Hell yeah.
Worth Noting
David Walden, Computer Scientist at Dawn of Internet, Dies at 79
I worked for IBM for over a decade after retiring from the military and became aware of David Walden’s name while I was there. I’d heard of the work of the I.M.P. before that while reading about ARPANET. People like Walden contributed to this thing called the net and develop it to the point where we have the connectivity of today. I take the net for granted, complaining about it when it’s slow or won’t load, along with the work that Walden did, but it’s pretty amazing when you regard its technology.
RIP, David Walden
The Magic Models Dream
The dream began with me in a small town with two friends, a male and female. We were all youngish, I’d guess in our twenties. An attack by Russian aircraft on another place in the world was underway. I had three models of the aircraft involved in my hands. These models were about a foot long but made of plastic. Somehow, using magic and the models, we were able to down the five jets. We knew this by watching it in a shallow puddle of water. Although the three of us were involved, the other two credited me with doing it.
Afterward, as we walked around the small town, with its parks and wide, quiet streets, news of what we’d done spread. People kept showing up out of nowhere asking for details and then asking if we could do it again. I was certain that we could. My female friend arrived with a video camera and told me that she wanted to interview me. Then she would broadcast it and put it on the net. I agreed to that, and was ready with the models, but small matters kept delaying us from beginning the interview.
She said that we would do it later and walked off after I agreed. I walked around more with the models and came to a fast moving, swollen creek. While watching the water rising up over rocks and crashing down, I grew aware that I could see other scenes happening in it. They mesmerized me. Leaning in to see things more clearly, I lost one of the models in the water. After some frantic searching for it, I spotted it floating down the creek and rushed after it.
With a little effort, I captured the model as it passed under a bridge. I realized then that it was time for me to meet my friend for the interview. As I arrived there, people approached me and told me that news crews from CBS and NBC were there to interview me. Someone else told me someone wanted to have me on their television show but I couldn’t understand the television show.
I saw my friend set up with the camera by a pavilion under a wide oak tree. I told everyone that I had to do my interview with her first and then walked in her direction.
Dream end.
Floofwear
Floofwear (floofinition) – 1. Clothing designed for animals. Note: Not to be confused with floofware.
In use: “As animals are forced to cope with extreme weather, more floofwear for animals, including dogs, cats, horses, and goats, are finding their way onto the market where consumers eagerly buy them for their loved ones.”
2. Article of clothing designated for an animal’s use.
In use: “Mark used a fleece pullover as floofwear, putting it on a bench in the bedroom for his cat to sleep on when he was away.”
Friday’s Theme Music
6:00 AM is when the sunlight began today, Friday, May 6, 2022. The rain has fallen away after a sequence of light showers throughout yesterday, but more is being projected for today. Our temperature is 61 F and the high will be about 67. Sunset will take place at 8:15 PM
Even with all this rain, our reservoir situation remains dire. Although Reed Reservoir, which directly serves Ashland, is 100% full, the remaining area reservoirs remain at about 20%. Not good. Water year precipitation is still lower than normal and lower than needed. 90 of the state remains in drought condition. The snowpack levels are erratic and uneven. Part of what will happen to the water levels depends on how hot it gets and how fast it gets hot. Fingers crossed.
I was cleaning out the cats’ food bowls in the sink. Tucker was impatiently telling me, “Hurry, I’m hungry,” by my feet. For some reason, the neurons thought that called for “The Fire Down Below” by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band (1976) to be loaded into the morning mental music stream. They started with the lines, “Somewhere there’s somebody ain’t treating someone right.” The song is about prostitution. Don’t know what the neurons were trying to tell me here.
Stay positive and test negative, and so on. I’m off for my coffee. Cheers
Flooflatility
Flooflatility (floofinition) – Characteristic or quality in an animal of unpredictable changes.
In use: “Flooflatility in kittens and puppies is one of their endearing treats as they go from exploring to reacting in panic to chasing and attacking to eating or sleeping in within the space of minutes.”
Thursday’s Theme Music
Welcome to Cinco de Mayo, 2022. The day doesn’t get much traction around here, not like it did in the SF Bay area when we lived there, and certainly not as much as we saw in Texas when we lived there.
It’s Thursday. Yesterday’s 80-degree F air and cloudless blue sky had me singing with Nat King Cole, “Roll out those hazy, lazy, crazy days of summer.” It was as perfect as hoped for sitting outside with seven friends and quaffing beer. Today’s high will be twenty degrees less. Rain has been falling since sunup at 6:01 this morning and is expecting to continue to Sol’s end of shift at 8:14 this evening. Right now, it’s 53 F outside.
Today’s song is “How You Remind Me”. The Nickelback song entered the morning mental music stream’s rotation last night. My wife and were talking about a phone call that took place earlier that day. She said, “Remind me.” With little thought, the neurons started playing the 2001 song’s line, “This is how you remind me of the man that I am.” Other than, ‘remind me’, the song and situation had nada to do with one another. But, that’s how the neurons roll.
Stay positive, test negative, and have a worthwhile day. Carpe diem while I carpe coffee. Here’s the melody. Cheers
Michael Seidel, writer 