Distractions
Jazz inspecting her new domain.
Posting has been relatively light this week for two reasons.
First, I am in the process of switching to a new computer, and getting it properly configured to my very complex requirements (which include a keyboard that matches the old RadioShack TRS-80 Model III) has been time consuming. Progress is being made, but with Linux there are always glitches than need fixing.
Second and more important, Diane and I adopted a new kitten this week, as shown in the picture to the right. We have named her Jazz, and getting her acclimated has required a bit of work, especially because our older cat Molly seems unhappy about the change (Nothing but hisses, which I think will fade with time). Things are improving but it does take me from work.
We hope this new family member will fill the hole when our tabby Misty disappeared in June, likely grabbed by a predator. So far it appears Jazz will do the job.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Jazz inspecting her new domain.
Posting has been relatively light this week for two reasons.
First, I am in the process of switching to a new computer, and getting it properly configured to my very complex requirements (which include a keyboard that matches the old RadioShack TRS-80 Model III) has been time consuming. Progress is being made, but with Linux there are always glitches than need fixing.
Second and more important, Diane and I adopted a new kitten this week, as shown in the picture to the right. We have named her Jazz, and getting her acclimated has required a bit of work, especially because our older cat Molly seems unhappy about the change (Nothing but hisses, which I think will fade with time). Things are improving but it does take me from work.
We hope this new family member will fill the hole when our tabby Misty disappeared in June, likely grabbed by a predator. So far it appears Jazz will do the job.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Congrats on the new family member. Kids are such a challenge.
As for Linux…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPRvc2UMeMI
Bob said “keyboard that matches the old RadioShack TRS-80”
Could find any teletypes to use?
Cute kitty!
A cute little girl, and I love the name. I hope she brings you as much joy as Misty did, even as Misty is never forgotten.
By the way, while you were gone, a comment appeared on the Michael Mann thread on Oct 1st at 5:03 pm that you might be interested in.
mkent: Saw it and decided in this case it was better to leave it whole. Sometimes it is important to shine the light of truth on evil so the world can know.
C.S. Lewis said people who own pets fill in a hole in the universe.
“My Grandma, what big ears you have!” “The better to hear the can-opener, my dear.”
Hello, Jazz! You have your job assignment: Create as much chaos as possible. Be so cute that Bob and Diane are compelled to love you anyway.
“The Naming of Cats”
T.S. Eliot
https://youtu.be/TXkLgtusza4
(1:53)
On keyboards:
Could be worse you could be trying to find something that matched an old VT100 (though why you would want that I don’t know, the VT100 keyboard was the bane of programmers and the joy of orthopedic surgeons due to the induced carpal tunnel syndrome)
On cats:
As for Jazz she looks like a lovely brown tabby. And yes Blair Kittens/ youthful cats do seem to grow into their outsize ears. We’ve twice had a pair of bonded males where one cat passed and we got a pair of new kittens (10-12 year old cats REALLY don’t want to play at the level a kitten does). Lots of hissing at first, within 2-3 months they’ll be piled together in the sun with the elder cat thinking “I don’t remember having a kitten… oh well it is warm and nice.”
RIP Misty. Hello Jazz!
Tregonsee314: My first computer was that Radio Shack Model III. Its keyboard layout was brilliantly designed for touch typists, with the arrow keys close by (up/down on the left and left/right on the right). The control key was also right there, rather than to the sides.
When I switched to a Windows machine I used a word processor Xywrite that allowed me to reconfigure the keyboard to this setup. But I couldn’t change the rest of Windows. For that reason in 2006 (among others) I switched to Linux. Been very happy since.
Note that I have probably typed a million words in my life, and have no carpel tunnel or any other wrist or hand issues. This layout I think helps.
The Trash-80 Model III was my very first PC!
Fond memories (sort of) as a 9 year old of trying to write BASIC programs on it, and running out of memory when I’d merely filled the screen with commands.
When I was allowed to upgrade to an Apple II a few years later, it felt like I’d died and gone to heaven. So much memory to work with, LOL
Congrats on the new kitty, Bob.
I remember hand programming our schools new TRS-80 to play pong in 1983. They were our computer labs first PC’s
Our county was donated hundreds of HP terminals and the local server was installed at our University. We were on the internet long before it was called the internet.
We actually programed one of our TSR-80’s to sequentially dial local phone numbers and try to connect, Every computer and fax machine that answered was recorded.
This was so early that passwords were not even universal for banks. Our teacher locked up all the HP programming manuals(just one set per school) so we just ordered a replacement set.
Boy did we have fun in school.
Wait until Jazz walks across your keyboard and scrubs two hours of typing. You got to love her!
My cat was the spawn of satin.
Oh he was fine until he wanted to play, then it was all claws out and the sneak attack was his preferred method of gathering my blood fresh.
Doctors even asked me the wounds when i went in for check ups.
I miss him sometimes.
Maybe i will replace him with a puma, it would be safer.
“My cat was the spawn of satin.”
Was it named ‘Rayon’?
That would have ben good.