El Micko

Paradise Park macaw - postcrossing

2011-12-04T16:47:00.001-08:00

Paradise Park macaw - postcrossing Originally uploaded by Alhazred

An unexplained text message

2011-11-06T16:15:00.000-08:00

This just happened: I am sitting on the couch, reading a biography of Philip K. Dick (Emmanuel Carrere's I Am Alive And You Are Dead), when I hear one of the cell phones in my house ring. But the ring tone, a short piece of the song 'Fokofpolisiekar' by the band of the same name is one that I have not used for many years. Upon further investigation, I find that one of my old cell phones has just

2011-09-25T13:40:00.000-07:00

Red Bear Inn (A - Z of Griffin Mountain) One of the advantages of a staying at the Red Bear Inn when one frequents the citadel of Trilus is that one is very likely to get a decent room. Alas for the owner, that is not because the rooms are themselves of a much higher quality than those of the other inn in the citadel, the Stuck Pig, but because the Red Bear is not a very popular establishment.

Quarga Zar (A-Z of Griffin Mountain)

2011-07-24T17:19:00.000-07:00

In April 2011, there was an "A-Z Challenge" among old school RPG (and other) bloggers. The idea was that every day of that month one would post an entry inspired by a letter of the alphabet, and in that manner cover all 26 letters in order. I duly took part, resolving to focus on the fantastic old RuneQuest campaign setting Griffin Mountain, but only got up to P before my various character flaws

Praxenia (A-Z of Griffin Mountain)

2011-04-19T18:14:00.000-07:00

King Skilfil Heartpiercer of Dykene keeps three concubines. The youngest of the three, Praxenia, was born a Lunar citizen. She can tell a convincing story of life's vicissitudes and how she ended up in Dykene, but in reality she is a Lunar plant. Unfortunately Skilfil has proven to be rather malleable in her hands, and her influence is beginning to grow in the royal court. Praxenia reports back

Orlanthi (A-Z of Griffin Mountain)

2011-04-18T18:04:00.000-07:00

The Windsword is a legendary magical weapon found somewhere in the depths of the Elder Wilds, probably within Griffin Mountain itself. And apart from any player characters that may decide to hunt for this wondrous weapon, there are a couple of Orlanthi groups searching the region for hints of its whereabouts. The first of these is led by the Wind Lord Torath Manover, and consist of the following

"No Pigs" Edict of Trilus (A-Z of Griffin Mountain)

2011-04-16T14:07:00.000-07:00

By far the majority of indigenous Balazarings are hunter-gatherers. However, there is a large minority who live in the citadels and earn their livelihood as pig herders. In Elkoi and Dykene, the pig herders live and rear their animals within the walls of the city, on the opposite end to the royal compounds. In Trilus, however, it is a different story. King Yalaring Monsterslayer, the first of

Maps (A-Z of Griffin Mountain)

2011-04-15T22:25:00.000-07:00

I find myself in the same position as I did around this time last week - tired, muscles aching after the gym, and still needing to do my bloody blog entry in this April A-Z thingy. So it's photo time again, this time one of the maps that come with the campaign book. Area around the citadel of Trilus Area around Dykene The Elder Wilds. Lots o' open space to play with. Where Hen Cik

Lunar Pavilion at Elkoi (A-Z of Griffin Mountain)

2011-04-14T16:14:00.000-07:00

Elkoi is the westernmost of the three Balazar citadels, and one on the furthest outposts of the Lunar Empire. It was only recently occupied by Lunar forces, and the inhabitants are not enamored with their new overlords. Nor is acculturation yet taking place to any large extent, although there is now a small amount of agriculture in the area around Elkoi. (Thus the advent of Elkoi Beer.) Like the

King's Inn (A - Z of Griffin Mountain)

2011-04-13T15:17:00.000-07:00

There are no major characters, geographical locations, etc. in the Griffin Mountain campaign book that begin with K. So here are a few minor ones: The King's Inn is the only boarding house in the city of Elkoi. It is a pleasingly homely place, though getting a cheap room is often difficult due to the overflow of Lunar troops billeted there. The grub to be had is bread and pork, and, of course,

