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Showing posts from May 8, 2016

LavaCon 2026 and the future.

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LavaCon is a conference now going on 25 years. Its always fun at conferences where folks collaborate on what the future holds. This year I drove to Charlotte NC from Duluth GA to attend. I used the Tesla in Full Self Drive. I went park-to-park without touching the wheel for over 200 miles. It's crazy. I don't think most people understand how well it works. Lots of nay-sayers still, but it really does work. Be on guard, but enjoy. I spent some of my time "driving" while conversing with Grok as part of my daydreaming. I was discussing with Grok an idea I have of building a West system (cold molded) old style barrel-back runabout maybe 20 feet long- all varnished Mahogony. Of course this boat would have an exotic 12-cylinder engine under a transparent engine hatch between the twin cockpits. We discussed the designs, available actual study plans and pre-lofted design documents for the hull. We also discussed the best engine (perhaps a BMW N73) coupled with a Velvet Dri...
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Interesting plant. Some years ago I found myself in Charles DeGaulle Airport in Paris around Midnight waiting for Angie to arrive. I was unable to buy any flowers in my travels during the day and it was too late at the airport. The airport shops were all closed. Hmmm.. what to do? In pacing around the airport I found some large potted plants and I snipped a small cutting from one. I presented the cutting (flower) to Angie when she arrived. (BTW, I did end up getting some nice flowers in Rouen the next day.) The cutting made its way to Moscow after we had parted ways. Given to her Friend Anna, it was rooted, transplanted and is doing quite well in Moscow. I like the picture. It shows the cutting all grown up with a Soviet style building in the background.