This Bulb

From National Geographic...

Content Aware Image Resizing

This is technical but really neat!

Blog Action Day 2007

October 15th Get Ready - One Issue. One Day. Thousands of Voices.

I'm back from Scouting Heaven

I returned on 4 August from two weeks in northern Quebec at the 11th Canadian Scout Jamboree. It was a wonderful way to spend two weeks of vacation, the country was beautiful, lushly forested with lots of new plants and wildlife. The local people I had opportunity to interact with were friendly and helpful. There were 8600 Scouts and Scouters on site from across the globe. Canada was well represented, from shore to shore and from the north as well. Represented were: United States of America, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, Australia, Thailand and Switzerland.

Interestingly, even with all the heat, dust and walking I slept reasonably well (sometimes it was a little noisy or hot). I rose refreshed and ready to enjoy my days. I didn't have any of the 'sluggishness' that I have experienced at home. I didn't have any migraines or sore feet (I have flat-foot and wear orthotics), I even avoided blisters! I spent one day with a friend on the way home walking around Ottawa (and it was a fair bit of walking) and I was really sore - open ground vs. concrete maybe, makes one wonder.

LM and I estimated that we were putting in some 10k each day just moving around the campsite doing our work. That's probably more than I put in in a week normally.

I missed kiddo and S lots. Homecoming is mentioned in some of the Celtic Christianity books that I've been reading recently. This was my first long trip away from my family by myself and I've discovered that going away is good but coming home is great!

Evan

p.s. Thanks to all the other scouts and scouters that made my CJ experience a memory to treasure.

Inside the Blogger’s Studio

From a post on darrenbarefoot.com
Based on the Actors Studio...

1. What is your favorite word? Knowledge
   
2. What is your least favorite word? Failure
   
3. What turns you on? New Things
   
4. What turns you off? Others 'Managing' me
   
5. What sound or noise do you love? Loons on a misty lake
   
6. What sound or noise do you hate? Snowmobiles, Harley Bikes etc.
   
7. What is your favorite curse word? Farg
   
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Information Broker
   
9. What profession would you not like to do? Food Services (I like to eat not cook!)
   
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? 'Welcome Home' (The Scouts say that a leader that has passed on has 'Gone Home')

Photo Credit: archival http://www.flickr.com/photos/archivalproject/314538852/

California Decertifies Flawed Election Equipment

Cool note from the EFF - after a detailed review the State of California has decertifed several electronic voting system vendors. This is great news! Canadians use paper ballots that are counted by hand, this simple system is very difficult to defraud and the counts are quick and easy, all managed by an independent central federal voting authority. In the US votes are managed by hundreds of individual authorities (counties, states etc.) and they are not independent - the returning officers have political affiliations. The more that this kind of technology is called into question in the US the less likely that some policy wonk in Canada will get an idea that it would be good for us! See more at: EFF: DeepLinks

Photo Credit: midbach http://www.flickr.com/photos/sevenapril/90460159/