proof the sky is blue

proof the sky is blue
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

Blue sky was observed this afternoon.

view at Wilson Mountain

wiew at Wilson Mountain
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

A nice day for hiking. The warm weather is bringing out the ticks, sigh.

pileated woodpecker

pileated woodpecker
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I went hiking at Blue Hills Reservation, today, for almost two hours. It's still a bit cold for hiking, but there were a lot of people out.

While there, I saw this pileated woodpecker hammering away persistently at a tree. I've only seen this kind of bird a few times; they seem to be pretty shy.

cattails at Cutler

cattails at Cutler
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I went for a little hike at Cutler Park Reservation today. I started from the south entrance and hiked north to the Charles River.

I'm still trying to decide whether I'll be hiking here, much. For one, the trail is reasonably lengthy, but very flat. I might become bored with it after a few rounds, since I prefer hilly terrain. Secondly, it doesn't feel safe. The trail passes through a tunnel that goes under the raised bed of commuter rail track. The inside of the tunnel is completely covered in layers of graffiti and the trail is littered with garbage, too. It creeped me out walking through that area.

Tank forty-four

Total miles: 16216. Trip miles: 363.5. Gallons: 6.748. Price per gallon: $3.139.

Screen mileage: 50.4 mpg. Tank mileage: 53.9 mpg. A few long (3+ hour) trips. I think the pump cut off before the tank was totally full when I filled it up this time. This could be why the mileage is so good, despite the cold weather.

Tank forty-three

Total miles: 15853. Trip miles: 258.5. Gallons: 5.946. Price per gallon: $3.199.

Screen mileage: 49.1 mpg. Tank mileage: 43.4 mpg. Mostly local trips in cold weather.

Snowboards

Snowboards
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

Some people had left their backpacks at the foot of the observation tower at Blue Hills Reservation. It was a surprise to see snowboards in the packs. It did snow yesterday, but only an inch or so. I wonder if they found anywhere to use them.

Boston skyline

Boston skyline
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I took a nice hike over at Blue Hills Reservation today. The weather was a bit raw, but not too cold once you got moving.

This view was taken from the observation tower along the Skyline Trail. You can see the Boston skyline very faintly in the distance from here.

Tank forty-two

Total miles: 15594. Trip miles: 414.8. Gallons: 7.777. Price per gallon: $3.159.

Screen mileage: 50.7 mpg. Tank mileage: 53.5 mpg. One long distance trip, the rest local.

How to take your credit on a hybrid

I feel like a dunce for struggling to figure out how to take the federal tax credit on my new Prius that I bought last year. You might think that the numerous IRS articles on the tax credit for buying a hybrid would reference the correct form to use. Well, if they did, I couldn't find it mentioned. So far as I can tell, it's done using Form 8910, which is used to fill in line 55 of Form 1040. When I first discovered Form 8910, I noticed that Part II of the form refers to business use of the car, which made me think it was a form for business use.

Tank forty-one

Total miles: 15179. Trip miles: 240.5. Gallons: 6.391. Price per gallon: $3.129.

Screen mileage: 41.6 mpg. Tank mileage: 37.6 mpg. Worst mileage I've had in a long time. Trips were mostly local and short.

A review of "The Fifth Vial"

The Fifth Vial

by Michael Palmer

I bought The Fifth Vial to read on a plane ride. It is a medical conspiracy/suspense novel. It suffers from a few problems.

First, it could use a lot of trimming; I often lost interest when the author sidetracked into lengthy scenarios that did little to advance the plot or meaningfully develop characters. A suspense novel should carry you along, and this one did not do the trick for me. Second, the premise is so implausible, the conspiracy so broad, that it is just too unbelievable. This is another reason that the novel kept failing to engage me; I just couldn’t suspend my disbelief. Finally, I found most of the characters to be composed of cardboard. The bad guys were like cartoons who would snarl and sneer. The only character that interested me was Natalie Reyes, who was fleshed out in a rather reasonable fashion for the starring role in a suspense novel (by this I mean to say that suspense novels are not exactly well known for interesting characterizations).

Admittedly, I have a lot of stuff going on in my life now, so I’m probably a hard case when it comes to being distractible. If you like the suspense novels of Dan Brown, you might like this. But it’s nowhere near the quality of The Da Vinci Code. It’s more along the lines of Digital Fortress, which suffers from similar problems.

