Come From Away

Well, it would not be a winter out here if the season passed without there being a chicken brought into the house. Isabella is now recuperating in our basement.

Some of you may remember her from the picture below where we see her raising peachicks as a hobby last summer

I noticed her limping around a week ago. She must have cut her leg and it was swollen up about 2 fold. It looks infected and smells horrible. We’ve moved her into a cage in the basement, so that she can use all her energy in healing and not keeping warm. We’ve washed it, covered it with Polysporin, and wrapped it in Betadine soaked gauze and vet wrap. Her water has been treated with tetracycline. . . She has tons of energy which is a good sign and we are hoping that she sheds this hug “lump” that is sticking out of the back of her leg. We tried to drain it with a syringe, but noting came out but some cries of pain and a bit of blood.

I was struck by an inconsistency when visiting the co-op for supplies. There’s an entire shelf row dedicated to medicine. The strange thing is that they are all prescription based items for humans, but freely available for animals. I guess that tiny print on the bottom of the label “For veterinary use only” makes it all OK. Assorted syringes and needles, various types of penicillin all sorts of ampules full of a miscellany of chemicals. You just walk in and scoop up whatever you want. No one worries about it and you take it home. Next time I develop an infection, I’m not going to be sitting around in a doctor’s office waiting room to see the doctor for two minutes and get a prescription. I’ll just look up what I need on the net and then pop into the co-op for some penicillin.

Our toaster died. K was in town and decided to pick up a new one.

I really like technology, but even I can admit that it starts to get a bit ridiculous when your toaster has more buttons and options than your camera or cell phone… Here it is in action making a tasty snack for me.

Now that I have a toaster with a screen, I wonder how it is possible that I ever lived with one that didn’t have one. I just wish it was bigger, so that I could watch TV on it. Oh well, perhaps we will have to get one of these internet ready refrigerators:

If K complains, I already have my excuse ready: “I DON’T see what the problem is! YOU started the trend with the toaster! I am simply following YOUR example that all new appliances MUST be network-able.” or “It has all the basic features that one expects in a new fridge: cold water dispenser, ice dispenser, internet, pop can holder., adjustable shelving, camera, removable bins, integrated calendar and email, self defrosting freezer, handwriting recognition, media player, photo album, vegetable crisper…”

It makes me think of the time that John put the ethernet wire so that it looked like our water cooler in the break/conference room was networked and we would tell people that it automatically sends us a notification when the bottle needs to be changed.

Originally broadcast on Britain’s Channel 4 in 1996, Break the Science Barrier follows the Oxford Biologist Richard Dawkins as he meets with people who have experienced the wonders of science first-hand. We meet the astronomer who first discovered pulsars, the geneticist who invented DNA fingerprinting, a scientist who discovered a protein that causes cancer, and others. Dawkins interviews famous admirers of science such as Douglas Adams and David Attenborough, and asks them why science means so much to them. We also see how dangerous ignorance of science can be in classrooms, courts, and beyond. With so many expressing paranormal beliefs and ignorance of science, Dawkins encourages viewers to contrast these ancient superstitions with the power and beauty of our scientific achievements and understanding.

Watch it free online!

Part 1: Google Video | Quicktime
Part 2: Google Video | Quicktime
Part 3: Google Video | Quicktime

or

Order it now on DVD! $15

Q. Is that really a funky new Digium card for your Asterisk server?
A. Yes, yes it is. Cool, eh?!

I’m planning on installing it this week-end. Don’t call me, the phones will be offline.

Often I awaken in the middle of the night with a fantastic idea for a blog entry, short skit/movie or some other wonderful thing. This also happens to me very often when driving or in some other situation where I do not have an opportunity to note down or record this wonderful epiphany. “What does it matter,” I say to myself. This idea is so wonderful, funny, unique or profound that there is no way I could ever forget it. It is burned into my memory so strongly that I will recall its unique brilliance with ease later today, tomorrow or even next week when I finally get a chance to set it down for the masses to woo and fawn over.

Unfortunately, this is never the case. I awaken from a night’s peaceful repose (or return home, et cetera) only to find that I remember having the inspiring though, but not the thought itself. Recently I woke from just such an experience

I lay quietly in bed waiting for my movie idea to seep slowly back into my full consciousness, so that I can replant its roots firmly in memory. I can actually physically feel it squirming to the surface. It tickles as it comes closer. It’s at the tip of my fingers. I can see its outline through the haze, but am still not able to see its defining features

Shhh, don’t say anything yet. Lie still. Don’t move. Here it comes. Almost there. . .

GOD DAMN IT! Stupid snooze button on the alarm. Some idiot who is paid to babble nonsense into the radio is shouting crap at me about Hollywood, weather, traffic or giggling with his female counterpart! Then comes the ultimate reason to get up, reach across the bed and turn off the friggin radio -> Justin Timberlake “singing” some crap about how he is going to sex up some defenceless girl (I mean who could resist him).

NOOOOoooooooooo! It’s gone! GONE! ARrrrrrrrrrrrg! <sigh>

I believe the time for a bedside notebook or voice recorder that I can use in the car is at hand.

It’s reached that time of year when i can’t wait until the weather warms and I can hide inside from the heat instead of the cold. Just thinking about it makes the heart race.

(click the picture)