A front page article in our local newspaper described how the incoming president of the University of Texas at Austin – the second largest university in Texas, by student population – has declined a $1 million salary in favor of “only” $750,000 per year (plus deferred pay, and a bonus which he also requested be… Continue reading Questioning a Gallant Gesture
Local Nature
Just a few random observations from the Wide World of Nature – Midland, Texas Edition. First, the following video is noteworthy in spite of its poor quality (shot through an office window with a zoomed-in iPhone), because it shows a ladder-backed woodpecker who landed on a red yucca and began working over the blooms. These… Continue reading Local Nature
Workplace Retrace
Someone recently posted a photo on Facebook of their office walls, and that caused me to think about the offices I’ve had over the course of my career(s). In four decades of work, they’ve run the gamut from yuck to bling, and in looking back I’ve realized that some were pretty noteworthy. The Introductory Bullpen… Continue reading Workplace Retrace
More Texas wildflower action (with 17% more bugs, too!)
The bluebonnets are thinning out in the Texas Hill Country, but wildflower season is far from over. The amazing fields of blue are giving way to even more vivid arrays of yellow, red, and white blooms, and not just from the typical flowering plants. Cacti are busy putting out their own displays of color. And,… Continue reading More Texas wildflower action (with 17% more bugs, too!)
Kicking into Kickstarter? Be prepared to kick yourself.
A Facebook friend posted a link to this New York Times article. It’s a long but entertaining look at a failed* Kickstarter campaign to fund a PID-controlled espresso machine. The article is a cautionary tale about what happens when a good idea is poorly executed, and project backers feel they have been treated unfairly, if… Continue reading Kicking into Kickstarter? Be prepared to kick yourself.
Another Ill-placed Dove Nest
If you’ve spent much time around doves you know that they run a close second to sheep for being the dumbest animals on God’s green earth. I make this assessment based primarily on the ridiculous places they choose to build their nests. For all I know, they’re geniuses when it comes to differential calculus and… Continue reading Another Ill-placed Dove Nest
Walmart Closings: Even MORE Theories!
The recent disclosure by Walmart that it’s closing five stores in order to repair “plumbing issues” is so mysterious – I can’t find any formal announcement or press release on the company’s website – that it’s spawning myriad conspiracy theories by folks for whom the X Files reboot can’t come soon enough. I’ll be the first… Continue reading Walmart Closings: Even MORE Theories!
Getting the Old Shoulder
So, the good news is that the tumor is benign. The bad news is that my right arm will perpetually hang limply by my side like a giant knackwurst. But, I could theoretically still win the Super Bowl. *rewind* Some of the above is true. *rewind* The pain in my shoulder began last October or… Continue reading Getting the Old Shoulder
LEDing the way
I’ve finally decided to bite the bullet and switch over to LED light bulbs throughout the house, although I may have to set up an Indiegogo account to get it funded. Those things are seriously expensive. I’m not sure I can justify this plan on purely economic terms. I counted more than a hundred bulbs… Continue reading LEDing the way
What color is your salmon?
So, I was perusing my Twitter feed because it’s much easier to get ideas from other people than come up with them myself and I ran across this article about how our salmon gets colored. As a frequent eater of salmon, I found it interesting that unless the fish was caught by aging hippie outdoorsmen… Continue reading What color is your salmon?