I should mention that it is well worth reading the "Author's Note" which starts on p 501. Please, if you haven't already, consider signing up as an organ donor.

See more about The Fifth Vial

Fort Lauderdale beach

Fort Lauderdale Strip beach
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

While in Florida, I got to dip my toes in the ocean off of Fort Lauderdale. It was a lovely break from the cold northern winter!

Las Olas

Las Olas
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

This is a look down a little alley way off Las Olas. The kids seemed to be enjoying their day!

Las Olas sculptures

Las Olas sculptures
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

After hanging out at the Jazz Festival in Fort Lauderdale, I took a walk over to the Art Festival on Las Olas. These are some interesting mobile animal sculptures that were set up at one of the intersections along Las Olas.

Jazz festival umbrellas

Jazz festival umbrellas
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I covered both the east and west coasts of Florida on my vacation... this is a view of a colorful umbrella at the Jazz Festival in Fort Lauderdale last weekend.

Shells on the beach at Sanibel

Shells
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

My winter vacation

Sanibel beach
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I've been down to Florida for a little fun and sun. It was heavenly! I even went swimming along this here beach.

February - Locked in the Cabinet

For February, I read Locked in the Cabinet, Robert Reich’s memoirs of his tenure as Bill Clinton’s Secretary of Labor. Well worth reading! This book gives us a unique, insider’s view of how and why it is so difficult to accomplish anything in government.

See more progress on: Read one book a month

ducks from the Antique Market

ducks from the Antique Market
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I bought a pair of ducks at the Cambridge Antique Market when I visited there today. Here they are, sitting on the cover to Radiohead's "In Rainbows" album.

Cambridge Antique Market

Cambridge Antique Market
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I was at the Cambridge Antique Market today. It was an amusing way to spend some time.

There's a big mural on the side of the building depicting various animals: farm (food) animals like chickens, cows, and pigs; pets, like dogs and cats; and lab animals - mice, guinea pigs, monkeys. Various personages are depicted as well, presumably famed, but I would be hard put to name them. The mural reads "We speak for those who can't."

According to CityGuide, the mural is entitled "A Wall of Respect for Animals":

The creation of Somerville artist Be Sargent, the mural depicts 29 leaders and well-known supporters of the animal rights movement. Where else will you find the portraits of Victor Hugo, Gandhi, Brigitte Bardot, Mark Twain, Bob Barker and Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, in such close proximity to one another?

Lunar eclipse

lunar eclipse
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

This was taken near the beginning of the total lunar eclipse this evening, while the moon was partially obscured and partially lit.

Tank forty

Total miles: 14939. Trip miles: 336.7. Gallons: 7.504. Price per gallon: $2.999.

Screen mileage: 47.9 mpg. Tank mileage: 44.9 mpg. Long trip, cold weather. This was done at a full-service station; I think the guy topped it off.

Tank thirty-nine

Total miles: 14602. Trip miles: 354.6. Gallons: 7.236. Price per gallon: $3.099.

Screen mileage: 52.2 mpg. Tank mileage: 49.0 mpg. Long and short trips.

A review of "How I Became Stupid"

How I Became Stupid

by Martin Page

I am not sure why this book is a “cult favorite.” Yes, it is mildly funny. But the target of its humor – modern life in all of its absurdities and shallowness – is a bit too obvious by now, and has been done to death; this book doesn’t add much verve to the backlash. The story’s saving grace is that it was quirky and short enough not to grate on my patience.

Does anyone else get the feeling that the author was hoping to get his book picked up by Hollywood with the inconsistent, tacked-on, falsely upbeat last chapter? Or are we supposed to interpret it as a meta-symptom of our shallow culture?

See more about How I Became Stupid

Hopkinton State Park

Hopkinton State Park
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

This is a view of a little island in the reservoir at Hopkinton State Park. You see this from along the Reservoir Trail, where I hiked today.

Trail at Callahan

Trail at Callahan
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I went for a short hike at Callahan State Park. It was a warm day and it had rained yesterday. Nevertheless, the trail was still thick with ice in most places. I didn't go very far... but I did collect my first letterbox in Massachusetts!

