CHIT CHAT in VOLTVILLE

[SandySu]

All afternoon, I've been working on writing a press release. First, I researched what form a press release should take, and then I accumulated all the info I could get for the event to be publicized. I've just begun to integrate that info into something coherent. Whew! Time for a break! The event is a riding clinic and demo of some wonderful Lusitano dressage horses. My horse club is going to put on this event in April. A few years ago, we had just the demo, and a huge crowd turned out on a snowy night to see it. I wonder what size of crowd we'll get this time. And now, I guess I should get back to work.

 

[Tail11]

I'm glad you never experienced what I did awsum. My shock came from electronics school where the children in the class liked to break them enough to get out of labs. Hence, I was unknowingly working on a tampered box.

I respect electricity and what it's capable of doing.

 

[JoAnnW]

Interesting perspective. I saw them as imagination killers / ADHD contributors (most reading material leaned that way too). Kids didn't seem able to "be constructive" - always had to be entertained. Perhaps that stemmed more from earlier life experience & emotional trauma.

I guess it would depend on the games that kids play. I have a grandson with asperger's syndrome, who masters most video games that he plays without reading game guides. This was first suggested by one of his counsellors at Kennedy Kreiger. He was diagnosed at 4 years old and it has helped him tremendously... really bringing him out of his shell, building his self confidence. Now at 13 years old, he does great in his schoolwork and excels on tests. I wish it helped him better with communication and interacting with people other than his family. Maybe that will come with more time.

 

[SandySu]

I guess it would depend on the games that kids play. I have grandson with asperger's syndrome, who masters most video games that he plays without reading game guides. This was first suggested by one of his counsellors at Kennedy Kreiger. He was diagnosed at 4 years old and it has helped him tremendously... really bringing him out of his shell, building his self confidence. Now at 13 years old, he does great in his schoolwork and excels on tests. I wish it helped him better with communication and interacting with people other than his family. Maybe that will come with more time.

This was one of the points I was trying to make, and I think it isn't exclusive to Asberger's. BTW, tell him about Temple Grandin. He might like reading some of her books if his reading level is at adult level. She is autistic, and she has done great things. She explains how she sees the world as opposed to how the rest of us do, and a lot of other stuff about how she designed more humane pens and facilities for cattle going to slaughter. I think it's very interesting that nature experiments with how humans see the world, and that some variations actually add a perspective that most of us miss. Also, some kids with learning disabilities are actually quite intelligent and creative when they are given the chance and self-confidence to try. I think part of what's wrong with education today is that it tries to fit everyone into a single mold, which kills creativity and makes those who think a bit differently feel stupid and useless.

 

[JoAnnW]

Gotta wonder why nobody threw a few handful of coarse sand out there since it seemed to be so localized. I sure don't bounce as well as I used to!

I wouldn't bounce either... it would have been a few busted and broken things going on for me...

 

[JoAnnW]

Technology has come a long way since I was a kid. If my parents told me to do something, I usually did it. Kids these days seem to push the limits of their parents. I was told to address adults by Mr/Mrs, and not use their first name. Now parents are introducing me to their kids with my first name. I don't have children but if I had; I'd have taught them to use Mr/Mrs/Ms before using their first name.

I'm amazed at what kids get away with these days using technology. But then again, I see a lot of adults walking around with music playing in their ears tuning out the rest of the world. We have become a me, me, me society in many ways. Technology has enabled that. But, as humans we have the simple choice of using it or not. I guess I'm still old fashioned and prefer a face to face conversation.

Couldn't have said it better myself. As for technology... moderation and limits are always best. Too much of anything is not good.

 

[JoAnnW]

This was one of the points I was trying to make, and I think it isn't exclusive to Asberger's. BTW, tell him about Temple Grandin. He might like reading some of her books if his reading level is at adult level. She is autistic, and she has done great things. She explains how she sees the world as opposed to how the rest of us do, and a lot of other stuff about how she designed more humane pens and facilities for cattle going to slaughter. I think it's very interesting that nature experiments with how humans see the world, and that some variations actually add a perspective that most of us miss. Also, some kids with learning disabilities are actually quite intelligent and creative when they are given the chance and self-confidence to try. I think part of what's wrong with education today is that it tries to fit everyone into a single mold, which kills creativity and makes those who think a bit differently feel stupid and useless.

