In a bit of pandemic-induced curiosity about just how far along my hair loss has gotten and how much grey might be mixed in, a few months ago I stopped doing my monthly head shave. Mid-June was the last time I shaved it all down, so I’m now at three months of growth.

Verdict so far: The Hanscom hairline holds strong, and has worked its way entirely over the top of my head, leaving just a few wispy stragglers up top. On the upside, this gives me a pretty decent Picard cut, though I certainly can’t lay claim to his gravitas, so I’m not quite the sexiest captain in Starfleet. Grey seems much more visible in my beard than on my head, though it’s definitely lighter around the temples.

Mom will be pleased to know that, while it’s still too short to really be obvious in these photos (especially in shots straight out of the shower directly after having been brushed into place), it’s still quite curly and correspondingly stubborn about which direction it wants to go. Bed head is once again a thing.

I’m not sure quite how long I’ll keep this experiment going (after a certain point, I’ll just start to get back into “creepy guy with a skullet” territory), and I’m sure I’ll go back to my usual “buzz it all off” routine when we’re allowed to be broadly social once again, but since Prairie’s the only one who sees me regularly these days, and she seems to think I’m cute however goofy my head looks, I’ll keep this going for a bit longer, at least.

On This Day: Sep 18

Since I’ll hit 20 years of blogging this November, this year I’m posting a daily list of anything I published on this day in the past.

There are 28 posts previously published on September 18th

  • 2023
  • 2022
  • 2020
    • Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Dies At 87 : Just days before her death, as her strength waned, Ginsburg dictated this statement to her granddaughter Clara Spera: “My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.” I’m generally an optimistic sort. But my god, is 2020 making it ... Read more
    • In a bit of pandemic-induced curiosity about just how far along my hair loss has gotten and how much grey might be mixed in, a few months ago I stopped doing my monthly head shave. Mid-June was the last time I shaved it all down, so I’m now at three months of growth. Verdict so ... Read more
    • On This Day: Sep 18 Recognizing 20 years of blogging, here are my past posts from September 18
  • 2018
  • 2016
    • Many thanks to my @norwescon friends who brought #Lego #minifigures to yesterday’s ConCom meeting to trade (and who were kind enough to let me snag a few more of their extras too…). Some nice new additions to our lineup!
    • Book forty-two of 2016: Star Trek Corps of Engineers: Out of the Cocoon, by William Leisner, Kevin Killiany, Phaedra M. Weldon, and Robert T. Jeschonek. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (262/366)
  • 2014
    • For #throwbackthursday: My untimely demise at the hands of Stefan (who was shortly dispatched by Kevin) somewhere in Germany during the summer of 1991.
  • 2011
    • The Frog Prince 'It’s not that you got what you wanted; it’s that you settled for wanting what you got. And that is the precise opposite of a happy ending.'
  • 2009
  • 2008
    • Links for September 17th through September 18th Sometime between September 17th and September 18th, I thought this stuff was interesting. You might think so too!
    • Obama vs. Palin ...on the whole, it's an effective summary of some of the (many, _many_) reasons why people who think that McCain/Palin is a better choice for the White House than Obama/Biden drive me batty, and why there's no chance I'd give my vote to anyone other than the Democratic party this election.
  • 2006
    • 21st Century Terrorism Don't worry about having to get your 'sleeper cells' set up with bombs or pilots licenses. Instead, figure out enough biology and chemistry to mix up an effective E. Coli solution, put together some simple form of distribution mechanism, then send your agents shopping.
  • 2005
    • Appropriate Blame I don’t think the President should have taken responsibility…. I don’t blame the President. I blame the American people. Y’all knew the man was slow when you voted him in. You can’t blame the blind man for wrecking your car when you’re the one who gave him the keys.
    • Presidential Potty Break President Bush wasn't checking to make sure he could wander out to the restroom without offending anyone. The real story is that he _wasn't sure_.
  • 2003
    • Canon EOS Digital Rebel Now that my new computer is on the way (two weeks to go, at most…), I've started fixating on a new item for my techno-lust: the Canon EOS Digital Rebel.
    • Driving sounds better all the time Southeast Airlines said it plans to install digital video cameras throughout the cabins of its planes to record the faces and activities of its passengers at all times, as a precaution against terrorism and other safety threats.
    • 'tis a silly place… Monty Python's 'Quest for the Holy Grail' is going to be a Broadway musical. Ni!
    • Ogni homo me guarda come fosse una testa de cazi A leading British museum has paid $387,000 for a Renaissance plate which shows a male head made up entirely of phalluses.
    • More info on JetBlue Wired has released more info on JetBlue's release of 5 million passenger records.
  • 2002
    • Stoopid. With two ‘O’s. It keeps amazing me just how many complaints and/or comments we're getting from customers that they wouldn't have if they would read the information on the page. I'm convinced that the lowest common denominator is sinking minute by minute.
    • Testing EspressoBlog Just making sure that this is working. I'm trying out EspressoBlog, an OS X app for posting to MT or Blogger powered weblogs.
    • Stuart Any celebrity who quotes the Dead Milkmen is cool by me.
  • 2001
    • Too cool for words I just found a listing on the Corona Coming Attractions movie news/rumor site detailing a film that I will have my skinny lil' butt planted in the seat for come opening day -- HardWired.
    • No more virus alerts Please do not blindly forward every 'alert', 'warning', or whatever else to everyone you know. I don't know about you, but I would much rather not receive anything twenty-five times.

