Dry Slot

Time Passages IV

Posted by: Bogon, 6:37 PM GMT on February 13, 2012

The Past

A year ago I posted a series of three loosely affiliated blogs, which shared the same title and which discussed different aspects of the same subject. The first one talked about two trees newly planted in my yard. Both trees are potentially very long-lived, but what is their life expectancy here on this suburban lot? How much time will they be granted? You'll be pleased to hear that those trees survived their first year. They've had a chance to set roots. This (and each subsequent) year's summer heat and drought should pose less difficulty for them. There was a third tree, an Eastern redbud, which did not fare so well. It got struck by lightning. Wife and I had to replace not only the fatally zapped sapling, but also the main circuit board in our television. Ouch!

The second blog presented a personal overview of time. How do we speak about time? How do we experience its passage? The third installment addressed cosmology: time considered on the largest possible scale.

So what brings me back again after all this, uh, time? Well, life goes on. We live and learn. This year I learned of some new developments in physics. I am not a physicist, but I try to understand how the world works. It is the same curiosity about the world that brings me to Weather Underground. I'm not a meteorologist, but I like to learn what I can about the weather.

As long as we're talking about the past, it might help to set the scene by reviewing some history. It has been nearly a century since Albert Einstein announced his theory of relativity. General relativity remains our best tested and most trusted model of the operation of the universe at the large scales observed by astronomers and cosmologists. The theory describes the interactions of space, time and gravity. Einstein's equations treat space-time as a continuum which warps and flexes in response to the presence of mass and energy. The word 'relativity' refers to the way the theory relates moving objects. Each object has its own point of view. According to the theory there is no fixed background or point of reference. If two spaceships pass in the night, the passengers on each one will tell a different tale about what they saw.

At the same time Einstein was developing relativity, other scientists were working on quantum theory. This theory accurately models the universe at the very small scale of subatomic particles. Quantum electrodynamics describes the forces of electricity and magnetism perfectly (insofar as we are able to measure). There are also good working theories for the forces responsible for radioactivity and nuclear power. The word 'quantum' refers to the discrete discontinuous appearance of nature when viewed at the smallest possible scales. It's like when you zoom in on your computer screen you see jaggies and dots, the individual picture elements, that make up the displayed image. According to quantum theory matter is comprised of a small number of elementary particles, each of which has a fixed mass. Energy is exchanged in little packets. Events proceed stepwise. From any point of view those events are likely to look a little blurry, because there are definite limits on how finely you can measure. The act of measurement affects the thing being measured.

Throughout the remainder of the 20th century these two theories were tested and applied. Both work very well within the domain for which they were designed. For any real-world situation, physicists are obliged to choose one theory or the other or compare the predictions of both. Nobody has figured out a way to combine the two. The theory of relativity does not extend to situations involving high energy and small scales, and there is no quantum theory of gravity. The math is too hard. The techniques developed within one theory break down when applied to the other.

The Present

For the last few days my mother has been battling an eye infection. Her doctor prescribed some ointment and an eye patch. Mom complains that, when she goes to pour a beverage, without proper depth perception she's liable to miss the cup and spill her drink on the counter.

Physicists, too, are tired of peering at the universe through one eye or the the other. They think their view would be a lot clearer with full stereoscopic vision. So when I say there is no quantum theory of gravity, I mean there is no complete theory. The last ninety years have not been wasted. People are working on a variety of approaches. Some start with relativity and try to quantize it. Some start with quantum theory and try to develop a background-independent version which includes the graviton.

One approach that gets a lot of press these days is string theory. The basic idea behind string theory is that elementary particles should not be portrayed as dimensionless points. They are granted a finite size, which makes some of the mathematics more tractable. I say 'some' of the math; there is much more to string theory that is very hairy indeed. String theorists propose a group of elementary particles that have not been detected and postulate several extra spatial dimensions beyond the three that we observe. In support of their theories they offer weak circular arguments such as the anthropic principle. Whenever reality threatens to contradict the theory, they spawn a new version. In fact there are a zillion string theories with no obvious way of picking a winner.

From my point of view they are all losers. String theory is a monster that devours talented young mathematicians. It sucks up lifetimes and hefty research budgets and leaves nothing to show for them. It provides a convincing model for how to parley government grants into academic careers, but it has done nothing to shed light on how the physical universe operates. There are no verifiable predictions of string theory.

There are numerous competing theories that seem more promising. There's Roger Penrose with his spin foam and tensors. There's Lee Smolin, who champions a theory called loop quantum gravity. These guys are results-oriented. Unlike string theorists, they manage to refrain from wandering off into fanciful realms of elegant mathematical complication. They'll be content if they can explain known particles in three dimensions.

Loop quantum gravity theory asserts that space-time is quantized, i. e. there is some minimal unit of volume out of which space is constructed. Thus, on a very small scale it would be possible to view space as a kind of fluctuating grid. An elementary particle would have a finite size. It could be no smaller than a block in the grid. The particle would be represented as a set of properties (e. g. quantum numbers) assigned to some region of the grid. Gravity appears as curves and waves in the grid lines.