He told ME about Temple Grandin and talked to us extensively about her life. Reading, piano playing and charcoal drawing are also talents of his. My son, his father is a minister of music at their church and he sometimes plays the piano there as well. Drawbacks for him are loud noise and hating to be touched.

 

[kico166]

CRT's even when turned off and unplugged still have a large amount of voltage held in the high voltage circuits that are usually behind the tube. If you've ever looked at an old TV, the screen is huge and it funnels back to a cone. Behind that cone houses the high voltage circuitry.

If the CRT is dropped, it can implode and it's path is through the screen. That is why you shouldn't carry them towards you because if you end up falling or dropping it, wherever that screen is pointed is the projectile point. That is why the housing on old CRT's are huge - to protect us.

I learned this when I was in electronics school and my TV instructor warned us of such things. I was also shocked by the high voltage circuitry than earned me an voltage arced slam against the wall.

Don't worry about flat screens - they don't have CRT's and don't hold the power like our old TV sets.

Wow! I didn't know any of that "danger" side of things ... Glad your ok ...

The high voltage that remains on a CRT after a TV is turned off is a DC charge on the "accelerator anode" of the CRT which is a metallic plating on the inside of the tube. This generally is around 15 to 20 thousand volts at a few milliamps. Yeah, it'll bite the heck out of you if you get ahold of it, in this case it behave likes static electricity since it can't be "renewed" if the CRT is off. It will also bleed down over time, how far and how fast depends on too many variables, like ambient humidity and how much dust is on the outside of the tube itself and how good the design is in terms of bleed circuits. Also the smaller the tube, the lower the voltage involved. Big screen TV's, CRT TVs, ran upwards of 25 thousand volts, while smaller computer monitors are down around 10 to 15 thousand. The glass on the front of a CRT is always very thick, as in about an inch or more which prevents getting a shock from touching the front of the tube.

I've heard tons of stories about people getting shocks from CRT or picture tubes. I handled too many to remember in every stage of assembly and dis-assembly. I never got a shock except when handling them outside of the case and that was taking the high voltage lead off of the tube with un-insulated tools. Yeah, they bite hard, but carrying them from the front while they're inside the case, especially a computer monitor which is relatively small and "low voltage", is a pretty safe thing to do since having it balanced makes it easier to carry and harder to drop.

Now that I've bored everyone to death about CRTs and high voltage, you know how old school I really am, LOL.

Bored? Me thinks you meant "enlightened"! I know enough about it to know I need an electrician when an extension cord is not the permanent answer!

All afternoon, I've been working on writing a press release. First, I researched what form a press release should take, and then I accumulated all the info I could get for the event to be publicized. I've just begun to integrate that info into something coherent. Whew! Time for a break! The event is a riding clinic and demo of some wonderful Lusitano dressage horses. My horse club is going to put on this event in April. A few years ago, we had just the demo, and a huge crowd turned out on a snowy night to see it. I wonder what size of crowd we'll get this time. And now, I guess I should get back to work.

OMGosh! You lucky lucky lucky duck! Our local fairgrounds used to hold horse shows every weekend 20 yrs ago. Mom's Day was always the Arabs. I got to catch the Dressage event - it was held around my birthday so that was a treat for me!

This was one of the points I was trying to make, and I think it isn't exclusive to Asberger's. BTW, tell him about Temple Grandin. He might like reading some of her books if his reading level is at adult level. She is autistic, and she has done great things. She explains how she sees the world as opposed to how the rest of us do, and a lot of other stuff about how she designed more humane pens and facilities for cattle going to slaughter. I think it's very interesting that nature experiments with how humans see the world, and that some variations actually add a perspective that most of us miss. Also, some kids with learning disabilities are actually quite intelligent and creative when they are given the chance and self-confidence to try. I think part of what's wrong with education today is that it tries to fit everyone into a single mold, which kills creativity and makes those who think a bit differently feel stupid and useless.

I caught your point Sandy - this "side of the equation is quite interesting. Since we no longer do foster care - I won't have a chance to explore it further in workshops. I've also read ??? Left Brain Child in a Right Brain World (or visa versa) - one of the points made was that usually Left Brainers become teachers and because of the way THEY learn - only kids that are also left brainers will do really well.
Exceptions to every rule of course ... but you get the gist of it ...