Why I want to consume "How I Became Stupid"

How I Became Stupid

by Martin Page

The cover of How I Became Stupid declares it an “International Cult Favorite”! Who can resist?

See more about How I Became Stupid

Tank thirty-eight

Total miles: 14248. Trip miles: 319.0. Gallons: 6.56. Price per gallon: $3.019.

Screen mileage: 49.5 mpg. Tank mileage: 48.6 mpg. Combination of long and short trips.

Icy trail at Cold Spring Park

Icy trail at Cold Spring Park
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I went for a little hike over at Cold Spring Park today. The snow on the trails has been tramped down so much, and there has been enough freezing and thawing, that the trails are now one massive icy glaze. This turned my hike into an exercise in staying upright.

January - Breakfast with Buddha

I’ve already read a couple of books in January, and will probably get in another one before the month is done.

The one I enjoyed most, so far, is Breakfast with Buddha, by Roland Merullo. It’s a sort of road-trip, foodie, Buddhist adventure. Lots of fun and a quick read.

See more progress on: Read one book a month

A review of "Crossing to Safety (Modern Library Classics)"

Crossing to Safety (Modern Library Classics)

by Wallace Earle Stegner

Crossing to Safety is the story of the friendship between two couples, focusing primarily on the academic struggles of the husbands, and the health troubles of the wives. The book did not resonate with me, and I found the portraits sometimes shallow. In particular, Charity, one of the wives, is so overbearing that the book is rather unpleasantly overwhelmed by her personality. I kept wanting to hear about the other characters, but then there’d come another earful about some controlling action by Charity. I sometimes felt that I was sitting in the narrator’s kitchen, listening to him vent about yet another egregious episode perpetrated by his friend’s wife. The book is only saved by rising above these petty details to deal with the subject of death in an poignant way; at least it got some tears from me, although I may be an easy mark.

On a side note, I also liked the fact that Stegner delved into certain mundane life issues, like financial difficulties, and surviving in academia. One of the characters is quite wealthy, and we get a different take on the whole Friends with Money situation.

This is the first book that I’ve read by Wallace Stegner. Apparently it was his last novel. I’d be willing to try something else by him, if only for comparison.

See more about Crossing to Safety (Modern Library Classics)

Tank thirty-seven

Total miles: 13928. Trip miles: 308.4. Gallons: 6.06. Price per gallon: $3.199.

Screen mileage: 47.8 mpg. Tank mileage: 50.9 mpg. Traveling around...

I did an oil change last Friday.

View from Cutler Park Reservation

View from Cutler Park Reservation
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

Bleak, yet beautiful.

Trail

Trail
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

This is a view along the trail at Wilson Mountain Reservation. The park seems to be a popular one for dog-walkers. I was very impressed with the fact that the parking lot was all cleaned up, largely free of snow. This makes a good first impression of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Sky and ice

Sky view
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I went hiking at Wilson Mountain Reservation in Dedham, MA, today. It was a beautiful, invigorating, blue-sky day, temperatures just around freezing. Snow was still everywhere. Slightly sticky, not slippery on the trail. I had no trouble just hiking in my boots, no snowshoes or YakTrax needed.

I did about 2 miles in 35 minutes.

Snowy tree

Snowy tree
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

Nice snow yesterday, even if the power did go out!

Metropolitan Museum

Museum scene
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

My vacation wound down in NYC, with a short visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This is a view of a sculpture and a couple of paintings from the Muriel Kallis Steinberg Newman Collection, now showing there. Definitely worth the trip, it fills numerous rooms with modern paintings, lots of Miro, Klee, Balthus. There's a really beautiful painting by Frankenthaler with salmons, pinks, and blues; a super Pollock; and a few interesting pieces by artists that I'd never heard of before (Esteban Vicente?). I could have spent more time looking around... hope to get back there soon.

Stratton Mountain

Stratton Mountain
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

This is a view along the blue piste called Lower Standard, under the gondola, looking down at Stratton Village.

We had the best ski conditions on Monday. By Tuesday, the warmth had caused the snow to get a bit icier than I like, but it was still not bad.

On Wednesday, we had really bad luck - we got hit by a rainy downpour just as we were heading for the ski tent, so we decided to skip skiing for that day and headed into Manchester for sightseeing and good eating (Zoey's maple bread pudding is a must, IMHO).