Here are links to two presentations from Perimeter Institute in Canada. You can watch Renate Loll describe causal dynamical triangulation, and/or view Fay Dowker as she expounds on the theory of causal sets. You may have noticed that the last two theories include the word 'causal' in their titles. That's where time enters the picture: the sequence of cause and effect. In addition to quantizing space, these theories add the notion that all the little grid lines must be aligned timewise. The arrow of time is built in from the start rather than being sought as an emergent property. That turns out to be a significant innovation. Calculations become easier, and believable results follow. If you listen to the videos, you'll hear how several lines of evidence from thermodynamics, information theory, black hole theory, astronomy and cosmology converge to indicate that these people may be on the right track.

The advantage of such theories is that they can reproduce some of the observed properties of three-dimensional space (plus time) with a minimal set of assumptions. A disadvantage is that each theory only provides an incomplete and unwieldy model. It is not an equation. It is an algorithm for simulating space-time. It runs on a computer much like one of the weather models here at WU.

The Future

None of these theories is ready for prime time. Progress is slow, because the problems are hard. Only in hindsight is it clear what questions to ask in order to get the right answers. Will it be easier to work from the top down by quantizing relativity? Or will the bottom up approach, adding the force of gravity to an existing quantum theory, yield the prize? Will it become possible to translate a computer-driven algorithmic model into a concise set of equations? Will string theory ever be good for something practical?

The goal of all this theorizing is perfect binocular vision. Physicists want a Theory of Everything. It doesn't mean that they'll immediately be able to solve all problems and write down all possible knowledge in a book. It means that we humans will finally have a single unified theory that accounts for all known particles and forces. Far from being an end to science, it will make a great beginning for whatever comes next.

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51. shoreacres 2:39 PM GMT on March 01, 2012
Looks like you have a good start on that beautiful Thursday - 65 and clear is pretty close to perfection. Is that the yard I hear calling? ;) Member Since: October 4, 2004 Posts: 195 Comments: 14799

52. Bogon 5:43 PM GMT on March 01, 2012
The weather station at the local airport reports that we got less than 0.1 inch of rain during the last twenty-four hours. Today March appears in ovine aspect, though there's a leonine wind stirring the equinoctial warmth. Barefoot - Thanks for the sympathy. My uncle lived a long life, and I think it was probably a happy one, as such things are reckoned. As for spacetime, at some point such discussions become philosophical. That seems to be the character of your argument. My philosophy -- and my intent in this blog -- are more practical. If it feels like time and looks like space, that's good enough for me. For me the simplest explanations are best. With respect to time in particular, the idea that motivated this blog is the notion of causality. Events follow from other events in a timewise fashion. It seems to me that discarding the concept of time would make it harder to explain the causal chain. Why do our perceptions link together in this ineluctable fashion? Salt does not appear on your eggs until you pick up the saltcellar and shake it. Why can you not cram escaped steam back into the tea kettle? Thermodynamics (entropy) figures into it, too. Time has a one-way arrow. You'll never step twice in the same stream. Prose - When it comes to observing the niceties of life, you are as constant as the turning of the planet. Thank you for gracing my blog with your presence. :o) shore - Right now I'm pretty sure it's the call of the disc golf course I'm hearing. The yard will still be here mañana. The weather this weekend is supposed to be cooler. That sounds like a better time to whack weeds and move mulch. Member Since: June 26, 2008 Posts: 72 Comments: 2765

53. Bogon 7:31 PM GMT on March 01, 2012
Tuesday night Wife and I drove to Chapel Hill for a food-beer pairing. It was a five course meal with small portions of chow served with five distinct liquid offerings from Lone Rider Brewery in Raleigh. I don't recall that I'd ever heard of Lone Rider before, but the beer was good. Wife and I enjoyed the experience. I have always been a beer man. When I met her, my wife was primarily a wine drinker. She introduced me to wine and wine culture. Now Wife is starting to develop a greater appreciation of the possibilities inherent in the world of beer. Last night I attended the aforementioned opening of Mystery Brewing in Hillsborough. The town's mayor was there for a ribbon cutting ceremony. Enough other people showed up to pack the place. The brewmaster had four kegs of product on tap. I managed to sample a pint of each. That puts me well ahead of my normal rate of consumption, which may have something to do with my choice of disc golf over yard chores today. Think I'll probably stick with water or soft drinks for a day or two. ~:o] * * * Forty years ago beer in America meant Miller, Bud, Schlitz. I drank my share of each, along with the other major national brands. They were all basically similar — pale, fizzy and restrained (some might say tasteless) in character. Somewhere along the line I discovered imported beer. It didn't really matter where the bottle originated. Six-packs from all over the world offered a completely different experience from Miller, Bud, Schlitz. Even the clear, fizzy kinds delivered a punch and authenticity that were hard to match in the United States. Apparently I was not the only one making this discovery, because it wasn't long before I began to hear about microbreweries and craft breweries appearing here and there across the land. Their goal was to make beer the old-fashioned way, the way people the world over had been making it for hundreds of years. It became possible to buy tasty lager, ale, porter and stout from domestic producers. When I discovered Sierra Nevada, I was in love. I made a pilgrimage to Chico to buy the t-shirt. They were a small local brewery then. They're nationwide now. Shortly after I moved back to North Carolina from Texas our legislators repealed a law which had limited the alcohol content of beer to six percent. That opened the door to a whole class of delicious beverages that had formerly been banned. Now beer making in this state seems to be undergoing a renaissance. Craft breweries are popping up all over the place. There's even a guy who wants to open one in Saxapahaw. Member Since: June 26, 2008 Posts: 72 Comments: 2765

