tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24465036398767204002024-03-14T04:09:14.555-04:00&c. - EtceteraJack Hodgson's blog -- Science, Technology, Lifestyle, Pop Culture, Whatever.Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.comBlogger150125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446503639876720400.post-78611162446781340042024-02-27T07:50:00.001-05:002024-02-27T07:50:36.573-05:00Is it a travel talk, or a math talk?<p> Well this is cool. Figuring out the best route, then visiting the streets named after every day of the year throughout Europe. (Fair warning, it's a 'lightning talk' so the guy talks fast.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="401" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MwRbr-MjwII" width="482" youtube-src-id="MwRbr-MjwII"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446503639876720400.post-53785431846430227652024-02-23T21:09:00.005-05:002024-02-23T21:09:40.159-05:00Fiber Internet connection. ???<p>For the past couple days they've been stringing fiber along my street.</p><p>I'm wondering if I should look into signing up for it.</p><p><br /></p>Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446503639876720400.post-84126522175787250062024-02-19T18:13:00.000-05:002024-02-19T18:13:20.364-05:00My midwinter Florida adventure<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_ntmkWy6OQKSfZ_zk5DtlMygQmbc6-zETaP0kLtnq2TNYypYEhwFX2q_b_YZ4cp8xEdafB7d2wDHv48j23zWJq6lXvmDdOf_03nsV_BXLN540b824FD2pZtEVFxFXjvIcYshS7oJk4nPT6utziJPRmb7wAOJYaqmSnowzbvnPurVxDZJkrVQreubraNAJ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="1134" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_ntmkWy6OQKSfZ_zk5DtlMygQmbc6-zETaP0kLtnq2TNYypYEhwFX2q_b_YZ4cp8xEdafB7d2wDHv48j23zWJq6lXvmDdOf_03nsV_BXLN540b824FD2pZtEVFxFXjvIcYshS7oJk4nPT6utziJPRmb7wAOJYaqmSnowzbvnPurVxDZJkrVQreubraNAJ=w587-h273" width="587" /></a></div><br />I began today to get serious about planning for my (mostly) annual midwinter escape to Florida.<p></p><p>I have two missions while there.</p><p>First is I have a "day job" assignment in Orlando. I'll be doing that first after arriving in Florida.</p><p>After the work is done I'll move on to a visit with my podcast partner Jeb.</p><p>And who knows what other adventures may happen before, during, and after.<br /></p><p>More on the progress of this adventure in this blog. Subscribe.</p>Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446503639876720400.post-89592231972207045992024-02-16T09:35:00.004-05:002024-02-16T09:37:59.346-05:00MIT's Missing Semester online course<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgK5vTynCwlDPL5N0Igkhcsi98i98CP5hA-MMFZfGhFZeEz-E_WZBSZtp1ilVH_w1jIFL12Sw2pWO99qwWBOQCYD7lw6JIoLNwq_G0G8vIJBUJK6RuVAxIZIs6GpBTH_fcDPsvKjOZcg4iePALkn4dbQLlV1XSM0UmB-1sT5T77IWwwHC38kQjKOcf_ac6M" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1468" data-original-width="2590" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgK5vTynCwlDPL5N0Igkhcsi98i98CP5hA-MMFZfGhFZeEz-E_WZBSZtp1ilVH_w1jIFL12Sw2pWO99qwWBOQCYD7lw6JIoLNwq_G0G8vIJBUJK6RuVAxIZIs6GpBTH_fcDPsvKjOZcg4iePALkn4dbQLlV1XSM0UmB-1sT5T77IWwwHC38kQjKOcf_ac6M=w609-h312" width="609" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>I came across this very useful <a href="https://missing.csail.mit.edu">MIT open learning course</a>.<p></p><p>Over the years I've absorbed enough unix/linux ability to be able to stumble around in the accounts I use. Mostly for web development.</p><p>It appears that many MIT curricula put students into a similar situation. And this course is to fill in the gaps in their (my!) skills at using the OS from the command line.</p><p>Shell scripting. Useful commands that I'd never heard of. A great illustration of using piping and redirection to splice commands together. Also a great overview of using the version control system 'git' from the command line.</p><p>I'm only halfway through, and I've already learned a bunch of things that I'll use all the time.</p><p><a href="https://missing.csail.mit.edu">The Missing Semester</a>.</p><p><br /></p>Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446503639876720400.post-29912552962213936562024-01-29T12:00:00.003-05:002024-02-04T11:36:42.635-05:00Monday Message - Jan 29, 2024<h2 style="text-align: left;"> <span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">Monday Message</span></h2><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><em>January 29, 2024</em></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><img alt="Amtrak Downeaster" src="http://jackhodgson.com/pages/mondaymessage/2024/images/downeaster-dover.png" style="max-width: 100%;" /></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">Hi!</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">I'm pretty sure no one noticed, but I missed last week's message here. I hope to not miss it very often.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">My goal is to spend 2024 focussing on building my work in creating, and my audience for, content about things other than General Aviation.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">I'm sure most of you know my work on the Uncontrolled Airspace Podcast -- with Jeb Burnside and Dave Higdon. And I'll continue to be involved with that. But I want to concentrate more this year on creating other media things, about other subjects that interest me.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">For the first few months I'll be experimenting. Dabbling in too many subject areas and media forms. But eventually I hope to discover the intersection of, what I'm most interested in, and what you all want to see.