Hog On Ice: "Final choice: the Danner Foothill.
Why? Because they're dark brown, like my wonderful horsehide A-2, and it's basically the same thing as my treasured Danner Acadias, with a different sole. Difference: the Acadias have 200-gram insulation."
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
One Hand Clapping � Blog Archive � Well, this is clear!
One Hand Clapping � Blog Archive � Well, this is clear!: "Well, this is clear!
by Donald Sensing
Literally clear. Joe Katzman reports that electro-active prescription lenses for eyeglasses have been invented.
New firm PixelOptics of Roanoke, VA has announced that it will receive $3.5 million from the Defense Department to develop “SuperVision,” a technology that may improve the vision of US soldiers beyond 20/20 via electro-active prescription lenses. The technology uses sensors and electro-active transparent material to alter the index of refraction of the lens dynamically, but without any moving parts.
This provides a number of performance advantages, allowing the wearer to instantly achieve optimal vision no matter where they look (far, near, or in-between). In addition, lenses based on this technology show promise for significantly reducing momentary blurring caused by head tilt and movement, as well as distortion associated with conventional state of the art bifocals and progressive addition lenses.
Joe reports that because of the technology of the lenses, it may actually be possible to improve 20/20 vision to better than that, “perhaps as well as 20/08.”
When I was a young fella, an optometrist actually measured my vision at 20/10. Alas, those days are long gone."
by Donald Sensing
Literally clear. Joe Katzman reports that electro-active prescription lenses for eyeglasses have been invented.
New firm PixelOptics of Roanoke, VA has announced that it will receive $3.5 million from the Defense Department to develop “SuperVision,” a technology that may improve the vision of US soldiers beyond 20/20 via electro-active prescription lenses. The technology uses sensors and electro-active transparent material to alter the index of refraction of the lens dynamically, but without any moving parts.
This provides a number of performance advantages, allowing the wearer to instantly achieve optimal vision no matter where they look (far, near, or in-between). In addition, lenses based on this technology show promise for significantly reducing momentary blurring caused by head tilt and movement, as well as distortion associated with conventional state of the art bifocals and progressive addition lenses.
Joe reports that because of the technology of the lenses, it may actually be possible to improve 20/20 vision to better than that, “perhaps as well as 20/08.”
When I was a young fella, an optometrist actually measured my vision at 20/10. Alas, those days are long gone."
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Z Humor
Z Humor: "No more pennies please
I hate pennies. Hate 'em. You can't do anything with them. They're so small a currency these days that they're practically worthless. Heck, they don't even match the color of my other coins. Is there anybody reading this blog who would feel somehow cheated if every business from this day forward had to round up to the nearest nickle? If you're anything like me (and I pray that you're not that misfortunate), your nightstand consists of a book, an alarm clock, your wallet, keys, a nightlight, perhaps a few scattered receipts, and 163 pennies (of course, if you have a mischievous toddler, those 163 pennies are on the floor half the time but that's a story for another day). I mean, I don't even like carrying them around if for nothing other than giving exact change. It's not worth the weight. So what's a man to do?
Funny you ask. Just last week I finally decided that I had had enough and wasn't going to accept any more pennies. That's it. No mas. Finished. The challenge is how to properly convey my stance to merchants without giving the wrong message. Why just the other day I was going to pick up my clothes from the dry cleaners...
Me: 'How much do I owe you?'
Dry Cleaner Lady: 'That be $4.98'
Me: 'O.K. Here's $5. Have a nice day.'
Dry Cleaner Lady: 'Wait a minute. Don't forget change.'
Me: 'Oh no thanks. I don't want the pennies.'
Dry Cleaner Lady: 'Oh... nice tip mista. Thanks. This go long way to paying for kid college.'
Me: 'Sorry. I didn't mean it that way. It's not a tip. I just don't need the pennies.'
Dry Cleaner Lady: 'Oh now I see. You mista big shot. You too big for pennies. Pennies chump change for you.'
Me: 'No, not that either. I just find them a nuisance, that's all. Sorry for the confusion. '
Dry Cleaner Lady: 'No, no. Me sorry to inconvenience you. I don't mean to burden you with such trivial matters as change.'
Me: 'Never mind. In fact, I changed my mind. I'll take the pennies now. Thank you.'
And just like that, I'm back to collecting pennies on my nightstand."
I hate pennies. Hate 'em. You can't do anything with them. They're so small a currency these days that they're practically worthless. Heck, they don't even match the color of my other coins. Is there anybody reading this blog who would feel somehow cheated if every business from this day forward had to round up to the nearest nickle? If you're anything like me (and I pray that you're not that misfortunate), your nightstand consists of a book, an alarm clock, your wallet, keys, a nightlight, perhaps a few scattered receipts, and 163 pennies (of course, if you have a mischievous toddler, those 163 pennies are on the floor half the time but that's a story for another day). I mean, I don't even like carrying them around if for nothing other than giving exact change. It's not worth the weight. So what's a man to do?
Funny you ask. Just last week I finally decided that I had had enough and wasn't going to accept any more pennies. That's it. No mas. Finished. The challenge is how to properly convey my stance to merchants without giving the wrong message. Why just the other day I was going to pick up my clothes from the dry cleaners...
Me: 'How much do I owe you?'
Dry Cleaner Lady: 'That be $4.98'
Me: 'O.K. Here's $5. Have a nice day.'
Dry Cleaner Lady: 'Wait a minute. Don't forget change.'
Me: 'Oh no thanks. I don't want the pennies.'
Dry Cleaner Lady: 'Oh... nice tip mista. Thanks. This go long way to paying for kid college.'
Me: 'Sorry. I didn't mean it that way. It's not a tip. I just don't need the pennies.'
