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Odd Lots

8 Comments

  1. Stickmaker says:

    Speaking of giant telescope mirrors, have you read _The Perfect Machine_ by Ronald Florence?

    For those who haven’t, it’s a very good book about the creation – and the background of that creation – of the Hale Telescope.

    The struggle to make that mirror is fascinating, with tales of new technologies, false starts and a discovery that sometimes the old ways are best, especially when updated. :-^)

    Even the original process for cleaning the glass before resilvering was a trademark of the era. (Literally; it involved Wildroot Cream Oil.)

  2. Tom Hanlin says:

    pre·var·i·cat·ing.
    to speak falsely or misleadingly; deliberately misstate or create an incorrect impression; lie.

    I do not think that was the word you had in mind. Hmm. Equivocating? That would work.

    Do vultures raven? …don’t mess with my head, man. I’m still trying to figure out why wool doesn’t come from wolves.

    1. I don’t believe I just did that. (I.e., thought “procrastinate” and typed “prevaricate.” So you got me dead to rights here.

      On the other hand, messing with your head is fair game.

      Can cows be cowed?
      Are dogs dogged?

      The possibilities are endless.

    2. I just fixed this in the main body of the entry for those who don’t read the comments, but I’ll still cop to it: In a fit of haste I wrote “prevaricating” when I meant “procrastinating.” This happens, especially when I’m writing too fast and beginning to think of other things.

  3. Aki says:

    “At Kodak, Some Old Things Are New Again ”

    “‘that’s cute — but don’t tell anyone about it.’ ”

    http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/02/technology/02kodak.html?pagewanted=all&gwh=3EED31077610DEC2A71EA5AF8D05E898

  4. Jon says:

    As I recall (and the article notes) the “Little Deuce Coupe” was the ’32 Ford, not the ’40.

    1. Indeed it was. Fixed now.

  5. The “Mother of All Demos” is fascinating. I had no idea they were doing that kind of stuff back then. WOW!

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