On Thursday, we did more skiing. By then, conditions had worsened. The trails were becoming granular and icy, due to the rainfall. However, my skiing skills were up to the challenge and I enjoyed the day overall. In fact, I actually enjoyed the increasing test of my skills as conditions gradually got a little worse the longer we stayed there...

Unfortunately, Friday was a total bust, with rain making the conditions so poor that we decided not to ski. Luckily, we got comped with two "gift certificates" that we happily spent in the village. I would have preferred a good day of skiing, but it was better than nothing. Stratton does a good job of keeping people happy even when the weather does not cooperate.

Altogether, we did cover quite a lot of territory at Stratton, doing multiple runs of the greens - Lower Middlebrook and 91 - over by Sun Bowl Lodge; skiing most of the little maze of greens in the area of Lower Tamarack; and also most of the greens that start at the summit with Mike's Way and Upper Wanderer. We became comfortable with some of the blues as well, including Betwixt and Yodeler. I think if conditions had been better, I would have done a lot more skiing along the blues.

Stratton Village

Stratton Center
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I went on a ski vacation with a friend last week. This year, after considering my perennial favorite, France, and also looking into options in Quebec, we decided to give the Northeast US a try. The exchange rate was a big factor here.

We decided on Stratton, given the large number of easy and intermediate trails, and the convenience (within reasonable driving distance).

We had good luck and bad luck. The week prior to our vacation, the northeast had been through a few frigid days (in the teens), with a good snowfall. This must have helped to build up the snow base at Stratton.

However, by the day that we arrived, Sunday, January 6, the weather had begun to warm up. On Monday, it had become unusually warm, in the 40s. Snow was rapidly melting. The photo here was taken on Tuesday. By that time, practically all the snow was gone from the center.

Something else you can notice in this photo is the lack of crowds - indeed the lack of people altogether. Apparently during this particular week, the one after Christmas week, there is a lull at Stratton (perhaps this is true of all US ski resorts?). Since I hate crowded skiing conditions, this helped a lot. It is something that I will keep in mind for my next trip.

A review of "The Old Woman Who Walked in the Sea"

The Old Woman Who Walked in the Sea

by Laurent Heynemann

Perhaps I am a philistine in this matter, but I am not a fan of Jeanne Moreau. I am almost embarrassed to admit it. True, I haven’t seen much of her stuff. I have seen Jules et Jim, a movie which did little for me – and I just don’t get the attraction.

The movie The Old Woman Who Walked in the Sea does nothing to change my mind. Poorly executed, acted, scripted, directed, and filmed – there is nothing that I liked about this film!

I will continue to sample Moreau’s oeuvre, however, in the hopes of discovering the charm in her talent. Michel Serrault doesn’t come off very well in this movie, either, and I know from previous experience (Rien ne va plus, The Girl from Paris) that he can be quite a good actor.

If you want to see a good French film themed around a con artist, take a look at Isabelle Huppert in The Swindle (Rien ne va plus). Caveat: I am a big fan of Huppert, and can’t get enough of her.

See more about The Old Woman Who Walked in the Sea

Tank thirty-six

Total miles: 13620. Trip miles: 367.0. Gallons: 7.457. Price per gallon: $3.139.

Screen mileage: 52.4 mpg. Tank mileage: 49.2 mpg. Just home from vacation.

Tank thirty-five

Total miles: 13253. Trip miles: 257.6. Gallons: 5.524. Price per gallon: $3.299.

Screen mileage: 47.5 mpg. Tank mileage: 46.6 mpg. Still on vacation...

Tank thirty-four

Total miles: 12995. Trip miles: 335.9. Gallons: 7.73. Price per gallon: $3.049.

Screen mileage: 49.5 mpg. Tank mileage: 43.5 mpg. On vacation.

A story about "Locked in the Cabinet"

Locked in the Cabinet

by Robert B. Reich

The book is great so far. I love Robert Reich’s self-deprecating humor. Here’s an excerpt from February 7, 1993. Reich, man of the people, has just closed the executive dining room. The well-meaning intent is that “This is a Democratic administration. We eat with the workers. We wait in line with the workers.” So there he is, standing on line to pay the cashier in the cafeteria, along with everyone else:

Ten minutes later, still standing in line, I feel my egalitarian zeal beginning to wane….

