Today I randomly opened The Last Drive to page 159 and, with my eyes closed, pointed to the page. My finger was closest to the word “attached.” This is our prompt today.
August marks the anniversary of IBM’s introduction of the first personal computer in 1981. If you want to return to that time, take this list with you. It may save a mistake or even a tear in the time continuum. This post ran first on August 12, 2019
Top Ten Things Not to Do at the Introduction of the First IBM Personal Computer in 1981
10 At the intro of the IBM PC, do not laugh out loud at the 16 to 256 kB amount of memory being offered. If you do, at best someone will think you are laughing with delight. At worst, you’ll be put in a position of explaining what you believe to be so funny. (Just because your current laptop has a thousand times that memory, you need not be a snob, Isaias.)
9 At the intro of the IBM PC, do not tell Tiny the WWF champ that he needs to learn to keyboard. If you do, at best Tiny will think you mean someone else. At worst, Tiny will think you are mocking his two-fingered approach to typing. (The other worse part is Tiny just left his self-esteem support group where he was told he is a beautiful, perfect, big boy. I think you will have to deal with his feelings of rejection, Illias. It is going to hurt. I’m just sayin’)
8 At the intro of the IBM PC, do not ask if there are any discounts available on the $1,565.00 price tag. If you do, you’ll likely get a strange look. At worst, the engineers will go into a lot of detail about the components and how expensive everything is inside. (Now don’t you feel foolish, Ismael? Put that Best BUY coupon away. It is not helpful to tell them that you can get a PC priced at $141.00 in 1981 dollars. Might even get you run out of town.)
7 At the intro of the IBM PC, do not ask if you can play Pong on it. If you do, at best, more funny looks. At worst, one of the engineers will suddenly see you as a genius and won’t get away from you. (You may think this is a good thing, Izzy, but the guy hasn’t been out of his clothes for two weeks.)
6 At the intro of the IBM PC, do not use white-out on the screen to correct mistakes you make trying out a unit. If you do, at best the group will think you are cute. At worst, they’ll think you are a technology terrorist. (There are a couple of big guys moving your way, Iban. Might be a good idea to take your white-out and correction tape and head for the door.)
5 At the intro of the IBM PC, do not complain if you get a stripped-down version with no monitor for your $1565.00 ($4313 in 2018 dollars). If you do, you may be told to buy a more expensive model. At worst, the engineers will sit you down and explain that the PC was designed to be hooked to a TV monitor. ( So now you know, Ivo. You just plop that sucker down by your TV and plug it in the back. Well, assuming you have a connection on your TV. If not, come back and get the +$3,000 models. We’ll throw in a couple of floppy disk drives too. Don’t tell me you don’t know what floppy disks are?)
4 At the intro of the IBM PC, do not scoff at Charlie Chaplin’s character The Little Tramp as a spokesperson for the IBM PC. If you do, at best, the market will ignore you. At worst, the advertising folks will lock you in a room and make you watch an endless loop of Little Tramp commercials until you buy a PC. (Best just buy one in the first half-hour, Idal. Otherwise, your brain may melt.)
3 At the intro of the IBM PC, do not buy before you try. If you do, you can expect some inconvenience. At worst, you’ll be trying to save to drives that don’t exist and print to empty slots. (Maybe you should have tried it out first, Isham. Looks like you will need the more expensive one after all.)
2 At the intro of the IBM PC, do not ask if it is compatible with your iPhone. If you do, at best, no one in the room will know what an iPhone is. At worst, the security department will believe you asked the question because you are from a competitor. (Looks like it is going to be a fun ride out the front door, Izak. Try to land on something soft this time.)
1 At the intro of the IBM PC, do not ask if it comes in colors other than grey. If you do, at best the salespeople will think you are joking. At worst, the salespeople will think you are a corporate spy for Apple. (Looks like they are ready for this kind of thing, Issa. Here comes the sheriff with a couple of deputies. Might be a good time to hit the way back button on that cell phone.”
