Things are still very busy here. With first quarter winding down, I'm pleased by what I've been able to accomplish with my students this year. Time away from school has been divided between my software project, a couple of computer hobbies, and a narrow social life. As the holidays approach, I expect the latter to ramp up.
I'm also trying to work on exactly what I need to get my dad's notebook computer to wirelessly connect to his dialup Internet service. He needs to not be tethered to a cord, and broadband is not available where he lives. All I've come across on the web have been vague references to certain wireless routers with COM ports to hook up with certain external modems. All theory, no concrete brands and models. If you know something about this, please drop me a line.
Cassini continues to make fascinating observations of Saturn. Here's one of many such stories.
Saturn's Perfect Storms (Astrobiology Magazine) - Saturn is the windiest planet in the solar system, which is one mystery of the ringed giant. Imagine not what qualifies as a terrestrial hurricane with category five status assigned beyond one hundred miles-per-hour. On Saturn the superstorms can produce a thousand mph wind. |
I wrote my Rathergate entry immediately after Dan Rather "apologized" for running his political attack piece. Since then, CBS seems to want to proceed as if nothing happened. I've chosen a couple of slightly different viewpoints that have appeared since my first story.
All eyes are on Rather's future (Variety). Variety - NEW YORK -- The morning after Dan Rather admitted the biggest mistake of his career, he agreed to go on Larry King's primetime show and talk about the worst crisis ever to strike a network news anchor. |
Making CBS Play Fair (John Leo). John Leo - Years ago I was part of an odd panel discussion sponsored by the American Society of Newspaper Editors. It was a flat-footed version of those role-playing dramas that Fred Friendly constructed so brilliantly for PBS, the ones where he would walk around the room posing hypothetical questions that often tied famous journalists up in ethical knots. |
Things to think about, presented to you without commentary....
Dan Rather. "Americans will put up with anything provided it doesn't block traffic." |
John Adams. "There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty." |
John Cage. "The first question I ask myself when something doesn't seem to be beautiful is why do I think it's not beautiful. And very shortly you discover that there is no reason." |
Will Durant. "One of the lessons of history is that nothing is often a good thing to do and always a clever thing to say." |