Joh Mith (A-Z of Griffin Mountain)

2011-04-12T15:59:00.000-07:00

Sooner or later, every player will interact with Joh Mith. Good old Joh is an Issaries Rune Priest, based out of the citadel of Trilus. Most of the year, however, he is on the road with his wife Zix Porub, bodyguard Xigxag (a bloody big Troll), and the rest of his caravan. His trade route ranges from Elkoi in the East, to Dragon Pass, to the Eleven Big Giant Mountains in the Elder Wilds, and most

Inoi Sessela (A-Z of Griffin Mountain)

2011-04-11T17:33:00.000-07:00

As far as non-human races go, Elves, Dwarves, Giants, Broos, and the like are quite plentiful in this campaign pack. But just as there is only one named Duck that can be found in all of Balazar and the Elder Wilds, there is only one party of Dragonewts that players are likely to encounter. Not that the Dragonewts actually reside in the area - they are traveling through the area on a quite

Hen Cik (A - Z of Griffin Mountain)

2011-04-09T17:55:00.000-07:00

Although few in number, Giants are among the most memorable of the various characters in the Griffin Mountain setting. They range from the kindly Bunscotto to the wise Boshbisil to the assholes Tiny Treekicker and Karl the Midget. Boshbisil is the leader of a small group settlement deep in the Rockwood Mountains in the southeastern section of the Elder Wilds. This settlement is actually the one

Griffin Mountain - the book (A-Z of Griffin Mountain)

2011-04-08T23:09:00.001-07:00

Griffin Mountain Originally uploaded by AlhazredFriday night. Long week. Just got in after having a few beers. Missus is already in bed asleep. Desire for blogging non-existent. So here for G is a hastily taken copy of the Griffin Mountain book.

Firshala (A-Z of Griffin Mountain)

2011-04-07T18:23:00.000-07:00

Griffin Mountain is a large campaign book - a full 202 pages in length. There is an amazing amount of stuff for the characters to see and do, from getting involved in the politics of the region, to adventuring and fighting chaos, to seeking out interesting characters for fun and profit. Balazar is pretty well mapped out, but the Elder Wilds to the north has much open space, and it is up to the

Elkoi Beer (A-Z of Griffin Mountain)

2011-04-06T17:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's entry introduced the three citadels of Balazar, and focused on one of them: Dykene. It may be expected that today's entry would center on Elkoi, but alas, time is lacking. Instead, I'll mention one of Elkoi's stranger products: Elkoi Beer. Elkoi Beer tastes quite watery, but has a bit of an unpleasant kick for the unwary. Those used to it drink it like water (to which it is rather

Dykene (A - Z of Griffin Mountain)

2011-04-05T21:00:00.000-07:00

The region now known as Balazar was named after a hero of the same name that settled the land during the Second Age, in the year 1082 of the Gloranthan calendar. Balazar had three sons: Trilus, Elkoi, and one daugher: Dykene. Today three citadels in this region bear the names of Balazar's children; Dykene is the easternmost of the three. Dykene is presently ruled by the 40 year old King Skilfil

Cults (A - Z of Griffin Mountain)

2011-04-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

The region of Balazar, in which most of the action of the Griffin Mountain campaign pack for RuneQuest takes place, is now home to a wide range of cults, and their interaction is one of the most interesting parts of any campaign. The native cults of the indigenous hunters now exist alongside lightbringer and other deities from Sartar, and invading Lunar deities from the west. The most prominent

Bunscotto the Kind Giant (A - Z of Griffin Mountain)

2011-04-02T15:17:00.000-07:00

Giants are among the most memorable of the characters that one can meet in the RuneQuest Griffin Mountain campaign setting. My favourite is perhaps Hen Cik, the young gambler, but here I'll mention Bunscotto the Kind Giant. For the most part, Giants are only found in the Elder Wilds, rather than the more civilised (relatively speaking) Balazar a little further to the south. Unlike many of the

Allosauri (A-Z of Griffin Mountain)