📚 thirty-seven of 2020: Lucky Starr and the Pirates of the Asteroids by Isaac Asimov ⭐️⭐️

Even for this series of ‘50s YA space adventures, a bit underwhelming. A key point basically depends on magic, and has a twist that is painfully obvious very early on.

White House Killed USPS Plan to Distribute Masks

Seems the USPS had a fairly well developed plan to distribute reusable masks to US households, and was far enough along to have a press release drafted, until the White House killed it. Excerpted from this Washington Post article:

Some top administration officials even hoped to tap the mail service’s vast network — and its unrivaled ability to reach every U.S. Zip code — to help Americans obtain personal protective equipment. The idea originated out of the Department of Health and Human Services, which suggested a pack of five reusable masks be sent to every residential address in the country, with the first shipments going to the hardest-hit areas.

At the time, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had been working on coronavirus guidance that recommended face coverings, a reversal of its previous position, in the face of mounting evidence that people could spread the coronavirus without experiencing symptoms. The Postal Service prepared for the possibility it might be deputized in the effort, drawing up a news release touting that it was “uniquely suited” to help. The service specifically identified Orleans and Jefferson parishes in Louisiana as the first areas to receive face coverings, with deliveries shortly thereafter to King County, Wash.; Wayne County, Mich.; and New York, according to the newly unearthed document, which is labeled a draft.

Before the news release was sent, however, the White House nixed the plan, according to senior administration officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share internal deliberations.’

“There was concern from some in the White House Domestic Policy Council and the office of the vice president that households receiving masks might create concern or panic,” one administration official said in response to the scrapped mask plan.

On This Day: Sep 17

Since I’ll hit 20 years of blogging this November, this year I’m posting a daily list of anything I published on this day in the past.