He told ME about Temple Grandin and talked to us extensively about her life. Reading, piano playing and charcoal drawing are also talents of his. My son, his father is a minister of music at their church and he sometimes plays the piano there as well. Drawbacks for him are loud noise and hating to be touched.

Perhaps some intensive Sensory Integration might be of benefit? Attended a very interesting workshop on it several years ago. There was some benefit to one of our kids ...

 

[kico166]

Brr - moving into our coldest period tonight. The great part - the worst really is behind us!
So - flitting thru the pics of summer - thought I'd share a couple:

Did a little birding at a Wildlife Refuge a couple miles from home - Always loved this tree! No clue how old it is. Thought it pretty big when I was in school! (yeah - yesterday!)



ETA: This was a second favorite - such a beautiful day - warm breeze (May) ... we had so much fun!

 

[White Rabbit]

Just sitting here this afternoon, watching playoff football games and vaping 5 or 6 differrent mixed juces I have made and I am plesantly suprised that my concoction I call Tobacco 5 is quite good. My peach was a little strong, so I added two drops of orange and WOW, Orange Peach is great. In addition, I vape EC Blends Black Magic as my every day vape and just could not discover that illusive taste until today. It is Apricot definately apricot. I will order some as soon as Wizard Labs opens again, or call them and add it to an order they already are working on. I can't wait until my Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate formula is perfected. It is not blended sufficiently so that you taste both. What I want is Reeces Peanut Butter Cup flavor.

For those of you starting DIY, I guess the advice is keep trying, don't give up, let things steep and test, test, test.

Signing off for this evening because Baltimore Ravens and New England Patroits game is comming on soon. Go Ravens

 

[kico166]

humming: "doot doot doot - lookin' out my back door (window actually)!"

Momma and her twins spent a good half hour nibbling around ...



This one I caught a few days earlier. This is the type of thing I miss from home:

 

[kico166]

Just sitting here this afternoon, watching playoff football games and vaping 5 or 6 differrent mixed juces I have made and I am plesantly suprised that my concoction I call Tobacco 5 is quite good. My peach was a little strong, so I added two drops of orange and WOW, Orange Peach is great. In addition, I vape EC Blends Black Magic as my every day vape and just could not discover that illusive taste until today. It is Apricot definately apricot. I will order some as soon as Wizard Labs opens again, or call them and add it to an order they already are working on. I can't wait until my Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate formula is perfected. It is not blended sufficiently so that you taste both. What I want is Reeces Peanut Butter Cup flavor.

For those of you starting DIY, I guess the advice is keep trying, don't give up, let things steep and test, test, test.

Signing off for this evening because Baltimore Ravens and New England Patroits game is comming on soon. Go Ravens

Hmm - you just might inspire me to give it a serious whirl ... DIYing that is. Enjoy your game!

 

[SandySu]

Well, the first draft of the press release is done and e-mailed off to the person who's in charge of PR. If anyone wants to see the horses that will be at the clinic and demo in April (in Ithaca, NY, in case any of you are close enough and want to attend), see Welcome to Sons of the Wind

Vitor Silva and some of his staff will be bringing 12 of their Lusitano stallions. There will be a clinic for youth, riding Vitor's horses and getting to feel what real dressage is all about. What an experience! I want to be one of those kids, but I'm too old. Then Sat. evening, Vitor and his riders will give a demo with the stallions, explaining for the crowd what it's all about. I'm hoping to take some of the barn kids, at least Heather and Shelly, to see the demo. I think they will like it, though they may not have the attention span to sit through the clinic rides all day long. Riding in the clinic is expensive, and you have to submit a video of you riding, so I think that's more than the girls will want to do or could afford to, but they'll like the demo.

 

[kico166]

SandySu - this is the iced branches taken w/ just the light of the yard light. I liked the sparkles!

This was interesting. Kiddo saw the baby hunkered down in the grass off our driveway. He thought it was abandoned so he brought it home to ask hubby how to feed it! I was concerned his scent would cause momma to reject him! But I did run for the camera first!

