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Friday May 4, 2007 6:10 am Lethbridge Sunrise 6:04 Sunset 20:52 Hours of daylight: 14:48
A. Morning Musings
6:10 am It is +6 C with a high forecast of +11 C. Cool, windy, and showers later today. Miserable.
Here are the news.
CBC Headline: Global Climate Plan Says Warming Can Be Stopped
Delegates said the approval of the report should conclusively debunk arguments by skeptics that combating global warming was too costly, that it would stifle development in the world's poorer countries or that the temperature rise had gone too far for humankind to do anything about. That is encouraging news. I am always intrigued that such reports come out a day or two ahead of the official release of the report.
Canadian Headline: Group Objects to Study That Will Pay Sex Offenders
In the joint study, to be conducted by University of Toronto and University of Lethbridge researchers, 250 sex offenders will receive $60 each to view computerized images of fully dressed children. Responses to the images will be measured to give researchers some insight into pedophilia. Offenders who have been convicted of downloading child pornography, but have not abused children, will be compared to offenders who have abused children. The issue is primarily one of ethics: is it appropriate for a person convicted of a crime to benefit as a result of that crime? I am also surprised that there are 250 such offenders on file.
Australian Headline: (from The Australian): Qantas Bid Collapses
A consortium that had put in a bid to buy the airline apparently has failed to reach the 50% acceptance level among shareholders and that the bid will be withdrawn. This is a case where I am not sure whether this is a good thing or not.
B. Actual/Notes
6:30 am I was pleased with the progress I made yesterday converting LP records to MP3 format. I will try to continue that activity this morning. It would be nice to complete this task and update my iPod with these songs.
12:30 PM Here are two more photos showing the beginning of the spring activity of the May tree in our backyard.
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4:00 PM I have spent the last 6 hours converting LP records to MP3 format. It was a very productive session, as I really got in the groove. The records included some by Gordon Lightfoot, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison. A trip down nostalgia lane.
C. Plan
Immediate Mathematics Continue reading "Algebra: Abstract and Concrete" by Frederick Goodman 1 hr Literature Read & make notes for book 7of "The Brothers Karamazov" by Fyodor Dostoevsky
1 hr Birds Update database to include 2007 Mexico trip 1 hr Later Technology Convert LPs to MP3 format 6 hr Make notes for chap. 4 of "Switching to the Mac" Burn backup of images onto DVD Mathematics Read & make notes on The Humongous Book of Calculus Problems Read "Symmetry" by David Wade Make notes for "Mathematics: A Human Endeavor" ch 1 Read "Fearless Symmetry" chap 9: Elliptic Curves Model Trains Add ground cover to oil refinery diorama Follow tutorial for version 8 of 3rd PlanIt Continue assembly of coaling tower Purchase DCC system Birds Create notebook pages birding in Mexico History Begin reading "Maya" Read Watson "Ideas" Philosophy Read & make notes for "Breaking the Spell" Begin reading "How Are We To Live?" by Peter Singer Literature New York Times easy crossword puzzles GO Complete reading "Lessons in the Fundamentals of Go" Puzzles The Orange Puzzle Cube: puzzle #10
Major Goals Learning Review week's pages each Sunday Review all pages for the month at the end of each month Technology Review & edit iPhoto files for 2006 Model Trains Become proficient with 3rd PlanIt software Install DCC on model train layout GO Learn to play GO at something better than a beginner level Drawing Learn to draw!! (I keep saying this, yet I have yet to put a pencil to paper). Mathematics Continue to play with mathematics. Literature Continue to read Literature Bird Watching Continue to engage in bird watching activities.
D. Reflection