January 30, 2012. Monday is it? OK, now that we got that straight....

I actually remembered something I wanted/needed to do first thing this morning. Clean the dust bunny's and cat hair outta this laptop!!  Took it in to the big ole hobby table , took the bottom off, battery out, and attacked it with the canned air. Bet I blew out bout a half pound of cat hair , fingernail clippings, dust bunny nest. Next was the cooling pad that it rest on with it's two fans. They were worst ( wish I could open it up and really clean it) .
Then I checked the temps and other information

It's staying nice and cool. Course it's cool in here this time of year. In summer it runs hotter of course.High temperatures have always been the biggest problem with computers. Remember the early ones?  Big as a room and air conditioners required more electricity than the computers did?
Don't know how many fans I have replaced in the old Desktop systems. In fact Buddy Jim in Austin told me the other day he had to go replace one in his uncles machine.

I have this laptop resting on a USB powered cooling pad that seems to work OK , but in looking at it today ,I'm either going to have to figer out how to open the molded case to clean the dual fans or replace it.

How'd I get off on that ??

Nothing on the list for today. ( and yes! there is an actual list) and only thing on the white board over there is "mechanic ? "  and " call new Doctor"

Mechanic is to remind me to take BOT down  and talk with him about what , if anything, we can do to improve mileage. Let him go over the maintenance records and maybe clean/replace the EBP (Exhaust Back Pressure) sensor and tube, these can clog up with carbon buildup over time and cause a reduction in fuel economy. There is a guy in town who can tune these big ole engines for power or fuel economy  using a "chip" replacement and exhaust work and air intake.  Not sure I want to go that far. But will look into it.  Also want him to check those big A disk brakes. It stops OK, Just I have never looked at the disk and rotors for wear. And lube it everywhere.
Should do all this cause it looks like I'm gonna be stuck with it so just as well make it run as good as possible.
( Sort of wish Barney, OFM were in the area cause he drives a BOT with a Chevy Diesel and has some experience along that line. )


Ok, nuther cuppa after I check weather of course.
 47.8 °F
Clear  
Windchill:     48 °F
Humidity:     56%
Wind:     3.0 mph from the South
Wind Gust:     11.0 mph
Visibility:     10.0 miles
Dew Point:     33 °F
Pressure:     30.23 in (Steady)

NWS forecast: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70. South southwest wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.


BBL betcha

OK, Buddy Bob  sent me an email with some oldies but goodies.
Conversations between airline pilots and controllers.

Tower: "Delta 351, you have traffic at 10 o'clock, 6 miles!"
Delta 351: "Give us another hint! We have digital watches!"
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Tower: "TWA 2341, for noise abatement turn right 45 Degrees."
TWA 2341: "Center, we are at 35,000 feet. How much noise can
we make up here?"
Tower: "Sir, have you ever heard the noise a 747 makes when it
hits a 727?"
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>From an unknown aircraft waiting in a very long takeoff queue:
"I'm f....ing bored!"
Ground Traffic Control: "Last aircraft transmitting, identify yourself immediately!"
Unknown aircraft: "I said I was f...ing bored, not f....ing stupid!"
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O'Hare Approach Control to a 747: "United 329 heavy, your traffic is a Fokker, one o'clock, three miles, Eastbound."
United 329: "Approach, I've always wanted to say this...
I've got the little Fokker in sight."
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A student became lost during a solo cross-country flight. While attempting
to locate the aircraft on radar, ATC asked,

"What was your last known position?"
Student: "When I was number one for takeoff."
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A DC-10 had come in a little hot and thus had an exceedingly long roll out after
touching down.  San Jose Tower Noted:
"American 751, make a hard right turn at the end of the
runway, if you are able. If you are not able, take the
Guadeloupe exit off Highway 101, make a right at the lights
and return to the airport."
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A Pan Am 727 flight, waiting for start clearance in  Munich , overheard the following:
Lufthansa (in German): "Ground, what is our start clearance time?"
Ground (in English): "If you want an answer you must speak in
English."
Lufthansa (in English): "I am a German, flying a German airplane, in Germany. Why must I speak English?"