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">My work with the UCAP podcast has been almost exclusively audio, but in this new work I'm very interested in the visual arts.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><span></span></p><a name='more'></a>I'll be experimenting and learning about shooting and editing video, creating motion graphics, 3D modeling and video effects... and whatever else I discover along the way.<p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">The subjects I'll be exploring will start out with my longstanding passion for science and technology, but I think I'll also be looking into lifestyle things, pop culture, and maybe even politics and social matters.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">And I'm thinking that (fair warning) you may be seeing my face more than ever.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">Part of my plan is to try doing both video blogs ("vlogs") as well as video livestreams.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">This new level of "being seen" is complicated by both my personal concerns about my "old guy" appearance, as well as one practical, cosmetic matter:</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">During the pandemic's isolation times I developed the (bad) habit of not shaving on a regular basis. "Shaving", in this instance, being an all encompassing euphemism for a variety of personal hygiene activities which are not so important when you're on your own 100% of the time, but should be dealt with more often when interacting with, or appearing in front of, others.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">I need to get back into the habit of being presentable on a regular basis.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">That in itself may be a worthwhile accomplishment for 2024.</p><div style="background-color: lightyellow; border: 1px solid black; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif; padding: 1em;"><h3 style="margin-top: 0px;">Please follow me.</h3>If you've been forwarded this mesaage, or just stumbled upon it, and you like it, please become a FREE FOLLOWER of me<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://patreon.com/jackhodgson">on Patreon</a>. I'll be publishing mostly non General Aviation content, in the areas of science & technology, visual arts, lifestyle, pop-culture, and other things that strike my fancy.</div><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">We published a new episode of Uncontrolled Airspace this past week. With guest co-host Amy Laboda.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://uncontrolledairspace.com/shownotes/index.php?s=UCAP1084">Check it out here</a>.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">We also recorded an episode with guest co-host, the redoubtable 😉, Steve Tupper. I'm hoping that one will get posted sometime this week.</p><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">Found on the Net</h3><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">And here're some things from the net that I found interesting since we last talked.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">--<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://youtu.be/PCW6dlBD-_g?si=eZjihaDVGpXZdWzs">Yet another way</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>to cook bacon.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">--<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/these-entrancing-maps-capture-which-oceans-rivers-run-into-180983481/">Cool maps showing</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>which Oceans the World's rivers flow into:</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">--<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/us-route-50-nevada-biking-driving">A story about bicycle touring along Nevada's US Route 50</a>. I've driven "the lonliest road in America" It's an amazing place.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">-- Sadly, I'm going to arrive late to Sun 'n Fun this year. The day before the opening of this year's fly-in is the day of the total solar eclipse here in the US. My home in southern NH is not under the 100% area, but it's only an hour's drive away.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">I just came across<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://youtu.be/sOpYoO_SK7o?si=b3JCZE2p2YQEWa64d">this cool video</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>which illustrates the path of the eclipse across North America.</p><div style="background-color: lightyellow; border: 1px solid black; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif; padding: 1em;"><h3 style="margin-top: 0px;">My Socials</h3>Since the demise of Twitter I, like so many others, have been searching for a new social media gathering place that is to my liking. I haven't found THE ONE yet. But I'm trying to stay active on these for now...<ul><li>Mastodon,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://mastodon.social/@jackhodgson">@jackhodgson@mastodon.social</a></li><li>Threads,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://www.threads.net/@jackhodgson">@jackhodgson</a></li><li>Bluesky,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/jackhodgson.bsky.social">@jackhodgson.bsky.social</a></li></ul>If you're on any of these, please follow me. Thanks.</div><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">See ya!</h3><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">That's it for this week. See you next time.