54. shoreacres 1:37 AM GMT on March 02, 2012
Bogon! Do I have a link for you! I've been following this fellow for a while now, and he has the most interesting posts - like this one on Badger Beer Day! And I must tell you how much I loved that video you posted at Sandi's. That big bird bears quite a resemblance to a shoebill stork, no? Member Since: October 4, 2004 Posts: 195 Comments: 14799

55. Bogon 5:11 AM GMT on March 02, 2012
Ah, shore, I like the Badger Beer blog. I'm with Sandy's witterings about flavored beers, though. Beer with too much added flavoring in it becomes like a liqueur. You might choose to mix a drink with it, but it's unlikely that you'd want to quaff the whole bottle straight. When it comes to birds, all you need is big and blue to arrive in shoebill territory. I don't think the beak in the video was a proper match, but they got the smile right. All those other little flockers were Bluebirds of Unhappiness. Member Since: June 26, 2008 Posts: 72 Comments: 2765

56. Bogon 2:43 PM GMT on March 03, 2012
Wet. Gray. We got a warm front and a cold front all in the same long rain storm. There were a few rumbles of distant thunder, but mostly it was quiet vertical rain. The yard is all smushy with puddles in the back. Fortunately the rain is ending, and the forecast calls for sun emerging later today. That ought to make the flowers grow. Member Since: June 26, 2008 Posts: 72 Comments: 2765

57. ycd0108 6:55 PM GMT on March 03, 2012
Morning Bogon: Brewing both coffee and beer are subjects I respect. I was just reading your post over at BriarCraft's and comparing the Coffee Maker you have to ours. Ours is programmable but we rarely know what time it is showing let alone what time I will get up. Sometimes we do get it together to set it up with ground coffee and water the night before but I then stumble down and add more water and grind more coffee and overload the system. But Beer Brewing is even closer to my heart: My mother made beer at home all the while I was growing and I took over in my teens. Called my construction company and my Dodge Panel truck "HomeBrew". Then in the early '80s construction pretty well stopped around here so I went back to school and teamed up with a business partner with the idea of building a Micro Brewery. We were a bit ahead of our time when we tried to get some financing in place. Liquor laws and taxes simply made the thing a pipe dream (B.C. still has an hangover from W.C.T.U.). I went off to the U.K. to taste some beers there. The best was: http://www.brakspear-beers.co.uk/ Where the only Brewmaster on shift and I tasted together till another employee found him and herded him back to work. And the worst was some "Real Ale" at Robbie Burn's favourite Pub in Dumfries, The Globe Inn. That stuff does not "Keep" long. Member Since: January 1, 2008 Posts: 142 Comments: 3448

58. Bogon 7:54 PM GMT on March 03, 2012
Good day to you, ycd. I had to laugh when you described re-refilling your coffee maker in the dim hours of early morning. That sounds like something I might do. It's a good thing that we seldom precharge the coffee machine. I have a feeling that might just complicate things. I've always been more than willing to leave beer brewing to the professionals. I had a roommate who tried home brewing once. He went to a great deal of trouble, and the result did not justify the effort. For months I've been following the progress of Mystery Brewing on the Brewer's Blog. He talks at length about the trials and tribulations of recruiting backers, seeking financing and applying for all the necessary approvals, permits, stickers and seals. Knowing how to make good beer is necessary, but it is definitely not sufficient. The best beer is unpasteurized and contains no preservatives. It's alive in the bottle. All those little yeast thingies are swimming around in there. Yum! Member Since: June 26, 2008 Posts: 72 Comments: 2765

59. ycd0108 8:06 PM GMT on March 03, 2012
Bogon: In fact one of my mentors claimed that the yeast bodies provided B vitamins and proteins way back when these useful items were hard to find. Possibly giving the early brewers an advantage over those who could not stomach moldy porridge. Member Since: January 1, 2008 Posts: 142 Comments: 3448

60. calpoppy 9:04 PM GMT on March 03, 2012
Looks like we share the same coffee maker! The best coffee makers are simple and fast. We have everything set up the night before except for the grinding of the beans. Member Since: February 18, 2008 Posts: 33 Comments: 2434

61. Bogon 3:43 PM GMT on March 04, 2012
ycd - The alcohol in beer may rightly be regarded as a toxin, but there is genuine nutrition in beer, too. For thousands of years the toxicity of alcohol guaranteed that brewers and their customers would enjoy a beverage that was safe to drink. Alcohol kills germs. It was only in the modern era of civil engineering that (treated e. g. by chlorination) water became a widely distributed and safe way to slake thirst. Water remains an essential ingredient for brewing beer, coffee, tea, Kool-Aid or whatever. Wife is picky about her water. She pays for a home water filtration service. Our municipal water is not bad, but the filtered water we use to make coffee is better. One of the spokesmen for Brakspear Brewery explained that they use gypsum (and possibly other salts) to condition the water used in their beer. My reaction when I heard that was, "Yuck!" Oh, well, I suppose that there are yucky intermediate stages in recipes for a lot of things I enjoy (when they're properly done). Hmm, yes, consider the abattoir. calpoppy - It's my opinion that great products are defined not by their number of bells and whistles but by their utility and fitness for a particular purpose. The Swiss army knife is nifty, but it's not great. The quality of implementation of each of its several functions makes it a mediocre tool at best. It's not very hard to find, for example, a better knife. Member Since: June 26, 2008 Posts: 72 Comments: 2765