Today we are going on a wine tasting in Fredericksburg, Texas. My daughters and I are taking this trip to celebrate my 85th year (Last May). We are catered on the bus by Launderette in Austin, and our entertainment is Billy Joel.
The coffee machine touchscreen is balled up with different languages. Given the two-year-old beating on pots and pans feeling in my head, it took great restraint to not give in to the bald disappointment of caffeine denial. The machine bawled for someone to help. Pulling the plug and reinserting it turned everything back to normal. The two coffee icon was touched, and the heavenly elixir poured forth.
The first sip sent the kid to the backyard. The second (You know what’s coming) was accompanied by the dual torture of the Westminster Chimes of the doorbell and the glass-cracking din of the hounds of Baskerville trying to bark the intruder to St. Louis. A toss of a wagyu porterhouse steak into the soundproof room, followed by the slamming of the door, reunited the environment to the sound of silence.
A glance at the security monitor showed that the idiot on the porch who can’t read the “Do not ring the doorbell” sign was Br’er Rabbit. With a sigh, the security shutdown process is begun.
The B-2 bomber squadron and the F-35 escort must be called off. One call does it. The tank corps and gunboats are told to stand by. The Apache helicopters are rerouted. The electric shock fence is turned off. The drawbridge over the quicksand is lowered. The robot attack dogs returned to their charging station. The laser-guided machine guns on the roof are set to caution. The nest filled with rattlesnakes put away. The bucket filled with 1000 marbles is locked down. The tear gas canisters are shut off. The electrified welcome mat set to off. The fall-away sidewalk into the pit filled with spikes is locked. The hornet’s nest is closed. The water cannons are set to safety. Bear traps are set to off. Peregrine Falcons perched on the roof above the front door fed. The vat of boiling oil set to warm. The front door is opened.
The rabbit has a clipboard and a letter. He passes them to me, and after signing, it is returned with a fiver, and the advice to watch out for tar babies.
Inside the house, the envelope reveals a message from Dan Antion filling in for Linda Hill, it reads:
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “Bald, Balled, Bawled” Use one. Use two or use them all any way you’d like. If you manage to use all three, I’ll slide you some bonus points. Enjoy!
To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link.
Oyster reefs also protect coastlines by helping reduce the force of waves during storms.
What looked like waste has turned into an important tool for restoring marine life along Florida’s coast. Between 2007 and 2024, Florida placed more than 500,000 tonnes of recycled oyster and clam shells into the Gulf of Mexico as part of a long-term effort to restore damaged marine habitats. According to a report by Upworthy, the shells did not come from the sea directly, but were collected from seafood restaurants, where they were discarded after meals, and from seafood processing plants. Instead of sending them to a landfill, they were returned to the water in areas where oyster reefs had declined over the years. At first, many people questioned the idea, even calling it dumping waste into the sea. Even researchers saw little visible change in the early stages of the project and were unsure whether the effort would succeed.
Although there was no immediate change on the surface, important processes had already started. As the shells were placed in the water, bacteria settled on them and formed a thin layer called biofilm. This is one of the first building blocks of a marine ecosystem, creating conditions that allow other organisms to attach, settle, and grow. The shells slowly broke down, releasing calcium into the water. This created small areas with a different water chemistry called microzones.
These tiny changes create suitable conditions for several underwater organisms that depend on such environments to survive. The shells also solved another major problem. Healthy oyster reefs need hard surfaces where young oysters can attach and grow. As many reefs had disappeared, much of the seabed had become soft and sandy, making it difficult for new oysters to establish themselves. The recycled shells acted as that missing foundation, and young oysters settled on them, gradually forming new reefs over time.
Shells were collected from seafood restaurants, where they had been discarded after meals,
Impact on water quality
Oyster population growth also brought additional benefits. While feeding, they filter large volumes of water, removing particles and helping reduce harmful algal blooms. Cleaner water also supports the growth of other plants and animals that depend on coastal ecosystems. Over time, these changes spread through the food chain, and fish and larger marine animals find more suitable habitats. According to the project, populations of fish, turtles, and dolphins recovered to levels not seen for more than 25 years. The gradual rebuilding of the seabed eventually became visible as marine life returned to areas that had earlier struggled to support it.