2011-04-01T08:24:00.000-07:00

On one of the Old School RPG blogs that I read I came across an intriguing concept: on each of the 26 non-Sundays of April, one posts every day, going up the alphabet to find subject matter. So I may as well give it a go here. I understand that one can sign up somewhere and commit oneself to it, but I'm going to skip that. For a start, I'm not a very prolific blogger and will probably not fulfil

The Eggman

2011-03-27T17:58:00.001-07:00

The Eggman Originally uploaded by AlhazredEvery day, I bring a carrot, a piece of chicken, and an egg for lunch. Hey, it's minimal effort and it hasn't become boring yet. My workmates get much amusement from me bringing this same meal every day. One of them used his skills to concoct this, and put it on the wall outside my office.

Brief notes on 'Disciple of Dagon - a short study of Clark Ashton Smith'

2011-02-19T17:22:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading Disciple of Dagon: Clark Ashton Smith and the Cthulhu Mythos by Frater Tenebrous XIII°, a.k.a. Peter Smith. This work, originally published in 1987 by Miskatonic University Press and limited to 123 copies, is now freely available on the internet.After a brief introduction to Smith's early poetry, the work goes on to discuss those short stories that may be considered part

US-936997

2010-12-12T14:22:00.001-08:00

US-936997 Originally uploaded by AlhazredOn back:The "French Quarter" in the fabulous Safari Hotel, Scottsdale, Arizona.Scottsdale's liveliest spot with a touch of Old New Orleans, Cabaret entertainment, floor shows and dancing nightly.Color Photography by Norman A. Pederson76132-CPub. by Petley Studios, Inc., 4051 E. Van Buren, Phoenix, Arizona

1999 Travelogue

2010-10-13T15:14:00.000-07:00

In 1999, shortly after the first Portland NOTOCON, I quit my job and headed on an extended roadtrip. My route took me to the Oregon coast, down Highway 101 all the way to L.A., then to Tucson, AZ via Joshua Tree. Today I rediscovered my travelogue of this road trip, and thought to post it here. I greatly enjoyed reading it again, and did not even cringe that many times.Tuesday, 10 August I left

Babalon

2010-08-15T13:26:00.001-07:00

Babalon Originally uploaded by Alhazred

Moon over Astoria

2010-07-29T16:18:00.001-07:00

Moon over Astoria Originally uploaded by AlhazredCame out rather well, I thought.

Fairy Friend and Stele

2010-03-14T14:58:00.001-07:00

Fairy Friend and Stele Originally uploaded by AlhazredI rather like this one. I think that perhaps I'll take a few more shots of the apartment and the various deities that live with me.

US-621319 - MacMasters Beach

2010-02-21T16:59:00.001-08:00

US-621319Originally uploaded by Alhazred Postcard sent to a Postcrossing chum in Chicago, IL.On back:Aerial view of Captain Cook Lookout on Tudibaring Head - Copacabana, looking towards MacMasters Beach and Cockrone Lake.

"Penis Enlargement, Reduce of Vagina" - handouts of Cape Town

2010-01-30T15:40:00.000-08:00

Step off the bus or taxi and enter into the hustle and bustle of the Parade in Cape Town, and you will most likely be offered a good many handouts by dejected and weary looking hustlers. These offer the prospective client a variety of medical and magical help which usually includes such services as penis enlargement, vagina reduction, weight loss, lifting of curses, exorcism of tokoloshes, help

Tim Powers' Last Call and Crowley's The Ship

2009-12-06T14:43:00.000-08:00

I wrote this a few years back, and realised that I had not blogged it here.----Review of Tim Powers’ Last Call, with reference to the formula of the Dying God as expressed in The Ship. Joseph Campbell wrote in Hero with a thousand faces that, “The latest incarnation of Oedipus, the continued romance of Beauty and the Beast, stand this afternoon on the corner of Forty-second Street and Fifth

US-553010 - Tall Corn

2009-11-15T16:18:00.001-08:00

US-553010 - Tall Corn Originally uploaded by AlhazredSent to postcrossing pal in Maryland, US.On back:TALL CORN!Photo by Free Lance Photographers Guild, Inc.Genuine Natural Color Made by DEXTER PRESS, Inc.Unsure how old this one is.