62. shoreacres 4:05 PM GMT on March 04, 2012
Interesting about the use of gypsum. I can't quite get my mind around that, but I have friends who grew up in the Texas panhandle, and their accounts of what they call "gyp water" don't sound appetizing. They say it was so bad it barely was drinkable. I'm sure it can be treated now - their stories are from "the old days". Come to think of it, most of my stories are from "the old days". Music, too. Member Since: October 4, 2004 Posts: 195 Comments: 14799

63. Bogon 5:22 PM GMT on March 04, 2012
shore - I don't usually say, "LOL", but this time I'll make an exception. People have surely tried a lot of things to "get in touch with God". The deity is reputed to be ubiquitous, so I'm not sure why people ever thought a radio would bring them closer. It's much easier to understand why a huckster, who depends for his living on contributions from the faithful, would ask his audience to gather near the speaker. One frequently hears that the Lord is also omnipotent, which implies that, if He wishes to be in touch, He can surely reach out to you with no effort on your part. On the other hand, if He does not wish to be in touch, you won't be hearing from Him until He changes His august mind. That is, if change is possible for an omnipresent being. From God's point of view, Barefoot's theory that there is no space or time makes sense. Apparently it is only we mere mortals who can be sundered from what we need and love. People think a lot of inexplicable things about God, though. If there is any single subject which can be guaranteed to make no sense at all, that's the one. Member Since: June 26, 2008 Posts: 72 Comments: 2765

64. shoreacres 6:45 PM GMT on March 04, 2012
Oh, gosh. I guess sometimes I'm just not serious enough. It's a fun song - and always has been. I've sung and played it for years, and I've never known anyone - including some pretty doggoned faithful folk - who ever thought it was anything more than a fine example of tongue-in-cheek bluegrass. Shoot. I think I'll go turn up the volume and have another listen! ;) Member Since: October 4, 2004 Posts: 195 Comments: 14799

65. BriarCraft 12:19 AM GMT on March 05, 2012
I'm happy you and Mrs. Bogon made it to the great Tap Takeover. And you really drank 4 pints of brew? Very impressive. Did your eyeballs float? Was there really such a thing as Six Impossible Things Chocolate Breakfast Stout and did you have some? Hard to imagine just what that would be like. I have to think that event was probably not what you do on a typical weeknight, but you went out and did something different, mixed things up a bit, and it sounds like a good time was had. Such an occurrence generally livens things up, but add 4 pints to the mix and I'll bet things were lively, indeed. Good for you! Member Since: June 21, 2004 Posts: 49 Comments: 2424

66. Bogon 2:17 AM GMT on March 05, 2012
Oh, Shore, I hope you don't think I was coming down on you! Maybe I've been spending too much time trying to think objectively. It is a fun song (hence the 'LOL'). Thanks for bringing it by. BriarCraft - Wife did not go to the brewery. She was otherwise occupied that night. She suggested I could do the brewery thing as a sort of bachelor's night out. I went to the Grand Unveiling. I believe Tap Takeover was scheduled for the next evening at a place around the corner. As for the four pints, the bartender provided a large plastic cup, which during the course of the evening I refilled three times. The last go around was for stout. And no, this was not a typical week for me, which is why I brought it up. Most nights (like tonight) I stay home by the computer or the television. The brewery was fun, and afterward I managed to find my way home again safely. I hope to sample Mystery Brewing Company's wares again sometime. Member Since: June 26, 2008 Posts: 72 Comments: 2765

67. Proserpina 2:32 PM GMT on March 09, 2012
Ode to Spring “Spring has sprung, The Grass has riz, I wonder where the birdies is? The little bird is on the wing, But that’s absurd! Because the wing is on the bird!” Hi Bogon. I have tried to find the author of this little poem but no one seems to know for sure who the author is. The two names that surface frequently are Ogden Nash and Spike Milligan, however no one has a definite answer. I guess we will have to enjoy the ditty without knowing who is the author. Thank you for posting this on my blog a while ago, I finally found a few minutes to do a littler research. To answer the questions in the ditty, I know where the 'birdies is'. A chickadee is making her nest in my little birdhouse and I am ecstatic! That's where the birdie is! Member Since: May 6, 2008 Posts: 152 Comments: 16737

68. ycd0108 4:04 PM GMT on March 09, 2012
Morning Bogon: Your mention of the antibiotic quality of alcohol adds credence to the basic theory: Without brewing the human race would not be where it is today. Somewhere I read someone lamenting the modern trend in business: A while ago a million dollar contract would be sealed (and later honored) by a toast and an handshake. Nowadays the sober lawyers sign the smallest contract and then head to court to fight about it. Member Since: January 1, 2008 Posts: 142 Comments: 3448

