were Egg Nog ("Wog Nogg?") Belgian style squares, complete with a violation of Mrs. Butterworth and some Lunardi's supplied applewood smoked thick-cut bacon. Props to the folks putting on the spread!

**

Eyeballs were status-quo, just a recheck.

**

I watched "War, Inc." last night. Veeeeery strange but engaging and amusing movie.

I also watched "Velvet Goldmine" last night. Deliciously luscious take on the glam-rock scene, worth trying to hunt down the soundtrack.

**

"WALL-E" followed this evening. The co-opting of Johnny-5's eyes was distracting, otherwise a solid meta-sci-fi-spoof movie, just as the folks at Pixar intended it.

**

Generally I'm feeling a bit more centered, lots of time talking to various folks who knew Kyle over the last few weeks has been helping.

Date:	2008-11-28 11:34
Subject:	Porsche CGT ---- Yum!
Security:	Public
Mood:	enthralled

We passed a Porsche CGT on I-280 today... matte-finish black, with "PET SHRK" as the license plate.

All kinds of tasty!

Date:	2008-11-15 22:37
Subject:	On FACS and Processing Social Cues
Security:	Public
Mood:	dorky

I posit that FACS training would significantly improve the ability for those with Autism-related (and Asperger's-related, and heavy ADD/ADHD-related) deficits in recognizing social cues to respond "appropriately" and fit-in.


Note here, I didn't say _feel_. I'm speaking only of the ability to fit in by breaking-down what would (by DSM-IVtr standards) normally be considered a "visceral" reaction into rote behavior which can be described and learned.

Date:	2008-11-09 02:39
Subject:	Upside down car....
Security:	Public
Mood:	surprised

~2AM, upside down car with lights still on in the gully off the shoulder of 101 Southbound at Hwy 84 Eastbound.

Multiple people standing around, discussing _LACK OF OCCUPANTS_.

Apparently the occupants _FLED THE SCENE_ after flipping the car.

Buh? :-)


In related news I got to see how well I handle braking and accelerating in slick/muddy conditions on a motorcycle without ABS, traction control, etc... (answer: quite well).

Date:	2008-10-01 01:15
Subject:	Tastes like Countertops
Security:	Public
Mood:	disappointed

Melamine is the same tasty chemical used to make kitchen countertops, mixing bowls, as well as lethally toxic dog- and baby- food.



http://www.qfco.com/White_Rabbit_Press_Release.pdf

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 26, 2008

QFCO, Inc.
1611 Adrian Road
Burlingame, CA 94010
650-697-6633

QFCO, Inc. recalls White Rabbit Candy because of possible health risk.


QFCO, Inc. of Burlingame, California is recalling White Rabbit Candy because it
may be contaminated with melamine.

Product was distributed to the states of CA, GA, HI, IL, MN, NY, OR, TX, WA
through wholesale distributors to retail stores.

The White Rabbit Creamy Candy is sold in 8 or 16 oz packages. All other flavors
of White Rabbit Candy, including Assorted (Chocolate, Coconut, and Coffee),
Red Bean, Coffee, Corn, Lychee, Mango and Strawberry are sold in 7 oz.
packages. All packaging has a logo of a white rabbit on the front with the words
“White Rabbit”.

No illnesses associated with this product have been reported to date.

The recall was initiated after it was discovered that product was contaminated
with Melamine.

Consumers who have purchased White Rabbit Candy are urged to return it to the
place of purchase for a full refund or discard it in their trash. Consumers with
questions may contact the company at (650) 697-6633.

> Ignore the fact that the "retail" cost for e85 was 3.99,
> and the "retail" cost for unleaded was up in the high
> 4.xx range.


Whups, my memory was off:

Sept 11th, 2008 ... "Rebel" fuel station near the Las Vegas 'strip:


e85 Corn-Ethanol 2.999 / gal (around 16.5% cheaper than u87)

u87 Dino-Unleaded 3.599 / gal

d#2 Diesel #2 3.959 / gal

Did ya know that HFCS isn't _as_ bad for you as "people say"?

Politically driven corn subsidies? NEVAR.

Ignore the fact that the "retail" cost for e85 was 3.99, and the "retail" cost for unleaded was up in the high 4.xx range.


VMworld was cool in the end, but had some pain early on. The hotel I was in had a loop-CD playing in the elevators the whole time with perhaps eight oldies tracks on it. What a way to encourage people to leave Las Vegas!

For the eight days I was there, I made it outdoors four times. Mostly at night.

Date:	2008-09-11 23:11
Subject:	Holy hell 'Vegas is hot!
Security:	Public
Mood:	hot

I feel like I am inside a Salamander here. Thankfully I will be indoors here 'till the 19th.

