dryfly.ca started as a website for sharing one of my DIY projects, a stitch and glue kayak. Since then I've added several more projects including a skin-on-frame kayak, cedar strip canoe, kayak paddles, canoe paddles, building a spey rod, and an antenna for receiving OTA HDTV. I also occasionally ramble on about politics, technology, bike racing, product reviews and last but not least, our kids.
Click on the Photo Gallery to lots of my pictures in their full glory, including family, friends, boat building, travels, etc.
Tight Lines!
Archive for August, 2010
August 23, 2010 at 8:50 am · Filed under Technology
I’m not one to really do the pros and cons on Windows (7) and Mac OSX. In fact, I think that on most accounts the two operating systems are essentially the same. They both have icons, usually at the bottom of the desktop, that a person clicks on to open a program. The programs are often identical in both OS. To install a program, you download it and then click on it. To print, you hit the print button. They both use a two-button mouse. etc. The whole apple user experience thing is completely overblown and not really rooted in any kind of reality.
Having said that, I have a question for Microsoft. It’s 2010, what up with all the reboots? I was using the computer the other day when I was notified that an update was installed and that I should reboot my computer. Windows users get these messages weekly. This time I just leaned back in my chair and stared at the screen. Really, a reboot? Wasn’t MS supposed to have re-written Windows, couldn’t they work things out so that our PCs don’t need constant reboots? After all, we all know how long it takes for Windows to boot (2 or 3 times longer than a mac) and it gets really annoying.
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August 15, 2010 at 1:52 pm · Filed under Just Stuff
Taken from one of the many reviews on Amazon after three wolf and moon went viral.
“May 22, 2009By Yossarian
I’m just a regular American guy. I’ve got a truck, smoke a little too much, maybe missing a few toes. Nothing too unusual. At my 9-to-5 I’ve gotten by for years on my old Two Wolf Moon T-Shirt. “Bring the loader over to bay 4″ they’d say, and I’d get over there and get it done, my two wolves classy enough for work but also letting the passing ladies know I’m a raging torrent of untamed American spirit yearning to breath free, preferably naked. I’m no Don Juan, but I did ok — mostly with Janice from Accounting, until she got diptheria.
Most of my income went to the good life, brewed high in the Rockies if you know what I mean. But one day I decided to take some hard earned dough and upgrade. Bigtime. When I got my Three Wolf Moon t-shirt, I knew my life had changed, but I didn’t know how much.
When I put it on, the effect was immediate. 33% more wolf was almost too much to handle. It was like wearing 1500 ccs of chaps on a 1800 cc motorcycle. The vibrations alone were almost enough to throw me off my stride. And the fact that the third wolf faces backwards while howling, demonstrating individuality at the same time as unity of purpose and nobility of spirit, was a metaphor so powerful Roy, the guy who steals my mail, practically took his own foot off with his weed whacker the moment he saw me.
Jesus.
After suturing him up with some spare baling twine, I trotted down to the hardware store to stock up. Bad idea. The rippling of my well endowed man curves apparently set the wolves to almost a hypnotic shimmering, trapped and yet freed under the opalescent moon they eternally worship and yet deny. Some guy took one look at me and backed right into a concrete planter. I almost stopped to see if he was ok, but then I remembered that wolves don’t stop for anybody, particularly when howling.
These days, I’m making $1.15 more an hour, and I keep getting free cable. With the savings, I’m thinking …maybe…just maybe, it’ll be Four Wolf Time soon. But for those of you who have put in your time and training on the One and Two wolf shirts, I highly recommend investing in an upgrade. You’ll never truly soar free without one.”
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August 14, 2010 at 9:00 pm · Filed under Just Stuff
Here is a great documentary produced by NOVA, dealing with the debate over “Intelligent Design” in High School science in Dover, Pennsylvania.
Essentially this was a fight to omit Intelligent Design from the school curriculum. There were two main principles at stake. First, that Intelligent Design is nothing more than re-branded Creationism. Creationism is specifically not allowed to be taught in public schools in the USA because of their constitution which demands the separation of religion and state. Secondly, Intelligent Design was shown to not be scientific in any way.
August 14, 2010 at 6:29 pm · Filed under Just Stuff
New objects that I saw two nights ago with my 6″ reflector…
NGC 6960, Veil Nebula
M101, Pinwheel Galaxy
M11, Wild Duck Cluster
M31, Andromeda Galaxy
M81, Bode’s Galaxy
August 12, 2010 at 4:49 pm · Filed under Just Stuff
Last night I ventured out to a secret site for viewing the night sky. Okay, I don’t know if it’s an actual secret, but it’s certainly out of the way. The site is maybe a 30min drive from my house and 1) there are no lights around to ruin night vision 2) the sky is noticeably darker than in the city. The Milky Way was easy to see whereas in the city a person would never see it. I’m not sure the viewing conditions were all that good last night, the transparency was supposedly quite poor (as forecast on Cleardarksky). I hope to go out there again tonight. Earlier today the forecast was for good transparency, but now it is predicting below average transparency again. It should be above average tomorrow but unfortunately I have to stay home tomorrow night.
August 11, 2010 at 7:04 pm · Filed under Freedom 15 Canoe
I finally really finished the canoe today! I hadn’t coated the inside of the canoe until this week, but timing and weather made it happen. Our garage is full of stuff now so I decided to spray S3 wr-lpu outside. It worked fine, especially since I wasn’t shooting for a perfect finish. I sprayed 3 coats, put the seats back in, and shazam! It’s all fini. I think we’ll take it with us when we go visit my folks. Maybe we’ll do a float done the Columbia River.
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