The line creeps forward. What if the President of the United States is trying to reach me? “I’m sorry, Mr. President, the Secretary can’t come to the phone right now. He’s in the cafeteria. Been waiting in the cashier line for twenty minutes.”

While on line, the woman in front of him strikes up a conversation with him, failing to recognize that he’s the new Secretary of Labor. Really fun stuff! I wish I’d been there.

See more about Locked in the Cabinet

A story about "Locked in the Cabinet"

Locked in the Cabinet

by Robert B. Reich

I’m at a friend’s house, and picked up Robert Reich’s Locked in the Cabinet, buried amongst a ton of other books here. I enjoyed his book I’ll Be Short, so I’m giving this a try. Interesting, so far.

See more about Locked in the Cabinet

Tank thirty-three

Total miles: 12659. Trip miles: 145.2. Gallons: 2.794. Price per gallon: $3.219.

Screen mileage: 47.5 mpg. Tank mileage: 52.0 mpg. Usual pump. A few short trips.

This was an unusual case, in that I filled up with more than half a tank of gas in the car, in preparation for a long drive. The tank mileage is better than the screen mileage, also unusual. I'm not sure, but the pump may have stopped early, before completely filling the tank.

I moved my home base yesterday, so I've said good-bye to the "usual pump." I'll have to seek out another one around my new temporary digs.

Tank thirty-two

Total miles: 12514. Trip miles: 393.6. Gallons: 8.030. Price per gallon: $3.179.

Screen mileage: 50.5 mpg. Tank mileage: 49.0 mpg. Usual pump. A few longer trips.

Tank thirty-one

Total miles: 12120. Trip miles: 317.9. Gallons: 7.428. Price per gallon: $3.029.

Screen mileage: 47.5 mpg. Tank mileage: 42.8 mpg. Used a different, full-service gas station this time. The guy topped it off, so more gas went in than usual, which probably caused the tank mileage to drop a bit.

A review of "Microserfs"

Microserfs

by Douglas Coupland

I found about the first hundred pages of Microserfs amusing, and then it was more of the same, and more of the same, and yet more of the same. I do not know what the entire middle of the book was for. Perhaps for character development; but the characters never struck me as anything more than cardboard (perhaps they were just too realistically boring). The twist at the end was good, but after being bored for a couple hundred pages, I was just glad to be done with this.

I probably would have actually enjoyed this book, with some heavy editing.

See more about Microserfs

200K+

Yay, finished another Holiday Challenge! I think this is the earliest I’ve ever finished it.

See more progress on: Complete the Concept2 Holiday Challenge

Tank thirty

Total miles: 11803. Trip miles: 284.3. Gallons: 6.458. Price per gallon: $3.199.

Screen mileage: 46.7 mpg. Tank mileage: 44.0 mpg. Filled the tank at the usual pump today. Temperatures have been pretty low, and most of my trips have been short, under 30 minutes.

I also took the car in for a wash. High time for that.

Over 75% done

I passed 150K in the Concept2 Holiday Challenge today… I’m in the home stretch now!

See more progress on: Complete the Concept2 Holiday Challenge

A review of "The Killer Angels"

The Killer Angels

by Michael Shaara

I picked up The Killer Angels while visiting Gettysburg, this fall. It is a fictionalization of the Battle of Gettysburg, and a good novel to read in conjunction with that visit. It is written well, and does a lot to make the battle more than a set of dry facts and numbers.

The novel focuses pretty narrowly on what happened during the battle, specifically, and only devotes a few pages to discussions about the cause of the war. I would have liked more attention to be given to that broader context. Other than that, no complaints.

I will add that I am somewhat leery of reading fictionalizations of historical events; without expertise, you don't know which part is fiction and which is fact. There are some negative reviews at Amazon claiming that Shaara played fast and loose with historical facts; but I don't see any such criticisms at wiki. On the plus side, wiki claims that the novel "has also been cited by Joss Whedon as the original inspiration for his science fiction/Western hybrid series Firefly."

