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GRAFFITI -- March 12, 2007 thru March 18, 2007 >> Link to the Current Week << Last Week << Mon   Tues   Wed   Thu   Fri   Sat   Sun >> Next Week Search this site : Welcome to Orb Graffiti, a place for me to write daily about life and computers. Contrary to popular belief, the two are not interchangeable.     About eMail - I publish email sometimes. If you send me an email and you want privacy or anonymity, please say so clearly at the beginning of your message.

MONDAY    Tues    Wed    Thu    Fri    Sat    Sun   
March 12, 2007

1325 (UTC+2) - Good morning... errr, afternoon. We have been in product training yesterday afternoon and all this morning. Dinner out last night at a well-hidden restaurant called Dita. Quite good food, and nice company. In a few minutes the next meeting starts. This evening we're touring around the old section of Tel Aviv, called Jaffa. Hope someone is having more fun than me. Ciao!

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March 13, 2007

No Post...

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March 14, 2007

0657 (UTC+2)- Good evening. Hurrah! I slept for more than six hours last night. That was thus more than double my total for the previous two night's sleep combined. So finally I'm adapting with but a day to go, so that I can have a proper lag upon returning home...

Yesterday was a half day of meetings Then we all bussed up to a site near Jerusalem. The next three hours saw us as small teams in Land Rovers criss-crossing the areas around the road to Jerusalem, the scene of many battles during blockading of the route (a useful link). This was basically a team-building scavenger hunt type of exercise. After the driving-about bits, we did a waypoint runabout thing in the woods and rain, locating numbers needed to open a small safe. That had our final clue for the location of the final goal — a small treasure chest found somewhere in Old Jerusalem. My team (for my friend Zak had made me a team leader ... some friend!) came in first at this stage by a large margin, and we waited on the bus, while everyone else got wetter and more tired.

We bused up into the old city and they sent us tearing off into the middle of the Jewish Quarter full tilt, at 15 second intervals. Yes, all of our work to build a 15 minute lead was pretty much for naught. But in the end, thanks to sharp eyes and a bladder in need of relief, we had someone standing in the right place to hear a sound signalling the location of the treasure chest. We'd won. So, a photo printer to each member of my team. That was fun. So now we got to go to the restaurant and rest, no?

No. A three hour tour ... Err, that sounds a bit ominous, but that's what it was. We saw the Western Wall, the Holy Sepulchre, the Church of the Redeemer (overheard: "Is that where coupons and Green Stamps all end up?"), and we went back and forth through the Armenian and Jewish Quarters. Impressive to be standing on stones laid 4000 years ago. Impressive. The best word I can summon.

The evening was capped by dinner at Darna Restaurant. Good and interesting food, a belly dancer, a lot of fun, laughter, and story-telling. The buses dropped us off dragging badly at around midnight. Exhausting, but a good time. I wish it wasn't such a whirlwind, though.

Today was meetings and more meetings. More of the same, tomorrow. Then we go and sit at the airport and wait to fly home. You won't hear from me until Friday sometime, or Saturday. I do have some pictures to share. Until then, be well.

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March 15, 2007

No Post....

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March 16, 2007

1627 - Good afternoon. No post yesterday because I was in meetings or travelling from 0830 UTC+2 yesterday until 1030 UTC-4 today. No real sleep since I got up yesterday, too. So here's a few pix from the trip. I'll entertain speculation about the contents of each via email. Happy Friday!

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March 17, 2007

0928 - Good morning. I'm not fully alert yet, but ten hours of sleep is marvelous medicine. I find this in my mailbox, from Svenson:

Subject: IL Trip Pictures of ...

Brian on his home-improving project

"After the master-bedroom got painted I had to take care of the old kitchen floor (1985). It's replaced now (1952) with just a few finishing touches to be done.

The next project will be a redecoration of the old kitchen wall (2001) which is in need of a good lick of fresh paint. And after that I need to fix the lights in Marcia's sowing room, as can be seen (2012) it is a wee bit dark in there.

The new garden layout is planned as well (1966) I just have to wait for some good weather to start on that. "

Hope everything is well.

--
Sjalom,
Sjon Svenson

Well enough, my friend. Funny, though, "sjalom", and not just because of Sjon's "sj...". We got cross-cultural training in order to pay attention to the differences that can cause issues in dealing with working remotely from the mothership across national and cultural borders. In some ways it appears that small-company geek culture values many of the same things that Israelis do - directness chiefly among them.

