Published by Robert Pogson May 24th, 2012
in Uncategorized.
All winter we had above normal temperatures. In the beginning of May, temperatures were much higher and I planted. Now, temperatures are 10°C below normal.
- tomatoes and peppers are in shock: “You want us to grow in this?”
- corn has not sprouted after a week in the ground
- the lawn, sunflower, pumpkin, beets and spinach are all that has sprouted
I guess it’s the Law of Averages. If you seed in above normal temperatures, a new Ice Age is about to be sprung on the garden. The 14-day forecast shows a return to normal and above-normal temperatures in a week. I guess my garden is on hold until then. Still time to plant radishes and carrots…
- Robert Pogson
Published by Robert Pogson May 24th, 2012
in Uncategorized.
“PROCLAMATIONS OF CANADA AND ORDERS IN COUNCIL RELATING TO THE COMING INTO FORCE OF ACTS — 30 JANUARY, 2012 TO 25 APRIL, 2012
|
Coming into Force |
Canada Gazetter Part II |
| Ending the Long-gun Registry Act, S.C. 2012, c. 6, the Act, in force
|
5 April, 2012 |
SI/2012-28
Vol. 146, p. 1146
|
“
See Canada Gazette
It’s about time, but the official publication is the final act in a saga extending from the 1990s to today.
- Robert Pogson
Published by Robert Pogson May 24th, 2012
in technology.
Changes at M$ are not just about the next step on the Wintel treadmill:
There is no clear public statement of M$’s vision for IT but it is clear that M$ has not only locked its users into that other OS, M$ has locked itself into a dead end technology and must actually innovate in order to survive. Even so, it may be years before M$ becomes a “normal” software company competing on price/performance instead of lock-in. The changes listed above show that M$ realizes lock-in is a deadening mode of business and that in order to survive into the future lock-in must go. What US DOJ v M$ failed to do Google has accomplished with a FLOSS project, Android/Linux.
We still don’t see much head-to-head competition in price/performance but if changes like those listed continue, it is inevitable that that other OS and M$’s applications will compete on price/performance not just on ARM but also on x86 machines. For example, if M$’s office suite ships on iOS and Android/Linux devices, it cannot be a bundle with the OS or the hardware and the price will be clearly available to the consumer. The chip-makers and the OEMs are not going to produce hardware especially for that other OS. If that other OS and Android/Linux both run on the same hardware, M$ will have to compete on price/performance. M$ will try to make bundling work on ARM but the market is already too diverse to exclude Android/Linux from identical hardware. We will be able to buy hardware X with either OS for different and visible prices. Consumers will be able to subtract to see the price of that other OS.
It’s also impossible that */Linux will continue to be excluded from x86 by any means (OEM, retail, lock-in, …). People will demand the software that runs on ARM be available on x86. Even Intel wants that. “7″ was not the last release of M$’s OS but it may well be the last release as a monopoly.
- Robert Pogson
Published by Robert Pogson May 24th, 2012
in Uncategorized.
I have been working with the family to clean/repair/maintain the old homestead. I have been reliving memories of 20+ years ago when I was young and strong and raising a family. Here’s a picture of me on a swing I built for the kids 22 years ago out of scrap steel, chain and wood. It’s a two-seater and one of the seats has rotted away and one upright is cracked. I will bring it down soon and salvage what I can while making the world a better place. Behind me is our old garden which for 10 years has been used as a dump for clippings and prunings with no proper composting…
Swing built from scrap t-bars welded 22 years earlier
Flowers and trees I planted long ago are now very mature. A hedge of juniper grown from prunings of a hedge of a late in-law is being thinned out to produce a similar hedge at our new home and the home of one daughter. Essentially it is the same tree growing in three sites from a planting more than 30 years earlier. Juniper is very easy to propagate: prune, strip lower branches, and bury six inches…
Raspberry bushes that I planted 20 years ago in a sunny location are now in a shady spot but still very ambitious. If/when we clear that back garden, they will be moved to a better growing site. It all depends on whether or not the property will be subdivided before sale.
Today, I spread grass clippings around the yard for fertilizer (phosphorous) and to fill a few low spots. I added a high-nitrogen blend as well using the old lawn spreader which has seen better days but still does the job after a broken leg was replaced and braced. The recent mowing makes the whole thing look decent. A few more weeks/mowings will make it look great. Frequent rain showers are being quite helpful except for the last few seeds to plant at the new place.
At the rate we are going, a few weeks should have most of the repairs complete and we can pass on the building and property to a new family.
- Robert Pogson
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