First Looks category archive

My local rag tells how you can watch tonight’s launch. It should be visible from several hundred miles away.

I grew up about 50 miles south of Wallops Island. I remember the family all going into the side yard (the left in the picture above, the darkest portion of the yard) to watch early satellite and space probes being launched from Wallops.

Tonight I shall probably sleep through it.

Learn about the wonderful world of free and open source.

What: Monthly TWUUG Meeting.

Who: Everyone in TideWater/Hampton Roads with interest in any/all flavors of Unix/Linux. There are no dues or signup requirements. All are welcome.

Where: Lake Taylor Transitional Care Hospital in Norfolk Training Room. See directions below. (Wireless and wired internet connection available.) Turn right upon entering, then left at the last corridor and look for the open meeting room.

When: 7:30 PM till whenever (usually 9:30ish) on Thursday, September 5.

Directions:
Lake Taylor Hospital
1309 Kempsville Road
Norfolk, Va. 23502 (Map)

Pre-Meeting Dinner at 6:00 PM (separate checks)
Uno Chicago Grill
Virginia Beach Blvd. & Military Highway (Janaf Shopping Center). (Map)

Still driveling on after eight years of shooting my mouth off on the Internet.

If a tree blogs in a forest etc.

Off to drink liberally.

Fun and fellowship for liberals. Join us and talk about anything in a relaxed atmosphere.

When: Thursday, August 22nd, 6 p.

Where:
Croc’s 19 Street Bistro
620 19th Street (Map)

More here.

Bad taste warning, as usual.

Family business.

What the Booman said.

Off to drink liberally.

Now on Tuesdays for Norfolk (still Thursdays for Virginia Beach) to make it easier for persons with commitments on either day to catch at least one per month.

Drinking Liberally is a gathering place for liberals. Socialize and laugh in a friendly atmosphere.

When: 6 p., Tuesday, July 13.

Where:
Uno Chicago Grill
5900 Virginia Beach Blvd
(Janaf Shopping Center) (map)

Details here. Meetup page here.

It’s not your imagination – there really are more ticks than there used to be.

Humans have created a perfect tick habitat, Gaff said, by fragmenting forests and inserting houses. Squirrels, raccoons and other small animals love the habitat where woods meet grass, and ticks love animals. The rise in tick numbers also parallels the rise in the white-tailed deer population, she said, which is itself quite large.

The good news is that this excerpt is from a story about a local engineer who is working in a tick-killing robot, sort of a Roomba for the little vampirelets. Large-scale trials are set for next year.

Follow the link for details.

Break time.

Bob Molinaro, in my local rag:

It’s a sign of the times that two of the happiest words in college and pro football are “charges dropped.”

More of his incisive insights at the link.

Time to drink liberally.

Fun and fellowship for liberals. Join us and talk about anything in a relaxed atmosphere.

When: Thursday, july 25th, 6 p.

Where:
Croc’s 19 Street Bistro
620 19th Street (Map)

More here.

Update: Date corrected. For some reason, I’ve been a day off all day.

Librivox is having a fundraiser. Please help.

Family matters.

(Link fixed.)

The Orlando Sentinel reports (emphasis added), with a refreshing breath of candor:

If you’re one of many drivers who has switched on your car’s hazard lights while negotiating heavy rain, guess what: You’ve broken the law.

But it’s not too likely you’re going to get a ticket for it.

Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Sgt. Mark Wysocky said the law is probably not very frequently enforced, noting that both the officer and driver would get “soaked” if a citation was issued in the pouring rain.

Drivers’ flashing four-ways when there is no good reason irritates the heck out of me.

(The rationale for the law is to keep drivers from confusing ordinary vehicles with police cars and ambulances.)