Jason Scott sabbatical project

2009-11-12T17:48:00.001-08:00

Jason Scott is the documentarian behind the great BBS documentary.

Old music I desire

2009-10-10T14:00:00.001-07:00

I was pleased to note that a google search for Radley Clack (original bassist for VOD) brought a guy to this page. It invoked memories of listening to some really good music in Cape Town when I was around 18-21. The venue of choice at that time was a club called Subjects, which was usually a goth club, but also had heavy metal afternoons every Saturday. They went through many incarnations, and I

So you forwarded it to yourselves?

2009-09-12T14:06:00.001-07:00

"...Your application has been forwarded to our HR Department for consideration in our applicant pool. HR will contact you...Best Regards,Human Resources Staff..."

Karoo from car 2 (flickr)

2009-08-15T22:13:00.001-07:00

Karoo from car 2 Originally uploaded by Alhazred

Hluhluwe Rhino

2009-07-29T23:47:00.001-07:00

Hluhluwe Rhino 1Originally uploaded by Alhazred Back in Cape Town after a week visiting my friend Gavin in Richard's Bay. Here's a rhino that I saw a couple of days ago at the Hluhluwe National Game Reserve.

Weekend at Bonnievale

2009-07-20T08:00:00.001-07:00

Asher Cottage 2 Originally uploaded by AlhazredWe spent this weekend at a cottage in the Bonnievale area, along the Breede River. Ah, so relaxed.

Door

2009-07-12T23:53:00.001-07:00

Door Originally uploaded by AlhazredA wonderful door in a shop near the Woodstock organic market. Which is a cool place in itself. We bought a few toothsome things, including lamb, tomatoes, eggs, spices.

Yzerfontein Beach

2009-07-12T00:51:00.001-07:00

Yzerfontein Originally uploaded by Alhazred

Bart statue, downtown Cape Town

2009-07-10T23:43:00.001-07:00

Bart statue Originally uploaded by Alhazred

Rogue Taps

2009-07-09T23:53:00.001-07:00

Rogue TapsOriginally uploaded by Alhazred Well, this one is obviously not from my SA trip - I just felt like blogging it. Pity it isn't a bar in Cape Town - Castle is pretty good, but one craves variation sometimes. (It's from the Rogue Brewery in Newport, OR.)

Another quick photo from Evita se Perron

2009-07-09T23:46:00.001-07:00

Evita Originally uploaded by Alhazred

Evita's Shoes

2009-07-09T00:53:00.001-07:00

Evita's ShoesOriginally uploaded by Alhazred Should be viewed large so that the text can be read.Yesterday we went for a driver up the West Coast, getting as far north as Yzerfontein, where we stopped and had tea on the rocks. Nice day, though a bit windy.On the way back we went through the interior, having a late lunch at Evita's in Darling, from whence this picture came.

Kirstenbosch

2009-07-08T00:12:00.001-07:00

Fynbos1 - KboschOriginally uploaded by Alhazred Here is a fine specimen of Phylica ericoides. Yes, we spent yesterday at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, jewel of Cape Town. With it being the off season, it was not too crowded and I was happy and contented.

Adam and Tahir Levy - District 6 Museum

2009-07-01T23:36:00.001-07:00

Adam and Tahir Levy - District 6 MuseumOriginally uploaded by Alhazred Yesterday's itinerary was visiting the Rasta guys on Long Street for more Buchu, and a couple of museums. This one is from the District 6 Museum, and shows Adam and Tahir Levy posing for the camera. He was an animated chap, full of opinion and anecdote.We also visited the Michaelis Collection, which was enjoyable as always.

Rocky Beach and Table Mountain

2009-06-30T08:48:00.001-07:00

Rocky Beach and Table Mountain Originally uploaded by AlhazredA couple of ciders followed today's long walk down the beach.I have a legal South African driver's license again. Sweet.