See more about The Killer Angels

A review of "Gilmore Girls - The Complete First Season"

Gilmore Girls - The Complete First Season

Watching Gilmore Girls makes me want a do over of my childhood. Even the arguments are charming. The premise is highly unrealistic – it’s very convenient that this single mom has a set of wealthy parents that she can approach (albeit reluctantly) for favors. And I’m not really very keen on the cast of quirky supporting characters. But overall, it is enjoyable escapist fare for those of us who had a less-than-marvelous childhood and a bumpy educational experience. The scripting and delivery are both excellent! This is one of my favorite TV series.

See more about Gilmore Girls - The Complete First Season

100K!

Two episodes of Gilmore Girls and 13K later, I’ve hit 100K – the halfway mark!

See more progress on: Complete the Concept2 Holiday Challenge

Tank twenty-nine

Total miles: 11518. Trip miles: 322.3. Gallons: 6.703. Price per gallon: $3.259.

Screen mileage: 49.3 mpg. Tank mileage: 48.1 mpg. Filled the tank at the usual pump today. I also put more air in the tires; they were low by 5 PSI in the front and 3 PSI in the back. No surprise. I haven't checked them in months, and the temperature was about 30 °F when I measured the pressure.

65K so far

I’m up to 65K today. Catching up fast after the slow start!

See more progress on: Complete the Concept2 Holiday Challenge

A review of "Protocols of Zion"

Protocols of Zion

I rented The Protocols of Zion because I like a good conspiracy theory, and I wanted to see what this one was about. I thought this would be an interesting exposition and debunking of a conspiracy theory. In that sense, it disappointed.

The movie doesn’t go into the history of the The Protocols, although the DVD extras do fill in the cracks there. This is not a documentary about that text per se; rather, it uses that text as a launching point to study the recent rise in anti-Semitism.

It’s a distressing film, even if you are already aware of the existence of such ignorant and hate-filled people as are interviewed here. Why do some people hold to such confused and unreasoning beliefs? It almost seems like a form of mental illness.

Given that the movie is so emotionally exhausting, is it worth watching? It is educational for anyone who is unaware of what is going on in the world. But if you are aware of these things, it may simply make you feel discouraged, helpless, and hopeless about human nature. In the DVD extras, in a Q&A session with the director, someone suggests that the movie lacks a suggestion about how to deal with these offensive ideologies. The questioner points to organizations like the Anti-Defamation League. Perhaps a better answer is to improve education, in the US and around the world, so that more emphasis is placed on critical thinking skills.

The DVD extras are worth going through. There’s a timeline for the “Protocols” which you can flip through, starting in 1903 and ending in 2005. This gives you some of the facts about the history of that text, which were missing in the documentary itself. There is also a good set of interviews, including one with Will Eisner, whose work I love.

See more about Protocols of Zion

Why I gave up consuming "Casino Royale (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)"

Casino Royale (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)

by Martin Campbell

I got bored. Not my kind of action movie. But then, I’m not a Bond fan.

See more about Casino Royale (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)

2007 Holiday Challenge

I did my first 10K today!

See more progress on: Complete the Concept2 Holiday Challenge

Tank twenty-eight

Total miles: 11196. Trip miles: 362.9. Gallons: 7.429. Price per gallon: $3.199.

Screen mileage: 50.0 mpg. Tank mileage: 48.8 mpg. The usual pump today. And yes, I really did buy the exact same amount of gas this time as I did last time - 7.429 gallons. Weird, but true!

I tanked up around noon and drove off to Sleeping Giant Park for my hike. When I drove back past the gas station about three hours later, the price per gallon had been raised by six cents, making me feel extra lucky.

Driving music

I've been listening to Chateauvallon in my car. It's good music for long drives, almost entirely instrumental. It's the kind of music that puts you in a pensive mood, almost a dark mood - it's not cheery, high energy stuff. But it certainly doesn't put you to sleep. It's just the kind of thing I want to hear, lately. I'll definitely keep an eye out for more albums by Chevreuil.

Sleeping Giant hike

I hiked from one end of Sleeping Giant to the other and back again, today. I took the yellow trail out, and the violet back, in 2 h 20 min. Total distance: 5.4 mi, for a good pace of 2.3 mph. The yellow and violet trails are not particularly steep, but they can be a little hazardous when they are wet, as they were today. I did slip a few times. It was a very pleasant hike, regardless.