69. Bogon 6:03 PM GMT on March 09, 2012
Hi, Prose, I owe you for the ode. Not only does it brighten my day, but it illuminates the rhyme I left on your blog the other day. That bit of doggerel is something I heard my father repeat whenever spring rolled around. I was never sure if it was something he had heard or something he made up. Now it seems likely that it was a truncated or misremembered bit of this poem. It doesn't matter if the author is unknown. I feel that I know more than I did before about something near and dear. I caught a glimpse of this big bird earlier this week: I was happy, because it happened when I had my camera handy, and the bird remained unflappable and in sight long enough for me to bring the camera to bear. That may not sound like much, but I have been watching herons for years, and such chances have been rare indeed. ycd - Your comment lends credence to my theory that ours is no longer a government of the people and for the people. It is a government of lawyers for lawyers. This has happened because so many wise mothers have counseled their offspring to work hard in school to earn a law degree. The situation is a clear demonstration of the law of unintended consequences. So many lawyers, all the dang time... Member Since: June 26, 2008 Posts: 72 Comments: 2765

70. sandiquiz 8:53 AM GMT on March 10, 2012
That may not sound like much, but I have been watching herons for years, and such chances have been rare indeed. I did the same, I watched them for years and never managed the perfect shot, until one morning when I was down by the lake and this one landed in front of me, with not a care in the world! Bingo!! Member Since: October 29, 2005 Posts: 252 Comments: 22430

71. Bogon 11:52 AM GMT on March 10, 2012
Nice catch, Sandi! I am not a birdwatcher, but it's hard to ignore a blue heron. I most commonly spot them on the wing, when they are too fast moving and elusive to present a photo opportunity. Even if you have a camera handy, it takes too long to turn it on, fiddle with the buttons and focus. The most favorable scenario would be one such as you describe. You're sitting by a body of water when the bird drops in for dinner. He comes to you; you don't have to sneak up on him. These skittish birds fly away if you approach them. You need a long lens to fill the frame, as you have done, from outside their defense perimeter. My lens was maxed out, which is why there is so much grass and water in my photo. The grass is part of somebody's lawn. I shot my picture from a public street. Google Earth tells me the distance was about eighty yards. The bird gave me time for three shots. Here's a cropped version of one of them. Member Since: June 26, 2008 Posts: 72 Comments: 2765

72. Bogon 12:20 PM GMT on March 10, 2012
The same day I saw the heron Mrs. Bluebird was kind enough to pose for me. Her appearance seemed a good omen. This image has been cropped and modified to enhance the contrast. Member Since: June 26, 2008 Posts: 72 Comments: 2765

73. Proserpina 12:22 PM GMT on March 10, 2012
Wow, heron photos. Great job Bogon! I have seen Egrets from time to time while vacationing, camping, ... They are so beautiful, especially the Blue Heron. Happy Saturday to you. Member Since: May 6, 2008 Posts: 152 Comments: 16737

74. sandiquiz 12:43 PM GMT on March 10, 2012
The only difference is that our hereon is called grey, and yours is called blue... and in our photos you can see why! We are lucky here in MK. When they were building the city, (only been around since 1965,) many of the gravel pits dug to help make the roads were left as lakes, 14 in total, so we have plenty of opportunity to watch, and capture in our lenses, the waterbirds that frequent them. Another day ... captured this one as I was snapping ducks! Love you little blue bird and I do hope it is a good omen:) Member Since: October 29, 2005 Posts: 252 Comments: 22430

75. Bogon 1:24 PM GMT on March 10, 2012
Thanks, Prose. I'll keep working on the bird photographs. Let's see... shoebill, heron, bluebird — they're all blue! Do you think maybe I have a thing for blue birds? I haven't posted a blue jay yet. Or an indigo bunting. Wish me luck. I'll need it for bunting hunting. :o) Sandi - There are various rivers, ponds and lakes in my area, too. I suppose I should take my camera exploring more often. There aren't any birds here by my computer! Member Since: June 26, 2008 Posts: 72 Comments: 2765

76. sandiquiz 2:17 PM GMT on March 10, 2012
LOL - no birds by the computer, but I do get them outside my office window! If you are after blue birds.. how about this - a blue filter! Member Since: October 29, 2005 Posts: 252 Comments: 22430

77. Bogon 2:17 PM GMT on March 10, 2012
Oh, I forgot one bird that sits behind me on the wall. It's a painting of a roadrunner given to me by my dad while I was living in Texas. The roadrunner is a curious bird. I was lucky to spot one a few times, but in those days I didn't own a decent camera. I would love to have another chance to confront a roadrunner with camera in hand. Armadillo and javelina also come to mind when I think about Texas. Those creatures are emblematic of that part of the world. Wish I had pictures. One day as I was walking near my parents' house I saw both a kingfisher and an indigo bunting sitting on the electrical wires strung above the road beside a creek. It was summertime, and you could tell the birds were having a great day. They gave me big smiles as I passed by. I waved and whistled back at them, but, alas, no camera. Member Since: June 26, 2008 Posts: 72 Comments: 2765

