[insert obligitory "oh so you finally found a computer to post with, my life can now continue" comment here]. Despite popular opinion, I’m perfectly aware that Wednesday is May Day . . . I mean New Year’s. What will 2004 hold for deanmassey.net? Good friggen question. Here’s plan A:
So, there you have it. If I fail to follow through on these items, I fully expect to be DDoS’d off the planet.
I have to admit, I’ve been a bit of a book worm lately. For Christmas I received two books (plus a lot of other neat stuff too, but subjectivly not related to this post) The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons both by Dan Brown. I must say, despite my having very little interest in religion in my day to day life, these books are absolutly fascinating. The genre is historical fiction although it is hard to descern the fact from fiction in the books.
The Da Vinci Code is focused around a secret organization called The Priory of Sion whose mission is to protect the holy grail from the church. I’d expound more, but I’m liable to be hurt if I spoil the plot. Anyway, the book reads fast taking me only about three days.
Angles & Demons is a bit darker of a tale. This is the story of the Illuminati and thier plot to destroy the Vatican. In the book, the ancient Illuminati where the so called “Enlightend Ones”. Comprised of scientists and the like, the Illuminati fought the Church’s policies of scientific suppression (Galileo is a good example). The interesting part is that the objective way that the author protrays the Illuminati in their former light (although they are clearly the antagonist in the book), but I can’t help to think that if I was alive during the 1600’s, I almost certainly would have (attempted) to be a member of this society. It’s like they read my mind. Anyway, I’m not done with the book yet (200 pages left) but I’d recommend it to those who are up for a good read.
Big banks just suck. So I’m sitting here, waiting for Wells Fargo to call me back so they can tell me where I need to send one of my bills (I took off and forgot to drop it in the mail). I can’t believe that they couldn’t just tell me on the spot where to mail it. I’m sure glad they’re so damned big that no one knows what the hell is going on. Of course, their inability to provide me with the necessary information to pay my bill will in no way effect thier desire to collect it. Most likely because the Hal 9000 they have running the whole operation isn’t really all that interested in customer service. So folks, if you’re going to get a home mortgage, don’t do it with a bank that has more money then god.
As I alluded to before, last week was pretty interesting. However, I’d like to share with you some of last week’s highlights. More specifically, what I learned last week:
Ok, that’s all I learned. Comments: anything I’m missing?
Well, I just thought that rather than neglect the site for another day, I’d post a nibble of what has transpired within the last week. Put simply, it has been a very strange but bery good week. To put it in the words of Mr. Josh Taylor, “I totally GHB’d my exam[s]” (ok tasteless I know but funny too). To be honest though, I’ve had a lot of interesting things go down this past week (or attempt to anyway). Be that as it may, next week will find me in much the same condition as this week. Anyway, hopefully I can elaborate more tomorrow.
This is it. My last chance to salvage a decent grade in my classes. I’ve got heat transfer licked, but I’m sort of punting in Fluids and Thermodynamics. The former I didn’t think homework counted towards the grade in any significant fashion; well it does and now I’m out 10% off the top. The latter is just a from a whole-hearted disinterest in the subject. So, tomorrow at 2:45pm I have to walk in there and just kill that thermo exam dead. About 130% is what I need to get an A. No problem. Alright, I just stalling here. Its funny, in order to do any hardcore studying, I have to remove all the interesting things outside of a 50 foot sphere of my cranium. That leaves only two places to study - a big pile of rocks and the library. It’s cold I I guess it’s the library then.
Dear Diary,
Every second that passes, I can feel the cryopump attempting to wrench my sanity from grasp with its strange rythmic churning I guess you could say. It’s still snowing outside, forcast calls for it to stop sometime in May. I’m running about 4 hours ahead of schedule here in the lab. At this rate, I’ll be done with the test before anyone else even shows up OR I could just slam my head down on this desk and take a little nap. Although, between you and me diary, I think the voices I’m hearing from the cryopump may take over. They keep saying something about “crackers, eat crackers”. Hmmm, this lab is sort of a mess. [Yes pump I hear, crackers, but what does it mean????] Pipe everywhere. I only have 30feet left and I don’t think that’ll be enough. Did I mention it’s still snowing? Moving my truck to Lot 9 was certainly an adventure. I think we’re up to 6″ at least overnight. Want to see pictures of campus? Of course you do go here. If you look around 6 am, you’ll probably see me doing doughnuts in the parking lot. Ok diary, I think my pipes are cool enough to only cause 2nd degree burn so I’m going to get back to work.
A couple of days ago, it started snowing . . . and it really hasn’t quit yet. Even now, at 4:50 am, still snowing. All I can say is four-wheel drive kicks ass. I’d probably still be at home if I didn’t have it. I bet that we’ve probably gotten at least a foot of snow in the last 48 hours and there doesn’t seem to be any end in sight. But that’s really ok though because the snow totally dampens the road noise from the UP’s interstate (US 41) that rolls by the house. It was nice not to hear every single logging truck making its way up the hill. Although, that sound has since been replaced by snowplows which seem to pass every few minutes.
Still pumping here in the lab . . . I’m down to that grey area between 1-5 milliTorr where neither pressure gauge really has any clue what’s going on. So far as the plumbing goes the hardest part is over. All the valves and returns are hooked up and cooling off as we (I) speak. The whole setup looks pretty nice but I really should have went all out and gotten some chrome paint for the pipes. It would look like a drug czar worked here but alas, this space is reserved for indentured servents (read grad students).
Well, its 2:00 am there are few things I’d rather be doing then sitting here pumping down the vacuum chamber. That’s right folks, tonight is one of the all nighter’s again where 9am finds me all loopy listening to rap music and crawling the walls. Tonights test is a continuation of the test from two weeks ago (links here and here
So, on the agenda for tonight (besides the pumpdown - I can multitask you know) is: #1, get a good way into plumbing the cooling lines for the three new pumps on the new tank. Shouldn’t be too bad so long as I don’t fall off the tank and crack my mellon on the floor. #2, heat transfer project that is due on Friday. My group and I have been working on this for about a week now and we’re nearly finished . . . tonight is the night. #3, fluids homework. Despite my 90% exam average, my fluid grade is “suboptimal” since I didn’t realize that homework (which I only do hours before the exam and hence didn’t turn in) was worth a staggering 10% of the total grade. Oops. So I have to fade back and punt on this one. To bad too since I actually feel like know what’s going on in fluids now. Anyway, I better get plumbing. I’ll keep you guys posted (or you can read all the posts in the morning).
I finally managed to find a screw driver way in the back of some 6th floor toolbox that was small enough to fit my camera. I didn’t even have to take it all apart, just undo all the screws I could (stripped one) and pry the body apart. Wouldn’t you know it, a little screw came tumbling out. No idea where it came from and what is no longer properly attached but hell, the thing works.
So, the picture I wanted to show everyone a few weeks ago - my new power panel installed. It is true, compared to the unfinished work, it no longer seems like it is going to reach out and kill you. (Click for larger image).
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"Well, I think we have enough rope, beer and chainsaws to get the job done"
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