Those who know me know I like to create, and cooking is a fantastic hobby I’ve picked up. There’s always something new to learn. It’s art. It’s expression. And best of all, you can eat it. But like all things, if you do it, do it right. Cook like you mean it. Go big or go home. And recently I’ve learned that the culinary arts, or at least the kitchen responsibilities involved therein, have a lot in common with the … Continue reading
The times they are a-changing. A new survey on IT professionals and executives by Forrester Research shows that Mac users are HEROs, or “highly empowered and resourceful operatives”. Where once the research group stood by the recommendation to not support Apple devices in the enterprise arena, they now see that many of the brightest and best insist on using Macs. “Most of the Macs today,” writes Johnson, “are being freewheeled into the office by executives, top sales reps, and other … Continue reading
In Colorado for Labor Day Weekend. Kim and I took a trip up to the Rocky Mountain State Park today and hiked up to Alberta Falls. Unbelievable. Pictures can’t express what you can see here. Also met Lars and Henriette at the continental divide, as they continue their wild trek from Alaska to Argentina on motorcycle. Keep going guys, you can make it! Happy Labor Day everyone.
So it seems there were a few damages from the Virginia earthquake earlier this week. The biggest damages on the news? The National Cathedral and the Washington Monument. The Washington Monument suffered some cracking at the very top and has since been closed indefinitely to the public until damages can be assessed. As for the National Cathedral, gargoyles, spires, buttresses, and walls cracked, shifted, or fell and shattered. Other homes and businesses near the epicenter were damaged as well. While … Continue reading
I’m very excited and can’t wait to hear Dream Theater’s new album, hitting shelves next month, with new drummer Mike Mangini. It’s preordered and in the pipeline, but when I have a chance to take a listen, I’ll post my review. In the meantime, I’ve kept my ears fresh by following former DT drummer Mike Portnoy’s new band, Adrenaline Mob. These guys rock, really, really hard. Their EP is available on iTunes. In other artistic news, my friend Jessica Prescott … Continue reading
A very unusual earthquake struck Mineral, Virginia this afternoon at about 1:51pm EDT. I was sitting at my desk at work when it struck, and felt it here in Raleigh, North Carolina. At first we didn’t know what it was, or if it was related to nearby construction in the area, but most at the office felt it. Intense! This will be my first earthquake. Here is a link to the quake at the USGS website. It was more like … Continue reading
Went backpacking last weekend in Uwharrie National Forest. I forgot just how far twenty miles was with a pack. Talk about hot, I also forgot why I hadn’t backpacked in the beginning of August before. Made stroganoff at camp with the trusty Whisperlite, and we filtered most of our water from the streams we crossed. Looking forward to revisiting the trail in the fall when the leaves change color!
Hot on the heals of budget deals, deficit raising, and spending cuts in Washington comes a report from the American Society of Civil Engineers saying that our failing infrastructure will impact the US Gross Domestic Product by 2.7 trillion dollars by 2040. All due to funding gaps between what we use and what we actually pay to maintain. This will cause 400,000 lost jobs, lower incomes, lower spending, and lower exports, worsening the US trade position. Transportation is quite possibly … Continue reading
Left turns are terrible. When they aren’t extremely hazardous for drivers, they cause significant delays for other movements in the intersection because of dedicated left turn phases. Engineers have been plagued with this problem for years and have come up with many solutions, but usually the public doesn’t want anything to do with them. Even when they work exceptionally well, the Jughandle, the Michigan Left, and the all-powerful SPUI (single point urban interchange) all took time to introduce to the … Continue reading
A new transportation bill is going to decide how the United States spends money on transportation for the next six years. Unfortunately, those to whom this legislation has the most impact have the smallest voice. According to the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights report “Where We Need to Go: A Civil Rights Roadmap for Transportation Equity“, most funds only cover highways and very little public transportation. Millions of poor and working-class people are cut off from being able to … Continue reading
