I stumbled across this link earlier today. It's provided by http://www.kitco.com/, a website from a precious metals firm headquartered in Montréal.
I've been a fan of the precious metals for years when it comes to long-term investments. The only mistake that I made in that regard was not buying more gold back when it was $300 an ounce.
At least I acquired plenty of silver, mostly in the form of pre-1965 U.S. coins, when the spot silver price was $4.50 per troy ounce. I've since seen it breach $20, and although silver took a hit today it closed at $16.21.
Of course, a website dealing in precious metals is going to have commentaries that are favorable towards gold and silver. Regardless of how you feel about the precious metals and/or stocks and bonds, I think this one's worth reading.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Them Ole Pizza Nightmares
I don't know about you, but sometimes when I have pizza for supper I can get some free entertainment later on that night in the form of weird dreams. Some are absurd, others vivid, and still others will fall in the "nightmare" category. Whatever the type of dream, there are some that you just won't forget. These types of dreams can also occur whenever I have Mexican food or barbecue.
Last night I had pizza, and I knocked off a few beers too. It was a long day at work, as that I had to be there at 5:30 AM to attend a meeting via telecon that was being chaired on the east coast. I hadn't felt like cooking, so the fare last night was a Safeway pizza with two Coors Lights to follow.....or maybe it was three.
I also wasn't able to fall asleep last night when I should have, as that I had to repeat this 5:30 AM thing again today. I set the alarm for 3:45 AM after which I entered the realm of the subconcious.
The subconcious is one of those entities that is probably among the least understood. A co-worker of mine once referred to it as "The Garbage Can of the Mind". In the subconcious, practically anything goes. Whatever it is you can't do in real life is something that you can do in the subconcious. You can float in the air, you can visit other countries, you can meet famous people, you can walk around naked in the grocery store and not be arrested, and you can also live out some encounters that can't really be described here. Garbage Can of the Mind? That sure seems to fit.
Last night's adventure, or I should say, this morning's adventure took place in Lordsburg, New Mexico. In this dream I had somehow picked up my Remington model 870 shotgun from some lady who was storing it for me. During the course of the dream, I was a passenger in a car with the shotgun, and the driver took us to Lordsburg. One of the passengers then grabbed the shotgun and bolted out of the car. He started threatening people with it, and it was apparent that I wasn't going to be able to talk him into giving me back the gun.
In real life, and in the dream, the Remington only had a capacity of three shells. It's a hunting gun, and thus has a "plug" in the magazine to limit the capacity. (This is due to a federal law that regulates duck hunting, which is what I bought the shotgun for when I lived in California). In the dream, this madman was threatening people, and he pulled the trigger. That was one round gone, and two more to go. Two more rounds, but he still had to be stopped.
I took cover, hiding in a room in an old abandoned gas station. I had my cellphone with me, and so I dialed 911. I really needed to stop this guy and I needed to stop him fast. I was going to get help and get this taken care of before he killed someone.
I didn't get an answer when I dialed 911. I instead got that aggravating "menu tree" that you get in real life when you are trying to call someone. I then pressed "0" to get the operator, and I instead got a canned message that said "you have made an incorrect entry. Please listen to all of the menu options before making a selection." And then it was back to if your call is for this type of situation, press 1, for that type of situation, press 2, our resources are very limited so please do not pick the wrong selection, and for this press 3, for that press 4....and on and on and on. The madman is talking loudly and waving a shotgun, and I've got to put up with a menu tree!
The saga ended when the alarm clock went off. It was one instance where I was glad to be rousted from a dream.
So why Lordsburg?
Good question. I go to Lordsburg occasionally to get fireworks, which are not legal in Arizona. I know that I was thinking that I need to do another trip there, and to get this done sometime before the holidaze. I can't remember if I was thinking about needing to go there yesterday, but I do know that I felt the need to get there.
Why the shotgun? The last time I had my Remington out was when Todd and I were looking for rabbits over in Graham County, and that was at least two years ago (we didn't see any rabbits either). There's a possibility that we might go out for quail sometime, but I think the next time out will be for whitetail deer in the Whetstone Mountains.
What's really funny about this dream is that it closely paralleled one that I had in high school. I was living in San Jose when I had this dream, and in this dream my friends and I had discovered this counterfeiter. The counterfeiter was somehow onto us and was wanting to kill us. I found a payphone in the parking lot of this shopping center near where I lived, and I dialed the operator to summon some help. Instead of the operator answering, I got a recorded announcement saying that "the operator will be with you shortly. In the meantime, please listen to the following commercial." I was forced to listen to that commercial, after which "the operator will be with you shortly", after which they played another commercial.....and then another commercial....and then another! I was really glad to wake up from that one too.
I have several other dreams that I could tell you about.....some of them funny, and some of them just plain weird. Those will have to wait for another entry, as that I'm very tired, and I expect that I will be needing to return to the Garbage Can of the Mind shortly after this posting.
Portland was a blast! I got to meet Dave Moser again on this trip, where I learned that he also worked in aerospace engineering. He worked on the Apollo Project, while I worked on MILSTAR, BSTS, Ikonos, Superbird and Globalstar (satellite projects).
Ken and his family are doing very well. I'm thinking of going up there twice next year. I'd really like to do some fishing there, but my godson isn't interested in fishing.
