dr_phil_physics (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
dr_phil_physics) wrote2010-11-07 04:02 pm
dr_phil_physics) wrote2010-11-07 04:02 pm
Entry tags:
A Long Weekend
49 Hours To be Precise
Under DST2007, this was the weekend of "Fall Back" from the twice annual clock changes. Only one device -- an alarm clock -- automatically fails the DST2007 test. Even our digital thermostat with the new furnace knows both sets of DST rules and so pretty much only those date insensitive clocks needed to be changed.
With recent weather dipping down into the mid-20s and low-30s at night, and a couple of visible flakeages during Friday afternoon in West Michigan, it's been some nice fall weather lately. Today on Sunday it's finally the full blue sky and sunny I've wanted in order to shoot some reference photos with different lenses and settings with my Kodak DCS Pro SLR/n. (Update: wrote this note too early, haze settling in, it's wan sunlight and no bright blue sky anymore.)
The Bagel To Batteries To Litter Triangle Trade
We went out to Holland yesterday on errands. Stocked up on bagels -- got two baker's dozen. Felt good that I didn't get them in Kalamazoo on Friday, because Saturday they were half price. Then ran by the Holland Post Office to mail my mother's birthday card, and found they had a 4pm pickup which the Allendale P.O. doesn't, so that was a win. Then circled back and located a new Batteries Plus store. Our two Motorola Razr cellphones need new batteries, but I couldn't find any Motorola replacements that weren't actually old stock. Bought a pair of new Rayovac Li ion batteries, so unlike everyone else in the world, we'll continue to have cell phones that are two-and-a-half years old. Shocking, I know. Mrs. Dr. Phil also got a new watch battery for her Pulsar watch with no numbers and no second hand, which was got in Hancock MI back in the late 80s, I think.
And since the weather was fine, we drove over to Grandville to get some cat litter and some paper and a memory card. Finally home, just in time to watch most of the Northwestern football game.
Gas Prices On The Move
Suspicious of motives? Moi?
Gasoline in West Michigan has ping-ponged a bit of late, but just before the election it dropped down to $2.67.9/gal. After the election, when many business and big oil friendly politicians get elected, gas shot up 18¢/gal to $2.95.9/gal, dropped briefly to $2.90.9 Saturday morning, then up another 19¢ to $3.09/9/gal an hour later.
I heard a pundit on the news explaining that gas prices rose because (a) there was a fire at a small Chicago refinery and (b) the Federal Reserve dumped $600 billion into the money supply and "devalued the dollar". Ri-ight...
I think gas prices were kept low all summer, compared to an earlier prediction of $3.50/gal summer gas, by the BP oil spill in the Gulf and the Enbridge oil spill into the Kalamazoo River. Now that both of those are no longer daily news items, and those evil socialists in Washington have been roundly defeated, I am NOT surprised that gas prices are jumping. And now that we've broken the three buck barrier, I expect $3.50/gal gasoline Real Soon Now. The frugal local conservatives should chew on that for a while. (evil grin)
Football & Such
Illinois scores 65 points yesterday. In a football game. And still lose. Michigan won 67-65 in 3OT. I turned into NU scoring 3 TDs in a row against Penn State, then PSU managed to run 3 unanswered TDs before we turned away, finally beating Northwestern 35-21. Sigh. At least Joe Paterno got his 400th win.
Before last Sunday's 60 Minutes, we'd never heard of Zenyatta, the mare who was 19-0 and going for a 20-0 retirement at Saturday's Breeder's Cup Classic at Churchill Downs. Despite another example of her terrific out-of-last-place acceleration, she just barely lost. A 19-1 career.
Last weekend's football had been disastrous. Michigan State ran into the University of Iowa at home buzz saw -- I've always maintained that Iowa at home is one of the toughest games in the Big Ten. And undefeated #1 D-II Grand Valley State University went up to Houghton lost last weekend to Michigan Tech in football. Unbelievable.
I can't root for anybody.
Dr. Phil
Under DST2007, this was the weekend of "Fall Back" from the twice annual clock changes. Only one device -- an alarm clock -- automatically fails the DST2007 test. Even our digital thermostat with the new furnace knows both sets of DST rules and so pretty much only those date insensitive clocks needed to be changed.
With recent weather dipping down into the mid-20s and low-30s at night, and a couple of visible flakeages during Friday afternoon in West Michigan, it's been some nice fall weather lately. Today on Sunday it's finally the full blue sky and sunny I've wanted in order to shoot some reference photos with different lenses and settings with my Kodak DCS Pro SLR/n. (Update: wrote this note too early, haze settling in, it's wan sunlight and no bright blue sky anymore.)
The Bagel To Batteries To Litter Triangle Trade
We went out to Holland yesterday on errands. Stocked up on bagels -- got two baker's dozen. Felt good that I didn't get them in Kalamazoo on Friday, because Saturday they were half price. Then ran by the Holland Post Office to mail my mother's birthday card, and found they had a 4pm pickup which the Allendale P.O. doesn't, so that was a win. Then circled back and located a new Batteries Plus store. Our two Motorola Razr cellphones need new batteries, but I couldn't find any Motorola replacements that weren't actually old stock. Bought a pair of new Rayovac Li ion batteries, so unlike everyone else in the world, we'll continue to have cell phones that are two-and-a-half years old. Shocking, I know. Mrs. Dr. Phil also got a new watch battery for her Pulsar watch with no numbers and no second hand, which was got in Hancock MI back in the late 80s, I think.
And since the weather was fine, we drove over to Grandville to get some cat litter and some paper and a memory card. Finally home, just in time to watch most of the Northwestern football game.
Gas Prices On The Move
Suspicious of motives? Moi?
Gasoline in West Michigan has ping-ponged a bit of late, but just before the election it dropped down to $2.67.9/gal. After the election, when many business and big oil friendly politicians get elected, gas shot up 18¢/gal to $2.95.9/gal, dropped briefly to $2.90.9 Saturday morning, then up another 19¢ to $3.09/9/gal an hour later.
I heard a pundit on the news explaining that gas prices rose because (a) there was a fire at a small Chicago refinery and (b) the Federal Reserve dumped $600 billion into the money supply and "devalued the dollar". Ri-ight...
I think gas prices were kept low all summer, compared to an earlier prediction of $3.50/gal summer gas, by the BP oil spill in the Gulf and the Enbridge oil spill into the Kalamazoo River. Now that both of those are no longer daily news items, and those evil socialists in Washington have been roundly defeated, I am NOT surprised that gas prices are jumping. And now that we've broken the three buck barrier, I expect $3.50/gal gasoline Real Soon Now. The frugal local conservatives should chew on that for a while. (evil grin)
Football & Such
Illinois scores 65 points yesterday. In a football game. And still lose. Michigan won 67-65 in 3OT. I turned into NU scoring 3 TDs in a row against Penn State, then PSU managed to run 3 unanswered TDs before we turned away, finally beating Northwestern 35-21. Sigh. At least Joe Paterno got his 400th win.
Before last Sunday's 60 Minutes, we'd never heard of Zenyatta, the mare who was 19-0 and going for a 20-0 retirement at Saturday's Breeder's Cup Classic at Churchill Downs. Despite another example of her terrific out-of-last-place acceleration, she just barely lost. A 19-1 career.
Last weekend's football had been disastrous. Michigan State ran into the University of Iowa at home buzz saw -- I've always maintained that Iowa at home is one of the toughest games in the Big Ten. And undefeated #1 D-II Grand Valley State University went up to Houghton lost last weekend to Michigan Tech in football. Unbelievable.
I can't root for anybody.
Dr. Phil