Hat tip to commentor Scav for tonight’s fireworks:
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From the link: “ArcAttack employs a unique DJ set up of their own creation to generate an ‘electrifying’ audio visual performance. The HVDJ pumps music through a PA system while two specially designed DRSSTC’s (Dual-Resonant Solid State Tesla Coils) act as separate synchronized instruments. These high tech machines produce an electrical arc similar to a continuous lightning bolt and put out a crisply distorted square wave sound reminiscent of the early days of synthesizers. i filmed this video @ makers faire san mateo expo center…. web site: http://www.arcattack.com”
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Spent a pleasant afternoon at the garden center, arguing with the Spousal Unit about how many plants we could actually squeeze into the gaps in our front yard. The rest of the weekend involves mowing, moving bags of dirt & mulch, and laying down landscape fabric — much less pleasant. I have always lived by the credo Life Is Uncertain — Eat Dessert First!
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Mouse Tolliver
Some dude is using Force Lightning to play the Doctor Who theme song. The Geek is strong in this one.
Yutsano
Nikolai Tesla originally envisioned Tesla coils as being the power source for every single household in the world. It would be like having a power plant right in your backyard that was both safe and reliable. Of course, the fact that they are noisy as all get out (in order to power a modern home) and very bulky for that wattage means that his idea never took off. From what I understand they still have scientific uses. And entertainment value as well.
There are those of us who don’t have sweet tooths and almost never order dessert out. I however am a HUGE appetizer hoor. Any little munchie I can get my grubby fingers on I’ll scarf down. You should see me in a tapas bar, I can seriously look at the menu and say, “Yes”, and mean it. Plus I’m big on sharing my food. Except chocolate.
The fact that I am currently eating butter toffee peanuts in no way undercuts my argument. :)
BTW if the OMSI in Portland, Oregon, is not on your bucket list, put it there. It’s an amazing place to learn about all facets of science, a ton of hands-on learning exhibits and in one of the most beautiful parts of the city.
Danothebaldyheid
Fantastic! As well as surely the best theme tune ever written. I can highly recommend the latest incarnation, particularly the Moffat-penned two parter of a few weeks ago. About as good scripted television as I have ever seen…
asiangrrlMN
@Yutsano: WTF you still doing up?
This video rocks hard. I am taking a break from cleaning and running errands. ‘Bout halfway done! Wheeeeee!
Gina
I’m still up, trying to figure out why exactly I’m so freaking awake right now. I made good use of the time and got out at 6am to lay down cardboard and newspaper for the new strawberry beds. I also weeded the mint patch, picked up some crap that didn’t belong on the grass, and planned out a pond/fountain landscape.
I’m wondering if this is my brain’s sneaky way to make sure I get alone time – as a homeschooling mom whose husband works real late and travels during the week, there’s not much kid-free downtime. I figure I’ll pass out at some point soon, better leave instructions for hubby to leave me the hell alone and manage the household for a while. Luckily, my main Rottie guy, Mo, loves to sleep in, he’ll guard me just fine ;-)
debit
There is a pair of cardinals in my yard. They are charming in every way, except for the incessant “pip pip pip pip.” One was right outside my bedroom window and started at 5 this morning, the other one is hanging out in the lilac bushes outside the kitchen window right now. The cats, naturally, are thrilled and are chittering back at her and thus escalating the length and pitch of the pips.
It’s supposed to be cooler today. I think I’ll make some toffee bars, than go for a nice long ride so I’ll deserve one (or four) when I get back.
demkat620
Good Morning! And idn’t it a lovely morning?
Anything interesting happen in baseball last night?
Ash Can
@debit: Cardinals have diaphragms of steel, I swear. If a cardinal decides to belt out its early morning tunes next to your open window, it’s as good as any alarm clock ever made, and most likely better. Ain’t nobody sleeping through that.
Cat Lady
Beautiful morning here too, and to make it even better we can look forward to another epic Celtics/Lakers series. Love when Jack Nicholson comes to Boston, he’s definitely a fan favorite. He and Peter Fonda must be counting their blessings today, cuz there’s no good reason Jack should still be kicking.
demo woman
Wow! What a week. This won’t be the month that I order my Tunch supplies. Last Saturday the water heater went out and I had it replaced on Monday. I was painting the outside of the house, and dropped a gallon of paint. While trying to catch the can, I spilled all over me instead. Yesterday the major pvr valve burst and ruined my wood floor. Now I have fans and dehumidifiers running and the noise is awful.