We're having budget problems at work (this is a rare moment, me talking about work). Our systems team will shrink from four people down to two. I'm one of the two who gets to stay, though I could have volunteered for the assignment that was offered to the two who are leaving.
Eventually I'll have four circuit cards to be responsible for. I was a year ago responsible for all four but we hired a few folks who took some load off of me. Now that we're rolling them off, I'm taking them all back.
I'll be busy, but it's better than not being busy.
One of my cats right now is demanding my attention. So I'll now be following the advice that I so much love to give.
He's a good guy, so he'll get his pets.
I'm sure the other one will want his too.
Last night I had pizza, and I knocked off a few beers too. It was a long day at work, as that I had to be there at 5:30 AM to attend a meeting via telecon that was being chaired on the east coast. I hadn't felt like cooking, so the fare last night was a Safeway pizza with two Coors Lights to follow.....or maybe it was three.
I also wasn't able to fall asleep last night when I should have, as that I had to repeat this 5:30 AM thing again today. I set the alarm for 3:45 AM after which I entered the realm of the subconcious.
The subconcious is one of those entities that is probably among the least understood. A co-worker of mine once referred to it as "The Garbage Can of the Mind". In the subconcious, practically anything goes. Whatever it is you can't do in real life is something that you can do in the subconcious. You can float in the air, you can visit other countries, you can meet famous people, you can walk around naked in the grocery store and not be arrested, and you can also live out some encounters that can't really be described here. Garbage Can of the Mind? That sure seems to fit.
Last night's adventure, or I should say, this morning's adventure took place in Lordsburg, New Mexico. In this dream I had somehow picked up my Remington model 870 shotgun from some lady who was storing it for me. During the course of the dream, I was a passenger in a car with the shotgun, and the driver took us to Lordsburg. One of the passengers then grabbed the shotgun and bolted out of the car. He started threatening people with it, and it was apparent that I wasn't going to be able to talk him into giving me back the gun.
In real life, and in the dream, the Remington only had a capacity of three shells. It's a hunting gun, and thus has a "plug" in the magazine to limit the capacity. (This is due to a federal law that regulates duck hunting, which is what I bought the shotgun for when I lived in California). In the dream, this madman was threatening people, and he pulled the trigger. That was one round gone, and two more to go. Two more rounds, but he still had to be stopped.
I took cover, hiding in a room in an old abandoned gas station. I had my cellphone with me, and so I dialed 911. I really needed to stop this guy and I needed to stop him fast. I was going to get help and get this taken care of before he killed someone.
I didn't get an answer when I dialed 911. I instead got that aggravating "menu tree" that you get in real life when you are trying to call someone. I then pressed "0" to get the operator, and I instead got a canned message that said "you have made an incorrect entry. Please listen to all of the menu options before making a selection." And then it was back to if your call is for this type of situation, press 1, for that type of situation, press 2, our resources are very limited so please do not pick the wrong selection, and for this press 3, for that press 4....and on and on and on. The madman is talking loudly and waving a shotgun, and I've got to put up with a menu tree!
The saga ended when the alarm clock went off. It was one instance where I was glad to be rousted from a dream.
So why Lordsburg?
Good question. I go to Lordsburg occasionally to get fireworks, which are not legal in Arizona. I know that I was thinking that I need to do another trip there, and to get this done sometime before the holidaze. I can't remember if I was thinking about needing to go there yesterday, but I do know that I felt the need to get there.
Why the shotgun? The last time I had my Remington out was when Todd and I were looking for rabbits over in Graham County, and that was at least two years ago (we didn't see any rabbits either). There's a possibility that we might go out for quail sometime, but I think the next time out will be for whitetail deer in the Whetstone Mountains.
What's really funny about this dream is that it closely paralleled one that I had in high school. I was living in San Jose when I had this dream, and in this dream my friends and I had discovered this counterfeiter. The counterfeiter was somehow onto us and was wanting to kill us. I found a payphone in the parking lot of this shopping center near where I lived, and I dialed the operator to summon some help. Instead of the operator answering, I got a recorded announcement saying that "the operator will be with you shortly. In the meantime, please listen to the following commercial." I was forced to listen to that commercial, after which "the operator will be with you shortly", after which they played another commercial.....and then another commercial....and then another! I was really glad to wake up from that one too.
I have several other dreams that I could tell you about.....some of them funny, and some of them just plain weird. Those will have to wait for another entry, as that I'm very tired, and I expect that I will be needing to return to the Garbage Can of the Mind shortly after this posting.
* * * * * * *
Portland was a blast! I got to meet Dave Moser again on this trip, where I learned that he also worked in aerospace engineering. He worked on the Apollo Project, while I worked on MILSTAR, BSTS, Ikonos, Superbird and Globalstar (satellite projects).
Ken and his family are doing very well. I'm thinking of going up there twice next year. I'd really like to do some fishing there, but my godson isn't interested in fishing.
* * * * * * *
We're having budget problems at work (this is a rare moment, me talking about work). Our systems team will shrink from four people down to two. I'm one of the two who gets to stay, though I could have volunteered for the assignment that was offered to the two who are leaving.
Eventually I'll have four circuit cards to be responsible for. I was a year ago responsible for all four but we hired a few folks who took some load off of me. Now that we're rolling them off, I'm taking them all back.
I'll be busy, but it's better than not being busy.
* * * * * * *
One of my cats right now is demanding my attention. So I'll now be following the advice that I so much love to give.
