Today, I randomly opened Detour on the Eternal Road to page 85. With eyes closed, I pointed to the page. The word nearest to my finger is “breath.” This is our prompt today.
As a reminder, this series of top-ten lists is a fantasy look at historical events as if we were there. This post was originally published on August 13, 2018
The Top Ten Things Not to Do During the French Revolution
10 If you were in France during the revolution, do not wear your best clothes while walking on the street. If you do, at best, you will be suspected of being a monarch supporter. At worst, you will be arrested, tried, convicted, and face the guillotine. (You have to admit it, Frank. These folks have no patience with cleanliness or fine clothes. Get ready for a really close shave.)
9 If you were in France during the revolution, do not accept a ride on a two-wheel wagon driven by Tiny the Revolutionary champ, who just got a loyalty award. If you do, at best, you’ll sneak off before you reach the plaza. At worst, you have a difficult time trying to convince Tiny that you are not part of the monarchy and are now trussed up like a turkey. (Those wagons are for transporting prisoners to the guillotine, Felix. What were you thinking?)
8 If you were in France during the revolution, do not wear your “I Love Louis XVI” pin. If you do, at best, most folks will think you are joking. At worst, a mob of villagers will ensure you are no longer a threat to the revolution. (What do all these people want, Fredrick. Why do they continue to yell, “Off with his head?” This is not Wonderland.)
7 If you were in France during the revolution, do not take the tour of the Bastille even if you paid in advance. If you do, at best, the tour will be quick, and you’ll be out before the storming. At worst, you will be mistaken for a defender of the Bastille by the storming crowds. (I would try to remember how to use that saber, Flynn. You are not going to convince that crowd that you are a tourist.)
6 If you were in France during the revolution, do not forget to wear your Liberté, égalité, fraternité T-shirt whenever you go outside. If you do forget, at best, you’ll still look like a peasant. At worst, your judgmental air will get you into court. (There doesn’t seem to be a whole bunch of innocent until proven guilty thought around this place, huh, Fabio. Next stop, the ultimate haircut.)
3 If you were in France during the revolution, do not continue to joke about wanting a Napoleon for dessert. If you do, at best, you might need a steak for that black eye. At worst, you might need a priest for that long walk to the guillotine. (When no one laughed the tenth time, you might have gotten the hint, Finian.)
2 If you were in France during the revolution, do not continue to tell everyone how beautiful you think the Palace of Versailles is in the sunlight. If you do, at best, they will be too busy to take you seriously. At worst, you and 100 of your closest Versailles residents will be marched into Paris. (Another trial, Finian. This is getting tiring. The good news is this is a tip to the executioner-free day at the guillotine.)
1 If you were in France during the revolution, do not assume the flag you are flying is that of the revolutionists. If you do, at best, you picked right. At worst, your three gold fleur-de-lis on a white background, although beautiful, will attract bullets. (Never believe a guy on the street who sold it to you, Fitz. Now you need to take cover.)
Today, we are visiting the Lakeway Activity Center for the Summer Camp Sign-up. We are catered by Zanzibar of Austin, and our entertainment is Pete Seeger.
Menu
Grilled Pineapple Salsa – avocado, pickled red onion, pineapple, cilantro
The coffee machine is the greatest life hack until it isn’t. Some days it functions perfectly, and others you would think it belonged in the junk yard. Today is one of the former. Dual streams of soothing syrup fill the cup without a hitch. The first sip quiets the caffeine-deprived nerve endings in the brain. The second sip is greeted by the Westminster and Hounds of Baskerville cacophony that threatens to blow out all the windows.
A toss of two bones into the soundproof room, followed by the slamming of the door, brings a kind of hush all over the world. A glance at the security monitor confirms the presence of a mule on the porch. After give-and-take with Francis the talking Mule, it is clear the security system needs to be shut down, and the door opened.
