curmudgeonly chaos

yesterday

2009-12-06T18:31:52Z

While waiting for the train to CA yesterday, Paul took this photo of
me and posted it on Facebook. I didn't see it until this morning and
thought that I should repost it here. It's a pretty good photo.
Comments on Facebook, included that I looked "epic" and there was a
question about me "panning for gold in California"...

In the south bay again

2009-12-06T00:34:52Z

I'll arrive in San Jose on Amtrak tomorrow morning (Sunday). I have the day free. Anyone in the area want to get together?

-lars

Southbound on the Coast Starlight for another week at Mozilla.

2009-12-06T00:34:45Z

I'm in the Parlour car with it's holiday decorations. Dinner in about an hour after we've passes through Eugene.

Interesting blooms

2009-11-28T19:40:34Z

living with Paul means that there are always interesting things in bloom around the yurt.

Things that actually work

2009-11-27T00:58:11Z

I was challenged recently on Facebook about the fact that I only post complaints about the things that I own. I rant but I never rave. What can I say? The things that work don't call attention to themselves. To rise to that challenge, here is a group of devices in my life that always seem to work and have given years of faithful service.

Harvest Maid Food Dehydrator – I was given this cylindrical white plastic dehydrator back in 1986. It has never seen a year without use. It continues to function brilliantly, dehydrating generations of tomatoes and fruit.

My GT Karakorum mountain bike – I bought it in Phoenix in 1990 after my previous bike was stolen. It's probably covered thousands of miles. As I've aged, its been re-outfitted to meet my needs. It still works great.

Schwinn 203 stationary bike – a workhorse that I've had for years. It's my primary means of aerobic exercise it foul weather. It doesn't stress my back. With its heart rate monitor and automatic throttling, it can keep me exercising at exactly the right level. It's never had a problem.

Zojirushi bread machine – hundreds of loaves.

Kinesis Advantage keyboard – its the opposite of the bulge keyboards that were popular in the nineties. The keys are divided into two dishes spread widely apart. Backspace is under the left thumb; space and enter are done with the right thumb. It has built in macro programming and switches easily between dvorak and qwerty layouts.

Pacific Yurts – my smaller yurt is fourteen years old and still repelling the rain and resisting the wind.

Tempest pellet stove – work great at fourteen years old. It's simple without the features of its more modern brethren, but it's the most efficient stove I've ever seen. The exhaust is cool.

Weso Boss boots – they're nearly twenty years old and have been resoled several times. Yet, they're still solid and useful. I always wear them when I ride.

Langlitz Leather Jacket – also nearly twenty and still working just fine.

Stiffle Lamp – sitting on my desk is a brass lamp that was in my mother's living room in the 1960s. The cord is still uncracked and this is the one lamp for which I've never had to replace the switch.

United Tropicana Pinball Machine – manufactured in 1954, this electro-mechanical marvel still works. This device was built to last. The plastic power cord that I replaced in 1974 has gotten mouse chewed, but that is about its only problem.

Mini maglite – a flashlight that I bought in sometime in the 1980s. The knurled metal tube is wearing smooth. I converted it to an LED bulb a few years back.

Mountain Smith backpack - I've got two of them in different sizes. I bought them in 1987 and have used them nearly daily since.

Sierra Designs Cumulus Down Sleeping Bag - From 1981, and still my preferred sleeping bag.

There must be more, but that's enough.

Windows 7 - same old crap

2009-10-24T04:19:41Z

Most folks know me as a long time Linux guy that has dabbled in Mac OS/X. Years ago, however, I was a Microsoft fan boy. I keep an eye on what Microsoft is doing, but haven't bothered with a recent Microsoft operating system.

My nursery business uses QuickBooks running on Win2000 as a VMWare virtual machine under Linux. In a letter from my accountant this week, I was told that they will no longer support such an ancient version of QuickBooks and I must upgrade. I looked at QuickBooks for the Mac, but decided that I would get the Windows version so I could continue to use virtual machines. I see no reason that my books should be dedicated to a certain piece of hardware.

The QuickBooks 2010 does not run on my old moldy Win2000 virtual machines. So I decided to get a copy of Windows 7 and setup a new virtual machine. I picked up a copy at OfficeMax this afternoon and sat down this evening to install it.

After forty minutes of installation, I'm asked to login for the first time, but it won't accept my password. WTF? I specifically set it up to not require a password, but there it is telling me that my password or user name is not correct. I click the "reset password" button and it tells me that this option will only work if I have previously created a "restore password" disk. Huh?

So I've had Windows for about an hour, and already I have to re-install the operating system. Whee.

6000 miles later I am back at home!!!

2009-08-21T02:37:06Z

Last gas stop in Bend, OR. Construction delays my arrival at home. ETA niw 7:30

2009-08-20T23:45:16Z

Brothers, OR, the only rest area that I know with one if these.

2009-08-20T22:53:23Z

Just thought you needed to see this...

2009-08-20T18:44:13Z

I'm in my home state of Oregon! Adjusting max highway speed to that of a banana slug...

2009-08-20T17:31:16Z

With only one nozzle, how much Regular is still in the hose when I choose Premium?

2009-08-20T16:40:23Z

10am and already too warm to ride with a jacket

2009-08-20T16:12:37Z

Nearly packed after staying in a hotel in Twin Falls.

2009-08-20T14:11:36Z

I hereby award today's Iron Butt trophy to myself: 658 miles, Fort Collins to Twin Falls via Cheyenn

2009-08-20T01:56:03Z

Sitting at a truck stop west of Rawlings, WY. It's actually pretty cold out here - well, while ridi

2009-08-19T21:15:12Z

Japanese dinner with Rick in Fort Collins - a warm evening outside with good company.

2009-08-19T02:01:23Z

And with the biking glove off - tan line art at its finest

2009-08-17T02:32:03Z

Right hand with biking glove on...

2009-08-17T02:30:53Z

Doesn't look like I've worn out the new tire yet. Passing around St Louis now...

2009-08-15T20:24:14Z

Couple hours short of St Louis, strangely enthusiastic about my forth coming truck stop grease bomb

2009-08-15T18:30:57Z

Goat recycles his 3 years of accumulated used motor oil

2009-08-14T19:39:41Z

As well as the oil that I drained out of my bike last night

How long should a Harley tire last? How about 3500 miles? #fail

2009-08-14T15:56:05Z

#fail Harley filter wrench has flared edges that won't fit between the Harley filter and Harley fram

2009-08-14T02:46:58Z

No, I haven't vanished into the Southlands - I'm just comuning with my peeps...

2009-08-13T18:08:45Z