</p><hr style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;" /><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><em>Post your comments and feedback on the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://patreon.com/jackhodgson">Patreon page</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>for this posting.</em></p><hr style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;" /><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">Previous Messages</h3><ul style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><li><a href="http://jackhodgson.com/pages/mondaymessage/2024/2024-01.php">January 8, 2024</a></li><li><a href="http://jackhodgson.com/pages/mondaymessage/2024/2024-02.php">January 15, 2024</a></li></ul><hr style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;" /><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><em>Issue: 24-03</em></p>Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446503639876720400.post-26806283429815189472024-01-15T12:00:00.003-05:002024-02-04T11:36:19.666-05:00Monday Message - Jan 15, 2024<h2 style="text-align: left;"> <span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">Good Monday Message</span></h2><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><em>January 15, 2024</em></p><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">Thrill Ride</h3><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><strong>Last week</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I reported that we finally got some snow (8.5 inches!) up here in Seacoast New Hampshire.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">Well, two days later, the temperature rose to 50 degrees F, and it rained for the better part of 24 hours. Almost all the snow was melted and washed away.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">And now, this morning's low temp was 20F! And the forecast is for it to stay below freezing 24/7 for the next week.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">We've moved, from the unseasonably warm of December, onto a weather roller-coaster.</p><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><span><a name='more'></a></span>New UCAP Episode</h3><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><strong>Jeb and I recorded</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>a fun episode of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://uncontrolledairspace.com/">UCAP</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>with guest host Amy Laboda. I'm hoping that will get posted later today, or tomorrow.</p><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">3D Modeling and MoGrc</h3><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><strong>I'm continuing my learning curve</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>on 3D modeling and motion graphics.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">I'm currently working on learning how to add animated 3D models into live action video. I may have something to show you next week.</p><hr style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;" /><blockquote style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><p>If you've been forwarded this mesaage, or just stumbled upon it, and you like it, please become a FREE FOLLOWER of me<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://patreon.com/jackhodgson">on Patreon</a>. I'll be publishing mostly non General Aviation content, in the areas of science, graphics, technology, and other things that strike my fancy.</p></blockquote><hr style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;" /><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">Found on the Net.</h3><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><strong>In recent years</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I've become a bit of a "Whovian" (Fan of the Dr. Who TV show). I've only watched a few seasons of the 15 different Doctors. Mostly the 11th, 10th and 14th(!) Doctors, with a bit of the 13th. But I don't recall ever seeing an episode with a musical number.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">From the most recent episode of the 15th Doctor, a kinda catchy, and more than a little gruesome, song performed by a Goblin Taylor Swift (Miley Cyrus?).</p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XXgnqGTOXTE?si=36zIRlO2I4H2gWHA" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"></span><hr style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;" /><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><strong>Not sure how I've never seen any of these</strong>, cause they're kinda fun. An annual video from the Australian Lamb lobbying group. (OK. Eating cute litte lambs may be troubling, but this video is fun.)</p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/V1e0apyGASc?si=6v2oydDabgn-Zc9Y" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"></span><hr style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;" /><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><strong>This is a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://www.banfacialrecognition.com/stores/">disturbing list</a>.</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>It's a scorecard of businesses that will/maybe/won't use facial recognition on their customers.</p><hr style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;" /><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">That's it for this week. See you next time.