Misc. Ramblings

Week of 12 November through 16 November 2001
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Monday - 12 November 2001 Veteran's Day.

If we have learned no other lesson since September 11, 2001, it is that freedom is not free. And if we continue to insist on not being ever vigilant, if we insist on sticking our heads in the sand in the hope that the bad guys will somehow overlook us, then we should not be surprised with the result.

Our freedom was paid with the blood of our forefathers, now it is paid with our own. When will we learn? When will we remember the mistakes of our past?

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Tuesday - 13 November 2001

Eating Crow. If I had a copy of Dr. Pournelle's gif of a crow I would add it here. Clearly, I was wrong in predicting that the "Northern Alliance" would not move forward until U.S. forces were committed. News reports indicate the vaunted jihad fighters of the Taliban have fled like children from Kabul. In my defense, it's a little easier to move forward when your enemy flees without a fight, but the point remains that the Alliance has moved forward.

Step by Step. Lost in the events of yesterday was the successful test of the Xcor EZ-Rocket propelled aircraft (see the press release here).

A highly modified Long-EZ aircraft, the EZ-Rocket is powered by two 400 pound thrust, regeneratively cooled, liquid fueled rocket engines. The flight test program is under the experienced hand of world famous test pilot Lieutenant Colonel Dick Rutan, USAF Retired. According to Dick, "The months of development have paid off in a series of highly successful test flights."

Rutan, who in 1986 made history as co-pilot on the first non-stop, around-the-world flight without refueling, noted "This was the first baby step to space for civilians." Or as another once put it, "One small step for man..."

Power Rangers. Speaking of small steps, the U.S. Marine Corps Base Hawai'i in Kaneohe, O'ahu, will begin a pilot project to test the energy generating potential of the ocean. The project, using a system of buoys developed by Ocean Power Technologies (see an article here) is designed to generate 1-megawatt of electricity.

The buoys are submerged more than a meter below the water's surface. Inside, a cylinder that moves around a piston-like structure as the buoy bobs with the rise and fall of the waves. That movement drives a generator on the ocean floor, producing electricity, which is sent to the shore along an underwater cable.

And Finally. Today is World Kindness Day (see the story here). I guess we could use a little kindness right now so pay back, or pay forward. Whichever, but spread a little kindness today.

Aloha!

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Hump Day Wednesday - 14 November 2001

AOLamers. The local Time Warner Road Runner cable affiliate has opened it's system to Earthlink and AOL subscribers. It is no wonder then that access slowed to a crawl recently as these lamers download their stupid mp3s and play on-line games. Sometimes I wonder why it is we are so lucky to be the first cable company in the nation to host multiple high-speed Internet service providers. Sometimes, first is not a Good Thing(tm).

Crusoe Marooned. The darling of the anti-Intel/MS set, Transmeta, continues to feel the effects of a slowing economy and perhaps inept management. Both Sony and Fujitsu recently announced postponed introductions of PCs based on the troubled Crusoe chip (see the story here).

Transmeta last month fired its CEO after less than eight months on the job as the company struggled with weak sales, a bungled product introduction and a 95 percent drop in stock value in the past year.
Transmeta shares, which went public last November, closed at $1.8 on the Nasdaq. They peaked at around $50 last November.

Making Your Vote Mis-Count. In what some are calling a fiasco bigger than Florida's in the last presidential election, San Bernardino, California officials released the corrected results to an election held last week Tuesday (see the story here). Thirteen of the Inland Empire's 82 races were affected by what is described as a "computer programming error."

John Hice, president of DIMS Inc., the Sacramento-based consultant that provides software to the county, said this is the most extensive revision of an election he has seen in more than 40 years.
"It was a people issue," Hice said. "There are many checks you have to go through, but it comes down to people doing their jobs."

First Facts Farked. In a situation like the crash of the American Airlines Flight 587 on Monday, the facts are the first things to get mangled. Thus, it is rarely a Good Thing to start or spread rumors and speculation. In something as complex as an airliner crash, where multiple failures typically occur leading to the downing, this is especially the case. So remember, gentle readers, when the next crash occurs, to wait until the real facts reveal themselves.