View from Vergelegen

2009-06-27T09:52:00.001-07:00

View from Vergelegen Originally uploaded by AlhazredThis afternoon was spent visiting the beautiful Vergelegen wine estate.

Sea Critters and UCT

2009-06-26T07:08:00.000-07:00

The sea threw up a bunch of critters that one does not usually see on the beach. This morning Kirsten and I took a walk thereon, and I snapped a few photos.The most common critters were of orange sea cucumber looking chaps. Perhaps someone could let me know what they really are?This is just kelp. It isn't uncommon, obviously, I just liked the way the photo turned out.Yesterday Adam and I went to

Choppy Waves

2009-06-24T00:28:00.001-07:00

Choppy Waves Originally uploaded by AlhazredIt was rainy and windy with gale force winds yesterday. Adam and I took a walk along the beach for the hell of it, and I got a few photos and video of the choppy waves. The Cape of Storms it was indeed yesterday.On the way back I slipped and twisted my ankle, which is rather a bummer.

Catching up

2009-06-23T02:33:00.000-07:00

One of the advantages of a blog post every day is that, although it may not have popular appeal, it serves as a diary, a reference. Of course one must remember to back up one's work. After all, blogger may go tits up one day, and you don't want all your data disappearing into the void.It's a bloody awful winter's day here in Cape Town. Very rainy, with gale force winds. Not good for exploration,

Birdie

2009-06-19T01:12:00.001-07:00

Birdie 3Originally uploaded by Alhazred

Birdie 2

2009-06-16T23:33:00.001-07:00

Birdie 2 Originally uploaded by Alhazred

June 10 2009

2009-06-10T09:25:00.000-07:00

Rather a lazy day today. A long walk down the beach was my main exercise. Bloody glorious weather.Hey, a brief post is better than nothing...

SA vacation 2009 - first post

2009-06-03T13:58:00.000-07:00

First post of my South Africa vacation 2009 travelogue. A summary of the last few days in brief.Sunday 05/31 - We left home remarkably early, getting it all together by around 11 AM. A hearty breakfast at the Horsebrass followed, and then good ole I5 North. A hard slog of a drive, and we made it to Port Townsend by mid afternoon.Monday 06/01 - A wonderful visit with Kirsten's family, including

Black Magic, aka Meeting at Midnight (1944)

2009-05-17T13:17:00.000-07:00

Black Magic is a 1944 Charlie Chan movie. It is rather unremarkable, except for the appearance of Frances Chan, who played Charlie's daughter of the same name. She gives a fun and charming performance, and it is a pity that she seems to have appeared in so few films. (IMDB lists only six.)Since there seem to be very few screen shots of this movie on ye olde internets, a few appear below.

We'll get right on that

2009-05-01T13:24:00.000-07:00

A couple of scans

2009-04-12T13:22:00.001-07:00

Got these with a lot of old postcards. Loose leaf paper.

Mildly funny twitter search result

2009-04-11T23:11:00.000-07:00

I have an RSS feed set up to catch tweets that reference the company at which I work, Con-way. Thought this result was funny: Also, will not be walking for coffee anytime soon. Mr. Creepy ex-con, way to ruin my lunchbreak. Much hatred & revulsion, Reggie

New Music Media (MOMA) - postcrossing

2009-04-11T14:17:00.000-07:00

Sent by a postcrossing chum.On back:The Museum of Modern Art11 West 53 Street, New York, NY 10019www.moma.orgShin Matsunaga. Japanese, born 1940. New Music Media, 1977. Offset lithograph, 40½ x 28 5/8". The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Gift of the designer through the The U.S. Art Directors Club, New York. © Shin Matsunaga

Scott A

2009-03-28T22:16:00.001-07:00

Scott A Originally uploaded by AlhazredDidn't turn out too badly.

Why I like Creative Commons

2009-03-18T07:25:00.001-07:00

IntegratronOriginally uploaded by Alhazred Mental Floss blog used this photo of The Integratron here. It's the first time a big blog has used one of my photos, and I'm quite chuffed.

Beefeaters

2009-02-28T17:15:00.000-08:00

This old postcard postmarked 1986.