</p><hr style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;" /><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><em>Post your comments and feedback on the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://patreon.com/jackhodgson">Patreon page</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>for this posting.</em></p><hr style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;" /><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">Previous Messages</h3><ul style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><li><a href="http://jackhodgson.com/pages/mondaymessage/2024/2024-01.php">January 8, 2024</a></li></ul><hr style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;" /><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><em>Issue: 24-02</em></p>Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446503639876720400.post-33344677756320515172024-01-08T12:00:00.004-05:002024-02-04T11:36:51.843-05:00Monday Message - Jan 8 2024<h2 style="text-align: left;"> <span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">Monday Message</span></h2><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><em>Monday, January 8, 2024 -- Good morning.</em></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><strong>The big news</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>up here in Seacoast New Hampshire is that it's finally snowed.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">This winter had shaped up so far for its historically low snowfall totals. Specifically, NO SNOW yet.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">But this past Saturday night and through the day Sunday we got 8 1/2 inches of white fluffy. This is more like it.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">Although the current forecast is for 2 inches of RAIN on Wednesday. So... it's the new normal.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><strong>We posted a new episode of UCAP</strong>, #1083 (lgy 722) with guest co-host Drew "172Drew" Poley. Jeb and I talked with Drew about Jeb's new avionics and Drew's new airplane, among other things.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><strong><span></span></strong></p><a name='more'></a><strong>I'm continuing my learning</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>in the areas of motion graphics and 3D modeling. To showcase my (still very simple and low-poly) work, I've created a virtual sculpture garden, where I'll be mounting and displaying my work. It's not much now, but I'm learning.<p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">Real soon now I'll post a link to a video of my virtual sculpture garden.</p><hr style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;" /><blockquote style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><p>If you're not already, please become a FREE MEMBER of this Patreon. I'll be posting my mostly non-General-Aviation content here. Life in Seacoast NH, my work as a digital artist, some tech training clips, and who knows what else. Also please leave a comment with your feedback, and telling me what you're up to.</p></blockquote><hr style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;" /><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">Found on the net.</h3><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">Here are a few things I found interesting on the internet this past week.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><strong>I'm pretty late to the game</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of being a Casey Niestat fan, but I've been watching him now for the past 5 years or so. A lot of changes in his life in that time.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">In this interview of Casey he tells how he got to where he was, where he is, and hints at what may be next.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><strong>As an aside</strong>, the guy conducting this interview is very good. I'd never seen any of his stuff before, but I've now watched a handful of his other subjects. He's a good interviewer.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><strong>I'm a big fan of the Aubrey/Maturin "Master and Commander" books</strong>by Patrick O'Brian. Fans of the book series are familiar with the beloved ship "Surprise". This video features the real life replica of the ship that the fictional Surprise may have been based on. It was used in the Russell Crowe movie.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">Here's pop star Billie Eilish doing a different kind of song. She's got chops.</p><h3 style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">Horny goat weed</h3><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">Finally, while waiting to pick up a prescription the other day I saw this. I'm trying to wrap my head around the idea that people, probably in the national office of my pharmacy, sat in a meeting, considered this product, and decided that, yes, we should sell it in our mainstream retail drugstore.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;"><img alt="Horny goat weed" src="http://jackhodgson.com/pages/mondaymessage/2024/hgw.png" style="max-width: 100%;" /></p><hr style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;" /><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">See you next time.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sanserif;">// Jack</p>Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446503639876720400.post-29321278075264251902023-09-14T08:36:00.000-04:002023-09-14T08:36:56.185-04:00Blogging Again?<p> I'd really like to start blogging regularly again.