Good-bye 2016 . . .

Proving that timing is everything . . .

. . . 240 consecutive green lights in NYC - gives real meaning to driving in the city.

The laureate speaks . . .

... actually, not really - Bob Dylan has made it very clear he's skipping today's Nobel ceremony. But that's vintage Dylan.

Godspeed, John Glenn . . .

Space hero dead at 95. A Marine, a pilot, an astronaut, a senator, a great American.

Story:

John Glenn, who captured the nation’s attention in 1962 as the first American to orbit the Earth during a tense time when the United States sought supremacy over the Soviet Union in the space race, and who rocketed back into space 36 years later, becoming the oldest astronaut in history, died Dec. 8 at a hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Mr. Glenn, who in his post-NASA career served four terms as a U.S. senator from Ohio, was 95.

Link.

Where we're at

Not one of my best pictures, but Ivan always makes me laugh as well as sweat . . .

RIP

We asked a book club to take a look at FIGHTING BLIND. They liked what they read.

Got candy?

The weaponized web


Schneier on Friday's attacks:

Over the past year or two, someone has been probing the defenses of the companies that run critical pieces of the Internet. These probes take the form of precisely calibrated attacks designed to determine exactly how well these companies can defend themselves, and what would be required to take them down. We don't know who is doing this, but it feels like a large nation state. China or Russia would be my first guesses.

Full entry.

Math in the Philippines . . .


U.S. aid & major grants (2012): $197,036,510
Chinese promises: $24,000,000, half of it loans.

Clearly, despots have trouble counting.

Lasagna . . . 

. . . unlike any you've ever eaten.



What would grandma think?

Zumwalt . . .

... about to be commissioned:

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Navy will commission the destroyer Zumwalt (DDG 1000), Saturday, Oct. 15, during a 5 p.m. EDT ceremony in Baltimore.
The ship is named in honor of Adm. Elmo R. "Bud" Zumwalt Jr., former chief of naval operations (CNO) from 1970 to 1974. A veteran of World War II and the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam, Zumwalt exemplified honor, courage and commitment during 32-years of dedicated naval service, earning a Bronze Star with Valor for his actions during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. He passed away in 2000 at the age of 79.

Story.

Bob Dylan - Nobel Laureate

https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/bob-dylan-wins-nobel-prize-in-literature/2016/10/13/d0c05ac4-90ea-11e6-a6a3-d50061aa9fae_story.html

Act of war?

Item:

The U.S. government on Friday formally accused Russia of a campaign of cyber attacks against Democratic Party organizations during the campaign for the Nov. 8 presidential election.
U.S. officials have said in the past few months that they believe cyber attacks were orchestrated by hackers backed by the Russian government, possibly to disrupt the election in which Democratic Party candidate Hillary Clinton faces Republican Party candidate Donald Trump. Russia has dismissed allegations it was involved in cyber attacks on the organizations.

Story.

The question is, how do you retaliate - make Russia have a real election?

Books to Mars . . .

... or wherever - Amazon's rocket takes its next leap. (Actually Blue Origin, but Amazon just sounds cooler. Story.)