Definitely not a good week.
debit
I used the spiffy new video option on my iphone to capture the pips for eternity here: youtube.com/watch?v=no3Z6mb16nA
Bonus cat cameo at the end.
@demo woman: Arg! How horrible. I’ve also had one of those weeks and at one point left the house convinced that when I came back it would be a pile of smoldering rubble. It wasn’t, but at that point I honestly wouldn’t have cared (except for the pets).
middlewest
All the ladies love Tesla.
PurpleGirl
Life Is Uncertain—Eat Dessert First!
These are wise words and good ones to live by. I’ve done it many times myself. Back in 90s I was part of a group which met regularly at an ice cream parlor in Brooklyn where we had dessert first, sat and talked with tea and ice cream and cookies. Then after two hours or so, we’d go to a local restaurant (Afghan, Greek, whatever fancied us that night) for dinner. We only stopped because the ice cream parlor’s building was sold and the new owners wanted the store.
Emma
Demo Woman: My sympathies. Ours was last month. Airconditioning unit AND water heater. I’m still on “what the heck else?” watch.
Josie
@demo woman: I completely empathize. I hope your floor is not totally ruined. What is a pvr valve and what caused it to give way? I’m still paying off the work on my air conditioner from last month, and the kitchen sink backed up two days ago. I prayed to FSM as we poured drain cleaner and boiling water off and on for two hours. Who can afford a plumber at this point? It finally cleared, and I watch it now with trepidation.
Janet Strange
Picked a couple of tomatoes and some cucumbers this morning. For any of you Northerners with baby plants or tiny green tomatoes at this point suffering home-grown tomato envy, you’ll have my envy in July when my plants are bug-eaten, disease ridden, and burnt to a crisp by drought and 100+ heat. Meaning there’s nothing to do but pull them up and haul them off to the actual trash since bugs and disease means I can’t even put them in the compost pile. (Yes, I know there are various things to do about the bugs, disease, blazing sun, drought, etc. and I do them and keep the plants going for a while, but I’ve learned that there’s a point where you just have to give it up and start planning the Fall garden.)
In the meantime, I need to find my bread and butter pickle recipe before I’m buried in cucumbers.
/texan gardener
debit
@Josie: There’s this stuff called Thrift Drain Cleaner that works better than anything I’ve ever used. It’s supposed to “eat” only organic material, so it’s safe for all types of pipes. I used to get it from work (wholesale plumbing, HVAC company) but since they went out of business, I get it here: cjms.com/thrift1drain.html
Josie
@Janet Strange: I got a good tip from my local extension agent on how to make the brutal Texas sun work for you in July and August. You water the bed well and spread clear plastic held down by bricks or whatever and bake the soil to kill disease and/or nemotodes, etc. I’m going to try it this summer and see if it makes a difference.
WereBear
I lurve that video. Must send to Mr WereBear.
Josie
@debit: Thanks for the tip. I’ll check it out. The last time this sink acted up, the plumber charged me over $100.00 to come out and clear it. It would be good to have something effective and safe to use. I make homemade soap and wash a lot of pots in the process, so I think that may be the problem.
BethanyAnne
Have any of you gardeners out there tried the square foot thing? squarefootgardening.com/ I read the book yesterday, and it seems like a fine way to garden.
Josie
@BethanyAnne: That is the book that got me started. I have never had a green thumb – just the opposite. With raised beds and pots, however, his methods have enabled me to have some success. It’s still a learning process, but I highly recommend it. I posted pictures of my stuff on a worn out thread earlier, but I’ll post it here again.
Bernard
yes dessert is the most important part of the meal!!!!!!
Janet Strange
@Josie: A few years ago I had a horrible infestation of root knot nematodes in my garden and used the bake it with plastic and then plant Elbon rye all over it method. I let the rye grow through the winter (no winter garden that year) and then tilled it under in the Spring.
It seemed to work. No evidence of the bad* nematodes the last couple of years. If they come back, I’ll probably do that again.
(*There are good nematodes too, but these are Not Good.)
BethanyAnne
@Josie: Cool! :)
demo woman
@Josie: The valve is the main water pipe into the house. It’s located between the hall/kitchen and dining room. About 250ft of flooring was ruined. Not good but oh well.
The gardening tips are great. Last year the bunnies managed to enjoy my garden even though it’s fenced. You would think the dog would take care of the little pests but no.
Mnemosyne
I’m heading out for errands and planning to make Caesar Potato Salad for dinner tomorrow. I haven’t made it in a couple of years. Being the hopelessly anti-social boobs that we are, our Memorial Day barbeque is going to be the two of us and the cats.