:: Ray's Periodic Rantings ::

:: Tuesday, July 08, 2008 ::

A Ponderance

As prices continue to rise on petroleum and all its derivatives, the ones that literally fuel our economy, one has to wonder what resulting visual changes to our lives we will see. Two examples come to mind.

A few years ago, I read about experiments conducted on ocean-going container ships, using large kites as sales to increase fuel efficiency. Apparently, they did obtain decent results. They may not have been compelling enough to implement with the fuel prices then, but now that they are twice as high, will we see increasing numbers of freighters and tankers flying kites?

2) For decades, blimps and dirigibles have existed as aerial platforms with unrivaled endurance and fuel efficiency. With helicopters and airplanes becoming increasingly expensive to fly, will we see a resurgence in the use of lighter-than-air aircraft in appropriate applications?
:: Ray 12:39 PM [+] ::
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Sox!

Yesterday, Graeme attended his first baseball game, watching the Sox destroy the Oakland A's at Comiskey (which I will never refer to by its corporate rebranding, "U.S. Cellular Field.") Pix are up.
:: Ray 4:38 PM [+] ::
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Seattle 08

Pix of Graeme's trip by train, airplane, and automobile to Seattle are up.
:: Ray 8:35 PM [+] ::
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Traffic Report

This morning Mary, Graeme and I flew home from Seattle on a redeye. Passing over the city in the pre-dawn light at 5:15am or so was quite spectacular. For commuters suffering through this summerÕs construction and lane closures on I-94, the Edens Expressway, however, I have good news: it was wide open, with relatively few cars moving along just fine. All you have to do is time-shift your commute by a few hours, and you are golden!
:: Ray 12:33 PM [+] ::
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Temblor

Some creaking briefly awoke me this morning. Now I know what it was.
:: Ray 10:46 AM [+] ::
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Expelled Exposed

I would hope than any of my gentle readers, Christian or not, would be intelligent enough not to bought into this nonsense of creationism/intelligent design. Just in case, have a look at this PBS Nova episode, Intelligent Design on Trial, which pretty much puts the lid on the idea of "intelligent design." And should you be tempted by the latest Ben Stein vehicle, Expelled, then by all means peruse Expelled Exposed.
:: Ray 2:51 PM [+] ::
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Unscrew America

Why do websites that encourage you to do something good for the environment have to be boring? I just bumped into one that is downright fun, and the music is so catchy that I have left it running as I write this.

Enjoy Unscrew America!
:: Ray 1:23 AM [+] ::
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Strangely Prescient

British Airways opened the long-awaited Terminal 5 at London's Heathrow Airport on March 27 of this year, and promptly fell on its face as its technologically complex baggage system failed miserably, causing at least two weeks of problems during which flights were cancelled and literally thousands of bags piled up in an Italian warehouse, among other locations.

The incident reminded me of a 1980 song from Monty Python, called I'm So Worried (low quality mp3 link hosted at http://www.mwscomp.com/sound.html). If nothing else, listen to at least the first two lines of the song for a good chuckle.

OK, for those of you too apathetic to listen, or in case the link expires, here are those first two lines:

I'm so worried about what's happened today in the Middle East you know,
And I'm so worried about the baggage retrieval system they've got at Heathrow...

:: Ray 11:45 PM [+] ::
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Nice timing.

4000 dead in Iraq. Happy Easter.
:: Ray 10:23 PM [+] ::
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Springtime in Chicago

It's a fine Spring day!


:: Ray 3:43 PM [+] ::
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Mr. Blue Sky

Today is the equinox. Spring has sprung! Appropriately, the sun is beaming in a cloudless, blue sky. Of course, this being Chicago, we are expecting several inches of wet, heavy snow tomorrow, just in time for Easter weekend. [sigh].
:: Ray 1:51 PM [+] ::
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Fun firsts and not-so-fun ones.

Two weeks ago we were in Kerrville, Texas, enjoying 80 degree weather on a game ranch where our friends Chris and April live. It was Graeme's first time outside in the wind and sun, not bundled against the cold. The drive was arduous, but well worth it. Of course we took pics.

This weekend, however, Graeme has caught his first cold, which was almost inevitable given that both Mary and I already had it. Nursing him through it has not been one of the highlights of parenthood to date, allowing us even less sleep than our usual deprived amount. Sigh.
:: Ray 7:14 PM [+] ::
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Sigh...

There are few things in life quite as satisfying as having your child fall asleep with his/her head on your shoulder.
:: Ray 10:09 PM [+] ::
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Hmmm.

This is my first test post with an OSX Widget that makes the process far more convenient. Will it make my posting more prolific? Only time will tell.

In the meantime, allow me to note a parental truism: in my observation, when burping a baby, more often than not a belch escapes from the adult before it does from the little one.
:: Ray 2:55 AM [+] ::
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