http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2013/03/12/f-chris-hadfield-commander-international-space-station.html
Ok. Not so much news in today's world perhaps.  Syrians blowing each other to bits.  North Korea threatening nuclear strikes.  Cyber attacks from Iran and China.  A new, and Canadian, commander for the ISS.  Sure, but I wish it was more key in the news.  Something nations are endeavouring to do. To work together.  To achieve.  To strive beyond.  To, at least, work together for a higher cause.  I avoid the word purpose here, but will at least take higher cause. 

Imagine what we could do instead of putting winning or financial gain ahead of true human rights and humanity?

Under-whelmed

http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/18/nasa-mona-lisa-lro-laser/


NASA has successfully transmitter, via LASER, the image of the Mona Lisa to a satellite orbiting the moon.  They used Reed-Solomon encoding for error correction.

Sounds cool, but truthfully, I'm a little under-whelmed.  I mean, a press release or an article from or about NASA and I'm expecting really cool news.  Mars rovers,  info about the rover orbiting the moon and what they are doing with it.  Neat stuff like that.  To hear they used a laser to transmit data.  Well.  Of course.  Who wouldn't?  They are used all the time.  Lasers are used to send data via fibre optics all over the planet.  Nothing new there.  Reed-Solomon is a very established coding method that has been deployed in communications networks for years.  It's even used on common consumer devices as referenced in the linked article.

So yes, I'm a bit under-whelmed by this "news."  Who knows, maybe it's harder than it seems, but to me it just doesn't seem like anything new.

From a conspiracy theory point of view though, it is really cool news.  I think this news is really just a hidden message to the world from NASA.  A message to let everyone know.  Dr Evil now works for NASA!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh7bYNAHXxw - Dr Evil

What would you have done?

http://elpais.com/elpais/2012/12/19/inenglish/1355928581_856388.html

Instead of capitalizing on his opponents mistake and taking the win, well... 

I'm not sure I would have done the same.  I think now I would, but not before reading this.   What would you have done?

Gym

I can't believe how hard it is to get out to the gym.  Renewed my membership in December.  Slacked off a bit over Christmas, I'll admit.  But lately, can't seem to cut out of work anywhere near ontime and get some exercise in.  That will change, no worries, but in the mean time it just means it's going to hurt that much worse as my sessions are getting to far in between. 

Odd thing about the gym.  Physically I feel great afterwards and after a few weeks of regular exercise, I can tell the difference.  Mentally, it's hard to want to go there.  I know it's good for me, but still..........any excuse not to go is a good one.........  I wonder why that is. 

Tomorrow though.  30 weeks of pathetic free weights  - I know, I lift soup cans, but rebuilding a damaged shoulder takes time then 30 minutes of cardio.  Time to buck down.

Learning Guitar at +40 is hard

The company I work for has a really cool employee recognition program where the acknowledge and reward employees at the 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 etc year anniversary points.  For the 10+ anniversaries you attend a nice dinner and recognition ceremony.  At all of these, you get to pick from an assortment of gifts.  I just reached one of the milestone anniversaries and  since November 2012 have been the proud owner of an acoustic guitar for the first time in my life.  First time I've owned any sort of guitar.  As I type this I'm wondering if I've tried to play the opening to Smoke on the Water on my guitar yet, but I don't think I have.  It was the one and only guitar thing I knew.  I have learned a very basic Jingle Bells, God Save the Queen and House of the Rising Sun in the short time I've owned the guitar, but that's about it.  It's hard to get these big, dumb and old fingers to bend around and hit those strings!  It's a nice hobby though.  Of course, I am old enough to know that it will take  lot of work to sound half decent on this thing!  Saddest part is that while trying to learn all the chords and such, I realize that for me, finger stretching exercises are the key.  How dull is that?  Good news is I can do these exercises almost anywhere.  Bad news is they are as boring as ...

Coming Soon

Odd musings.  My thoughts and recollections.  Mostly commentary on life as it passes by.