 

[SandySu]

I think I haven't posted a photo yet today. That's what happens when I have a press release to write.

This is a seagull taken at Watkins Glen. It seems odd that we are so far inland, miles away from the ocean, but we have seagulls because of the Finger Lakes.

 

[Moonstruck]

For all of us animal lovers

View attachment 170534

I agree ... I always have to wonder about people who are not loving and affectionate toward animals.

My version of mahjong has different tile designs and different backgrounds you can choose. Some I find hard to see, even w/o eye surgery, but I chose ones with fruits and vegetables and a background that looks like pale blue sky with wisps of cloud. Mine also plays classical music while you do the game. Of course, you can turn the music off, if you'd rather not hear it.

I have several different versions, but the one I like the most has different types of tiles. I have eye issues as well, so I find the "Americanized" version that uses letters, numbers & animal pictures the easiest. Plus I can size the screen to make the tiles bigger. I've tried to play on my iPod, but the tiles are just too tiny on that device.

Whisper and I had a great day! I aired up the tires on the bike and put Whisper in her carrier and started off to the dog park. We got on the freeway and quickly was at a dead stop for an accident of some sorts. I couldn't get a clear opening to split the lanes safely, so we crawled along with the traffic. Car after car had their windows down with camera phones out taking pictures of Whisper on the bike. She was a good pup and usually looked their way so they could get a good picture of her. Even a trucker behind me was taking pictures!

The dog park was busy. The warm day brought us all out and there were a lot of playmates for Whisper. She ran around the park with a high step. She always gets a bit more cocky when she arrives on the motorcycle. We stayed for over an hour until I had to get her home so I could run to the grocery store in the car. I stopped at a car wash and ran a vacuum through the car. I had dropped my ashtray (full of course) between the seats a couple of months ago. My nose finally started picking up the stench! I guess I didn't do a very good job getting all the butts up when I initially dropped it and it seemed like the majority of what I was sucking up were ashes and butts! I sprayed it with some cigarette smell remover stuff and just about asphyxiated myself! Now I have to detail the car. Why oh why did I let myself smoke in it? Peeuuuwww!

Glad you had such a good time at the dog park!

And a big ick -- I know what you're saying about those well-aged cigarette butts & ashes in the vehicles. My sis & BIL still smoke, so I generally just suffer in silence. But I don't clean ashtrays for them, no, not gonna happen.

(Picking jaw off floor) 3 months! a: what juice are you using? is it dark. or light? b: how do clean yours?

I use my turkey baster to clean mine. It's fast and efficient. I cut the end off one of the condoms. Shove that onto the end of the baster about half-way up the condom. Put the carto into the condom (about half way). Then I fill a bowl with really hot water. Suck water in through the condom. Push it out into the sink. I do that 5 or 6 times, and they come out incredible clean. You might have to do it a few extra times for darker juices. Then I suck air in a few times to help remove more of the water. I store the now-clean cartos in a bowl full of rice (with a lid). They're usually dry in about 36-48 hours.

I've seen the same general method used on a 20-30ml syringe (without the needle attached) as well, but my experience was that the condom always flew off the end from the pressure. If you want to sacrifice the syringe, you could glue the condom on -- again only about halfway up.

I have a carto dedicated to each flavor (around 25 flavors right now), so I don't have to clean very often. But I can verify that this method works well and takes hardly any time.

This seems apropos to our conversation today!

View attachment 170834

I spent many an hour using this as a kid. I loved it.

Just sitting here this afternoon, watching playoff football games and vaping 5 or 6 differrent mixed juces I have made and I am plesantly suprised that my concoction I call Tobacco 5 is quite good. My peach was a little strong, so I added two drops of orange and WOW, Orange Peach is great. In addition, I vape EC Blends Black Magic as my every day vape and just could not discover that illusive taste until today. It is Apricot definately apricot. I will order some as soon as Wizard Labs opens again, or call them and add it to an order they already are working on. I can't wait until my Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate formula is perfected. It is not blended sufficiently so that you taste both. What I want is Reeces Peanut Butter Cup flavor.

For those of you starting DIY, I guess the advice is keep trying, don't give up, let things steep and test, test, test.

