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GRAFFITI -- November 30, 2009 thru December 06, 2009 >> Link to the Current Week << Last Week << Mon   Tues   Wed   Thu   Fri   Sat   Sun >> Next Week Search this site : Welcome to Orb Graffiti, a place for me to write daily about life and computers. Contrary to popular belief, the two are not interchangeable.     About eMail - I publish email sometimes. If you send me an email and you want privacy or anonymity, please say so clearly at the beginning of your message.

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November 30, 2009

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December 1, 2009

Row 1 - Normal rainfall Glenn Dale Bell Station, 1921-1987
* Only nine months measured in 2008;
+ : includes low estimate from snowfall

2231 - Monday was a washout, no doubt about it. I could tell events were spiralling out of control when Lucy started trying to hack up a lung. Intermittently, for sure, but with spirit. Unfortunately, that continued through Sunday night. Finally, at about 0100 Monday morning, I took the poorly mutt down to the guest suite to "sleep" with her, so that Marcia could get some rest before last day of the month work crush.

I was out of bed at around 0600, with a solid 2.5 hours of sleep under my belt. Showered and off to work by 0645. I worked through the email and ticket backlog groggily for about 4 hours, then headed home to take Lucy to the Beltsville Veterinary Hospital. Now she takes more pills a day than I do. But they're symptom treaters: cough suppressent, Benadryl, and an antibiotic. We'll see how she progresses over the next couple of days.

I worked remotely for the balance of the day, and signed off at 1730-ish. Bills, backups, trash, and making a lobster pot full of turkey chili for Marcia to take to her church group tonight ate the rest of the evening. Today, I'm partially recovered, as Lucy only woke us briefly a couple of times overnight, and she seems to be mending a bit. But I'm motivationally challenged, and got nothing but Food Network watching in, tonight. Boring, I know, but life often is. Ciao!

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December 2, 2009

2218 - Progress on multiple fronts. I've got the next draft of my WRTG101 paper done and submitted for Peer Editing. I am also now signed up for Spring 2010 classes: a technical writing course, and "Windows Network Infrastructure". The latter is a major requirement, the former is a GER. And I've managed to connect Snow Leopard's Mail.app successfully to Exchange 2007. Yeah, I know, but I have to get to that mail source one way or another. Now to sleep. Ciao!

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December 3, 2009

2134 - I think the thing that irks me most about ClimateGate reporting is that MSM mostly refers to the data and emails as "stolen" or "hacked". If this had been data about DoD being charged $407 million dollars each for American Standard toilets that had been Tempest hardened, there would be an outcry, protection, and public adulation for the whistle blower(s). Here, someone exposes the data-manipulation hijinks that AGW proponents were using to keep their grant money flowing, and beggar the world in the process ... and the whistle blower is being called a hacker thief in the media. For shame! The CRU folks (and Mann) have apparently fooled us for far too long. MSM owns part of the blame for that, giving the AGW crowd virtually all of the column inches, and nothing but scorn for the doubters and skeptics. Al "Profit of Doom" Gore plays a large part in that scheme of things, you betcha. Ciao!

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December 4, 2009

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December 5, 2009

2137 - A full day. I heard a truck rattling out front at 0700. It was our Christmas present: a NordicTrak elliptical trainer. Got my car out, and got that into the garage. Coffee, breakfast, shower, and off to my CMIS final. Back home and unwound for a few minutes, watching the snow fall. Yeah, early snow around here. All told, just under 3" fell. Hauling all the bits upstairs took about 15 minutes, assembly took two hours. I could do another one in half the time, less with the right allen bits for my cordless driver ... but I actually read and followed the directions. Not much else to report. I'm gonna go update the Linux server now... Ciao!

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December 6, 2009

2220 - Not much to report. Shopping, schoolwork, and roasting coffee ate the day.

The strain of service is tough on our armed forces. They're going to get more help in Afghanistan, but I wish I knew what the goals were ... since the force level and the three year timeline aren't enough to effect any change in that country. But having a timeline is a good thing for our troops to look towards. Achievable megamission goals would be a lovely counterpart. Our condolences to the families and units of the fallen.

• Pfc. Michael A. Rogers, 23, of White Sulphur Springs, Montana, died Nov. 27, at Forward Operating Base Hammer, east of Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident.
• Petty Officer 3rd Class David M. Mudge, 22, of Sutherlin, Oregon, died Nov. 28, in a non-hostile accident aboard USS Rentz while in Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates.
• Pfc. Derrick D. Gwaltney, 21, of Cape Coral, Florida, died Nov. 29 south of Basra, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident.
• Lance Cpl. Jonathan A. Taylor, 22, of Jacksonville, Florida, died Dec. 1 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
• Sgt. Kenneth R. Nichols Jr., 28, of Chrisman, Illinois, died Dec. 1 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit using small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fires.

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Visit the rest of the DAYNOTES GANG, a collection of bright minds and sharp wits. Really, I don't know why they tolerate me <grin>. My personal inspiration for these pages is Dr. Jerry Pournelle. I am also indebted to Bob Thompson and Tom Syroid for their patience, guidance and feedback. Of course, I am sustained by and beholden to my lovely wife, Marcia. You can find her online too, at http://www.dutchgirl.net/. Thanks for dropping by.

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