Bindweed

Also known as Morning Glory.

“After two or three years of spraying, mulching, pulling and cursing, field bindweed will weaken and become less of a problem,” Goodspeed says. “After that, only occasional weeding and control will be needed over the next 45 years.” -- USU Extension Office

We didn't have any until we got a load of topsoil delivered. It was full of the nasty stuff.

Famous Artists

Here are two artists whose work I value:

Edgar Allen Poe wrote stories that are still entertaining and relevant. He deals with dark themes, including murder, revenge, death, and loss. His writings really draw you in to the story. I especially like 'The Cask of Amontillado' (obviously) and 'Fall of the House of Usher'. The circumstances of his death in October 1849 are still unclear.

Douglas Adams is best known for the Hitchhiker's Guide series. He also was a scriptwriter for Dr. Who. I really like his detective stories with Dirk Gently. These are a long way from your standard 'whodunit' style mysteries. Dirk believes in the fundamental interconnectedness of all things, and refuses to eliminate the impossible as Sherlock Holmes would do. Adams died a tragic death back in 2001.

Well, that's quite depressing so I'll stop here. Look for more posts like this in the coming weeks.

Released: Spore Creature Creator

The Spore Creature Creator is now available for download. I've been looking forward to this all year! The full Spore game won't be out until fall.

http://www.spore.com/

Cub Scout Day Camp

I had a good time at Camp Jeremiah Johnson, but it sure was cold. We arrived at the camp about 7:10 am, before the sun was good and up. There were some menacing clouds off to the west, but the sky above us was blue. Lucky that we all wore coats. We had a good pack cheer:

Bow and Arrow, B-B Gun!
We are Thirteen Thirty One!

(Pack 1331 that is).

Our first activity was B-B Guns! It made me think perhaps I should own one...

We did more fun stuff, including sling shots and rain gutter regatta. Then lunch time arrived and it was even colder. Christian Fairbanks was sitting there shivering as he ate his sandwich, so I gave him an extra coat that I'd brought along. It was so cold!

After lunch the cubs made swords out of fun-noodles and pvc pipe. A round of swashbuckling warmed everyone up. Then it was off to the archery range. By the time we had finished and loaded up to go home the sun was shining and it was warming up.

I'm glad I went, I think everyone had a good time and they brought home some cool stuff.

(I wrote this back in 1999)

% Bad bugs bad bugs whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?
% Carps - See real space travelers in action!
[Narrator] Today we take in the scene with Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged. Join us for a half hour of excitement with this oh-so-interesting being!
[Inside Wowbagger's ship] Hey, we're headed for Omnithrush Gamma. An eight-legged megamonkey named Danielwooz. I think I was going to call it a "Tofu swilling nunkifrump". That should do the turlingdrome.
You see, I'm on a quest.
Insult the universe.
It keeps me busy.

[a bell sounds] We've arrived. Should take the computer just a few...there he is, in that forest. We'll just set down in that clearing. I see him now, in that tree.
[camera follows W down the landing ramp] You! Hey, You! Danielwooz!
[megamonkey awakes, looks startled]
You tofu swilling nunkifrump!

[monkey is shocked, starts to growl]

[W makes a check mark on his computer]
Yeah, never made it out of the trees, did you?

[W re-enters the ship as the monkey roars] You know, I think I've been here before. Something to do with an eel or something. I've been to most planets in the galaxy many times over.
Let's see, next on the list is Daniel W. Oozer. Hmm...He'll be at the Big Bang Burger Bar. That will do nicely. Deflate him in front of his friends. May as well catch a snack while I'm there.

Fab410 Blog

I've created a new blog: Fab410 a Fab Lab for Orem, Utah. Just getting started, but it will take the place of fundamental.antville.org.

The Cask of Amontillado

THE thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat. At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitely settled --but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk. I must not only punish but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong.

It must be understood that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will. I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation.

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