There aren't just pre-electronic, they're pre-electric, calculators.

Isn't that an abacus?

So - what are everybody's weekend plans?

Knuckle down on my Painted Spires artwork, possibly sound out a hot Italian executive about a date.

There aren't just pre-electronic, they're pre-electric, calculators.

Wow, I've never seen anything like those.

My boss and I just check eBay - I guess they go for about $400-$600.

It's April 11 and I haven't done my taxes. That'll take care of my weekend.

There aren't just pre-electronic, they're pre-electric, calculators.

I read about those in Pattern Recognition by William Gibson. Neat little things.

I'm happily home on my day off, and right now I'm going to pick up my dog from my sister's house, take a long walk, go to UPS to get a package, and hopefully do some writing. Writing would be good.

There's also some new movies out, as well. And I might go to the climbing gym tomorrow.

Helicopter flight was a success: I got to sit in the copilot's seat. What I learned: helicopters are really frelling loud and there's no graceful way to get in and out of them. I had to wear a survival suit over my clothes, and I'm so glad it fit! Pity about the view, though: it was mostly grey and overcast, so we didn't see as much awesome scenery as I would have liked. But the guys were awesome, and I'd love to go again some time.

I have to file extensions for both S and I. Taxes are not going to happen by Tuesday.

It's April 11 and I haven't done my taxes.

Shit.

adds one more thing to the list

A while back I was reading about electro-mechanical analog computers. Amazing. A whole lost art these days....

Integrators also formed the heart of another historically significant line: the military analogue computer. After simple beginnings such as Arthur Pollen's 'Argo Clock' for WW1 battleship target tracking, this technology reached its ultimate development in the work of American scientists Ford and Newell, whose blocky and highly robust computers solved in real time the ballistics equations for naval and other artillery control during WW2 and later. Generally, WW2 forced a convergence of civilian and military expertise in mechanical analogue computing; but at this point the foundations of modern digital computing were also being laid.

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The fire-control computers on WW2 battleships were incredibly complex, and took into account the ship's speed and direction, the target ship's bearing, distance, speed and direction, wind speed, curvature of the earth, paralax error, etc. and generated real-time fire-control solutions for the guns....

So am I the only single buffistas who is like "yes, I want to date someone and have a partner adn damnit where are they?" Dude, i have a freakin' profeil on a dating site!

I love being part of a couple. Those five years in my mid-thirties when I was on my own were good years, but not as good as being with J. And although I don't think anyone should "settle," you gotta be careful of lists and ideals, especially the first few weeks. When I met J, ALL my female friends tried to warn me not to date him--tto many red flags. He was 6 years younger than I was, separated but not yet divorced, not sure he wanted to be in a relationship, smoked like a chimney, was a workaholic, blahblahblah. He was also smart, honest, fun, caring and kind. He's still 6 years younger, but all the other "red flags" have changed over time, while the good qualities have stayed and grown.