A review of "In the Shadow of Ragged Mountain: Historical Archaeology of Nicholson, Corbin, & Weakley Hollows"

In the Shadow of Ragged Mountain: Historical Archaeology of Nicholson, Corbin, & Weakley Hollows

by Audrey J. Horning

In the Shadow of Ragged Mountain is a study of the people who lived in the area now occupied by Shenandoah National Park, during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Apparently, around the time of the Great Depression, the people of this area were publicized by certain parties as being extremely primitive, stuck in a different age. This may have been done to promote certain agendas that were not in the best interests of the residents. One of those agendas was the development of the area as a resort, with the use of eminent domain to remove the land from their owners, for creation of the park.

The book focuses a lot on refuting excessive claims of the primitiveness of the residents. I was unaware of this history and the conflict at the time, so the arguments and counterarguments seem a bit moot. It’s interesting to read about it, though, in the context of current events.

The book would have been a little more lively if actual writings by the residents had been presented. It is not clear if no writings could be found. One might expect that illiteracy was high amongst the residents, but given that at least some of them are reported to have been readers, one might expect to find some old letters about the development of Skyland Resort and the dispossession of the various properties from the point of view of the owners. Instead, we mainly get some “recollections” of the residents, mostly after they had been removed from the area, some of them collected as late as the 1970’s.

The book suffers from being rather academic, and a bit dry. On the plus side, it covers some interesting history and characters, and is filled with illustrative photos.

See more about In the Shadow of Ragged Mountain: Historical Archaeology of Nicholson, Corbin, & Weakley Hollows

View over Myerhuber Pond

foliage
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

This is a view from the Mattabesett trail. The fall foliage is getting more scarce, lots of russet and gold now.

Mattabesett

Mattabesett
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I went back to the Mattabesett trail for another hike today, the same logged section that I hiked a couple of days ago. I took a few more photographs of the areas where the trees have been cut down for documentation. They're even cutting down the blue-blazed trees - very rude!

Instead of turning back at the intersection of the Lone Pine Trail, I went for the same loop that I did a few years ago. This time, I did the loop counter-clockwise. The hike went more quickly: 3 h 5 min now, as opposed to 3 h 45 min back then. I don't know why it was faster this time, but I did kind of keep my head down because there are so many leaves on the ground that the footing is dangerous. This probably kept me going at a speedier pace.

Lost eyeglasses?

eyeglasses
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I did a little hiking around Sleeping Giant today. Up near Hezekiah's Knob, to the side of the trail, I found a neatly folded pair of eyeglasses. I think they might be a cheap pair of reading glasses since I didn't find a name brand printed on them.

Anyway, I figured they'd quickly get damaged on the trail, so I picked them up and left them at the trailhead on Chestnut Lane, in the map box. I hope the owner will find them there.

Mattabesett mess

Mattabesett mess
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

I went hiking on the Mattabesett yesterday, east of Rt 77, in the area known as Broomstick Ledges. There is some logging going on at one section of that trail. There are trees cut down and stacked up everywhere, and a tractor is parked just off the trail too.

I wonder what's going on? I don't see anything listed at the CFPA site.

A review of "The Contract"

The Contract

by Bruce Beresford

I’m giving The Contract three stars entirely because I enjoy so much watching John Cusack and Morgan Freeman perform.

These two actors are typecast in my head. John Cusack is the hapless sweet romantic guy who wins over the girl. Morgan Freeman is the fatherly godlike figure who guides people to do the right thing. It’s not their fault; I want to see them in these roles because they do it so well.

So it takes a lot of work to shoehorn them out of these stereotypes… not enough work, in this movie. It’s impossible to believe that Cusack can put karate moves on anyone, even when you see it happening. And Freeman is just so nice and avuncular, I found it impossible to believe that he really meant to viciously throw that guy under a car – it was all a terrible misunderstanding.

If you enjoy seeing these two actors, no matter what, then I guess The Contract is worth the time. But this movie does have a lot of problems aside from ill-fitting roles – too many moments when it’s impossible to suspend disbelief. I don’t even consider this a good thriller/action movie. It is just done poorly.