Dry Cleaner Lady: 'Oh now I see. You mista big shot. You too big for pennies. Pennies chump change for you.'
Me: 'No, not that either. I just find them a nuisance, that's all. Sorry for the confusion. '
Dry Cleaner Lady: 'No, no. Me sorry to inconvenience you. I don't mean to burden you with such trivial matters as change.'
Me: 'Never mind. In fact, I changed my mind. I'll take the pennies now. Thank you.'
And just like that, I'm back to collecting pennies on my nightstand."
Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Iran issues stark warning on oil price
Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Iran issues stark warning on oil price
"""Any possible sanctions from the west could possibly, by disturbing Iran's political and economic situation, raise oil prices beyond levels the west expects," he told Iranian state radio.
In a provocative move, Iran also announced plans yesterday to convene a "scientific" conference to examine the evidence supporting the Holocaust. The news comes weeks after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad provoked a global outcry by describing the slaughter of 6 million Jews by the Nazis in the second world war as a "myth".
Mr Danesh-Jafari's comments echoed fears voiced by energy market analysts after crude oil prices last week rose above $64 (£36.50) a barrel as hopes faded of a diplomatic solution to the dispute.
Last week, Manouchehr Takin, of the Centre for Global Energy Studies, argued that crude prices could hit $100 a barrel if Iran stopped exporting. "Supply and demand are very tightly balanced," he said.
Mr Danesh-Jafari's warning added weight to veiled threats by Iran's president on Saturday. Iran had a "cheap means" of achieving its nuclear "rights", Mr Ahmadinejad said, adding: "You [the west] need us more than we need you. All of you today need the Iranian nation."
Recognising the danger, Gernot Erler, Germany's deputy foreign minister, said yesterday: "We are seeing desperate measures by Asian countries, mainly China, India and others, to get hold of energy resources, and for them Iran is a partner they can't do without." He said it was "dangerous" to put restrictions on trade relations "which could hurt one's own side more than the other side".
Iran's Islamic leaders insist that they want nuclear technology to satisfy its energy needs. The west suspects the intention is to produce a nuclear weapon.
But even amid the continuing rancour, some Iranian officials appeared to soften the bellicose stance. Calling for a return to negotiations, foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki accused the west of over-reacting to Tehran's decision last week to remove UN seals and resume research at a nuclear plant in Natan, when Britain, France and Germany formally abandoned 2½ years of talks and demanded Iran's referral to the UN security council.
Although Britain has ruled out military moves against Iran, two American senators yesterday said the US might undertake a strike of "last resort" to prevent Iran obtaining nuclear weapons. The Republican John McCain told CBS: "Everything else has to be exhausted, but to say under no circumstances would we exercise a military option would be crazy." Democrat Evan Bayh urged diplomacy, but said there were elements of Iran's nuclear programme which, if attacked, "would dramatically delay its development".
White House spokesman David Almacy said: "The international community is determined not to let Iran develop a nuclear weapon. How we address that regime's continued non-compliance will be decided in the days and weeks ahead."
The UN security council issue will be the centrepiece of today's meeting, when EU and US officials will attempt to persuade their Russian and Chinese counterparts of the need for a referral, which could lead to economic sanctions.
"""Any possible sanctions from the west could possibly, by disturbing Iran's political and economic situation, raise oil prices beyond levels the west expects," he told Iranian state radio.
In a provocative move, Iran also announced plans yesterday to convene a "scientific" conference to examine the evidence supporting the Holocaust. The news comes weeks after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad provoked a global outcry by describing the slaughter of 6 million Jews by the Nazis in the second world war as a "myth".
Mr Danesh-Jafari's comments echoed fears voiced by energy market analysts after crude oil prices last week rose above $64 (£36.50) a barrel as hopes faded of a diplomatic solution to the dispute.
Last week, Manouchehr Takin, of the Centre for Global Energy Studies, argued that crude prices could hit $100 a barrel if Iran stopped exporting. "Supply and demand are very tightly balanced," he said.
Mr Danesh-Jafari's warning added weight to veiled threats by Iran's president on Saturday. Iran had a "cheap means" of achieving its nuclear "rights", Mr Ahmadinejad said, adding: "You [the west] need us more than we need you. All of you today need the Iranian nation."
Recognising the danger, Gernot Erler, Germany's deputy foreign minister, said yesterday: "We are seeing desperate measures by Asian countries, mainly China, India and others, to get hold of energy resources, and for them Iran is a partner they can't do without." He said it was "dangerous" to put restrictions on trade relations "which could hurt one's own side more than the other side".
Iran's Islamic leaders insist that they want nuclear technology to satisfy its energy needs. The west suspects the intention is to produce a nuclear weapon.
But even amid the continuing rancour, some Iranian officials appeared to soften the bellicose stance. Calling for a return to negotiations, foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki accused the west of over-reacting to Tehran's decision last week to remove UN seals and resume research at a nuclear plant in Natan, when Britain, France and Germany formally abandoned 2½ years of talks and demanded Iran's referral to the UN security council.
Although Britain has ruled out military moves against Iran, two American senators yesterday said the US might undertake a strike of "last resort" to prevent Iran obtaining nuclear weapons. The Republican John McCain told CBS: "Everything else has to be exhausted, but to say under no circumstances would we exercise a military option would be crazy." Democrat Evan Bayh urged diplomacy, but said there were elements of Iran's nuclear programme which, if attacked, "would dramatically delay its development".
White House spokesman David Almacy said: "The international community is determined not to let Iran develop a nuclear weapon. How we address that regime's continued non-compliance will be decided in the days and weeks ahead."
The UN security council issue will be the centrepiece of today's meeting, when EU and US officials will attempt to persuade their Russian and Chinese counterparts of the need for a referral, which could lead to economic sanctions.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
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