Signing off for this evening because Baltimore Ravens and New England Patroits game is comming on soon. Go Ravens

Enjoy your game, Rabbit. & TY again for the updated group photo. I agree on the DIY -- don't give up. Sometimes it takes only a minor adjustment to make an awesome vape. Plus it's individualized just for you.

SandySu - this is the iced branches taken w/ just the light of the yard light. I liked the sparkles!

This was interesting. Kiddo saw the baby hunkered down in the grass off our driveway. He thought it was abandoned so he brought it home to ask hubby how to feed it! I was concerned his scent would cause momma to reject him! But I did run for the camera first!

Awesome pics!! What an adorable little baby.

 

[Moonstruck]

Pet Update:

Remember when I told you guys we had adopted a new kitty? Cleo, our little girl. We had estimated her to be about 4 mo. old at the time.



Well, the other day Cleo wrapped her limbs around my arm. OMG - Poor thing has probably been having a gender identity crisis. Cleo is not a girl. Cleo is now Leo.

 

[awsum140]

I'm glad you never experienced what I did awsum. My shock came from electronics school where the children in the class liked to break them enough to get out of labs. Hence, I was unknowingly working on a tampered box.

I respect electricity and what it's capable of doing.

Really, to me anyway, the biggest hazard is dropping one or otherwise breaking it. The vacuum is extremely high so when they shatter the glass, even the thick face glass, has a tendency to fly around like bullets. When I was in electronics school the most common way to sabotage a CRT was simply apply 110 volts to the heater which blew it out and made the tube useless. Since we were all paying for the privilege of being in class in the first place, anybody that did that, sabotaged/destroyed a CRT, equipment or project, didn't last very long. There were too many of us that were serious about learning.

We had a teacher who was sort of an idiot, why he was ever hired is beyond me. Anyhow, he ended up in charge of equipment maintenance. We filmed him "drop testing" oscilloscopes, VTVMs, signal generators, counters and power supplies off the roof. He found they survived falls off a work bench so he moved "up" to the roof. The administrators couldn't understand how the test equipment was getting damaged that badly, until we, a couple of the students, showed them the film. It was very frustrating to me as a student since he was destroying the equipment we needed to learn with. The temptation to "administer the beating" was very great, but I did and do value my freedom.

 

[Renolizzie]

What a sweet little fawn.

Hope everyone is having a good Sunday.

Enjoy your game Rabbit.

Tail - Sounds like you had a great doggy day.

Hi MoonTiger.

Kico - Hope you are back from your chores and warming up.

I didn't get much done today. I took the hedge trimmer out and then it stopped working. I couldn't get it started again so I burnt my little pile of duff and brush and left it at that. I took my nap early so when I woke up at 2:30 I was like OMG need to get moving. Threw on a cup of coffee and started the bread. Went out to feed water and clean the pens on the goat and horses.

Took out the cold ashes to the garden and put the hot ashes into the empty bucket and secured the bucket so it can't tip over. They had a tragic huge fire last year about an hour from here. The old duffer wasn't careful enough with his hot ashes. Dozens of houses burnt. An elderly woman died and a number of animals as well. We have a bucket that the handle locks on and then we bungee cord through the handle and leave it where the wind doesn't blow hard behind the wind fencing. Then, the next day after it has had 24 hours to cool off and smother in that oxygen starved environment, we throw the ashes out onto the veggie garden. There's a lot of bare dirt out there so that is just an extra precaution. If the wind is blowing, I wait and don't throw them out that day.

Of course I brought in a wheel barrow load of wood.

I kind of like chores. It gets you outside no matter what the weather is and keeps you focused for an hour or two.

Today's attempt at bread making looks good so far. We shall see after it rises twice, gets put into a pan and proofs and then into the oven. Yeah, I'll be baking it at 8 oclock tonite but I got tired of making it in the mornings so we shall see how this works out

 

[Renolizzie]

Pet Update:

Remember when I told you guys we had adopted a new kitty? Cleo, our little girl. We had estimated her to be about 4 mo. old at the time.

View attachment 170910



Well, the other day Cleo wrapped her limbs around my arm. OMG - Poor thing has probably been having a gender identity crisis. Cleo is not a girl. Cleo is now Leo.

That's pretty funny, Moonstruck. At least it is way cheaper to neuter a male than a female cat.