The Myth & The Majesty

I was not an English major. I am not a professional. However. I have spent a lot of time editing other people's papers. It gets disturbing how many run-of-the-mill mistakes are made by truly intelligent people ... and even more disturbing how many "comment thread" mistakes make it into technical papers.   Keep in mind, I'm not overly concerned about the obscure rules. We're talking about things you shouldn't have to look up every time you write a paper. Okay?   With that in mind, I think it's time for a lesson.   One of my favorite "Frazz" moments of all time. (Copyright Jef Mallett - found here .)   An English Primer  for  A Generation That Has Spent Its Free Time On YouTube Comment Threads 1. Capitalization, or STOP YELLING AT ME! Is it a proper name? Is it the first word in a sentence? Is it a title? Is it the letter "I" standing all alone? It should be capitalized. Are you trying to emphasize...

This may define my day.

1. I haven't posted because I've had little to say. 2. Neil Armstrong died . :( 3. It's harvest season. And that's all I've got.

It's early. If there's something I've done rather poorly this week as far as vacation rules go, it's sleeping. Every day except one, I've been up well before when I normally get up for work ... and today is no exception. Somehow, I don't mind. I've caught more sunrises and sunsets than normal this last week, leading to more instantly improved days. In any case, in a few hours I'll get to the last 350(ish) miles of my trek, putting me up to around 2000 miles of wandering. And then ... back to work tomorrow. *Sigh.* So. Here's what I know after this week. 1. My allergies seem to wane with more exposure. The opposite (get worse with less exposure) is also true. 2. I really enjoy audiobooks. More engaging than music (for me) and aaaaaalmost like having another person in the car. (Also, if you're at all into biology, try The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks in whatever your preferred form -- paper, audio, e-book. It's incredibly int...

It's Rally Week here in the Hills (okay, so I'm almost in the Hills at the moment -- close enough to count) and as the state's population swells by several hundred thousand (no joke), the Facebooks and Twitters are going nuts. As I am not one to pass up such a chance -- and as I have a medium here that allows a few more than 140 characters -- I thought I'd draft my own letter to the various rallygoers, even though none of them are likely to see it. (Hey, I can hope.) And so .... * An Open Letter to Sturgis Rallygoers Welcome! We're glad you're here. No, really -- we are. This is one of those events that South Dakotans have a (possibly grudging) appreciation for and we're happy you're here to enjoy it. That being said, there are some things I'd love for you to keep in mind. 1. If you're not currently in Sturgis, please cover up. There are all sorts of other things going on besides the rally. You're surrounded by innocent vaca...

I have reached the land of the Rugged Yuppie, and I am ... well, almost more relaxed here than I was during my "vacation" time in the Hills. It's very hard to describe. But it's true. It doesn't hurt that I came down here with plans but no expectations whereas in the Hills I had both -- and both were occasionally foiled. Here, I am between appointments and while things aren't necessarily going spectacularly, I have yet to be disappointed. Amazing the difference that can make.

Some years ago, a strange thing started happening in the Black Hills: trees were starting to die in sporadic patches, rusting out but staying where they were. These patches started to grow ... and spread ... and on certain hills, it looked like a bit of an invasion. For one reason or another, mountain pine beetles, native to just about any area with pines, had become active, much like Dutch elm disease occurs any place with elms when conditions are right. And as the Hills had gotten quite dense, they flourished. Pine beetles float more than they fly -- if trees are far enough apart, they die out. If they're closer together, it's easy for them to seek new hosts. All of this has occurred over the last decade. While I was in college, it was hardly a topic. Now, it's a regular news item and there are signs explaining what's happening on the most-traveled trails. It's not heavy everywhere. In some places, you only see a few trees rusting. In others ... Well.....