There are 20 posts previously published on September 17th

  • 2023
  • 2020
    • 📚 thirty-seven of 2020: Lucky Starr and the Pirates of the Asteroids by Isaac Asimov ⭐️⭐️ Even for this series of ‘50s YA space adventures, a bit underwhelming. A key point basically depends on magic, and has a twist that is painfully obvious very early on.
    • White House Killed USPS Plan to Distribute Masks The service specifically identified Orleans and Jefferson parishes in Louisiana as the first areas to receive face coverings, with deliveries shortly thereafter to King County, Wash.; Wayne County, Mich.; and New York.
    • Trump on 200,000 COVID deaths: So we’re down in this territory. And that’s despite the fact that the blue states had tremendous death rates. If you take the blue states out, we’re at a level that I don’t think anybody in the world would be at. We’re really at a very low level.
    • On This Day: Sep 17 Recognizing 20 years of blogging, here are my past posts from September 17
  • 2018
    • Found on Tumblr: The Magic Wand Throughout Art History, an amusingly irreverent journey through art history, in which every painting has had a (ahem) personal massager added.
    • My first MeMoji Just a little bit of silliness, playing with iOS 12's new "MeMoji" customizable character emojis.
  • 2016
    • At our first @norwescon planning meeting for #nwc40! Lots of friendly geeks fiendishly scheming and dreaming up ideas for next year’s convention. Much fun! (261/366)
  • 2014
    • Whatever it was, I’m innocent. You can tell by the halo. ;)
  • 2008
  • 2006
    • Amazing Race 10 Premiere Two quick thoughts on the season premiere of The Amazing Race (which I may not watch any more of, but we figured we should at least watch the first one since they started off here in Seattle)...
  • 2005
    • Secession Found this via Chris Randall. Yes, I know it's over-simplified hyperbole, and I'm guessing that it dates from roundabout election time. So what. It gave me a grin.
  • 2003
    • Moonshine Run This weekend Rick stopped by for a bit, bringing with him a CD of .mp3s that he'd made from the MiniDisc. I just got them copied over to my Mac, and now I'm sitting here listening to Kevin and his friends play some good old down-home bluegrass. It's great — every so often between songs I can hear Kevin laughing in the background.
    • Comment spam for Dean? Well, this is a shame. It appears that 'Laura in DC' has recently started a new pro-Dean weblog, and is so excited about it that she feels that spamming weblog comments is the best way to get the word out.
    • Beware: You might be next! WARNING: Do not forward this column through e-mail, make photocopies to send to a child in college, tape it to your dorm-room door or put it on a bulletin board in your office — or you may be receiving an unexpected knock on your door.
    • How To… Every now and then, a new topic will be posted. It could be anything from 'How to eat peas.' to 'How to build an areoplane.' No answer is wrong and it's up to you, the player, to explain how to do it.
  • 2002
    • fCon fCon is dedicated to creating and controlling the future we know you want. Even if you don't know it yet, don't worry. Because we do. And we are committed to making our dream a reality.
  • 2001
    • I don’t even know what to say to this It may be the single most disgusting and infuriating response I've seen yet to last week's tragedy, and all the more so because of the people it comes from -- men who claim to be spreading God's word on earth.

On This Day: Sep 16

Since I’ll hit 20 years of blogging this November, this year I’m posting a daily list of anything I published on this day in the past.

There are 23 posts previously published on September 16th

  • 2024
  • 2023
  • 2022
  • 2020
    • Barbados will remove Queen Elizabeth as its head of state (this is mostly symbolic at this point, as they’ve been independent since 1966). However, this doesn’t mean that the sun will finally set on the British Empire — that doesn’t happen until they lose the Pitcairn Islands.
    • Scientific American Endorses Joe Biden Scientific American has never endorsed a presidential candidate in its 175-year history. This year we are compelled to do so. We do not do this lightly.
    • On This Day: Sep 16 Recognizing 20 years of blogging, here are my past posts from September 16
  • 2017
    • Taking our nieces to the fair today!
  • 2016
    • Got a fist bump of solidarity from a fellow kilted gent at lunch today (at Kiku-Chan, the little Japanese place near campus…because where else would you find kilted men in Ellensburg than at a Japanese restaurant?). :) (260/366)
  • 2014
    • I seem to have been slacking on my photo a day project. Gotta get back in the swing of things.
    • First-world problems: my new Apple Extreme router is tall enough that I had to move the gigabit Ethernet switch two spaces higher on the rack in my home’s networking closet.
  • 2009
    • Pre-makes Three trailers for movies you didn't know were remakes (probably because they weren't really...).
  • 2008
    • Say Cheese! Y'know, I probably shouldn't have posted anything about that textbook I popped up in the other day. After months of quiet, as soon as that goes up, the Washington Post includes me in a list of twelve photos that should never have been posted online.
  • 2005
    • Yet More Tweaks A few more tweaks and oddments.
    • …has a posse There's more and more posses out there these days. Andre the Giant had the first, Charles Darwin has one, Darth Vader, even Tony Danza...and I _know_ there's more. But there was only one problem. _I_ didn't have a posse. So I had to take care of that.
  • 2003
    • JetBlue and CAPPS II I don't know anything about what area of the country they serve, as I've never heard of them before, but it seems like the JetBlue airline is going to be the testbed for the blatantly invasive CAPPS II program.
    • PCs are Voodoo Well, that was entertaining. In roughly the same way that playing rugby against a team of rabid hyenas is entertaining, but entertaining none the less.
    • Notable me And while it's really, really geeky, I love the fact that she complimented me on my source code (hey, like I said, it's really geeky).
    • Cauliflower of love It doesn't get any more serious than a Rhinocerus about to charge your ass.
  • 2002
  • 2001
    • A good weekend for movies In the midst of more and more news about the continuing aftermath of the WTC and Pentagon attacks, and in a world where it looks more and more like the U.S. may soon be declaring war, I decided it was a good time to take a bit of a vacation and head out to the movies.