The SWAT team needs to be put on standby. A quick text to the leader confirms that status. Also, the flight of A-10 Warthogs must be diverted. Another call to the commander puts that worry to rest. The SEAL team needs to be called off, and a call to the leader makes that possible. The MH-60 Jayhawk Helicopter hovering over the house is diverted. A call to the tow truck driver stops the deployment of an M1A1 Abrams Tank. The control panel simplifies the security system’s shutdown process. The boiling oil vats are put on standby, the turret mortars disengaged, the Trebuchet on safety, the concertina wire rolled, the Claymore mines reset, the tower Gatling guns on safety, the moat net dropped, the alligators fed, and the IEDs and shoulder-held rockets put away. The Proton torpedoes switched off. The gamma ray beams covered. The high-powered maser guns switched to standby, and the nanorobots were chained in the basement. The Klingons are called back, and the Targ is caged. Robbie’s Bot is sent to the basement. The Tasmanian Devil is directed to the food in his cage, and the door drops. The electronic jammer is kept active, given a situation with a robot not too long ago. The locks on the door are thrown. And the door opened.
The Mule has an envelope in its mouth, which it drops on the porch. Picking it up there is the obvious sign of an expected tip. The Mule raises a hoof in anticipation of a payoff. The last thing needed is two rear leg horseshoe dents in the front door, so a ten-spot is slipped into the outstretched hoof. An ear-splitting Hee Haw lets me know the Mule is happy. Once inside, the envelope contains a message from Linda Hill. It reads
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “life hack.” Use it however you’d like. Enjoy!
To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link:
Today’s good news comes from the Good News Network
A Chinese conglomerate that controls 37% of the global market for EV batteries has recently said it will “spare no effort” to electrify parts of the marine shipping industry.
The cost of lithium ions has fallen by 90% over the past two decades, epitomizing the overall reductions in battery costs that have facilitated the resulting boom in EVs.
In all that, however, little has been done to investigate the use of battery-powered maritime systems. It’s for good reason: batteries produce lower-density energy than the heavy fuels used to power container ships or tugboats. Displacing water requires a lot more umph than displacing air.
Now, CATL, which also controls some 22% of the world’s energy storage systems, is planning to double its maritime applications division to pioneer early battery systems for near-shore vessels.
“We will spare no effort in investing in R&D, human resources, and materials to build the supply chain for this industry,” said Su Yi, who leads the group’s Maritime Business Unit.
The International Maritime Organization aims to halve the industry’s share of global shipping emissions to 1.5% from 3% by 2050, a goal that has so far been pursued through greener fuels such as green methanol and hydrogen.
In 2024, GNN reported that a consortium of Japanese firms successfully demonstrated the first-ever zero-emissions ship above 20 gross tons, with the pilot sailing it 30 kilometers (18 miles) out to an offshore wind farm and back.
A year earlier, GNN reported that global shipping leader Maersk had ordered a green methanol-powered ship two years earlier and had already placed an order for 25 more methanol-powered vessels, in addition to retrofitting existing ships with methanol engines and turbines.
Su told the Financial Times that the current focus is on producing batteries that meet the extreme requirements of powering large vessels near shore. In addition to requiring maximum discharge rate, the batteries would need to last long and remain safe in ocean conditions.
CATL reported impressive 2025 earnings, with 42% year-over-year revenue growth to $10 billion, driven by demand for data centers and energy storage. Su didn’t provide timelines or sales targets, but merely mentioned that she and her team were confident there’d be market demand.
Its existing strategy since 2017 has been a battery-swap model whereby near-shore vessels like tugs can swap their batteries at a station for a fully-charged one to enable ’round-the-clock operations.
The group had previously seen success with such a model in its long-haul trucking division. Previously, the company developed hybrid battery-fossil fuel solutions for still-water and near-shore vessels, as well as for cruise ships.
The good news in this story is that more resources are being invested in alternative power sources for the maritime industry. Today’s JohnKu talks about ongoing solutions to the world’s carbon problem. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Today I randomly opened Detour on the Eternal Road to page 199. With eyes closed, I pointed to the page. The word closest to my finger is “system.” That is our prompt today.
“I’m telling you the system won’t allow it.”
“The system? What are you talking about?”
“The way things are organized. How the world is set up.”
“Oh, come on. There really isn’t a system.”
“To do what you want, there definitely is a system, and it won’t allow it.”
“Well, how about I just go ahead and ask for forgiveness later?”
