Random
catdynamics | January 14, 2007Global Security has a Iran "strike time line", including countdown clock to earliest possible time for strike, they think (seen on Gilliard's News Blog)
So, er, what they say.
They identify early Feb as the first opportunity, if Stennis moves out soon.
They identify Nimitz as the third carrier available (or Kitty Hawk could move up and Nimitz rotate in behind her, but I think it is more likely Nimitz would go straight in, and Kitty Hawk kept between Japan and Korea, they know that region).
March is clearly the crisis time, new moon is mid March, USAF like to strike just after new moon to…
catdynamics | January 12, 2007Watching Countdown rerun...
I predict that the next budget passed by Congress affecting the armed forces, whether a continuing, supplemental or by agency, will have a very interesting, and possibly cryptic signing statement.
Bush will use his signing statement precedents (as yet untested in court) to claim plenary powers under the unitary executive and as commander in chief, to redirect resources to deploy forces where he, as CinC, deems necessary.
This will circumvent, at least for a while, any attempt by Congress to block escalation in Iraq or expansion of the war to adjacent countries. The…
catdynamics | January 12, 2007Friday again? Too much.
So, mighty iPod one, let us know is there bleached life on Mars?
Whoosh goes the randomiser.
Whoosh.
The Covering: Up the Junction - Squeeze
The Crossing: Come Back to Camden - Morrissey
The Crown: Run through the jungle - Creedence Clearwater Revival
The Root: Street Corner Ambassador - Michelle Shocked
The Past: Touch Me - Doors
The Future: She - Green Day
The Questioner: A New England - Billy Bragg
The House: Savez-Vouz Planter les Choux?- Sien Diels
The Inside: I've Been Working on the Railroad
The Outcome: Jón Pönkari - Utangarðsmenn
#11 is House of Fun -…
catdynamics | January 11, 2007The Baatan Expeditionary Strike Group (marines and amphibious assault ships) just formed up and is heading in the general direction of the mid-east;
the Boxer Expeditionary Strike Group is already in the Persian Gulf, routine rotation in theatre.
The Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group is in theater but pulled out of the Gulf to patrol the coast of Somalia. The Stennis Carrier Strike Group is supposed to be heading there, but they didn't leave first week of Jan as originally suggested, now scheduled to leave sometime this month. No other carriers are at sea, although there are 2-3 (Roosevelt,…
catdynamics | January 9, 2007Does NASA really want to launch the Hubble servicing mission on 9/11?
Maybe scheduling it then is the only way to guarantee it won't launch on that date...?
catdynamics | January 8, 2007The Dangeral Professor quits blogging
Man, now we're going to have to like invent a new medium to lure him back.
Bloomin' English Lit Profs.
catdynamics | January 8, 2007Sir Magnús Magnússon the long time presenter of the legendary BBC programme Mastermind, author, historian and journalist, has died.
One british quiz programme I would not have minded seeing in the US.
The creator apparently based the format on his experiences being interrogated by the Gestapo.
BBC Tribute paged
catdynamics | January 7, 2007Caltech's NCAA record 207 game streak is broken
Clearly The Quantum Pontiff jinxed them, maybe in some alternate reality the streak continues unbroken...
catdynamics | January 5, 2007Friday again. And still not snowing.
We ask the iPod: what wonders can we expect from the Great Gathering of Astronomers next week?
Whoosh goes the randomizer.
Whoosh.
The Covering: Wari Featuring Saian Supa Crew - Alpha Blondy
The Crossing: Slá í Gegn - Stuðmenn
The Crown: Aisle of Plenty - Genesis
The Root: Waiting for the Worms - Pink Floyd
The Past: Færeyjarblús - Bubbi Morthens
The Future: One Part Be My Lover - Bonnie Raitt
The Questioner: Longview - Green Day
The House: Careless Whisper - George Michael
The Inside: Play that Funky Music - Wild Cherry
The Outcome: Days Like These -…
catdynamics | January 4, 2007So, there I was, an undergrad in England, and I needed to get to Caltech by september.