An early word given to us was "tachles", Hebrew for "to the point" (and also impudent, according to the definition I looked up later. So Susan the trainer put "Tachles" up on the flipchart and asked for someone to say what it meant, looking chiefly to the Israelis in the room to answer her. It was only by main force of will that I stifled my urge to blurt out, "It's Klingon for 'Attack quickly without warning' ". As I think about that in hindsight, it's possible that the Israelis would have gotten the joke, and the trainer not so much.

Now, I've got work to do, making sure I take it easy and relax a bit.

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March 18, 2007

1335 - Good afternoon. After a week's hiatus while I was in Israel, I'm back to take care of giving heed to the sacrifices our troops make in the name of Freedom in places far from home. Sadly, it's a long list, and not just because I've two weeks' worth to report...

• Staff Sgt. Karl O. Soto-Pinedo, 22, of San Juan, Puerto Rico, died Feb. 27 in Baghdad from wounds sustained from enemy small arms fire.
• Pvt. Wesley J. Williams, 23, of Philadelphia, Pa., died March 2, in Baghdad, of a non-combat related injury.
• Staff Sgt. Dustin M. Gould, 28, of Longmont, Colo., died March 2 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq.
• Staff Sgt. Paul M. Latourney, 28, of Roselle, Ill., died March 2 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle while on combat patrol.
• Spc. Luis O. Rodriguez-Contrera, 22, of Allentown, Pa., died March 2 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle while on combat patrol.
• Lt. Cmdr. Morgan C. Tulang, 36, of Hilo, Hawaii, died from apparent natural causes March 2, 2007, in Kuwait.
• Hospitalman Lucas W.A. Emch, 21, of Kent, Ohio, died March 2, 2007, when an Improvised Explosive Device detonated in his vicinity while conducting combat operations in Al-Anbar Province, Iraq.
• Spc. Christopher D. Young, 20, of Los Angeles, Calif., died March 2 in Safwan, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.
• Lance Cpl. Raul S. Bravo, 21, of Elko, Nev., died March 3 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq.
• Sgt. Brandon A. Parr, 25, of West Valley, Utah, died Mar. 3 in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.
• Sgt. Michael C. Peek, 23, of Chesapeake, Va., died Mar. 3 in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.
• Sgt. Ashly L. Moyer, 21, of Emmaus, Pa., died Mar. 3 in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near her vehicle.
• Spc. Blake Harris, 22, of Pueblo, Colo., died Mar. 5 in Baqubah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit.
• Spc. Ryan D. Russell, 20, of Elm City, N.C., died Mar. 5 in Baqubah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit.
• Pvt. Barry W. Mayo, 21, of Ecru, Miss., died Mar. 5 in Baqubah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit.
• Staff Sgt. Darrel D. Kasson, 43, of Florence, Ariz., died Mar. 4 in Tikrit, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle at Bayji, Iraq.
• Staff Sgt. Justin M. Estes, 25, of Sims, Ark.
• Staff Sgt. Robert M. Stanley, 27, of Spotsylvania, Va., died Mar. 5 in Samarra, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit during combat operations.
• Sgt. Andrew C. Perkins, 27, of Northglenn, Colo., died Mar. 5 in Samarra, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit during combat operations.
• Spc. Ryan M. Bell, 21, of Colville, Wash., died Mar. 5 in Samarra, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit during combat operations.
• Spc. Justin A. Rollins, 22, of Newport, N.H., died Mar. 5 in Samarra, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit during combat operations.
• Pfc. Cory C. Kosters, 19, of The Woodlands, Texas, died Mar. 5 in Samarra, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit during combat operations.
• Pvt. Mark W. Graham, 22, of Lafayette, La., died Mar. 7 at Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit while on combat patrol Mar. 2 in Baghdad, Iraq.
• Staff Sgt. Christopher R. Webb, 28, of Winchester, Calif., died Mar. 7 in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations.
• Spc. Shawn P. Rankinen, 28, of Independence, Mo., died Mar. 7 in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations.
• Spc. Michael D. Rivera, 22, of Brooklyn, N.Y., died Mar. 7 in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations.
• Lance Cpl. Dennis J. Veater, 20, of Jessup, Pa., died March 9 from wounds received while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq.
• Sgt. Gregory D. Fejeran, 28, of Barrigada, Guam, died Mar. 5 in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over.
• Sgt. Christopher J. C. Fernandez, 28, of Dededo, Guam, died Mar. 5 in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over.
• Spc. Jonathan K. Smith, 19, of Atlanta, Ga., died Mar. 11 in Baghdad, Iraq, of a non-combat related incident.
• Lance Cpl. Nathanial D. Windsor, 20, of Scappoose, Ore., died March 13 from wounds received while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq.
• Sgt. Daniel E. Woodcock, 25, of Glennallen, Alaska, died Mar. 11, in Ad Dawr, Iraq, of wounds suffered from a building explosion while on combat patrol.
• Sgt. Thomas L. Latham, 23, of Delmar, Md., died March 11 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee.
• Sgt. 1st Class Douglas C. Stone, 49, of Taylorsville, Utah, died Mar. 11 in Iraq of wounds suffered from a non-combat related incident.
• Lance Cpl.Angel Rosa, 21, of South Portland, Maine, died March 13 from wounds received while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq.
• Lance Cpl. Steven M. Chavez, 20, of Hondo, N.M., died March 14 from a non-hostile incident in Al Anbar province, Iraq.
• Spc. Adam J. Rosema, 27, of Pasadena, Calif., died Mar. 14 south of Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during recovery operations.
• Cpl. Brian L. Chevalier, 21, of Athens, Ga., died Mar. 14 in Mufrek, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near him.
• Spc. Stephen M. Kowalczyk, 32, of San Diego, died Mar. 14 in Muqdadiyah, Iraq, when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire.
• Sgt. Robert M. Carr, 22, of Warren, Ohio, died Mar. 13 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.
• Lance Cpl. Raymond J. Holzhauer, 19, of Dwight, Ill., died March 15 from a non-hostile incident in Al Anbar province, Iraq.
• Pfc. Alberto Garcia Jr., 23, of Bakersfield, Calif., died Mar. 13 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire and an improvised explosive device.
• Staff Sgt. Blake M. Harris, 27, of Hampton, Ga., died Mar. 15 in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit during combat operations.
• Staff Sgt. Terry W. Prater, 25, of Speedwell, Tenn., died Mar. 15 in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit during combat operations.
• Sgt. Emerson N. Brand, 29, of Rigby, Idaho, died Mar. 15 in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit during combat operations.
• Pfc. James L. Arnold, 21, of Mattawan, Mich., died Mar. 15 in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit during combat operations.
• Spc. Joshua M. Boyd, 30, of Seattle, died Mar. 14 at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device exploded near his unit Mar. 5 in Samarra, Iraq.
• Spc. Forrest J. Waterbury, 25, of Richmond, Texas, died Mar. 14 near Ramadi, Iraq, when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire.