“That’s up to you, but I can predict the outcome.”
“I don’t know how you became an expert all of a sudden.”
“Look, I’m older than you and have been around.”
“Have you ever tried doing what I’m thinking of doing?”
“No, of course not.”
“Okay then, just let me go.”
“Very well. It’s your funeral.”
“Now you have me wondering.”
“I’m glad, since I would hate to see you crash into the valley.”
“It does look pretty far down.”
“Changing your mind?”
“I’m thinking.”
“Let me help. Never in the history of our breed has anyone been able to fly.”
“But I read that book.”
“Dumbo the flying elephant?”
“Yeah, that’s the one.”
“Fiction. Made up by some lunatic. Trust me, you can’t fly.”
“All right, I believe you.”
“Let’s go get some nice warm peanuts. You’ll feel better later.”
In August of 2018, I decided to match Top Ten Things with historic events. What we would do during the event is fiction, but the event actually happened. This post ran on August 27, 2018. I hope you enjoy this series.
10 If you are caught at the battle of the Alamo, do not think offering margaritas all around is going to help anything. If you do, at best, everyone will be too busy to take you up on the offer. At worst, only the best shooters on your side decided to have a couple and now can’t hit the broad side of a barn. (I guess you were hoping the Mexicans would be in a similar shape, huh, Fritz?)
9 If you are caught at the battle of the Alamo, do not ask Tiny the WWF champ if you can borrow his gun. If you do, at best, he’ll just say no. At worst, since he is extremely nearsighted, he may mistake you for a Mexican soldier and give you a body slam over the wall. (It only hurts getting up, Felco, so I would just lie there.)
8 If you are caught at the battle of the Alamo, do not walk around eating a bean burrito. If you do, at best, you will have to share. At worst, from far away, a sharpshooter may mistake you for a Mexican Federal soldier. ( I know you were hungry, Freddie, but the food of the day is hardtack and salt pork. Tortillas are the other side’s food of the day.)
7 If you are caught at the battle of the Alamo, do not wear your Santa Anna Sucks t-shirt. If you do, at best, no one will notice. At worst, Santa Anna will want it as a souvenir. ( I think you heard him right, Faris. He said he didn’t care if it was bloodstained or not. Just give it to him.)
6 If you are caught at the battle of the Alamo, do not ask Davy Crockett for an autograph. If you do, at best, he’ll just laugh. At worst, he’ll give you a lesson in flying. (You could flap your arms harder, Farid, but I think you are going to hit the ground pretty hard. That wall is quite high.)
5 If you are caught at the battle of the Alamo, do not tell someone you know all about cannons if you don’t. If you do, at best, you won’t be asked to fill in on one. At worst, you’ll be put in charge of the only cannon that guards the entrance. (Now what did the manual say, Fabumi? Load the ball, then light the fuse? Or was it the other way around? You’d better hurry, looks like those doors won’t last another minute.)
4 If you are caught at the battle of the Alamo, do not think it is time to start Spanish lessons. If you do, at best, you may learn a few words. At worst, whether you speak Spanish or not will not help you in the end. (It looks like the order of the day is take no prisoners, Fadeyka. I think it’s going to take a little more than a few “holas” and “Buenos Dias” to save you.)
3 If you are caught at the battle of the Alamo, do not think that a sombrero and a serape will be an effective disguise. If you do, at best, no one will laugh at you. At worst, the troops will consider you a spy. (You know what they do to spies, Fallon. Dump that outfit now.)
2 If you are caught at the battle of the Alamo, do not wave that “Come and Take It” cannon flag from the Battle of Gonzales. If you do, at best, you will make the Mexicans angry. At worst, you will be singled out for elimination. (That flag has been a sore spot since the Texas Revolution began, Falk. No need to start that fire again.)
1 If you are caught at the battle of the Alamo, do not make plans for your summer holiday. If you do, at best, your heirs will have to cancel. At worst, you may lose some of your deposits. (I guess no one told you that getting out of the Alamo was a feet-first proposition, huh, Farnley?)
Today, we are going to see the Lakeway Wilderness Run, organized by Lakeway Parks and Recreation and Friends of the Park. The run takes place at the Greenbelt. We are catered by ABA of Austin. Our entertainment is Bon Jovi.