Flying seemed best (this is non-trivial, since a friend of mine faced with a similar dilemma went for the motorcycle to Mosow, then trans-Siberian train followed by tramp freighter to LA via Japan approach - ok he then took a Greyhound to Ohio, so not quite the same).
I was in the south of England, so Gatwick seemed like a good choice.
Catch is that flights cost money. And I was an undergraduate.
Now, I was on a full grant, which actually mean something back then, and I had good summer jobs every year since…
catdynamics | January 4, 2007There has been much talk of a proposed surge escalation bump in the number of US soldiers deployed to Iraq, in the near future, for the purpose of doing something vaguely quantum mechanical, I gather, since the mission seems to become more poorly defined as anyone attempts to observe it more closely.
But... the number of troops bandied about is 20,000 +/-
Which appears minor compared to the 150,000 or so already deployed, except the discussion seems to indicate that these are the combat soldiers to be deployed!
Something does not add up.
There are currently something like 14 combat brigades…
catdynamics | January 4, 2007I finally replaced my poor laptop and discovered that although my case fits not only the poor old 12" and the antique 15" it is just too tight for the new 15.4".
Never mind if I have it in its skin.
So... turns out the campus store has a strong backpack bias for laptop bags, for some unfathomable reason. Not my look; backbacks are for mountains and lava fields, not airports and campuses.
The Apple store selection was not satisfactory, I'm sure there were some ok bags there, but nothing struck me as worthy.
So, google time, and after some browsing I stumbled on SFbags carrying "WaterField…
catdynamics | January 3, 2007Over a period of just over one week, just over 500 pieces of spam got through to my last spam filter, and were autodeposited in a "is this spam?" box.
My primary e-mail account is buried behind three layers of spam and virus filtering, and my mailer has a Bayesian junk mail filter.
At least five different aliases forward to this account and I have at least three other accounts that receive e-mail and do not forward, some of which are public and some of which are never shown on web pages or readable Net sources.
My primary e-mail has been visible for 20 years, and the current address has been…
catdynamics | January 2, 2007No Quarter links to the Saddam execution video
Unseemly.
People should watch it.
catdynamics | January 2, 2007I missed almost all of yesterday's football due to various social obligations.
I caught the last 50 seconds of PSU's spanking of Tennessee (QB taking a knee twice) and then late last night decided to look at OU vs BSU just to see some football.
That was the best 4th quarter of football in a long time. Since PSU vs Michigan in 2005 methinks.
OU's come back was good but gloomy, and when BSU was picked off with a minute left I thought they were done. The last second trick-play touchdown was awesome, but to go for two points immediately in overtime after OU's quick score was the gutsiest coach…
catdynamics | December 29, 2006Last friday of the year, so we ask the Mighty iPod - what will be up in the next year?
Whoosh goes the randomizer.
Whoosh.
The Covering: Truth No. 2 - Dixie Chicks
The Crossing: Hickory Dickory Dock
The Crown: Torture Me - Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Root: Lack of Knowledge - Violent Femmes
The Past: Action At A Distance - Matmos
The Future: Quintet for Piano and Winds - Mozart
The Questioner: Accidents Will Happen - Elvis Costello
The House: Gumboots - Paul Simon
The Inside: Carnival of the Animals: Aquarium
The Outcome: Adagio - Bach
Ouch. Serves me right for asking.
The Setting is spot…
catdynamics | December 23, 2006Razib reminds us of the reason for the season
So celebrate the Feast of Holy St Thorlacius. Eat some rotten skate.
'Cause you never know, the Sun might not come up tomorrow if you don't.
Any excuse...
catdynamics | December 22, 2006Billy Bragg podcast #6 is up: Talking with the Taxman about Poetry
Oh, joyous season!
catdynamics | December 22, 2006Bummer, witnesses too.
"...Children watched in horror as a Santa Claus collapsed and died as he handed out presents at a Christmas party on Sunday..."
Fortunately some of us have 13 christmas elves to fall back on.
The rest of you will probably have to rely on Tim Allen...