Musings
Backstory: The Guru met a nice guy online. They had overlapping interests in the history of broadcasting in our fine country. They had been in the same places at different times, even. Like, the guy went to elementary school in our neighborhood! Anyway, This Fine Fellow now works for NBC, the network, at its home in NYC.
So, This Fine Fellow kindly treated us to a private tour of several floors of 30 Rock!
I walked the stages of SNL. I walked around Brian Williams’ desk. I saw the room where Lester does the weekend news. (Surprise: they’re different!) I saw the studio where Letterman and then Conan entertained us, gave us The Best. I saw the Muppet Closet.
Next to the elevators, on one floor, I found this Hirschfeld portrait of Conan.
Posted at 10:22 PM |
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If the title is a riddle, the answer is a skunk. At 4-something in the morning. Trundling by beneath our open windows, I assume. After wafting, hmm, I awoke. And smelled, but didn’t see him/her.
The photo is Au Sable Point Lighthouse, from yesterday. Wow! That lens bends reality!
Posted at 2:22 PM |
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NEX.
Plex.
This is older, but: PEX.
My conclusion: the “ex” ending is hot in product naming.
And secondarily: capitalization is flexible.
NEX is from Sony’s αNEX series of cameras—Sony’s impressive counter to the micro four thirds lines offered not long ago by Olympus and Panasonic.
Plex is software we’re using these days to replace cable, which we dropped over the winter (even though it’s a legit biz expense for Someone).
PEX is “cross-linked polyethylene” pipe or tubing. Think snap-together plumbing in the Great White North. Don’t ask what it may be leaching into the water (I tell myself).
Plex and PEX aside, my new camera lust* is the αNEX line (especially this one). Nif-tee!
* This in spite of the fact that we have three fine up-to-date digital cameras, including the iPhone.
Posted at 5:27 PM |
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Dramatic sweet william (Dianthus barbatus) blossoms.
Okay, you can get the software that allows you to “bump” iPhones and transfer money. I just wanna know if you can “bump” through fabric (as in: someone’s pocket), and make the transfer. Upon reflection, I suppose not, unless the phone is “on.” Unless.
So, watch it!
Posted at 6:58 PM |
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Lazy midday, including admiring these nascent peaches after brunch (thanks! to our hosts)….
Our early evening was interrupted by news of sloshing swimming pool water in SoCal, but not from a San Andreas slip. The big one is now estimated at 7.2, and south of the border, with many sizable aftershocks still trickling in, including at least two higher than 5.0. That’s shaky ground!
Meanwhile, we’re checking out the capabilities of our new device. The download speed is far in excess of any other machines we have around here. Holding it without wrist cramps is the biggest downside I’ve noticed. As a web device, and for browsing photos—superb.
Still exploring, though….
Posted at 9:17 PM |
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So, the Pres self-identifies as “Black, African Am., or Negro” on his census form….
I have to say, the 2010 form shows some awareness of the complexity of the race/ethnicity issue by the choices it offers. However, it manages to avoid the fact that “race” is not a fixed thing, but socially identified—and that the individual and the people around him/her may categorize a person differently. I think for now “race” substitutes for “give us some indication of your socio-economic status”—They’ll combine it with your address for an indication of your position in society….
What I find really interesting is that there has been no comparable discussion about the “name” block. That shows little awareness of the cross-cultural complexity of “name.” Even in mainstream USA, people may have more names that fit the set of blanks the census presents.
Yes, TD is here (arrived about 3 pm—pretty darned late). TD is way cool. Look to others for effusion, however…. (Not that I’m not feeling it, just that I’m not going to effuse on it. Today, anyway.)
Side note: iPhoto finally finished its face recognition activity. I discovered that whatever it did, it did NOT tag them by name. Hrrrumph. And it confused JCB and his dad a couple of times….
Posted at 10:40 PM |
1 Comment »
Just to report: we mailed our census form yesterday. I figured we don’t have a good record on predicting the future, and although we thought we could be sure what our household’s head count would be on April first, we thought we’d stick to an accurate report rather than a prognostication.
Taxes. Hmm. Real excitement for the coming weekend….
Perhaps I can balance that with a foray to buy some plants and put them out.
And the wee photo? Someone near-and-dear has decided where to matriculate next year, as reflected on new sweatshirt….
Meanwhile, my iPhoto is still “munching” through place- and face-recognition on the thousands of images it contains—and has been all day. So far, it has six pictures it locates in Tibet, including one of a pair of small propane tanks, like for a BBQ grill.
Posted at 6:36 PM |
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I suspect some marketing people are bracing for a bit of a sea-change next weekend….
I just read in the NYTimes* online:
It turns out the truffles too have a sex life, said Dr. Francis Martin, a plant biologist at the University of Nancy in France and leader of the research team. The precious fungi had long been thought to lead an asexual existence, but Dr. Martin and his colleagues have found that they have two sexes or mating types.
Which is it? Sexes? Or “mating types”?
While you’re thinking about that, remember this next time you take a bite of truffle:
Last, there are the truffle flies which lay their eggs in the truffle. From the fungus’s perspective, the insects are just another way of spreading its spores. So it attracts them by releasing anisole and veratrole, two insect pheromones, when the truffle has reached maturity. Truffles can often be detected by looking for congregations of truffle flies.
Don’t the fly’s eggs and larvae degrade the edibility of the truffle? It seems the opposite is the case. “If collected at late maturation stages, the truffles will likely carry eggs and larvae—adding proteins and aroma to the truffle,” Dr. Martin said.
Mmmm. Fly eggs….
* “Truffles Have Sex Lives, Too” by Nicholas Wade, dated 20 Mar 2010.
Posted at 5:19 PM |
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I’m still getting used to the light so late in the afternoon (aka: early in the evening)….
After yesterday’s cold snap around here, today has been sunny-sunny-sunny!
Best news: the Lumix is back. Second best news: Panasonic fixed it for free.
Awaiting to see if this is even better news: our country’s new health care plan.
Posted at 7:27 PM |
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These are architectural details decorating the patio posts of a restaurant fronting the street in our neighborhood near the post office. (How many phrases is that?)
I’ve noticed that the light comes early in the morning, and I’m going to miss it, probably for weeks. We’ll see if I experience the discombobulation I usually do in the wake of the time change….
Posted at 10:22 PM |
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