78. WatchinTheSky 6:42 PM GMT on March 11, 2012
Hi Bogon, Purplenerve Springparsley it is! Thanks for the link, I was not getting too far. The red rock was a nice background for the plant, good contrast. This guy seemed to go well with other birds (but not blue!) Member Since: September 20, 2005 Posts: 115 Comments: 815

79. BriarCraft 11:27 PM GMT on March 11, 2012
Member Since: June 21, 2004 Posts: 49 Comments: 2424

80. Bogon 6:42 PM GMT on March 12, 2012
Hey, folks, thanks for stopping by. It's partly cloudy and warm (mid sixties) here in the Dry Slot today. The winter layoff has been great, but I'm forced to admit that it's time to break out the lawn mower again. The wild garlic is taking over, and some of the grass is growing. I could probably stall for another day or two, but all it would get me is more sweat. It's not going to get any cooler here this week. WatchinTheSky - It took a couple of tries for me to identify that plant. I came up empty the first time, too. GardenGrrl found a plant that was close, but the leaves weren't quite right. That prompted me to try again. Looks like you bagged an egret. While blue birds are definitely cool, they can't all be blue. It takes all colors to make the world go around. BriarCraft - Your message, or something very like it, has been on my mind lately. Last week a friend of mine remarked that he thought I was in pretty good shape (physically). I laughed, because I have never been an athlete. As a computer nerd I spend a lot of my time sitting here at the console. I certainly can't claim great strength, stamina or cardiopulmonary efficiency. My friend simply meant that I'm fortunate to have survived so long with no debilitating injuries. My knees, backbone etc. all still work pretty well. (Knock on wood!) At our age the definition of fitness begins to change a bit. I'm starting to know a lot of people who have... symptoms. The friend with whom I had this conversation lives with pain from a leg injury he sustained years ago in a car crash. My wife has a bad knee from a skiing accident. Now I hear that you are a candidate for hip replacement. I very much hope that your surgery and rehab go well, and that soon you'll be able to take walking for granted (one of the little things) — although somehow I don't think you ever will. :o) Member Since: June 26, 2008 Posts: 72 Comments: 2765

81. shoreacres 2:27 AM GMT on March 13, 2012
Evening, Bogon, I am just astonished by your cardinal! I love those birds, and that one's a beauty. I'm not sure we even have bluebirds here - farther north in Texas they do, but I don't think they hang around the coast. On the other hand, we've got so many shore birds right now they're tripping over each other. Some are coming and some are going - the grebes are still here, and the coots, but they'll mostly leave. The kingfishers are back from wherever, and it won't be long until the green heron shows up. We keep our great blues all year long, though, and they're marvelous birds. If you're willing to share your fish with them, they'll be your best friend until the fish run out! It's open window time here tonight - just lovely. It's also about one hour later than it feels. Time to go ponder what tomorrow will bring - sunshine, for sure. Member Since: October 4, 2004 Posts: 195 Comments: 14799

82. Bogon 11:28 AM GMT on March 13, 2012
Howdy, Shore. One morning last week I took my camera and a sudoku game out on the back deck. The air was a bit chilly, but the sun was warm on my back. I worked on the sudoku and kept one eye on the back yard, where Wife has set up a couple of bird feeders. It wasn't long until guests began to show up for dinner. There was a squirrel. There are always squirrels. The feed we provide is meant for birds, but squirrels probably eat the lion's share. You can't keep 'em away. During the course of about an hour I got pictures of cardinals, finches, robins, doves, a titmouse and a grackle. These birds were sufficiently at ease with my presence on the porch to stay while I fiddled with the camera. There were other small visitors too quick and skittish to photograph. Those must remain a challenge for another time. Photographing birds at a feeder is a bit like shooting fish in a barrel. From the photographer's point of view it is an optimum scenario. Bluebirds don't come to our feeder; they catch insects. I won't get another bluebird picture until one of them lets me. The photo op will happen on the bird's terms, not mine. All I can do to improve my chances is to carry the camera and be watchful. I agree with you that this is a pretty good cardinal picture. It's about as good as I'm likely to get. So I probably won't be taking a whole lot more cardinal pictures. There are too many other possible targets for my camera. I like crows, for example. There are plenty of crows around, but they are a tough assignment. They are ninjas of the bird world, jealous of their privacy. They don't like me pointing my camera at them. Their jet black plumage is hard to photograph. A pair of hawks lives nearby. I see them sometimes, circling high overhead, gliding on the wind. They are attracted to our feeders occasionally, not for sunflower seeds but for the other guests. Several times I have found a pile of feathers where a hawk has made a meal of one of our erstwhile customers. It would truly make my day, if I could somehow get a good picture of a hawk. ...Or an owl, or one of your green herons. The probabilities are vanishingly small, but not zero. Maybe I'll get lucky. :o) Member Since: June 26, 2008 Posts: 72 Comments: 2765

83. Bogon 8:35 AM GMT on March 15, 2012
Woke up in the middle of the night with this tune playing in my head. I thought I would go ahead and post it here, and maybe then I can go back to sleep. \|oO zzz Member Since: June 26, 2008 Posts: 72 Comments: 2765

84. Bogon 3:22 PM GMT on March 15, 2012
I know I've posted this video somewhere before, but I like it a lot, even including the missed chord in the middle.