He's a good guy, so he'll get his pets.
I'm sure the other one will want his too.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Greetings from Portland!
Hello from the City of Roses!
Well, I'm not actually in the city limits of Portland itself, and I'm not even in the same county that Portland is in......but my hosts Ken & Gillian have their mailing address as being in Portland. They live about a mile or two north of Beaverton, in an unincorporated area of Washington County.
This is not my first time here. In fact, I can't remember how many times I've been here before now. I do know that I was not here last year, but was here the year before.
Years ago when Ken told me that he had gotten a job offer in Portland, I advised him to take it. His family moved up here in either late 2001 or maybe early 2002. The move was pending when I visited him in San Jose in October 2001, and I remember telling him that when you get on the freeway that takes you out of San Jose, it's going to be a weird feeling knowing that this time you're not coming back. I know all about that feeling, having experienced it on 2/23/99 when I left to start a new life in Arizona.
But getting back to Portland, I really like it here. I don't know if I would like living here since I'm better suited for sunshine and warmer temperatures, but at the same time I really appreciate the beauty of Oregon. I've been out to the coast before and have spent a few days in Neskowin. I've been up and down the Columbia River Gorge a few times, and across the river at Mount St. Helens. I'm thinking of driving down to Salem on Monday to check out the state capital, but the Multnomah Falls (which I've seen before) are tempting. It isn't every day in my life that I get to see another part of the country, and whenever I'm on trips I definitely like to play "tourist".
I think I can also understand why coffeehouses are popular in the Northwest. It's due to the climate. When it's overcast and cool, you don't feel like being on your back patio knocking off a beer. Instead you want to be on your back patio knocking off a cup of Joe, and with the view Ken has from his back deck I can hardly wait to be sipping a cup of that kind of brew sometime tomorrow afternoon.
Interestingly enough, microbreweries are big in Portland. I was up here twenty years ago at a brewer's festival during July. I enjoy a great beer now and then, and you can't beat a nice handcrafted brew on some days.
But in October, it's coffee weather, and even though it's rare for me to drink coffee, the thought of having a cup tomorrow is something I'm looking forward to.
It's really been interesting to have watched Ken's children grow up over the past several years. All three of them are musically talented and I'm hearing his oldest daughter practice the harp as I type this. They're also a real joy to converse with. They've asked questions that I wish more adults were capable of asking.
* * * * * * *
That's it for now. Don't forget to pet a dog or a cat.
Well, I'm not actually in the city limits of Portland itself, and I'm not even in the same county that Portland is in......but my hosts Ken & Gillian have their mailing address as being in Portland. They live about a mile or two north of Beaverton, in an unincorporated area of Washington County.
This is not my first time here. In fact, I can't remember how many times I've been here before now. I do know that I was not here last year, but was here the year before.
Years ago when Ken told me that he had gotten a job offer in Portland, I advised him to take it. His family moved up here in either late 2001 or maybe early 2002. The move was pending when I visited him in San Jose in October 2001, and I remember telling him that when you get on the freeway that takes you out of San Jose, it's going to be a weird feeling knowing that this time you're not coming back. I know all about that feeling, having experienced it on 2/23/99 when I left to start a new life in Arizona.
But getting back to Portland, I really like it here. I don't know if I would like living here since I'm better suited for sunshine and warmer temperatures, but at the same time I really appreciate the beauty of Oregon. I've been out to the coast before and have spent a few days in Neskowin. I've been up and down the Columbia River Gorge a few times, and across the river at Mount St. Helens. I'm thinking of driving down to Salem on Monday to check out the state capital, but the Multnomah Falls (which I've seen before) are tempting. It isn't every day in my life that I get to see another part of the country, and whenever I'm on trips I definitely like to play "tourist".
I think I can also understand why coffeehouses are popular in the Northwest. It's due to the climate. When it's overcast and cool, you don't feel like being on your back patio knocking off a beer. Instead you want to be on your back patio knocking off a cup of Joe, and with the view Ken has from his back deck I can hardly wait to be sipping a cup of that kind of brew sometime tomorrow afternoon.
Interestingly enough, microbreweries are big in Portland. I was up here twenty years ago at a brewer's festival during July. I enjoy a great beer now and then, and you can't beat a nice handcrafted brew on some days.
But in October, it's coffee weather, and even though it's rare for me to drink coffee, the thought of having a cup tomorrow is something I'm looking forward to.
* * * * * * *
It's really been interesting to have watched Ken's children grow up over the past several years. All three of them are musically talented and I'm hearing his oldest daughter practice the harp as I type this. They're also a real joy to converse with. They've asked questions that I wish more adults were capable of asking.
* * * * * * *
I return home to Tucson on Monday evening. Hopefully. Yesterday when taxiing away from the gate the pilot brought us back to de-plane us due to what may have been a computer glitch or a mechanical problem. I was re-booked on to a later flight, but I don't think I have the later flight option on the way home. I connected in Phoenix on the way up and will be connecting in Phoenix on the way back down.
* * * * * * *
That's it for now. Don't forget to pet a dog or a cat.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Odds and Ends, 10/15/09
Tomorrow is the birthday of C.F. (Fred) Turner of Bachman-Turner Overdrive fame. He will be 66 years young and I hope that he will find tomorrow to be a very special day. I'm in occasional email contact with him and it's an honor that I can claim to know him. He was always a class act; very nice to the fans and very down to earth. I probably ought to invite him to read this blog. I'd also like to invite him to stop by my house here in Tucson so that I could fire up the BBQ and fix him the meanest ribs he's ever had in his life.