Lean IT - use (or lack thereof) of 5S

2009-02-17T14:23:00.000-08:00

The following should be taken merely as musing, rather than the thoughtful exploration that this subject deserves.Lean, as I understand it, developed in a warehouse \ manufacturing environment in order to facilitate production flow. In such an environment, 5S makes obvious sense. A physical workplace that is logically ordered, clean, and safe greatly enhances workflow, as well as being pleasant

Wheatland Ferry

2009-02-08T14:11:00.001-08:00

Oregon Ferry 1Originally uploaded by Alhazred The Wheatland Ferry, Oregon.

Sunday 02/01/2009 - delicious links for the week

2009-02-01T12:08:00.000-08:00

Pages that I bookmarked this week:Download Office 2003 Service Pack 3.Boring stuff. For work.Interesting conspiracy rantings from one Sapphire.JFK assassination, Gary Condit, etc etc.Questionable Content merchadise.Wondermark merchandise.An OSHA report from last year regarding a forklift accident and death at Con-way's Manchester, NH facility. Old, but new to me.The Buffalo Beast's 50 most

Farsund

2009-02-01T12:01:00.000-08:00

This already used postcard from 1981. As usual, personal names blurred.On back:F-9904-1NorwayFarsund. Utsikt mot byen med broen over Nordsundet.View of the town.

Sunday 25/01/2009 - Bookmarked this week

2009-01-25T10:47:00.000-08:00

On Delicious.The Romani linguistics page at the University of Manchester.Includes dialect database page, resources, etc.The Mystery of the Green Menace, from Wired online.Ted Breaux and his quest to distill absinthe as it was done originally.Jason Scott talks about archiving some more. I bookmarked it for the wget switches he was using.Court restores murder conviction of man in Marin Pendragon

Picturesque Midland

2009-01-22T18:23:00.001-08:00

Picturesque MidlandOn back:Midland, Michigan - This view shows the picturesque river area in downtown Midland.Photo by John Penrod.(Postcard was mailed in July 1984.)

Liber IV (ABA) in the Ab-ul-Diz working

2009-01-18T17:06:00.000-08:00

Liber LX: The Ab-ul-Diz Working is both exceedingly interesting and frustrating to read. And as frustrating as it is to read, the actual workings must have been doubly so for the participants, both corporeal and not. Especially in the last sessions, it seems that very little useful information is obtained, with much "have faith," "ask this in another way," and "I have explained this already."

Fallbrook: avocado capital of the world

2009-01-18T11:01:00.001-08:00

An already used postcard for a change. This one is postmarked 1981, I think. Names have been blurred out.On back:FallbrookAvocado Capital of the World

Black Sand Beach, HI - from Tom

2009-01-11T11:40:00.000-08:00

Black Sand Beach, Hawai'iPhoto by Peter FrenchSent by my chum T- from the islands.

Menudo at the flea market

2009-01-03T16:02:00.000-08:00

Kirsten and I went a couple of flea markets on SE Stark today, to get out of the house for a while. At the appropriately named Fantastic Flea Market, I had a great bowl of Menudo. I love tripe dishes in general, and Menudo in particular, especially that made in smaller latino hole in the wall restaurants. Anyway, this one was excellent, with great big chunks of tripe. Highly recommended.

Halberstadt - postcrossing card DE-249967

2008-12-28T11:04:00.001-08:00

From a postcrossing chum in Germany.On back:Dom und Domschatz HalberstadtDom Sankt Stephanus und Sankt SixtusBlick von der Martinkirche

My truck aint going anywhere

2008-12-24T11:21:00.001-08:00

My truck aint going anywhere Originally uploaded by AlhazredBut I don't really need to use it for anything. A nice brisk walk to the supermarket may be in order, but that's about it.

Fontana di Trevi - postcrossing card IT-15014

2008-12-21T12:28:00.000-08:00

Handsome card from a postcrossing chum in Italy.On back:ROMAFontana di TreviFountain of TreviFontaine de TreviTrevi-BrunnenFotolibri su Roma di G. Gasponi:Roma AncoraRoma. La Pietra e l'AcquaI Volti di RomaRoma. Il Fascino dell'Arte e della StoriaPhotobooks by G. Gasponi:Rome RevealedRome. Water and StonePortrait of RomeRome. Fascination of Art and History.