85. ycd0108 4:34 PM GMT on March 15, 2012
Good morning Bogon: Still wish I'd figured out how to make the sound I wanted come out of the guitbox like those guys. I can pull structure out of concrete and wood usually but all I do now with music is listen. What is the significance of the 8 armed symbol behind Clapton in the video? Member Since: January 1, 2008 Posts: 142 Comments: 3448

86. Bogon 5:34 PM GMT on March 15, 2012
Hey, ycd. Yeah, I can feel the music, but I never found time to practice guitar enough to play with confidence. Reckon I'll always be better at listening than picking. Wife and I went to a piano concert a couple of days ago. Fellow by the name of Frederic Chiu performed a "smackdown" between Debussy and Prokofiev. When it comes to music, some guys have it, and some guys don't. This guy definitely has it, and to an amazing degree. Obviously he has built his whole life around his instrument. Practice makes perfect. Don't ask me why the production crew of Cash's show decided to decorate the stage with stylized Union Jacks. Maybe they thought it was important on a country music show to let viewers know when the music was coming from a different country. Member Since: June 26, 2008 Posts: 72 Comments: 2765

87. ycd0108 6:50 PM GMT on March 15, 2012
Bogon: Reason I ask is: I'm working on a "Schatzkammer" octagon just now for my #1 Grand daughter. I was fiddling about with it just before I watched the video. The overlaid crosses make an octagon. Member Since: January 1, 2008 Posts: 142 Comments: 3448

88. Bogon 2:51 AM GMT on March 16, 2012
ycd, you're right, those red crosses do make an octagonal pattern, and with the blue background they are suggestive of the United Kingdom's flag. Curiosity led me to the wiki to read a bit about the history and layout of the flag. The flag pattern is more complex than these big red asterisks. The Union Jack design would not make a perfect octagon, because the diagonal color bars are offset. The difference would likely have been lost on a typical member of Johnny Cash's audience (as indeed it escaped me until now), so perhaps the set designers achieved what they were after. Member Since: June 26, 2008 Posts: 72 Comments: 2765

89. ycd0108 5:22 AM GMT on March 16, 2012
Just had supper at the local with a couple of musicians mentioned here: http://darkerwaysbluestour.blogspot.com Ken Hamm tried to teach me how to run the Hawaiian Guitar my Dad made from spruce from the Mosquito fighter/bomber squadron he spent four WW11 years working on and he made the frets from schrapnel from a V 1 "Flying Bomb". The Mossies could catch and "tip" the V1 off it's course if it actually had one and they had access to early Radar. Two souped up RR motors (with nitrous) and a wooden skin - fastest plane in the theatre except for the goofy "Rocket" plane the Luftwaffe built. Father in law flew bombers and he said the "Rocket" had only one pass at you so if you saw the thing you were OK. Somewhere I have a picture - but here's what comes up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR =1&v=749Cw5rdHh4 Just Google Messershmitt if that doesn't work. Bill and Donna Konsorado: have sorta adopted our #2 grand daughter on stage here and there. She has a good voice and serious interest in song. She's 12. So I'm surrounded with decent musicians and I like it that way: Without the Audience There ain't a Show! Chilliwak. I corrected the grammar so I took out the quote marks. Member Since: January 1, 2008 Posts: 142 Comments: 3448

90. Ylee 5:26 PM GMT on March 16, 2012
Even though it would've messed up my bracket a bit, I was rooting for NC-Asheville yesterday! Bummer how it ended; missed calls are part of the game because we're human, and we make mistakes. If that missed call was made with 13 minutes left to go in the first half, would there been so much wailing and gnashing of teeth? I wouldn't think so. Member Since: February 3, 2011 Posts: 65 Comments: 11331

91. Bogon 5:27 PM GMT on March 16, 2012
Whoa, ycd, there's a lot of interesting and peculiar stuff flying by in that comment. A Hawaiian guitar assembled from WW II era planes and weapons from both sides of the conflict? That's got to be a one-of-a-kind item. If you could bear to part with it, and if you could find the right buyer, I daresay you might make your fortune. Don't have time right now to process all the blues tour data you've linked. Suffice it to say that I'm very much out of touch with that scene. Probably has something to do with habits, nationalities, fate, latitudes and attitudes... I ran across this over on the 'Tube. Maybe you've heard these guys before?

92. Bogon 12:39 AM GMT on March 17, 2012
It's stormy in Madison County, NC tonight. Wind, rain and thunder are clamoring in the dark outside the window. Last night, as I was driving in, I passed through a band near Mars Hill where hail lay thick on the ground. So far there has been no hail here at Mom's house. With recent rain here and at my home in Alamance County there is no apparent lack of moisture. The University of Nebraska drought monitor says otherwise. Call it a legacy of La Niña: 75% of the Southeast is experiencing drought. South Georgia has the worst of it. Better than ninety percent of North Carolina is abnormally dry. Mom's house is in the thin sliver of the state with normal rainfall. My county is in moderate drought. Not where one would choose to be as summer approaches. Member Since: June 26, 2008 Posts: 72 Comments: 2765

93. Barefootontherocks 4:41 AM GMT on March 17, 2012
Wow, this place is full of birds! To you and your family, :) Member Since: April 29, 2006 Posts: 135 Comments: 16340