Happy birthday, Fred! Thank you for the feeling!
Remember that power line noise that I was complaining about two nights ago? It's gone. I turned on my Grundig after posting it, and it's gone! I checked yesterday and today and it's still gone!
Does a problem really correct itself just like that? Did I make it go away by complaining about it here?
I guess I could test that by complaining that I never win big in the lottery.
Somehow, I don't think that problem would go away if I did make such a complaint.
Of course, the problem really is is that I don't play the lottery in the first place.
Trivia time: which is the largest U.S. city that is not served by an interstate highway?
Answer: Fresno, California.
I am pleased to report that I am now down 25 pounds from where I was when the year started. It was mainly due to some medical advice. I began a low-carb diet in mid June and I cut out all the sweets (save for the occasional dish of fat free ice cream). I also did a lot of "power walking", though there hasn't been time for that as of late. I really need to make some time for that, especially since we've got cooler temps in the evenings.
I've been researching handheld police scanners in addition to shortwave radios. I'm not sure that I listen enough to the desktop scanner that I have now to justify the purchase of a handheld, but with the handheld I could have it with me in the garage or on the back patio.
I can't really say that I'm a police buff. I bought the scanner that I now have when I learned that the government was going to ban some certain types of scanners. That had the effect of making me want to own one, thus I felt the need to get one of those while I still could. And even though I've had it all these years, I haven't spent a lot of time listening to it.
Funny thing though, is that I always liked the "cop" shows when I was growing up. I can have the real deal here in my own home, and I'll admit that I've turned it on when I've heard sirens in the neighborhood so that I could find out what was going on.
I don't presume that I'll be posting from Portland, but I figure I'll be showing Ken & Gillian this blog. I haven't really emailed everyone to tell them about it. It is for right now, a means to entertain myself.
I'm thinking of posting some photos and some scans of collectibles.......maybe incorporating something of a scrapbook, or a show and tell.
If it sounds like I'm making this up as I go along, I guess it's because I am.
Don't forget to pet a dog or a cat (you knew this was coming, didn't you?)
Happy birthday, Fred! Thank you for the feeling!
* * * * * * *
Remember that power line noise that I was complaining about two nights ago? It's gone. I turned on my Grundig after posting it, and it's gone! I checked yesterday and today and it's still gone!
Does a problem really correct itself just like that? Did I make it go away by complaining about it here?
I guess I could test that by complaining that I never win big in the lottery.
Somehow, I don't think that problem would go away if I did make such a complaint.
Of course, the problem really is is that I don't play the lottery in the first place.
* * * * * * *
Trivia time: which is the largest U.S. city that is not served by an interstate highway?
Answer: Fresno, California.
* * * * * * *
I am pleased to report that I am now down 25 pounds from where I was when the year started. It was mainly due to some medical advice. I began a low-carb diet in mid June and I cut out all the sweets (save for the occasional dish of fat free ice cream). I also did a lot of "power walking", though there hasn't been time for that as of late. I really need to make some time for that, especially since we've got cooler temps in the evenings.
* * * * * * *
I've been researching handheld police scanners in addition to shortwave radios. I'm not sure that I listen enough to the desktop scanner that I have now to justify the purchase of a handheld, but with the handheld I could have it with me in the garage or on the back patio.
I can't really say that I'm a police buff. I bought the scanner that I now have when I learned that the government was going to ban some certain types of scanners. That had the effect of making me want to own one, thus I felt the need to get one of those while I still could. And even though I've had it all these years, I haven't spent a lot of time listening to it.
Funny thing though, is that I always liked the "cop" shows when I was growing up. I can have the real deal here in my own home, and I'll admit that I've turned it on when I've heard sirens in the neighborhood so that I could find out what was going on.
* * * * * * *
I don't presume that I'll be posting from Portland, but I figure I'll be showing Ken & Gillian this blog. I haven't really emailed everyone to tell them about it. It is for right now, a means to entertain myself.
I'm thinking of posting some photos and some scans of collectibles.......maybe incorporating something of a scrapbook, or a show and tell.
If it sounds like I'm making this up as I go along, I guess it's because I am.
* * * * * * *
Don't forget to pet a dog or a cat (you knew this was coming, didn't you?)
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
The Tuesday Evening Post
I was at a newsstand a few days ago looking for some magazines devoted to electronic kit-building. Not only am I feeling the urge to resume shortwave listening, I'm also feeling the urge to build an electronic kit in my garage. The temperatures are cooler now and being in the garage during the evening can be pleasant. I didn't find what I was looking for, but I noticed that there were some copies of The Saturday Evening Post.......I mean, I remember hearing about them when I was a kid, but they're back in commission?
Anyhow, I was also feeling the urge to post something this evening, and although I don't have a specific topic in mind I'd figure I'd call tonight's The Tuesday Evening Post since I didn't want to call it Odds and Ends, 10/13/09. Although I can be a creature of habit much like the next guy, it's a good thing every now and then to break the pattern and to do something a little different.
So, what's happening in my world? What's on my mind?