</p><p>Back in the aughts I was a very active blogger. Posting multiple entries every day. Some of those blogs are still available online. Maybe I'll pull together a list of links.</p><p>I've been thinking lately, and pretty much decided, that in response to the collapse (maybe I should write more on that claim) of social media, I want to return to blogging on a daily basis.</p><p>Then the problem becomes what platform to use.</p><p>There's this one, blogger. Not a bad choice. But being part of the google (alphabet?) ecosystem makes it concerning. Google's been known to end these things before. Frankly I'm surprised they haven't ended this one already.</p><p>Wordpress is a non starter for me. It's become too bloated and hard to maintain. Also it's database/php driven, which I think makes it too fragile for longterm existence.</p><p>I've always liked the Jekyll system. But I've never figured out how to get it running on my hosting systems. Maybe I should invest some time in figuring that out.</p><p>But somehow I want to blog. My goal is at least one decent post each day. Stay tuned.</p>Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446503639876720400.post-3807051807861327712023-07-01T11:24:00.004-04:002023-07-01T11:25:37.975-04:00Shark Tracking Website!<p>This outfit tags sharks with radio trackers, and you can see <a href="https://www.ocearch.org/tracker/">the most recent "ping"</a> from each shark's location. I came across this because the shark Anne Bonny" has been pretty close to shore here in seacoast New Hampshire.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfpvLP1hG5EYLMvSEF4blGRG00zSiDLWBfmHREIoWjtNmStBvcjCq5OV6Vda0kM0nW8fGIoqihgcuAkiWrAAxYc9GVHAwDvG-rVgaSu6ZFggdQ4SBli9BAmW7EGo34YXYnk-VpGictwTYIYpa625QCWqQsxEoyTjt6gi04w9YvXQZsiySgcZwafYnfGSJ/s2206/Screenshot%202023-07-01%20at%208.22.30%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1194" data-original-width="2206" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfpvLP1hG5EYLMvSEF4blGRG00zSiDLWBfmHREIoWjtNmStBvcjCq5OV6Vda0kM0nW8fGIoqihgcuAkiWrAAxYc9GVHAwDvG-rVgaSu6ZFggdQ4SBli9BAmW7EGo34YXYnk-VpGictwTYIYpa625QCWqQsxEoyTjt6gi04w9YvXQZsiySgcZwafYnfGSJ/w400-h222/Screenshot%202023-07-01%20at%208.22.30%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p>Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446503639876720400.post-2461731615849770292022-11-23T09:00:00.005-05:002022-11-23T09:28:10.744-05:00Warcraft "Dragonflight" is coming!<p>In the world of World of Warcraft we are in the midst (nearing the end actually. Woo hoo!) of the "pre-expansion" period before the next Expansion of the game: "Dragonflight"</p><p>At the beginning of the pre-ex I set some goals for myself, and for my various playing characters ("toons", do they still call them that?).</p><p>I hadn't played the game at all in many months, maybe a year. I never really warmed up to the "Shadowlands" previous expansion. So, before the new expansion I wanted to get my main character up to the "level cap" so it was ready to move on into the new content.</p><p>I also chose two other of my characters that I wanted to improve, using the easier leveling capabilities that are available during the pre-ex.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXsExQDIZ3aCpNdljA-qoFjBb_uMlG_vt9C8-lmDgog60PxwNwFlcEp4zHtc3XzB8DQGFL0O1kHijQYlX18tUPskdGpaaKCKCdHs5BVol-J7shZF4dkhlKch3CNsXEWYpUdZVxF9Tm2vn_dGbwBxJrRHNqXKQ_YJPN53udfRWSuDp2dMgKZDQpAW7gg/s1680/my-three-toons.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="My WOW characters" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1680" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXsExQDIZ3aCpNdljA-qoFjBb_uMlG_vt9C8-lmDgog60PxwNwFlcEp4zHtc3XzB8DQGFL0O1kHijQYlX18tUPskdGpaaKCKCdHs5BVol-J7shZF4dkhlKch3CNsXEWYpUdZVxF9Tm2vn_dGbwBxJrRHNqXKQ_YJPN53udfRWSuDp2dMgKZDQpAW7gg/w400-h173/my-three-toons.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My WOW characters.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>My "main" is a "Shaman", part of the faction "Alliance". I have another char that is part of the other, opposing faction: "Horde". It is also a Shaman. I don't play the Horde char very much, but I like to keep it reasonably up to date, so I have the ability to experience the game from that perspective when I want.</p><p>So I wanted to get my Horde char to the level cap too.</p><p>Finally, there's my Hunter. For years now I've played the character class "Shaman". But in an earlier period I spent a bunch of years as a Hunter.</p><p>In WOW all character classes play differently. They have different powers, and fight using different techniques. I've found Shaman to be a class that I'm pretty comfortable with. I'll never be a top level player, but I can succeed pretty well with the Shammy. But I recently got homesick for my Hunter.</p><p>So I decided to try to re-familiarize myself with it, and maybe get it to the cap as well.</p><p>I've achieved my main goals of getting the two mains to the cap, Level 60. And I've spent some time revisiting what it means to be a Hunter. But that last it turning out to be a challenge. Very different fighting style, that I wasn't very good at before, and I'm still not.</p><p>But anyway. I'm mostly ready for the Expansion. The mains are Level 60, and "geared up" as well as is available to we mere solo Questers. With the remaining time before the Big Day I'll chip away at leveling the Hunter, and see how far I can get it.</p><p>The World of Warcraft expansion "Dragonflight" drops on Monday November 28 at 6pm EST.