94. Bogon 2:26 PM GMT on March 17, 2012
Thanks, BF. I appreciate the sentiment, even if I'm a little fuzzy on what, exactly, we're celebrating. It's a good time of year to celebrate. Down at the Bogon residence spring has already shifted into phase II. Early daffodils have dried up. A second wave has hatched along with a tulip or two. Redbud trees are flushing pink and lavender. Exotic tutti-frutti imported trees have been blooming for some time. Dour native trees continue to bide their time. Once (frost) bitten twice shy is their motto. I don't think they have much to worry about this year. The weather has been splendid. Every kind of living thing responds eventually to Spring's enticement. This week we crossed a line; the insects have started to emerge. To me that marks the end of the charmed period that begins when Winter first relaxes his grip. From now on until autumn there will be too much of a good thing. Too hot, too muggy and buggy for comfort. Member Since: June 26, 2008 Posts: 72 Comments: 2765

95. seflagamma 3:28 PM GMT on March 17, 2012
Hello Bogon, You have some beautiful photos here on your blog! Just wanted to come by and wish you a Happy St Patti's Day!!!! St Patricks Day Graphics Member Since: August 29, 2005 Posts: 286 Comments: 40485

96. ycd0108 3:50 PM GMT on March 17, 2012
Morning Bogon: Music everywhere. Takes me back a few. Never thought of that guitar as having more than sentimental value. In fact yesterday I was going on about old friends and artifacts I have inherited from them. The guy I'm working for/with (originally from Seattle area, I think) also has old tools and items with memories attached. The only thing I have that me Da' made is "This old guitar and an empty bottle of booze". Except for some tools which he probably modified. Most of the buildings he constructed (I worked on some with him) are still standing in a valley about 10 hours away if you include the ferry ride and drive fast. Member Since: January 1, 2008 Posts: 142 Comments: 3448

97. Bogon 4:23 PM GMT on March 17, 2012
Hi, gamma! Thanks for the greeting and the compliment. I got a new camera for my last birthday, which deserves credit for better bird photos. I can zoom closer now. ycd - It's hard to draw the line in the debate of nature versus nurture. In addition to that guitar you owe your dad for half your genes and some, I'm sure, of your good sense. There have been times, when I thought of my dad and asked myself, where would I be without him? That's not a question that has an answer. I don't think a question needs to have an answer to be of value. Member Since: June 26, 2008 Posts: 72 Comments: 2765

98. ycd0108 4:45 PM GMT on March 17, 2012
I was on my way to town and had signed out but your response calls to be addressed. When I was fairly young I pondered where I was before I could think. Told my older sisters (maybe they asked me about this.): that I was a blooming flower by the runway of the airbase where the "Old Man" worked. Maybe I was. Member Since: January 1, 2008 Posts: 142 Comments: 3448

99. Bogon 3:57 PM GMT on March 18, 2012
So, ycd, you were a bloomin' flower? I'm sure I must have had some such self-concept when I was that age. After all this time I don't recall what it might have been. That was a very different world. I'm pulling up fragments of memory of Eisenhower, Studebakers and AM radio. Dad and I shared many happy hours watching Tarheel basketball. Got some of that on my schedule this afternoon. This time I'll be sharing the view with Mom. Member Since: June 26, 2008 Posts: 72 Comments: 2765

100. Bogon 5:48 AM GMT on March 19, 2012
joealaska's current blog is entitled "Upset About the NCAA". I could post this comment over there, but Joe and Dot.Mom are Kentucky fans. I figured I would spare Joe my Tarheel bias. With UK and Louisville Kentucky has two teams left in the hunt. Residents of North Carolina can root for UNC and NC State. The big winner is the state of Ohio with four schools in the Sweet Sixteen, or 25% of the field. One natural consequence of hogging all that limelight is mutual annihilation. In the next round Cincinnati meets Ohio State. The Bearcats must battle the Buckeyes, which guarantees that one way or the other only three teams from Ohio can advance to the Great Eight. I had three games to watch today. In the first NC State defeated Georgetown. That was a good game. It would have been a pretty good game even if the Hoyas had won. (What's a Hoya?) Later in the evening UNC overcame Creighton. The Heels won handily, but their point guard, Kendall Marshall, broke his wrist. Good news and bad news. I had to wait past midnight for the result of the third game. This time the news was all bad. Florida State fell to Cincinnati. The Bearcats won by being annoying. They buzzed around like mosquitos. I wanted to swat them. Unfortunately the medium of television makes no provision for that kind of feedback. Had the Seminoles succeeded, Thursday's internecine conflict could have been averted. Fortunately for Kentucky UK and Louisville are in different regions. If they survive, they won't meet until the Final Four. The only remaining contenders from the Atlantic Coast Conference are both in the same bracket. If UNC and NC State defeat their next opponents, they must face each other in the Midwest regional finals. Too bad. I'm sure both teams would rather save their efforts for the likes of Syracuse or Kentucky. Or maybe somebody from Ohio. Member Since: June 26, 2008 Posts: 72 Comments: 2765

101. Proserpina 5:27 AM GMT on March 20, 2012
Member Since: May 6, 2008 Posts: 152 Comments: 16737

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