I am going to visit Portland, the one in Oregon, this coming weekend. The occasion is the annual birthday celebration of my godson Alexander. I was present at his baby dedication in San Jose in 1999 and I was present at his baptism two years ago at the Cedar Hills Bible Church near Beaverton (I think that was the name of the church). I have a namesake at that church, his name is also Dave Moser, but his family kept the original German spelling whereas my family had it anglicized by an Irish schoolteacher who married my great grandfather. I told myself when I was a kid that I was going to change mine back to Moser, but that never happened, and if I did that people would mispronounce it more often than they do now......thus, that's why Great Grandma added the "i".
But to get this back onto Portland, Alexander is the son of my longtime friend Ken and his wife Gillian. I was the first friend that Ken made when he came here from Australia, and back then I figured I'd be making trips to Australia to visit him. He instead ended up meeting Gillian, who is from England, and after living in San Jose for the first few years they relocated to Portland since Ken received a job offer from a firm there. I think it was 2002 that they moved up there, and over the years they've come to love it there.
My visits up there I think have been more beneficial to me than it is to them as that I have learned quite a bit from both Ken and Gillian. I could talk to either one of them for hours on end and about a wide variety of subjects. They have been good loyal friends for many years. I really value the friends that I have, and you can't have too many friends of the kind that I have. Alexander will be ten years old tomorrow, and the official celebration will be this coming Saturday. I really look forward to being there.
There will soon be one less station on shortwave to listen to. Radio Prague of the Czech Republic will likely be leaving the air in a few days. It's due to budget cuts, but like the others, the real answer is that they've been overcome by the Internet.
I'd still like to get back into shortwave listening, but there's a very severe power line noise source in my house that would prevent enjoyment of the hobby. I've traced it to the alarm system in my house. I think I will call up the alarm company and suggest that they send somebody who could re-wire it with an on/off switch that I could control.
I can kill the noise by throwing one of the switches in my circuit breaker to the off position, but that would also kill power to the room that I would do my listening in. That's not really the type of solution that I would like to go with, so hopefully I will be successful in the suggestion that I intend to make to them. This will have to wait until I get back from Portland.
I have been listening to the police scanner. I picked up the Realistic PRO-2006 in early 1993 and every now and then I dust it off to find out what's happening. You'll hear some interesting things on the "action" bands, that is, the police and fire, but my favorites have been the railroads and the businesses.
One of the more interesting calls that I've ever heard was on the day before Christmas in 1993 when I was living in Santa Cruz. A Santa Cruz County Sheriff's deputy had been called to investigate a deer that had been injured by a car. The deputy was asking for permission to put the poor animal out of its misery, but the dispatcher first wanted to clear it with the California Fish & Game Department.
Fish & Game never responded, so the deputy was given permission to "dispatch" the deer. One minute later the deputy reported that the matter of the deer had been taken care of. He asked his dispatcher to notify CalTrans that a "disposition" of the carcass would be necessary. The dispatcher said she would notify them, but reminded the deputy to fill out the "discharge of firearm" paperwork.
It was all done very professionally.
The only other incident that compares was when the Santa Cruz Police was being sent to investigate someone using the payphone outside of the Safeway on Mission Street one Friday evening. It wasn't that someone was using the payphone.
It was instead that that someone wasn't wearing any clothing, except for some nude pantyhose.
Speaking of deer, I really regret not being able to fit in more scouting runs this summer. There was just too much going on. The first rifle season will open at the end of the month and I'm sure the hunter pressure in the Whetstone Mountains will be significant. Todd and I were drawn for the middle hunt, which is the middle of next month.
I know where on highway 90 to get off the road, and I know one of the access roads to Coronado National Forest, but I really need to also know how to access the Whetstones from highway 83. I know where the turnoff is, but I haven't taken it.
Regardless, I'm looking forward to it. There's always something therapeutic about seeing a part of the world that few other people get to see. That's one of the benefits of four wheel drive.
(Bachman-Turner Overdrive had a song and album called "Four Wheel Drive". When I got to meet Blair Thornton, one of the co-writers for the song, I was pleased to tell him that I could identify with it and that that was the very first song I played in my truck. I think Blair enjoyed hearing that anecdote. )
Don't forget to pet a dog or a cat. That's more important than you would think. Sure, the dog or cat will enjoy it, but the benefit for you is that it will help lower your blood pressure, and plus, it will make you feel good making that dog or cat feel good.
Anyhow, I was also feeling the urge to post something this evening, and although I don't have a specific topic in mind I'd figure I'd call tonight's The Tuesday Evening Post since I didn't want to call it Odds and Ends, 10/13/09. Although I can be a creature of habit much like the next guy, it's a good thing every now and then to break the pattern and to do something a little different.
So, what's happening in my world? What's on my mind?
* * * * * *
I am going to visit Portland, the one in Oregon, this coming weekend. The occasion is the annual birthday celebration of my godson Alexander. I was present at his baby dedication in San Jose in 1999 and I was present at his baptism two years ago at the Cedar Hills Bible Church near Beaverton (I think that was the name of the church). I have a namesake at that church, his name is also Dave Moser, but his family kept the original German spelling whereas my family had it anglicized by an Irish schoolteacher who married my great grandfather. I told myself when I was a kid that I was going to change mine back to Moser, but that never happened, and if I did that people would mispronounce it more often than they do now......thus, that's why Great Grandma added the "i".