</p><p><br /></p>Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446503639876720400.post-53965074353351463852021-05-08T15:34:00.005-04:002021-05-08T15:34:49.566-04:00The View from High Places<p>A recent <a href="https://granitegeek.concordmonitor.com/2021/05/04/we-can-see-farther-from-mount-washington-than-we-used-to/">Granite Geek blog post</a> reports on the historic improvement in visibility from New Hampshire's Mt Washington. </p><p>This story put me in mind of one that I heard back when I lived in California. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mM6GlzIMVWM/YJbnd-uigSI/AAAAAAAAA5Y/ZYECNGnY4285d7P1bGOeDGIh3vGE8bgUgCLcBGAsYHQ/s800/Burgess-map-Picture1-800x449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mM6GlzIMVWM/YJbnd-uigSI/AAAAAAAAA5Y/ZYECNGnY4285d7P1bGOeDGIh3vGE8bgUgCLcBGAsYHQ/w694-h388/Burgess-map-Picture1-800x449.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>It is said that from the summit of Mt Diablo, near Oakland and San Francisco, one could see the second greatest land surface area of any peak in the world. This always seemed plausible to me given Diablo's steep rise from a relatively flat area. </p><p>I was far from the only one to hear and embrace this story, but it's sadly <a href="https://www.kqed.org/news/11808501/does-mount-diablo-have-the-biggest-view-in-the-world">turned out to be untrue</a>. Nevertheless, I wonder what geographical oddity we can find (or invent) to enhance the legend of our own Mt Washington. ???</p>Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446503639876720400.post-45931914560722868792021-05-08T07:05:00.003-04:002021-05-08T07:12:30.510-04:00I want whiskey made from New Hampshire white oak barrels.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dLFryr4M0Hw/YJZw3pI03KI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/oI7NqVkM6V8_IE9EmgxiscvGuibEXX5FACLcBGAsYHQ/s980/White-Oak-Graphic-TM-web-980x366.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="980" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dLFryr4M0Hw/YJZw3pI03KI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/oI7NqVkM6V8_IE9EmgxiscvGuibEXX5FACLcBGAsYHQ/w674-h253/White-Oak-Graphic-TM-web-980x366.png" width="100%" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Granite Geek Blog:</span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"></span></p><blockquote>"<span face=""Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #515151; font-size: 17px;">Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis was performed on white oak from New England and the results were compared to Midwest white oak. The comparison confirmed that there were discernable differences in the chemical characteristics that could affect the taste of a beverage. Beverage producers can source New England white oak staves or casks if they prefer fewer tannins and more of a specific chemical compound called trans-whiskey-lactone, relative to other sources of American white oak. This is the first known chemical analysis comparing New England white oak to white oak from other regions."</span></blockquote><span face=""Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #515151; font-size: 17px;"></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 17px;"><span face="Open Sans, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #515151;"><a href="https://granitegeek.concordmonitor.com/2021/05/04/hey-whisky-makers-new-england-white-oak-is-better-for-your-barrels-so-check-the-certificate/" style="background-color: white;">https://granitegeek.concordmonitor.com/2021/05/04/hey-whisky-makers-new-england-white-oak-is-better-for-your-barrels-so-check-the-certificate/</a></span></span></p>Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446503639876720400.post-70949777403904399372021-05-07T12:21:00.003-04:002021-05-07T12:25:00.443-04:00Smart TV?<p> I'm looking to upgrade the TV in my home.</p><p>All the TVs that I'm looking at are labeled "smart" TVs. But I'm pretty sure I don't want a smart TV.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ICeqMYt2KMo/YJVpo7-8p4I/AAAAAAAAA5I/ApLx_C-MdrU9Xr1NEucoR1RKaVhX1b9qQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1140/SCARECROW.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="1140" height="296" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ICeqMYt2KMo/YJVpo7-8p4I/AAAAAAAAA5I/ApLx_C-MdrU9Xr1NEucoR1RKaVhX1b9qQCLcBGAsYHQ/w623-h296/SCARECROW.JPG" width="623" /></a></div><br />First, I don't want to pay extra for a smart TV. <p></p><p>And second, I really don't want to deal with the annoyance of a TV that thinks it's smart.</p><p>Any suggestions?</p>Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446503639876720400.post-20850784089050704832021-05-07T12:10:00.004-04:002021-05-07T12:11:46.300-04:00Is this thing still working?<p> Is it?</p><p>...</p><p>Looks like it is!</p><p><br /></p>Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446503639876720400.post-78078493998769476782018-09-01T13:12:00.000-04:002018-09-01T15:11:15.636-04:00End of Summer, Not!When I was a kid our family would spend a lot of the summer at our lake house in NH. Looking back it was an idyllic and magical time.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kh71darB4r8/W4rG5MljilI/AAAAAAAAAsM/0fsW2ud435AGdm1UIgMbSIdDYgs-owVmQCLcBGAs/s1600/swimming.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1422" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kh71darB4r8/W4rG5MljilI/AAAAAAAAAsM/0fsW2ud435AGdm1UIgMbSIdDYgs-owVmQCLcBGAs/s320/swimming.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Each summer, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, Mom and us 5 kids would relocate to the lake for the summer. Dad would usually commute back to greater Boston on Monday morning and return to NH on Friday afternoon.<br />