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Thornton Gap

Thornton Gap
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

This is a view of Thornton Gap from Shenandoah National Park. I'm back from a sweet vacation in the park. I hope to get back there soon. I have not yet had my fill of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

A story about "The Office - Season Three"

The Office - Season Three

Hilarious! My favorite quote so far is from Toby Flenderson on disc 2: “Costa Rica will still be there… when I’m 65.”

See more about The Office - Season Three

Tank twenty-seven

Total miles: 10833. Trip miles: 358.1. Gallons: 7.429. Price per gallon: $3.169.

Screen mileage: 53.8 mpg. Tank mileage: 48.2 mpg. It's getting colder, often in the 40s. I tanked up at a different pump today.

Economics made entertaining (rated 5 stars)

The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World

by Alan Greenspan

Sometimes, The Age of Turbulence wanders into the territory of pontification. Mostly, though, I found that Greenspan’s conservative and libertarian views do not cloud this fascinating presentation of his substantial knowledge of economics and unique perspective on the last few decades of history.

This book would make excellent fodder for a book discussion club (except that it must take at least a year to cover!). I plan on listening to it at least one more time, and may very well buy the book for more detailed examination.

Caveat: I’ve listened to the audiobook on my daily commute to work, and often found it a little hard to focus on the material. It requires some concentration to get the maximum understanding of the material.

See more about The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World

Tank twenty-six

Total miles: 10475. Trip miles: 413.9. Gallons: 7.348. Price per gallon: $2.899.

Screen mileage: 54.8 mpg. Tank mileage: 56.3 mpg. Usual commute plus a long interstate trip at highway speeds of 65+ mpg.

Another rare inversion of the tank to screen mileage. I tanked up at a different pump this morning.

Tank twenty-five

Total miles: 10061. Trip miles: 432.8. Gallons: 8.393. Price per gallon: $2.859.

Screen mileage: 55.9 mpg. Tank mileage: 51.6 mpg. Usual commute. I used the heater a couple of times, it's been that cold.

Morning fill-up, usual pump. There was a light rain.

Tank twenty-four

Total miles: 9628. Trip miles: 424.0. Gallons: 7.385. Price per gallon: $2.819.

Screen mileage: 58.4 mpg. Tank mileage: 57.4 mpg. Mostly 45-min commutes, a few highway trips. The weather has been cooling down.

I tanked up at the usual pump, this morning. It was raining lightly.

Mine island

Mine island
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

Today's hike: 2 h 10 min | 4.4 mi | 2 mph.

This section of the Metacomet is really quite beautiful. I should come up this way more often.

For more views along the Hanging Hills section, go have a look at Connecticut Museum Quest.

Black snake

Black snake
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

Up near Castle Craig, I met up with a black rat snake stretched out across the trail. It did not demonstrate any reaction to my presence. I photographed it from all sides and hiked on, giving it an admonition to be off the trail by the time I returned, which it was.

Castle Craig

Castle Craig
Originally uploaded by wereldmuis.

Today, I went for a hike along the Metacomet trail once again. After the ignominious events of last week, I felt the need to jump back on the Hanging Hills horse and prove that the Metacomet is no challenge for me.

I drove up to the parking lot of Hubbard Park, planning to hike up to Castle Craig from there. However, there was a suspicious character hanging around the lot, and I decided to look for a different parking spot. I drove up to the Castle itself, where there was plenty of parking and no suspicious characters.

I had planned to hike west, but was inattentive and hiked east instead. I didn't get lost, per se; that would have been really annoying!

I've hiked this section of the trail before... there are some very nice views up near the Castle. The day was excessively hazy, but I enjoyed the hike nonetheless.

House

House: Season Three

Season 3 of House surpasses the previous 2 seasons (which were extremely good, already). I admit that I'm completely smitten with the cynical, pill-popping character of Dr. House. But even if that weren't the case, I'd still find this program the best thing to happen to TV since Buffy hit the airwaves. Brilliant scripting, delivered masterfully. Pass me the Vicodin, I'm hooked!

Tank twenty-three

Total miles: 9204. Trip miles: 434.5. Gallons: 7.905. Price per gallon: $2.839.

Screen mileage: 58.0 mpg. Tank mileage: 55.0 mpg. Mostly 45-min commutes.

I tanked up at the usual pump, this morning.