But to get this back onto Portland, Alexander is the son of my longtime friend Ken and his wife Gillian. I was the first friend that Ken made when he came here from Australia, and back then I figured I'd be making trips to Australia to visit him. He instead ended up meeting Gillian, who is from England, and after living in San Jose for the first few years they relocated to Portland since Ken received a job offer from a firm there. I think it was 2002 that they moved up there, and over the years they've come to love it there.
My visits up there I think have been more beneficial to me than it is to them as that I have learned quite a bit from both Ken and Gillian. I could talk to either one of them for hours on end and about a wide variety of subjects. They have been good loyal friends for many years. I really value the friends that I have, and you can't have too many friends of the kind that I have. Alexander will be ten years old tomorrow, and the official celebration will be this coming Saturday. I really look forward to being there.
* * * * * * *
There will soon be one less station on shortwave to listen to. Radio Prague of the Czech Republic will likely be leaving the air in a few days. It's due to budget cuts, but like the others, the real answer is that they've been overcome by the Internet.
I'd still like to get back into shortwave listening, but there's a very severe power line noise source in my house that would prevent enjoyment of the hobby. I've traced it to the alarm system in my house. I think I will call up the alarm company and suggest that they send somebody who could re-wire it with an on/off switch that I could control.
I can kill the noise by throwing one of the switches in my circuit breaker to the off position, but that would also kill power to the room that I would do my listening in. That's not really the type of solution that I would like to go with, so hopefully I will be successful in the suggestion that I intend to make to them. This will have to wait until I get back from Portland.
* * * * * * *
I have been listening to the police scanner. I picked up the Realistic PRO-2006 in early 1993 and every now and then I dust it off to find out what's happening. You'll hear some interesting things on the "action" bands, that is, the police and fire, but my favorites have been the railroads and the businesses.
One of the more interesting calls that I've ever heard was on the day before Christmas in 1993 when I was living in Santa Cruz. A Santa Cruz County Sheriff's deputy had been called to investigate a deer that had been injured by a car. The deputy was asking for permission to put the poor animal out of its misery, but the dispatcher first wanted to clear it with the California Fish & Game Department.
Fish & Game never responded, so the deputy was given permission to "dispatch" the deer. One minute later the deputy reported that the matter of the deer had been taken care of. He asked his dispatcher to notify CalTrans that a "disposition" of the carcass would be necessary. The dispatcher said she would notify them, but reminded the deputy to fill out the "discharge of firearm" paperwork.
It was all done very professionally.
The only other incident that compares was when the Santa Cruz Police was being sent to investigate someone using the payphone outside of the Safeway on Mission Street one Friday evening. It wasn't that someone was using the payphone.
It was instead that that someone wasn't wearing any clothing, except for some nude pantyhose.
* * * * * * *
Speaking of deer, I really regret not being able to fit in more scouting runs this summer. There was just too much going on. The first rifle season will open at the end of the month and I'm sure the hunter pressure in the Whetstone Mountains will be significant. Todd and I were drawn for the middle hunt, which is the middle of next month.
I know where on highway 90 to get off the road, and I know one of the access roads to Coronado National Forest, but I really need to also know how to access the Whetstones from highway 83. I know where the turnoff is, but I haven't taken it.
Regardless, I'm looking forward to it. There's always something therapeutic about seeing a part of the world that few other people get to see. That's one of the benefits of four wheel drive.
(Bachman-Turner Overdrive had a song and album called "Four Wheel Drive". When I got to meet Blair Thornton, one of the co-writers for the song, I was pleased to tell him that I could identify with it and that that was the very first song I played in my truck. I think Blair enjoyed hearing that anecdote. )
* * * * * * *
Don't forget to pet a dog or a cat. That's more important than you would think. Sure, the dog or cat will enjoy it, but the benefit for you is that it will help lower your blood pressure, and plus, it will make you feel good making that dog or cat feel good.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Shortwave Radio? Or the Internet?
Many years ago I developed an interest in listening to distant radio stations when I encountered CKLW on my brother's pocket transistor radio one night in the fall of 1973 (this was mentioned in a previous post). I spent many nights tuning in those distant stations, and by the following year I was listening to shortwave radio. I also got my ham radio license in 1974, and spent many countless hours talking to other hams.
Two years later I built a shortwave radio out of a kit from Radio Shack. After assembling it I connected it to an antenna and was able to tune in Radio Habana Cuba quite easily. Radio Canada International was also booming in, as well as Radio Nederland (as it was then called) being broadcast from their relay in Bonaire. Although building the radio was neat (I had built an AM radio some two years earlier) it was "cheap" and wasn't getting me very much so I got my Hallifcrafters SX-28 receiver (vintage 1940) out of commission and went on to tune in other stations from all over the world beginning one or two nights after that. Later receivers included a National NC-183, a Yaesu FRG-7 and a Kenwood R5000. I not only listened to the international broadcasters, but I also spent time listening to the Coast Guard, the military, the maritime stations, pirate stations, and "numbers" stations (I should write a separate post about the numbers stations sometime, but if you want to learn more about them then click here.)
