News and Views From my kids accomplishments, to my heretical perspective of the world

June 29, 2006

Camcorder

Filed under: Computers, Tech & Science,Family Updates — Daryl @ 11:35 pm

As we were getting ready to go to Peru next week, I realized that our camcorder had died.

I’ve got one closet shelf full of Hi-8 tapes, and another shelf full of MiniDV tapes. The only way I can view either of them is to play them through their respective camcorders, each of which is broken.

So I just bought a MiniDVD camcorder. It records on 3″ DVD disks. After recording you can play then in a regular DVD player, or in a computer DVD ROM. Random access, on-screen menu; all the advantages of DVD over tape.

It’s the Sony DCR-DVD403. It is last year’s model that I got for an excellent price on clearance. They say that the changes in this year’s model are mostly cosmetic.

It just seems like I’ll use it more when it is so convenient, and hopefully I’ll still be able to play DVDs long after this camera has bitten the dust and joined it’s older brothers in the dustbin.

June 27, 2006

Flags and Freedom

Filed under: Opinion — Daryl @ 9:31 pm

Today the Senate failed to pass, by one vote, the “Flag Desecration” amendment.

Now I don’t like to see the flag burned, stepped on, or otherwise mistreated. It represents my country, and despite its faults I’ve traveled around the world enough to know that it’s not a bad place to live, and we should appreciate the freedoms we enjoy here.

But “Freedom” is just the issue. If this amendment had passed the Senage, and been ratified by the states, it would have served no real purpose except to reduce our freedom. Freedom to criticise the country; certainly in an unpopular manner, and not a technique likely to win many converts to your position. But I think it’s an extremely important freedom, none-the-less.

If we can’t criticise the government, or show our outrage at policies or actions of the country in the strongest possible way, we have lost one of our most basic rights. What’s next to be outlawed: Burning pictures of the President? Playing “The Star Spangled Banner” with a heavy-metal rock music accompanyment? Showing the White House devastated by aliens in a movie? Making jokes about the President on late-night TV, or showing him as a bumbling fool on Saturday Night Live?

In the East Valley Tribune a few days ago a Veteran who had recently returned from Iraq is quoted as saying that he didn’t go to Iraq to fight for freedom, just to have it reduced here at home. Bingo!

June 22, 2006

Loss of Wisdom

Filed under: Family Updates — Daryl @ 10:39 pm

Loss of Wisdom Teeth, that is. Derek had his all yanked out today. He’s up in his room on Vicodin and Ibuprofen, holding an ice bag against his face with one hand, playing “World of Warcraft” with the other.

He decided to do it without the sedation, just local anaesthetic. He was uncomfortable with the idea of being “out”. Maybe he was thinking about the Seinfeld episode where Jerry woke up with his shirt untucked.

Anyway, he said it wasn’t too bad.

June 21, 2006

Watch your lap!

Filed under: Computers, Tech & Science — Daryl @ 11:54 am

Here’s a story with photos about a laptop that burst into flames. Could be a problem if it were on your lap, especially if you were on a plane.

June 19, 2006

Antipodes

Filed under: Computers, Tech & Science — Daryl @ 12:58 pm

See here for an interesting, interactive map of the world showing which points are exactly opposite each other.

Could you get to China by digging a hole straight through the earth from the USA?

June 15, 2006

Wildcat Derek

Filed under: Family Updates — Daryl @ 6:00 pm

I took Derek down to Tucson yesterday for a 3 day preview and orientation at the University of Arizona. I will pick him up tomorrow afternoon.

I haven’t heard from him begging to come back home, so I assume he’s doing OK.

June 7, 2006

She’s off to France

Filed under: Family Updates — Daryl @ 9:10 am

I just got back from the airport, where Gisele left on a two-week trip to France. Most summers she goes for a month of intensive language instruction, but this year it’s a two week tour of the “Bourdeau” region, visiting castles (“Chateaus”), wineries and scenery.

Derek and I are bach-ing it until she gets back.

June 6, 2006

I want one!

Filed under: Computers, Tech & Science — Daryl @ 9:51 pm

Strap on wings to use by the military to deposit soldiers well behind enemy lines.

They can glide for miles, then open a parachute at the last minute to drop safely to the ground.

June 4, 2006

Puzzles

Filed under: Computers, Tech & Science — Daryl @ 1:15 pm

Here’s an interesting set of puzzles. They come with no instructions; you have to figure out what to do, and how to do it. It’s a little like playing “Myst”. Experiment!

The set of puzzles is called “ClickDragType”. There’s a clue right there.

Find it here. Click on the link “Play This Game”.

Note that it didn’t work correctly on my Firefox. The intro played, but the games never loaded. You may have to use (choke!) IE to run it.

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