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Boating, swimming, hiking. Carousing with friends.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KTJtovVUq40/W4rGx44pTcI/AAAAAAAAAsI/7mc0AZrduYIq4VIFZY3udNPsJuA8-NJuACLcBGAs/s1600/waterski.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KTJtovVUq40/W4rGx44pTcI/AAAAAAAAAsI/7mc0AZrduYIq4VIFZY3udNPsJuA8-NJuACLcBGAs/s320/waterski.jpg" width="320" /></a>But it would all come to a crashing halt on Labor Day weekend. We'd celebrate the end of summer with cookouts, more boating and swimming, through to the Monday holiday.</div>
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"Boo! It's Labor Day Weekend!"<br />
<br />
On Monday afternoon we'd pack up, head home, and start school on Tuesday morning.<br />
<br />
[BTW, don't get me started on the fact that school now begins BEFORE Labor Day. That's a post for another day.]<br />
<br />
Anyway, I was just thinking about all this. It's Labor Day Weekend. The summer is over!<br />
<br />
Except it's not.<br />
<br />
I'm a grownup now. I don't report to school on Tuesday. In fact, because of my odd worklife I have a lot of September off.<br />
<br />
And as an adult I've grown to appreciate the weather of the Fall MORE than the Summer.<br />
<br />
That Labor Day weekend is "The End" is deeply ingrained from my childhood.<br />
<br />
But it's NOT. It's the <i>beginning,</i> of maybe the nicest time of year.<br />
<br />
So... "Yay! It's Labor Day Weekend!"<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3Ve0SCAg05s/W4rH5FBNMRI/AAAAAAAAAsY/h23pHePjsSAZ2V4ZJTSnKYPYrxCVSapqwCLcBGAs/s1600/lake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1422" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3Ve0SCAg05s/W4rH5FBNMRI/AAAAAAAAAsY/h23pHePjsSAZ2V4ZJTSnKYPYrxCVSapqwCLcBGAs/s640/lake.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446503639876720400.post-57548669111212133482018-08-31T07:36:00.000-04:002018-08-31T07:54:59.578-04:00The Pub — Orlando, Florida<h3>
UK themed pub. I go back for the Bangers & Mash and Smithwicks beer.</h3>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GxbpR3efrE4/V9hbAxvN2pI/AAAAAAAAAdk/upmP8ga5jXMzeI8zNbLObV5dUkzxkZ6EQCLcB/s1600/thepub-bar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GxbpR3efrE4/V9hbAxvN2pI/AAAAAAAAAdk/upmP8ga5jXMzeI8zNbLObV5dUkzxkZ6EQCLcB/s400/thepub-bar.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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When I'm working at the Orlando Convention Center, and staying at one of the adjacent hotels, my go-to place for dinner and/or drinks is The Pub, in an area called Pointe Orlando.<br />
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It's an easy walk from the Convention Center hotels area, although there is a paid parking structure adjacent to the PO district.<br />
<br />
The Pub features classic UK food and drink. Great selection of beers. Notable is that all the servers are dressed in kilts.<br />
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One plus for me is it has Smithwicks beer, which is a favorite but not easy to find.<br />
<br />
My favorite dish on the menu is their Bangers and Mash. Big tasty sausages with gravy on top of mashed potatoes, with some veggies. My friend Brian likes the Shepards Pie, and friend Don likes the Fish & Chips. Brian also introduced me to the Scotch Egg while at The Pub.<br />
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Website: <a href="http://experiencethepub.com/orlando/">http://experiencethepub.com/orlando/</a><br />
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Address: Pointe Orlando, 9101 International Dr #1003, Orlando, FL 32819<br />
(Bar pic source: <a href="http://www.visitorlando.com/">http://www.visitorlando.com</a>)<br />
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<a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-pub-orlando-orlando?utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RTXQHm1H5Es/V9hbBLL82EI/AAAAAAAAAdo/jIgBe9ZnLNUSTXKkxKbw-mR4q_baWK4YACLcB/s400/thepuborlandoyelp.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446503639876720400.post-29248171399046767182016-03-21T18:49:00.000-04:002016-03-21T18:49:53.645-04:00Stone Mountain GeorgiaI'm visiting Stone Mountain Park in Georgia and I find the place very troubling.<br />
<br />
I admit that I t's very pretty here. Woodsy, nice walking trails, good facilities.<br />
<br />
But one of the central themes of the place is to celebrate something that I think is not worthy of celebration. That really bothers me.Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446503639876720400.post-685478303895272482016-03-20T08:47:00.000-04:002016-03-20T08:49:49.222-04:00Pawtuckaway Lake Spring Levels Historic Dates for -3ft and FullPond<p>Historic dates for lake level rise of Pawtuckaway Lake, Nottingham NH.</p>
<table border="1">
<tr><th>Year</th><th>reached -3ft</th><th>reached full pond</th></tr>
<tr><td>2016</td><td>3/20</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>2015</td><td>4/7</td><td>4/23</td></tr>
<tr><td>2014</td><td>4/10</td><td>5/17</td></tr>
<tr><td>2013</td><td>4/5</td><td>5/25</td></tr>
<tr><td>2012</td><td>3/18</td><td>5/16</td></tr>
<tr><td>2011</td><td>4/6</td><td>4/23</td></tr>
<tr><td>2010</td><td>3/14</td><td>4/21</td></tr>
</table>