Unknown voice from another plane (in a beautiful British accent):"Because you
lost the bloody war!"
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Tower: "Eastern 702, cleared for takeoff, contact Departure on frequency 124.7"
Eastern 702: "Tower, Eastern 702 switching to Departure. By the
way, after we lifted off we saw some kind of dead animal on the far end of the runway."
Tower: "Continental 635, cleared for takeoff behind Eastern 702, contact Departure on frequency 124.7.  Did you copy that
report from Eastern 702?"
Continental 635: "Continental 635, cleared for takeoff, roger; and yes,
 we copied Eastern... We've already notified our caterers."
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One day the pilot of a Cherokee 180 was told by the tower to hold short of the
active runway while a DC-8 landed. The DC-8 landed, rolled out, turned around, 
and taxied back past the Cherokee. Some quick-witted comedian in the DC-8
crew got on the radio and said,

"What a cute little plane. Did you make it all by yourself?"

The Cherokee pilot, not about to let the insult go by, came back with a real zinger:

"I made it out of DC-8 parts. Another landing like yours and I'll
have enough parts for another one."
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The German air controllers at Frankfurt Airport are renowned as a short-tempered
lot. They not only expect one to know one's gate parking location, but how to get
there without any assistance from them. So it was with some amusement that we
(a Pan Am 747) listened to the following exchange between Frankfurt ground
control and a British Airways 747, call sign Speedbird 206.
Speedbird 206: " Frankfurt , Speedbird 206! Clear of active runway."
Ground: "Speedbird 206. Taxi to gate Al pha One-Seven."
The BA 747 pulled onto the main taxiway and slowed to a stop.

Ground: "Speedbird, do you not know where you are going?"
Speedbird
206: "Stand by, Ground, I'm looking up our gate location now."
Ground (with quite arrogant impatience): "Speedbird 206, have you not
been to Frankfurt before?"
Speedbird 206 (coolly): "Yes, twice in 1944, but it was dark, -- And I didn't land."
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While taxiing at  London 's Airport, the crew of a  US Air flight departing for
Ft. Lauderdale made a wrong turn and came nose to nose with a United 727.
An irate female ground controller lashed out at the  US Air crew, screaming:"US Air 2771, where the hell are you going? I told you to turn right onto Charlie taxiway! You turned right on Delta! Stop right there. I
know it's difficult for you to tell the difference between C and D,
but get it right!"
Continuing her rage to the embarrassed crew, she was now shouting hysterically:
"God! Now you've screwed everything up! It'll take forever to
sort this out! You stay right there and don't move till I tell you
to! You can expect progressive taxi instructions in about half
an hour, and I want you to go exactly where I tell you, when I
tell you, and how I tell you! You got that, US Air 2771?"

"Yes, ma'am," the humbled crew responded. Naturally, the ground control communications frequency fell terribly silent after the verbal bashing of US Air
2771.  Nobody wanted to chance engaging the irate ground controller in her
current state of mind.  Tension in every cockpit out around Gatwick was definitely running high. Just then an unknown pilot broke the silence and keyed his 
microphone, asking:

"Wasn't I married to you once?"

And finally...  a clever way to keep the dammed tree rats out of your bird feeders. ( and some pretty good comic relief) Squirrel Twirler. 


4PM+   Cat's circling wanting supper I guess. They been out back keeping any interlopers out of their yard.  Speaking of that. Noticed today that the buzzard have returned to the area. Saw several different sets on my short run earlier.  Seeing a few hawks,but not a lot yet.
Guess I better feed them, open a new can of stuff cause they sure didn't like that last choice ( ground up/pureed  fish parts.

Dang Hermit Jim's comment below got me to thinking  serious about taking a short trip.  I may just have to take a run down to the coast to gut stuff myself at that place I mentioned before. Snoopy's Pier. Think the last time was two  years ago? or has it been longer?  I know Ann and I went down early one spring and like to have froze our asses off. So it may well have been over 4 years.  Not sure any more . Takes me bout 5 hours to get there ( the back way, NOT the super slab)
I'll think on it .. no rush for sure.
Speaking of traveling and going places.One of my favorite places in Texas is SOUTH Padre Island. Just love that place and have for years. But after  Ann passed and I took her ashes down to the beach, I haven't been back.  Maybe this year?