I've since sold the NC-183 (I now wish I hadn't), the R5000 has bit the dust, the FRG-7 tuning knob doesn't work anymore, and the SX-28 is in the closet awaiting a restoration that I intend to do when I retire. I do own the Grundig YB400 which is a decent portable and can get the powerhouse stations, but it isn't really suited for "DXing" the maritimes and the military. Many of the maritime stations have left the air as that satellites now provide the bulk of ship-to-shore communications. I think the air traffic control stations are still on the air but I haven't checked. I am thinking of purchasing the ICOM R75 communications receiver, but as I have said in previous posts, "things have really changed". Many of the international broadcasters are no longer broadcasting to North America, instead providing real time audio via the Internet, or "on demand" programs. Instead of tuning in Deutsche Welle to find out what's happening in Germany, I can now go to their website and listen to a temporary audio archive, as I found myself doing two evenings ago.
So the question I am now asking myself is, should I get back into serious shortwave listening?
I'm leaning towards it, but what's holding me back right now are the changes that have taken place.
I haven't actively listened since 1998. Back then I could tune in dozens of stations, learn plenty about the world's events, get viewpoints not available in American media and there were the "utility" stations: that is, the aforementioned military, maritime and aeronautical stations. I could send in reception reports by what we weren't yet calling "snail mail" and in a few weeks or maybe a few months I would get a "QSL" card from that station verifying my reception of them. My goal was to get as many stations and countries QSLed, similar to what I did with ham radio. With many of the major broadcasters no longer broadcasting to North America, my opportunities for collecting QSL cards have diminished, and the bands seem a lot less crowded. If I do go back to active shortwave listening, I must realize that it won't be nearly as much fun as it was thirty years ago.
Another reason not to go back is the internet itself. I found that listening to the likes of Radio Australia, Deutsche Welle and Radio Canada International kept me extremely well informed about world events. I can still get that information by live audio stream if I want to, so it's not like I need to own a shortwave receiver to find out what's really happening in the world anymore. As I write this, I learned from Deutsche Welle that Prime Minister Gordon Brown of the UK is in trouble and that Chancellor Angela Merkel will continue to govern. Sure, I read that on the Drudge Report, but an audiocast report from the Internet was like tuning in to Deutsche Welle all over again except that this time I was clicking the mouse instead of twisting a few knobs. I can make the case that I can be just as well informed relying on the Internet alone. This time, I can get FM stations out of Toronto that I couldn't get before and I'm sure that getting them out of London would be just as easy. That ICOM R75 would set me back six hundred dollars if I use a mail order firm that I've done business with before; more if I have optional filters and other goodies installed and knowing me I just might want them installed.
In spite of the expense and the changed radioscape, there are reasons to go back to listening.
One, I'm one to rotate my hobbies. I have several of them, and the radio hobby is something that I haven't touched in quite a while. I was talking to Mark last night about shortwave, and I mentioned that I might also get back into being an active ham radio operator. The fact is, is that there is a modicum of technical expertise in the hobby. No, you don't need a degree in electrical engineering to succeed in that hobby (I was doing both ham and shortwave before I got my EE degree) but you do have to know a few things about antennas and radio propagation if you're going to try to tune in, say, the Cook Islands. I haven't checked but I think Radio Cook Islands might still be on the air, and I'm not sure that you can get them via the Internet. Either way, it's been a while since I've actively listened, and I'm feeling the urge to get back into it.
Two, the intrigue of the numbers stations is still there. Some thirty years ago I had a fascination with that five digit numbers station that was operating out of Cuba, and that station is still on the air. Those transmissions are not officially licensed or sanctioned, yet they continue. Those transmissions do not officially exist, yet they're there, and any experienced shortwave listener who's ventured outside the international broadcast bands has encountered this station. That sort of stuff has always fascinated me.
Three: there are still several stations out of Africa and South America that are still on the air. My guess is that many of the Chinese regional stations are also still on the air (I'll have to check), and those can be interesting to tune into even if you don't know the language. I'm sure that I could get them in the early morning hours here in Arizona. I think that the Canadian domestic shortwave relays are still active; I've got cards from CKFX in Vancouver and CFVP in Calgary.
So, am I going to get back into shortwave?
I think I will, but I need to do some more research, and I need to make a trip to Phoenix to visit a ham radio store that will let me play with the R75 for a while. Interestingly enough, a good friend of mine here in Tucson is also thinking about shortwave, and I think we'll go to Phoenix a few Saturdays from now.
I am pleased to report that Mark's dad is making an excellent recovery from his surgery. As I've said before, I've long regarded Mark's parents to be a second set of parents.
Mark was asking about eHarmony. If the past few weeks are a reliable indication, eHarmony is likely going to make match.com look good, and that's not an easy thing to accomplish. I may re-activate my match.com membership sometime after I return from Portland.
You don't have to stick your hand in the fire to know that it is hot.
Likewise, you don't have to pick up a rattlesnake by the tail and start swinging it around like a rope in order to learn that the rattlesnake won't like it.
Unfortunately, there are some people out there who that won't be obvious to.
Two years later I built a shortwave radio out of a kit from Radio Shack. After assembling it I connected it to an antenna and was able to tune in Radio Habana Cuba quite easily. Radio Canada International was also booming in, as well as Radio Nederland (as it was then called) being broadcast from their relay in Bonaire. Although building the radio was neat (I had built an AM radio some two years earlier) it was "cheap" and wasn't getting me very much so I got my Hallifcrafters SX-28 receiver (vintage 1940) out of commission and went on to tune in other stations from all over the world beginning one or two nights after that. Later receivers included a National NC-183, a Yaesu FRG-7 and a Kenwood R5000. I not only listened to the international broadcasters, but I also spent time listening to the Coast Guard, the military, the maritime stations, pirate stations, and "numbers" stations (I should write a separate post about the numbers stations sometime, but if you want to learn more about them then click here.)
