Tuesday Two

Exatec, LLC has developed a glazed polycarbonate material as a lightweight alternative to glass which promises to revolutionize automotive roofs and other exteriors. The material is known as Lexan GLX PC resin.

AED's have saved many lives since 1985. There is a myth that the FDA would not approve AED's because the device had to be used on an unconscious patience, which violated a rule that required patience consent. Fortunately, this is nonsense. An AED was actually approved for home use by the FDA in 2004.

Epoch-Fail

The M80 Stilletto is a high speed ship designed for special ops. It has reached over 50 knots during early tests. It represents possible leading technology in future wars. It is also under consideration by the U.S. armed services. Sounds impressive. The problem? It's being advertized. The fact that the makers of the M80 Stilletto are promoting it as a product in a public venue shows that it might not be a military game changer. If this was a serious option for the military, I'm doubtful most of us would have known about it for at least a decade.

Mother Haiku

Beautiful Mother
Your Unconditional Love
Sweet Tender Caring

Alaskan Cruise Day 1 and 2

Allie, her parents and myself boarded the Norwegian Pearl in Seattle on Sunday in early May 2010. This was Allie's and my first time on a cruise ship. Walking to the cabins was a bit of a surprize. The Pearl has long and narrow corridors (to access the cabins on each deck) that extend nearly the full length of the ship. Even with the ship still docked, this was a little unnerving. We got used to it by the end of the day.

The cabins where about as I expected. A bit smaller than I'm used to. There was enough room for two of us in each cabin without tripping over each other too often. The restroom was the most cramped. I'm not a big person (not even close), and I even had a little trouble getting comfortable on the toilet. The bed was comfortable and spacious. The curtains were very thick. When closed, they would literally make the cabin fill like night, even in the middle of the day.

Although I felt the ship was very large, it didn't seem to have some of the amenities that one comes to expect from an offering of this sort. The shops were in one small section of the ship. There was a couple of gift shops and a jewelry shop and that's about it. The lounge area at the center of the ship seemed spacious at first. However, after seeing how quickly it got cluttered with various events, it also seemed a bit undersized.

Once the ship left Seattle, we spent the rest of that day and all of the following Monday at sea (called a "Sea Day"). The four of us spent most of this Sea Day getting acquainted with the ship. Our cabin had a nice balcony. I found it to be very relaxing to just lounge on the balcony, watching the ocean fly past me. I was able to spot dolphins once or twice. During lunch at the buffet restaurant, we spotted some whales too.

The food was so-so. There was a good selection at the buffet, but the quality did not live up to expectations. Monday evening, we dined at a restaurant at the rear of the ship. Our table was right at the stern. Before the sun set, I was fascinated by the water being churned up in the wake as the ship moved forward. The restaurant was decorated in a Russian-style. The food was good. Unfortunately, this would be best food we would encounter on the ship over the next week.

Navigation: See all Alaskan Cruise articles here

California Nature (final version/republished)

Your journey roads herald adventure,
Impelling me to climb your cloven heights,
And romp carelessly,
as aureate poppy fields beckon.

Sun-kissed waters bounce along your shoreline.
They entice me to surf the crashing calm waves.

Canopy-enveloped valleys thrive with floral scents
That draw my ingression, but I forestall.

Instead I caper like Racetrack Playa’s sailing stones,
Which tickle your basin by some unseen will.

I endeavor to hike your proud hills,
And find places to gaze lostly into lakes full with sky.

Vineyard nectar overflows like sweet sweat,
To spur my soul’s arousal as I partake.
Your boundless attributes gratify my wanderlust,
And allure me to appease your nature.

My Wife

Each day is new
Like the sunshine
I'm happy its you
and that your mine.

A Walk Through the Forest (old high school assignment)

Statistics:
By Matthew Lorono
Dated 7/26/89
For English Class (High School) writing assignment
Teacher review and bonus: "Excellent! Bravo! +25"
Personal commentary: This is fairly inventive written work that is surprisingly entertaining, despite the fact that I was 16 when I wrote it. It is in a simpler yet still enjoyably moody style. It does mix past and present tenses in a way that I would now avoid.

A Walk through the Forest

To who ever sees this:

I was walking along the yellow lined edge of the forest of Evaile. The trees around [me were] of a dark rotten nature. As I walked on, the trees seemed to close in, ever so unnoticeably, but yet, I did notice. I noticed only after I stopped walking. It was then I saw. I saw the trees closing in on me. One branch even dared to tap [me] on the should[er]. I looked. It was a branch of a tree I remembered seeing just five minutes before.

The Sun was going down, and I continued to walk on, to avoid being stuck in the trees; walking along the yellow lined edge of the forest of Evaile. The forest [grew] closer, overlapping the path, even as the very same forest [grew] darker. Yet, I still walked. I still walked through this forest.

It was now twilight, and I still walked. The trees closed in so that I brushed up against them continuously. I gained many scratches, but I still walked on and on. The trees now seemed to take on [the persona] of some evil torturing force. Yet I resisted, withheld, and walked on. The trees closed in even more closely. I was now walking through them, blazing a trail through the trees, and yet I walked on. Wait! I decided I should stop. The moment I did stop is the same moment I fell through the ground into an underground [cavern]. My antennae were brok[en]. My bubble bursted. My brain liquefied.

These are my last words to the Universe. Those who may find this, please take it to Gor and tell my family, for I am dead.

High General Lansorrit-
Banvon Tō of Gor