Dang’d if I didn’t break my dipstick off. Routine maintenance and I knew the thing was brittle, fatigued, fragile and aged. Well, there it is. Cheap sucker.
this is a test
If you’d have asked me if people would actually read (and enjoy) books on a 2 X 3 inch screen, I would have ____________.?! Well, it is not as horrible as one might think. Of course, if I have deep and permanent squint marks afterward then you’ll know better. (Font Aa size adjustable) The jurors are still out.Media delivery to the device is nearly instantaneous. Convenience: A+ as it’s in my shirt pocket, I can whip it out, wherever. A page here a chapter there, this may be the new way to save trees. Like Apple’s excellent iTunes Store however, it’s way to easy to charge the (typical) $9.99 per to the CC.
lifestream
There are many social sharing web applications: dipity, Goodrec, tumblr, FeedFlix, FriendFeed, Fuelly, Socialthing… There is not enough time in a day to login, configure, maintain and visit them all. So, I’ve rolled-my-own. I can add / remove RSS feeds as necessary and from a practical standpoint – view from a single bookmark.
Trails & Tracks
WordPress is a great CMS apparatus which can be further enhanced with Plugins. A Routes extension, just installed, solved a need for a way to display a collection of jog tracks that I’ve built upon over the years. This plugin features an aggregate function which displays them all on a central map index. Routes has several methods for entering geographical information on a Google Map post but it is the ability to import GPS tracks from a GPX XML file that beats all. 5 Stars!
machines can be fooled
Browsing the Strombotne.com Google search query log shows “how old is lenord decarario” [sp] returning this site with a #4 page rank. Even better: “cogsley cogs” is number one! Can’t imagine that folks would be getting definitive answers to these topics from this layman.
island in Mesa
Boxed in by Malls and asphalt I was pleased to find this old alfalfa field to turn perimeter laps. It’s gone to weeds and the developers are closing in on what may be the last of the old Dobson Ranch.
Little Manatee River State Park
Not on the most spectacular beautiful places list by any stretch but somehow special we tracked a 3 mile path through late winter dry swamp. Ditty Kong comes to mind as we explored boardwalks and Spanish moss. This excursion is somewhat off the beaten path of things to do in Florida. A stop at the Ranger Station is required to procure the padlock combo for entrance to the trail head. No Manatees were observed but we did spy two (half wild in the brush) moo cow types if that counts.
new life for an…
Spotted this old dog commuter bird with the familiar N number while on a stopover in Florida It would appear to be enjoying a second life as a luxury corporate conversion. Here are some less lucky old horses been put out to pasture: N429UE N423UE N414UE
closure
I logged PIC time in this very tail number between late 1988 and early 1989. It was operated by an airline called Westair which was based in Fresno. In that era N617KC made commuter flights throughout California. Westair had a fleet of these Bandits, most of which have likely received this same fate by now.
26.2 with Donna The National Marathon to Fight Breast Cancer
The 26.2 with Donna Dede Marathon was streamed LIVE on a webcast so it was thrilling to watch and listen as my sweetheart began a 1/2 Marathon on Jacksonville Beach.
Also thrilling that I could track her progress as the athletes were wearing RFID chipped ankle bracelets. When the race was started they ran across an RFID wire stretched over the road. The wire powers the device with a high frequency signal picked up at the antenna which transponds its unique serial number. Everyone’s time is tracked by running past the wire. At strategic choke points they passed a different wire which marked time. Using T and D formulae one can derive ET, Pace, and ETA statistics. I’m streaming tears and cheers of joy for her!
… data at the 7 mile marker