Importance of reefs
Healthy marine ecosystems support commercial fishing, which generates income for coastal communities. When fish populations decline, fishermen’s earnings are impacted, and seafood prices increase. Cleaner coastal waters support tourism, a major source of income for communities in Florida. Oyster reefs also help protect coastlines by reducing wave energy during storms. They act as natural barriers that can limit erosion and protect nearby shores. Oyster populations have declined over the years because of overharvesting. Human-caused environmental disasters, including the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, have also damaged marine habitats, making it harder for oyster reefs to recover. The results from Florida have drawn attention from coastal engineers and marine biologists, and similar shell recycling programs have already been introduced in several US states, including Alabama, Texas, Louisiana, California, Mississippi, and the Carolinas.
The good news here is recycled shells are giving birth to new life and improved environment. Today’s JohnKu talks about recycling. I hope you have a wonderful weekend
Today I randomly opened Eternal Road- the final stop to page 245. With eyes closed, I pointed to the page. The word “Amazes” is closest to my finger. This is our prompt.
Today, we are going to the movies. The Lakeway Parks and Recreation Movie Night was on Friday. Through the mircle of toime travel we can go today. We are catered by Moonshine Grill of Austin. Our entertainment is Shakeria.
Menu
THE ORIGINAL MOONSHINE – ” CORN DOG” SHRIMP® honey mustard, blueberry swirl
MAMA’S PIMENTO CHEESE – garden crudités, hot pretzel sticks
STREET CORN QUESO – queso fresco, pico de gallo, bacon, tortilla chips
CATHEAD BISCUITS -honey butter, house preserves
FRIED GREEN TOMATOES – jumbo lump crabmeat, avocado, tomato, green goddess dressing
FULLMOONPLATTER – two eggs any style, bacon, home fries, toast
STEAK&EGGS.- charcoal bistro filet, two eggs any style, grit cake, salsa verde, toast
The coffee machine is ready for me. A finger on the touchscreen is enough to draw a steaming 8-oz cup of soothin’ syrup. The first sip served to quell the shipyard riveting hammer noise in my head from the lack of caffeine. The second (as we know) is accompanied by the cacaphony of Twiggy and Tempest and their St. Louis-bound barking volume and the Westminster chime of the doorbell.
A sweet treat tossed into the soundproof room, and the slamming of the door brings the peace train back into the station. A look at the security monitor identifies the idiot who can’t read. It is none other than the wolf from the story of ” The Little Red Riding Hood. He is holding a clipboard, an envelope, and a handwritten sign. The sign reads “Open the door, or I’ll huff, and I’ll puff and blow your house down. ” My thought is fat chance, but with a sign, the security shutdown process is begun.
The B-2 bomber squadron and the F-35 escort must be called off. One call does it. The tank corps and gunboats are told to stand by. The Apache helicopters are rerouted. The electric shock fence is turned off. The drawbridge over the quicksand is lowered. The robot attack dogs returned to their charging station. The laser-guided machine guns on the roof are set to caution. The nest filled with rattlesnakes put away. The bucket filled with 1000 marbles is locked down. The tear gas canisters shut off. The electrified welcome mat set to off. The fall-away sidewalk into the pit filled with spikes is locked. The hornet’s nest closed. The water cannons are set to safety. Bear traps are set to off. Peregrine Falcons perched on the roof above front door fed. The vat of boiling oil set to warm. The front door is opened.
The wolf looks pleased and hands over the clipboard and envelope. The board is returned with a signature and a fiver clipped to the top. The wolf curls his lip, so a good word has to be shared before slamming the door. The words given to the wolf were by Victor Hugo: “Even the darkest night will end, and the sun will rise.”
The envelope is from Linda Hill with a message inside. It reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “draw.” Use it as a noun, use it as a verb, use it any way you’d like. Have fun!