Back to staring at gaudy hotels through the shuttle bus windows.

I'm crossing forty hours awake now. I pulled a thirty one hour "shift", then came home and just wasn't in the mood to sleep. Finally leaning that direction now.

demonhusky felt the pimch of, well, penny pinching (http://demonhusky.livejournal.com/96959.html). *sigh*

So at the ripe age of /9/ (August, 1984) I committed an act of abject stupidity, and ran full-tilt into a fireman's pole on the second story of a jungle gym. The perils of playing "Tag!" while not paying a lot of attention to where you're running.


I chipped one of my (adult) upper inciscors, and avulsed the other upper one in its entirety at the feet of one of my camp counselors in a healthy puddle of blood. Needless to say, she needed a few days to collect herself.


I had the tooth reimplanted a few hours later (transit time), had three (IIRC) root canals performed over the span of a year or so. Fast-forward a few years, and I had orthodontia installed (i.e., braces). Somewhere between then and 1989, I had several patching and reconstruction attempts made on the tooth composite resin, which was then relatively "new" tech. Complicating matters, we discovered that the tooth was losing structural integrity from the inside-out, my body had been resorbing the root/filling/dentin/bone mass, leaving what could be likened to an empty eggshell of tooth enamel.


Somewhere around 1990 (middle of high-school, yay!) the tooth fractured and sheared off right at the gum line. After a bit of cutting, grinding, powdered bone, and stitching, the gum was closed over to allow me some time to figure out if I was going to get a bridge (sacrificing two nearly perfect teeth) or an implant done.


Between then and the fall of 1993 I had three oral surgery attempts at putting in a post for an incisor-implant. Each time, the prognosis was worse than the last time, and each time yet more powdered bone was packed in to try and shore up my upper jaw. After the third attempt we shelved the possibility of an implant, because I could not maintain more than 50% bone density across the span where the incisor-implant's post would be installed. Not nearly enough to be structurally sound.


I spent the latter half of high-school, and the years following with a gap there --- the only other option I had was a retainer-style "flipper" which resulted in heavily salivatory speech as air bypassed over the retainer and out the front while speaking. Needless to say, I was the subject of much harassment, etc... because of the missing tooth.


Fast-forward to early 2000 (+7 yrs, yes). I decided that I'd had quite enough of being "the guy with the missing front tooth", and started investigating temporary / permanent bridge options. I eventually settled on a "Maryland Bridge" at the suggestion of my dentist at the time. The design is based on an interest in preserving the teeth to either side of the bridged area, so a large stainless-steel plate is cemented to the backs of the adjacent teeth, with a permanent false tooth bonded to the front of the plate across the gap. The only damage done to the teeth on either side of the gap is a bit of sand-blasting (literally) to improve the adhesion of the cement.


The "Maryland Bridge" is considered a "temporary" solution, with a warrantied lifespan of about five years. I'm well into eight years now, and it's still doing fine. I learned quite quickly to tailor my rather heavy oral fixation ( O:-) ) in a manner which lessened the point-pressure exerted on my upper front teeth, and that meant some tradeoffs (I eat things like apples "upside-down", biting in and tearing with my lower front teeth, not my upper front teeth).


Certain things still can be problematic, such as really hot beverages (accidentally scalding the gumline in contact with the bridge backer plate), and occasional free iron ions shifting the taste of food or drink.


99% of the time, I'm a happy camper that I elected to get a Maryland bridge rather than a classic bridge.... but what I will ALWAYS regret is not getting an implant done before my bone density dropped through the floor.

http://www.cmu.edu/homepage/beyond/2008/summer/an-enduring-legacy.shtml


QUOTE

Randy Pausch, the professor at Carnegie Mellon University who inspired countless students in the classroom and others worldwide through his highly acclaimed last lecture [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo ], has died of complications from pancreatic cancer. He was 47.

.
.
.

Pausch was also a pioneer in the development of virtual reality, including creating the popular Building Virtual Worlds [ http://www.etc.cmu.edu/bvw/ ] class.

.
.
.

ENDQUOTE

Date:	2008-07-21 00:33
Subject:	For... geek joke.
Security:	Public
Mood:	frustrated

for $all in (@tents @purposes) {
.
.
.
};

I lost my writing momentum for a while, hope to regain it soon.

-Phyx

Date:	2008-04-05 02:24
Subject:	Mirepoix dans ma cervelle.
Security:	Public
Mood:	sore

A few hours ago I set out to make mirepoix sufficient to meet the eeds of my project (roasted/stewed beef dish./

After I passed the 5lb mark of preparted raw incredients, I' reached my limit.

If I ever do mirepoix from scrstch, it's gonns involve a phone to Mssr. Robot et Coupe.


*wrists njmb*