Menu
BLACKBERRY DROP BISCUIT – blackberry compote, balsamic whipped cream
AVOCADO TOAST – pomegranate, preserved lemon, mint
AÇAÍ BOWL – blueberry, banana, pomegranate, dukkah, coconut, mint
KHACHAPURI – baked egg, cremini mushroom, graviera, green onion
SHORT RIB SHAKSHUKA – local eggs, spicy harissa, graviera, roasted potato
Leaving a bookmark last week on the subject of an AI assistant was a good idea. It seems the Coffee machine has hired an AI assistant, and that assistant is asking me for the password to the touchscreen. Doing the research paid off, and the message delivered to the machine was, “My AI assistant will beat the crap out of you if you don’t give me access right now.” Like magic, the touchscreen appeared, and the order for two coffees was placed. As always, the first sip brought an end to the Anvil Chorus playing in my head. The second was spoiled with the Westminster chime of the doorbell, accompanied by the crystal-cracking cacophony (Ooo, nice alliteration) of Tempeste and Twiggy. Two new toys were tossed into the soundproof room, and the slamming of the door brought back peace.
A glance at the monitor showed me that Chewbacca was waiting to deliver an envelope. There is no hesitation to shut down the security system.]
The SWAT team needs to be put on standby. A quick text to the leader confirms that status. Also, the flight of A-10 Warthogs must be diverted. Another call to the commander puts that worry to rest. The SEAL team needs to be called off, and a call to the leader makes that possible. The MH-60 Jayhawk Helicopter hovering over the house is diverted. A call to the tow truck driver stops the deployment of an M1A1 Abrams Tank. The control panel simplifies the security system’s shutdown process. The boiling oil vats are put on standby, the turret mortars disengaged, the Trebuchet on safety, the concertina wire rolled, the Claymore mines reset, the tower Gatling guns on safety, the moat net dropped, the alligators fed, and the IEDs and shoulder-held rockets put away. The Proton torpedoes switched off. The gamma ray beams covered. The high-powered maser guns switched to standby, and the nanorobots were chained in the basement. The Klingons are called back, and the Targ is caged. Robbie’s Bot is sent to the basement. The Tasmanian Devil is directed to the food in his cage, and the door drops. The electronic jammer is kept active, given a situation with a robot not too long ago. The locks on the door are thrown. And the door opened.
Chewbacca hands me an envelope and a clipboard. Once signed, the clipboard goes back to an open palm. Not wanting to lose the house, a ten-spot is quickly produced, which is acknowledged by an ear-splitting roar of appreciation and the feeling that Chewbacca needs to see a Periodontist. Back in the house, the envelope is opened, and the message from Lind Hill reads;
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “bookmark.” Use as a noun, use it as a verb, use it way you’d like. Have fun!
“What caused you to bookmark the AI assistant in the first place?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I have been dealing with ChatGPT for quite a while and thought it would be nice to have an assistant take care of some of the routine tasks without prompts.”
“Like what?”
“Well, like organizing e-mails into Important, Not important but should be read, and junk.”
“Doesn’t Gmail do that already?”
“Sort of, but not very well. I thought it would be good for a program that could learn the subtle differences by reading the mail and then making a decision.”
“Okay. Way above my capacity.”
“I think the use of an assistant could be limitless.’
“Name another use.”
“Could edit manuscripts.”
“You have an editor.”
“True, but the cost puts the break-even mark out of reach.”
“Can we talk about something important to me?”
“Voo Doo Rangers?”
“Now that’s important.”
“Uber?”
“Right over there.”
Image from Tom Okragly
“My goodness. A 1957 Oldsmobile Super 88 hardtop station wagon.”
“We will be styling.”
“And the catch?”
“No catch. Just a favor to the owner.”
“Okay, let’s have it.”
“We can’t go more than 5 miles an hour.”
“What? Why’s that?”
“The owner doesn’t want the paint chipped by a stone.”
“That’s going to take three hours to get there.”
“Think of living life full measure.”
“Don’t bring a Twilight Zone episode into this. We will be bored out of our minds.”
”