On This Day: Sep 15

Since I’ll hit 20 years of blogging this November, this year I’m posting a daily list of anything I published on this day in the past.

There are 27 posts previously published on September 15th

  • 2023
  • 2020
  • 2019
    • Book fifty of 2019: Conjure Wife, by Fritz Leiber. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1944 Retro Hugo Best Novel I enjoyed this one more than I expected when I started it. There’s an entertaining story in here, you just have to deal with the very mid-40s gender stereotypes.
    • Today, on my dad’s birthday, I’ll be seeing the 40th anniversary theatrical screening of Star Trek: TMP. Two-year-old me sat on his lap watching TOS, exclaiming “speesh!” and pointing somewhere over my shoulder as the Enterprise whooshed across the screen…. 🖖
  • 2018
    • E.T. phone home! E.T. phone home! If you ever get the chance to see E.T. in the theater, with a crowd full of kids who have never seen it before, I highly recommend it. I’ll admit that I got kinda choked up at the resurrection scene, and I think a large part of that wasn’t even the movie itself, but from ... Read more
    • Book thirty-four of 2018: Flash Gordon: The Lion Men of Mongo, by Alex Raymond and Con Steffanson ⭐️⭐️⭐️
  • 2016
    • I got a name tag today! I guess this means that after five years, I’m official now? ;) (All the COTS secretaries got them at this morning’s meeting.) (259/366)
    • Book forty-one of 2016: Doom: Knee-Deep in the Dead, by Dafydd ab Hugh and Brad Linaweaver. ⭐️⭐️ (258/366) (Yesterday’s photo that I forgot to post.)
  • 2009
  • 2008
    • Do Bats Tweet? I found the Joker through a Wired article yesterday (I think). Today Rachel started following me, and I found most of the rest directly and indirectly through her, except for Edward, who added me while I was exploring.
    • Links for September 12th through September 15th Sometime between September 12th and September 15th, I thought this stuff was interesting. You might think so too!
  • 2006
  • 2005
    • Happy Birthday Dad! Hi dad -- happy birthday! From your boy in Seattle. :)
    • LiveJournal/OpenID Authenticated Commenting Thanks to Mark Paschal's OpenId Comments plugin, visitors can now authenticate themselves when leaving comments using a LiveJournal or OpenID account in addition to TypeKey authentication (or no authentication at all).
  • 2003
    • New PowerBooks! Well, it finally happened — Apple has finally updated their PowerBook line. Since the keynote is still in progress, details are a bit sketchy, but here's some key points of what MacRumors has posted so far…
    • Hurricane Isabel Seems like every time the human race starts to get a little egotistical, good ol' Mother Nature comes along to show us who's really in charge around here. Good for her.
    • Just another day of lies The Powers That Be that run this country (into the ground, apparently) don't seem to be physically or psychologically capable of telling the truth anymore. The Nation's David Corn takes a look at 'The Latest Bush Gang Whoppers' today.
    • A question for Windows experts Why can't I delete a partition from within the Windows 2000 setup utility?
    • Updates, updates, updates Windows Update has just notified me that I have 33 'critical updates' to install to my copy of Windows 2000 SP 2.
    • Pinocchio Something else to add to my ever-growing reading list, thanks to Cory Doctorow: a beautiful new edition of the original Pinocchio fairy tale.
    • Dean Seattle flashmob Last week I mentioned the Doonesbury-inspired flashmob at the Space Needle. I didn't go (to be honest, I remembered it exactly when it was scheduled to happen), but pictures and a quick account have been posted by Harvey Wallbanger.
    • Happy birthday Dad! Today's my dad's birthday! Feel free to stop by and wish him the best. :)
    • Just needed a break Sometimes, a weekend staying away from the 'puter is just what one needs to keep one's sanity.
  • 2002