Yesterday Marcia and I laid out the top of the new bedspread that she's making. It is pictured at left. The point is to get the length to trim it to, prior to starting to quilt it. The quilting is going to take a while, but not nearly as tough as if Marcia hadn't gotten the new machine for her birthday. And of course, the frame I made with just my time and about $100 bucks of stuff should do as good a job as the $1300 frame and table available from the manufacturer. Okay, it's probably more like $150, but much of the lumber was "scrap" left over from older projects. The only thing left is to come up with a way to support a free-rolling holder for the batting — the three cross-bars shown at right are all locking to keep tension on the piece while it's being worked. The take-up roll is height-adjustable using clamps: as the quilt is completed and wound onto it to keep the working piece level with the "table".

Oh, yeah. The pictures from Friday... From left to right, they're identified as follows: A Zodiac mosaic in a park a couple of blocks above the beach in Jaffa. A topological map of the road to Jerusalem, above the road, where we talked about the battles and blockade of Jerusalem in 1948. A part of a 4,000 year old road, deep in Old Jerusalem. The Western Wall, aka the Wailing Wall. A chapel found up some stairs in the Holy Sepulchre. Svenson was really pretty close in his guesses, eh?

I don't know what else my day has in store. Hopefully not much. Have a great day, and keep our troops in your hearts and minds.

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Visit the rest of the DAYNOTES GANG, a collection of bright minds and sharp wits. Really, I don't know why they tolerate me <grin>. My personal inspiration for these pages is Dr. Jerry Pournelle. I am also indebted to Bob Thompson and Tom Syroid for their patience, guidance and feedback. Of course, I am sustained by and beholden to my lovely wife, Marcia. You can find her online too, at http://www.dutchgirl.net/. Thanks for dropping by.

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