Friday, February 12, 2010

We're not getting any of this


IMG_2403, originally uploaded by Sandra Maynard.

WTF - everyone SOUTH of us is getting blanketed with SNOW!

I received a perpetual Blue Screen of Death on my home computer thanks to a Microsoft update - that's their ultimate plan to prevent vulnerabilities - if you can't use your computer, no one can!

Instead of repairing it, I grabbed some things off the hard drive, re-formatted it, and have installed Windows 7 (I was on XP). So far I like it, even though it's a little frustrating because the user interface is quite different.

I forgot to mention that Jon and I watched a fascinating documentary: For All Mankind. Someone went through the vast archive of footage of the Apollo missions and made an audio-visual mosiaic of the moon landings. There's no narration except for some archival commentary from some of the astronauts. The documentary conveys what it must have been like to be stuck in a small rocket-propelled can for days in the eternal vacuum of space just to reach a dead alien satellite. I haven't felt that kind of wonder and awe about what we accomplished (with late 60's tech!) since I was a kid. I can't wait until Brenden is old enough to appreciate the Space and Rocket center here in Huntsville.

After watching this documentary, I totally appreciate how well Ron Howard captured the geeks in the control room in Apollo 13. They truly were a bunch of white nerd-boys who smoked like chimneys. And Ed Harris totally nailed Gene Krantz ("not on my watch!"). I need to watch it again.

3 comments:

Lisa Erin said...

On the subject of computers...they have become an essential part of everyday life for most people, and as such a huge pain in the arse. When Windows is functioning well, it's a great thing. In my experience as a past MIS/Computer person, for all of it's pluses every version of Windows I've used has been glitchy. Hopefully 7 is an improvement.

I'll have to look for that documentary. Sounds fascinating. 'Apollo 13' is a good flick...a friend of mine, Jonathan Paley, was Kevin Bacon's stand-in for that movie.

Anonymous Me said...

I want to see that documentary. And then Apollo 13, and then The Right Stuff. This is in the alternative reality where I have hours of time to do what I want with.

Topcat said...

Hey Lisa: 7 is certainly an improvement over Vista! Also, it turns out my computer was a zombie and the patch was Microsoft's way of shooting it in the head. I'll post about that eventually.

Nancy: if you ever find that alternate's portal/ hole/ door/ flight number, let me know. If you still use Netflix you can stream the documentary.

-Sandy