Saturday God postcard

2008-12-20T17:56:00.001-08:00

From my pal M- in Walla Walla, WA. I'm not sure what the actual title of this piece is, as there is nothing on the back of the postcard. If you know, leave a comment.

New cocktail: the Happy Hephalump

2008-12-17T07:52:00.000-08:00

Pour a glass of delicious Amarula cream liqueur. Add Rogue Hazelnut spice rum to taste. Damn good.

A headline you don't see every day

2008-11-30T19:11:00.000-08:00

Report: French Nightclubs Burned Down in War Between Nudists, Swingers

Entelodonts - postcrossing

2008-11-30T12:44:00.001-08:00

Entelodonts - postcrossingOriginally uploaded by Alhazred A postcard that I picked up at the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, sent to a postcrossing chum in Germany.On back:EntelodontsAmong the largest animals known from the John Day formations are entelodonts - omnivorous, piglike giants, some reaching the size of bison. The large flanges on the cheek bones and lower jaw are distinctive

View from Astoria motel

2008-11-23T13:37:00.001-08:00

View from Astoria motel Originally uploaded by Alhazred'Twas a little overcast.

Postcard: Last Smoker in America

2008-11-23T13:25:00.001-08:00

Last Smoker in America - postcrossingOriginally uploaded by Alhazred Sent to a postcrossing chum in Finland.On back:The Last Smoker in AmericaBy the late 20th century, anyone who still smoked was regarded as quite weird.© Vintage Images, P.O. Box 228, Lorton, VA 22199Printed in the Good Ole USA on recycled paper.

Follow-up: Con-way 'Reduction in Force'

2008-11-22T16:24:00.000-08:00

Brief follow-up:There was a short article in The Oregonian on the layoffs at Con-way Enterprise Services (Portland campus) this last week. I am still around, but my wife was one of those laid off.Speculations about these matters are always dangerous, but I will stick my neck out and opine that we have not seen the end of layoffs on the Portland campus. We will see what next year brings.

Con-way closures this weekend

2008-11-15T19:08:00.001-08:00

This is a big weekend for Con-way Freight: some forty service centers across the country are closing. The Portland campus of Con-way Enterprise Services (the IT and Admin arm of Con-way) will see job losses next week. Many of my co-workers are understandably anxious, and it has been a major topic of conversation this week.

Portland Werewolf Poem

2008-11-15T11:32:00.000-08:00

I used this a couple of months ago during a game of Werewolf at the Lucky Lab when my fellow villagers accused me of being a werewolf. Inexplicably, I was still lynched.I Am Not A werewolf.A werewolf? Nay, a mere cobbler I.Content to make solid bootsFor my stolid fellow villagers.A werewolf? Nay, would that I were.Not for me the taste of blood in the night.Or soft flesh torn by my pitiless

On some users

2008-10-15T11:29:00.000-07:00

The (insert your favorite user here) Factor: a common phenomenon in technical support, in which a user (often petulantly) reports a problem, but claims to be too busy to troubleshoot the issue or to provide any meaningful information. These users enjoy being in the role of Victim: not only are they able to be the victim of computer problems, but they can also claim to suffer from IT harassment (

More excellence from the Bozeman Chronicle Police Reports

2008-10-14T08:25:00.000-07:00

From the previously recommended Bozeman Chronicle Police Reports: 10/02/2008: - At 6:28 p.m., a man wanted to know if it was legal for him to write profanities on his vehicle. 10/09/2008 - In order to get free burritos for a local restaurant, two men needed to get their picture taken with a Bozeman police officer. Police obliged.