I've since sold the NC-183 (I now wish I hadn't), the R5000 has bit the dust, the FRG-7 tuning knob doesn't work anymore, and the SX-28 is in the closet awaiting a restoration that I intend to do when I retire. I do own the Grundig YB400 which is a decent portable and can get the powerhouse stations, but it isn't really suited for "DXing" the maritimes and the military. Many of the maritime stations have left the air as that satellites now provide the bulk of ship-to-shore communications. I think the air traffic control stations are still on the air but I haven't checked. I am thinking of purchasing the ICOM R75 communications receiver, but as I have said in previous posts, "things have really changed". Many of the international broadcasters are no longer broadcasting to North America, instead providing real time audio via the Internet, or "on demand" programs. Instead of tuning in Deutsche Welle to find out what's happening in Germany, I can now go to their website and listen to a temporary audio archive, as I found myself doing two evenings ago.
So the question I am now asking myself is, should I get back into serious shortwave listening?
I'm leaning towards it, but what's holding me back right now are the changes that have taken place.
I haven't actively listened since 1998. Back then I could tune in dozens of stations, learn plenty about the world's events, get viewpoints not available in American media and there were the "utility" stations: that is, the aforementioned military, maritime and aeronautical stations. I could send in reception reports by what we weren't yet calling "snail mail" and in a few weeks or maybe a few months I would get a "QSL" card from that station verifying my reception of them. My goal was to get as many stations and countries QSLed, similar to what I did with ham radio. With many of the major broadcasters no longer broadcasting to North America, my opportunities for collecting QSL cards have diminished, and the bands seem a lot less crowded. If I do go back to active shortwave listening, I must realize that it won't be nearly as much fun as it was thirty years ago.
Another reason not to go back is the internet itself. I found that listening to the likes of Radio Australia, Deutsche Welle and Radio Canada International kept me extremely well informed about world events. I can still get that information by live audio stream if I want to, so it's not like I need to own a shortwave receiver to find out what's really happening in the world anymore. As I write this, I learned from Deutsche Welle that Prime Minister Gordon Brown of the UK is in trouble and that Chancellor Angela Merkel will continue to govern. Sure, I read that on the Drudge Report, but an audiocast report from the Internet was like tuning in to Deutsche Welle all over again except that this time I was clicking the mouse instead of twisting a few knobs. I can make the case that I can be just as well informed relying on the Internet alone. This time, I can get FM stations out of Toronto that I couldn't get before and I'm sure that getting them out of London would be just as easy. That ICOM R75 would set me back six hundred dollars if I use a mail order firm that I've done business with before; more if I have optional filters and other goodies installed and knowing me I just might want them installed.
In spite of the expense and the changed radioscape, there are reasons to go back to listening.
One, I'm one to rotate my hobbies. I have several of them, and the radio hobby is something that I haven't touched in quite a while. I was talking to Mark last night about shortwave, and I mentioned that I might also get back into being an active ham radio operator. The fact is, is that there is a modicum of technical expertise in the hobby. No, you don't need a degree in electrical engineering to succeed in that hobby (I was doing both ham and shortwave before I got my EE degree) but you do have to know a few things about antennas and radio propagation if you're going to try to tune in, say, the Cook Islands. I haven't checked but I think Radio Cook Islands might still be on the air, and I'm not sure that you can get them via the Internet. Either way, it's been a while since I've actively listened, and I'm feeling the urge to get back into it.
Two, the intrigue of the numbers stations is still there. Some thirty years ago I had a fascination with that five digit numbers station that was operating out of Cuba, and that station is still on the air. Those transmissions are not officially licensed or sanctioned, yet they continue. Those transmissions do not officially exist, yet they're there, and any experienced shortwave listener who's ventured outside the international broadcast bands has encountered this station. That sort of stuff has always fascinated me.
Three: there are still several stations out of Africa and South America that are still on the air. My guess is that many of the Chinese regional stations are also still on the air (I'll have to check), and those can be interesting to tune into even if you don't know the language. I'm sure that I could get them in the early morning hours here in Arizona. I think that the Canadian domestic shortwave relays are still active; I've got cards from CKFX in Vancouver and CFVP in Calgary.
So, am I going to get back into shortwave?
I think I will, but I need to do some more research, and I need to make a trip to Phoenix to visit a ham radio store that will let me play with the R75 for a while. Interestingly enough, a good friend of mine here in Tucson is also thinking about shortwave, and I think we'll go to Phoenix a few Saturdays from now.
* * * * * * *
I am pleased to report that Mark's dad is making an excellent recovery from his surgery. As I've said before, I've long regarded Mark's parents to be a second set of parents.
* * * * * * *
Mark was asking about eHarmony. If the past few weeks are a reliable indication, eHarmony is likely going to make match.com look good, and that's not an easy thing to accomplish. I may re-activate my match.com membership sometime after I return from Portland.
* * * * * * *
You don't have to stick your hand in the fire to know that it is hot.
Likewise, you don't have to pick up a rattlesnake by the tail and start swinging it around like a rope in order to learn that the rattlesnake won't like it.
Unfortunately, there are some people out there who that won't be obvious to.
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