Posts

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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Helping others

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One of the best things you can do (for the sake of humanity) when talking to someone is to say "keep going, tell me more".
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Civility in Adversity

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Angie was up in DC. We cancelled the Labor day trip to NY. Gasoline expense was one of the reasons. Although gas price is below 3 dollars a gallon in Duluth GA. It is considerablely more expensive elsewhere in the country. There was a lot of anti-Russian symbology (and nastiness) in DC. (it is DC-- symbols are reality there). Somehow it is OK to be a bigot when your friends agree with you. I miss cordiality in politics. Hopefully, the trend will stop or reverse. It can get a lot worse. I am sure.
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Yurt and Canoeing

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Angie and I went for a canoe outing. We went to Sweetwater Creek Park near Atlanta. We stayed in a Yurt. I am thinking of getting a yurt for the farm property. Whats a better way to learn about yurts than staying in one. It was fun and different and close to home.
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Joro Spider Defense

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We went for a walk down along the Chattahoochee (the hooch) river today. Although the Joro spiders are not as infested as they were last year. They are still here. You can see me with a "Joro Stick". The Joros love to build their webs across trail expanses at face level. Not dangerous, but unpleasant when you walk into them. The stick keeps them out of your face, but still on your hands sometimes.
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Roof Ridge Line Straightening

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There has been a "belly" in the porch roof ridge line for as long as I have owned this house (10 years). I am finally doing something about it as I prepare for a new roof, soffits, facia and gutters. I took more than half of the sag out today. I still have more jacking and bracing, but I feel good about the progress. Certainly I have lots of experience straigtening structures like this. I remember my Uncle and my Father straigtening the collaped roof on the laundry shed near Bridgton, Maine in the 60s. The first one I did was a garage in the late 80s. I am using the 20 ton hydraulic jack I purchased in the mid 90s to jack and straighten the house I restored in Victor NY. I can't say I like working in attics and crawl spaces. I like the value it adds when complete, since it is easy, but scary and complicated for most. It is "pure" work.
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Power of Poetry

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A bit of poetry has been ringing in my head. It is from an old song. Sometimes these things can be hard to shake. And sail away on ships of wonder But life's not a wheel With chains made of steel So bless me, oh, bless me, bless me It has the same theme as in a post from 2016. March 29th 2016
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KLZU Hot Air Balloon -- Zoom Room

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There is always something going on at my airport in (KLZU) Lawrenceville GA. This weekend I got a deep brief regarding balloon piloting. I haven't been up yet. I took some pics of my zoom room to show folks what I see when I am in meetings. My zoom background is consistently a brick wall. My view could be considered the opposite. You can't quite see the lake from where I sit because of the large bush just outside the window. It's a beautiful bush. I would hate to take it out, but maybe.
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