Wimpy Winter

image copyright Fred First

No, this isn’t from THIS so-called winter. We did get a skiff of snow yesterday, and there might be a trace of white this morning when the sun comes up. But so far, even though we’re 200% of normal moisture for the year, it hasn’t been in the form of ice or snow this time ’round. I was just wandering through my image archives (wondering how to make room on the hard drive for larger images to come) and liked this one.

Air Time
Thanks to Wilma Synder for reviewing Slow Road in her regular About Books segment on Wytheville Radio Station WXBX this Thursday. You can read her short review here.

DigiTutor
If you have a Nikon camera (which the movie narrator pronounces Knee-Cone, I suppose, in the more Japanese-correct way) you’ll want to stop by and watch the tutorial that may introduce you to features of your camera you’ve forgotten about or never really understood. Their Digitutor (after you get past the name that conjures up all sorts of images for me) is really quite helpful for newbies like I will be to the D200, which by the way, arrives TODAY!

XFiles
Did you hear about this November (but only recently widely public) UFO sighting at Chicago’s O’Hare airport? This BlogCritics writer wonders what gives with the failure to produce definitive answers, or to even ask the questions.

Print As Needed
My choice (thanks, Bob) to go with digital printing as my option for future SRH needs has given me the advantage of being able to have books available when needed without depleting my business bank account. So, I’ve managed to work on that outcome instead by ordering the camera and lens and letting the photography take center-stage, outlay-wise. Here’s a good overview of the economics of Print on Demand for any of you considering getting your book between covers.

Self-cleaning underwear?
Knew a guy in college who, instead of being bothered by washing his skivvies, simply gave them a spritz of Lysol every week or so. This clip is for him:

“Self-cleaning fabrics could revolutionize the sport apparel industry. The technology, created by scientists working for the U.S. Air Force, has already been used to create t-shirts and underwear that can be worn hygenically for weeks without washing.

The new technology attaches nanoparticles to clothing fibers using microwaves. Then, chemicals that can repel water, oil and bacteria are directly bound to the nanoparticles. These two elements combine to create a protective coating on the fibers of the material.

This coating both kills bacteria, and forces liquids to bead and run off.”


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fred

Fred First holds masters degrees in Vertebrate Zoology and physical therapy, and has been a biology teacher and physical therapist by profession. He moved to southwest Virginia in 1975 and to Floyd County in 1997. He maintains a daily photo-blog, broadcasts essays on the Roanoke NPR station, and contributes regular columns for the Floyd Press and Roanoke's Star Sentinel. His two non-fiction books, Slow Road Home and his recent What We Hold in Our Hands, celebrate the riches that we possess in our families and communities, our natural bounty, social capital and Appalachian cultures old and new. He has served on the Jacksonville Center Board of Directors and is newly active in the Sustain Floyd organization. He lives in northeastern Floyd County on the headwaters of the Roanoke River.

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  1. Thanks for the link to the story on Books on Demand, Fred. The small town rush for my book is over, but I still sell them in a small and steady way. I’ve been wondering what to do when I run out completely of the last printing. I’d need some help figuring this out, but I feel better knowing it’s available when I need it.

    The UFO story was amazing. I hadn’t heard about it. And the underwear…once I got over the scary thought of your friend Lysoling his underwear and read the piece, I still felt creepy. I remember when I couldn’t find cotton PJ’S for my kids when they were only making flame retardant ones because plain polyester would fire up like a torch. Even though cotton burns slower, they wanted all our kids to sleep in the latest chemicals.

  2. oh – fletch – see that’s why i will NOT tell my husband about this material – then he’d NEVER shower!
    Fred – UFO stuff is amazing – have you seen any there in your valley? we see some occasionally here on the farm in western PA.
    hugs to ya