<p>Source: <a href="http://bazlabs.com/dolloffgauges/gchart.php">My Lake Level History Chart</a></p>Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446503639876720400.post-1441102436464058752016-03-18T13:20:00.001-04:002016-03-20T08:49:06.283-04:00Craving Taco Bell<a href="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bzqLf8HrkSw/maxresdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bzqLf8HrkSw/maxresdefault.jpg" width="200" /></a>For some reason I'm craving Taco Bell lately. Discovered their "grillers", esp the <a href="https://www.tacobell.com/food/burritos/chipotle-chicken-loaded-griller">chipotle chicken ones</a>.<br />
<br />
Good.<br />
<br />
<br />Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446503639876720400.post-91741484085902899572014-07-05T07:13:00.001-04:002014-07-05T07:13:35.430-04:00Fireworks filmed with a droneI approve.<br /><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/a9KZ3jgbbmI" width="480"></iframe>Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446503639876720400.post-70370137969244398292014-06-20T12:34:00.004-04:002014-06-20T12:34:36.100-04:00Everything is a mirror<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />A novel camera system that can detect objects hidden by obstructions — without using a mirror — has been developed by scientists at the University of Bonn and the University of British Columbia.<br />It uses diffusely reflected, time-coded light to reconstruct the shape of objects outside of the field of view.</blockquote>
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<a href="http://www.kurzweilai.net/how-to-see-around-a-corner-without-a-mirror">Read more...</a>Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446503639876720400.post-34512646332103333832014-03-26T15:57:00.001-04:002014-03-26T15:57:53.453-04:00If life were just a bunch of GIFs.The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - "Simple and Sure"<br /><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/XTy3bSofqTM" width="480"></iframe>Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446503639876720400.post-26749885752267706982014-01-11T18:25:00.001-05:002014-01-11T18:25:05.166-05:00The Camp GynoAs a guy I'll never completely understand the issues of this subject. But this spot seems to be a terrific way of showing girls it's OK to ask about the whole subject.<br />
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And the girl in the spot is bad-ass.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/0XnzfRqkRxU" width="480"></iframe>Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446503639876720400.post-70090293012079966742014-01-11T11:18:00.001-05:002014-01-11T11:18:17.528-05:00A test <p dir="ltr">A test </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ZjzyJ7MB4LA/UtFux_JhBpI/AAAAAAAAAUE/W3s91SG5TF4/s1600/1389457055397.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ZjzyJ7MB4LA/UtFux_JhBpI/AAAAAAAAAUE/W3s91SG5TF4/s640/1389457055397.jpg"> </a> </div>Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446503639876720400.post-4642271567749531592013-12-07T18:51:00.000-05:002013-12-07T18:51:07.535-05:00Les Miz, the musical movie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ISWyUU5IC8M/UqOrAAK_giI/AAAAAAAAATY/7SF3FUZ2lJ4/s1600/lesmiz_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ISWyUU5IC8M/UqOrAAK_giI/AAAAAAAAATY/7SF3FUZ2lJ4/s320/lesmiz_small.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
"Les Miz" was on the Air Canada, seat-back media system on my flight yesterday from Calgary to Toronto, so I finally had a chance to see it.<br />
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Simply put, the musical performances were terrific, but the visuals and staging were not outstanding.<br />
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I've seen this show twice on stage, and the way it's presented there -- symbolically not realistically -- seems just right to me. Trying to present it on-screen, realistically, just didn't work.<br />
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The most significant example of this is in the final barricade battle scene. The way it is presented on stage -- using a stylistic barricade, and an awesome stage turntable -- is an incredibly heart-rending experience. It's just not reproducible on screen.<br />
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But the music is great. And the performers did a very, very good job. Much was made of the fact that the performers sang live on camera instead of pantomiming to a pre-recorded track, and this scheme really works well, allowing the singing performances to be striking and nuanced.<br />
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The musical performers at all levels were excellent. No weak spots.<br />
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Hugh Jackman's performance is no real surprise. And though Anne Hathaway is little known as a singer, she delivers one of the movie's most memorable singing performances with "I Dreamed a Dream".<br />
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The rest of the cast did great jobs too.<br />
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Eponine's "On My Own" is one of my favorites, and Samantha Barks performance didn't disappoint.<br />
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When this movie came out I remember some reviewers who were critical of Russell Crowe's singing of the role Javert. I disagree. His voice was strong and melodic. And he was just right as the straitlaced, give no quarter to anyone, inspector.<br />
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So I think this movie is worth seeing for the music and the performers. Be prepared to settle for a visual production that just doesn't click.Jack Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192199731991867009noreply@blogger.com0