Kookaburras postcard

2008-10-12T13:24:00.001-07:00

Kookaburras - postcrossingOriginally uploaded by Alhazred Another older postcard, sent to a postcrossing chum in Finland.On back:Kookaburras (Taronga Park),Sydney, Australia

Here's a rather charming postal mail story

2008-10-12T10:38:00.000-07:00

This Sunday Independent article shows the UK post office at its best, I think:We may be living in the era of the email, but one young illustrator has proved that the art of correspondence is far from dead. While working for her degree at Glasgow School of Art Harriet Russell decided to find out exactly what lengths the men and women of the Royal Mail were willing to go to to ensure the safe

LSS tournament CP-2008-P-00025 - yeesh, that game didn't go well

2008-10-12T08:22:00.000-07:00

A truly cringeworthy game on my part:[Event "CP-2008-P-00025"][Site "LSS"][Date "2008.10.01"][Round "-"][White "Taylor, Mick"][Black "Stibal, George"][Result "0-1"][WhiteELO "833"][BlackELO "1868"][EventDate "2008.10.01"]1.e3 d5 2.Nf3 c5 3.d4 e6 4.Bd3 Nf6 5.c4Nc6 6.Nbd2 dxc4 7.Nxc4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Nxd49.exd4 Qxd4 10.O-O Bd7 11.Be3 Qd5 12.Qb3Bc6 13.Rad1 Qxg2# 0-1Can be replayed in all its glory here:

Siltcoos Lake - postcrossing

2008-09-28T10:00:00.001-07:00

Siltcoos Lake - postcrossing Originally uploaded by AlhazredSiltcoos Lake, sent to a postcrossing chum in Rottenburg.

Port Townsend

2008-09-21T16:15:00.001-07:00

Port Townsend 5 Originally uploaded by Alhazred

Oregon Ferry 1

2008-09-21T15:49:00.001-07:00

Oregon Ferry 1 Originally uploaded by Alhazred

Baalbek Camels - postcrossing

2008-09-21T11:50:00.001-07:00

Baalbek Camels - postcrossing Originally uploaded by AlhazredA lovely old one, sent to a postcrossing chum in Finland.On back:Camels in Baalbek - LebanonPhotographed by Said Salah Box 307 AlkobarSaudi Arabia - Box 1181 - Beirut - Lebanon

Masai Woman - old postcard

2008-09-21T11:33:00.001-07:00

Another older card, sent to my chum Slim in Hawaii.On back:Masai WomanCopyright by Sapra Studio - P.O. Box 5882, Nairobi

Con-way news: lawsuit vs conwayracing.com

2008-09-12T13:26:00.000-07:00

I don't have much information on this, except that it is a trademark infringement case. See this RFC Express page.There is not much on the conwayracing.com page - seems like just a link farm.

Notre Dame - old postcard

2008-09-07T11:21:00.001-07:00

This is a somewhat older card, part of a very large lot that I picked up cheaply in Toledo, Oregon.Sent to my friend Dave in Evansville, IN.On back:Paris et ses Merveilles528 - Notre Dame (Façade)Editions d'Art A. Leconte, 38, rue Sainte-Croix-de-la-Bretonnerie, ParisFabrication Française - Reproduction interdite(Note 'Guy' signature on bottom right.)guy

Ah yeah!

2008-09-05T07:14:00.001-07:00

Stephen Fry on Gnu\Linux

2008-09-02T13:18:00.000-07:00

Fry is one of my favourite actors. An erudite chap, he has appeared in Jeeves and Wooster, A Bit of Fry and Laurie, Just A Minute (radio), and quite a bit more. Here he is on free software:

Paradise Park macaw - postcrossing

2008-09-01T13:18:00.001-07:00

Paradise Park macaw - postcrossingOriginally uploaded by AlhazredThis one actually dates from 1968. I just sent to it to a postcrossing chum in Finland.On back:Paradise Park, Honolulu, Hawaii"Duke," a Hyacinthe Macaw, fires the cannon at one of the many daily performances.© 1968 Dexter Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Linux trivia: usage on supercomputers

2008-08-30T15:23:00.000-07:00

This graphic, taken from http://www.top500.org/stats/list/31/os, shows a breakdown of the world's 500 fastest supercomputers by OS. It was rather surprising to me how dominant Linux is.