Aloha!

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Thursday - 15 November 2001

A Belated Welcome. Welcome to the Daynotes Gang(r) newest member, Dave Markowitz (see his site here). I've read through his first two months of logs and think he is worth the few minutes it takes to read his concise postings.

I am especially happy to see that he switched from being an attorney to being involved in I.T. At least it's honest work, and he seems to be an honest guy <G>. The real test comes when he gets into a tangle with one of the infamous Back Channel(r) free-for-alls. All I can say to him is, "Be afraid. Be very afraid." And don't take it personally...One last thing, check all guns at the door. Thank you [the Management].

The Other Shoe. The Hawai'i Council on Revenues, which sets the revenue projections that the state budget is based on, met in special session yesterday to revise estimates for this fiscal year, now made obsolete by the economic downturn after the September 11th attacks.

The revision translates into about a $150 million US cut from now through June 30th, ~~20002~~ [ooops should have been 2002. Thanks John D) (the end of the current fiscal year). Since there are elections next year, the politicians are saying there will be no reductions in force (i.e., layoffs) but if you believe everything a politician says you shouldn't be reading this site.

I expect there will be, at the very least, furloughs, which is government speak for involuntary pay cuts. By the way, the furloughs will probably not include any of the politicians. But my guess is that there will in fact be layoffs. If not for this fiscal year, then the next. If that occurs, it is possible yours truly may be looking for a job. I guess it's time to polish up the old resume and begin looking.

Bare Secrets. If all goes well tonight (I had to put in almost four hours of overtime yesterday), I will be watching a certain show on ABC. I can't tell you what [whack! too late] it is since it's a secret.

Thanks Be to God. I am extremely happy to see that the foreign "aid workers" being held in Afghanisnam are free and appear to be in good health. Hosanna!

Aloha!

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Aloha Friday - 16 November 2001

Veronica's Secrets Revealed. Not. ABC did a good job of electronically blurring out the bits that all the guys wanted, ahem, revealed. So it was a bit ironic that CBS's CSI crime program, which ran at the same time in our area, showed much more skin, both front and back, then ABC. Also ironic is ABC having a gay man do the backstage interviews and a blind man to sing the opening song. The only thing missing was a eunuch [ducking and running, while covering the family jewels, as it were].

Speaking of Things Forbidden. The second Star Wars trailer, "Forbidden Love", is up at the Star Wars site (see it here). Be forewarned that it requires, hawk, spit, QuickTime 5 to view it [will someone please convert this to something, anything else].

Speaking of Skin. There is a big disagreement going on over on the island of Mau'i regarding the appropriate use of a beach. Little Beach, long used by naturists as an isolated, safe place to tan and swim in the nude, may see such use cut off by people with small...minds.

I hate situations in which one side wishes to impose their view of the world on someone else. This inevitably becomes a win-lose situation and gets tangled up with concepts like shame, vanity, power, intolerance, and cultures not native to Hawai'i. It seems to me that there is room for compromise, that we don't need to make such a bid deal about this and work together, instead of against each other.

But alas, it probably won't end up that way because Mau'i has become home to one of the largest in-migrations of conservative Republicans from the mainland US. These people have used their power and money to replace the native culture with one they feel more comfortable with. One wonders why they come here if all they want is everything to look and act just like where they came from (Orange County for most of them). What's the purpose of coming here if you pave paradise and put up a parking lot? If you bring your fast food restaurants? If you bring your religious and social intolerance? I wish people would just mind their own business and let others be.

The renovations to the 2nd floor of the front house, where we live, are almost done. Yet to do are tacking down the carpets, which were lifted up to track termites, and a few odds and ends like replacing blinds that were damaged by the carpenters. If all goes well, it should be done by next week some time.

Coming up after the Thanksgiving break are repairs to the car port roof. It's been leaking for some time and needs to be completely replaced. This should take about two weeks, weather permitting. Once that is done, the back house needs some work. We have our contractor looking at how much that will cost but that's not a high priority yet.

Have a Great Weekend Everyone - Aloha!

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