Model Steam Locomotives, Asters, Live Steam

Here is an LGB Spreewald garden size locomotive from Wikimedia commons..

Have been interested in Live Steam lately... Asters.
Was trying to figure out value for Asters and the following resources help
http://www.southernsteamtrains.com/
http://www.southernsteamtrains.com/reference.htm
http://www.southernsteamtrains.com/roster.htm
http://www.southernsteamtrains.com/misc/JvR-Aster-Development.htm
http://www.asterhobbyusa.com/
http://asterhobbies.co.uk/collecting/

One would think ebay would be helpful, but any given Aster just does not come up that often.

When thinking about pricing/values, I always think of the following article on sociology of model railroading. There is much therein I cannot fully embrace, but there are gems of wisdom nonetheless. It is, if nothing else, thought provoking.
http://www.trainweb.org/lfnwfan/html/Sociology.htm
There are also larger live steam like they run at Washakum.
http://www.waushakumlivesteamers.org/

IWL.ME - I Write Like...

Just tried "I Write Like" http://iwl.me/.
I actually fed in about ten blog entries and work related text.

Snippets make me out to write like -
- Cory Doctorow http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cory_Doctorow
- David Wallace Foster http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Foster_Wallace

I find these very interesting. I wonder if background has something to do with this? I grew up in Canada (like Doctorow), and am interested in his writing and blogging. I spent many years in Ithaca New York (like Wallace), and after reading about Wallace in Wikipedia, find many parallels in viewpoint - though I hope I do not have the depth of depression and pessimism he retained.

Embedded Systems Conference - Boston 2010

Was to ESC (Embedded Systems Conference) Boston 2010 in late September.
http://esc-boston.techinsightsevents.com/

Here are a few highlights:

The platform and OS (operating systems) wars/debates are largely over - so much so that no one even bothers to mention the issue of OS and processor anymore. It is "assumed".

When a generic OS is used, only a few generic interfaces are really supported in all cases - TCP/IP, and serial ports.

For 8bit and similar the continuing players are 8051, Atmel-AtMega and Microchip-PIC architectures. Again this is mostly implied and few speak of it.

Software houses and tool chains vendors are talking about the ways they go beyond simple TCP/IP to get information to "cloud services".

Companies who formerly only sold components or built PC boards are transforming into complete end-to-end design-build companies where they go all the way from design to delivering boxes of the required products ready for you to sell (even with labels and software installed and locked).

Other attendees included trade associations, magazine/book vendors, Flash/SSD providers, tool/environment vendors, logic/JTAG analyzers, emulator vendors and wireless vendors.

Trip to Russia in 2003.

In 2003 visited Russia. Flew into London and spent the morning there and then headed out to Moscow, Domodedovo.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domodedovo_International_Airport
Domodedovo was actually under re-construction at the time I passed through in 2003.

Stayed at Hotel Rossiya (now gone - apparently demolition started in 2006). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rossiya_Hotel,_Moscow
Here is a view out the window of my room looking northwards.



Saw many interesting areas, like the Arbat
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbat
and Kremlin.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kremlin
Here I am inside the Kremlin near one of the churches.



Was very pleased to take an overnight train to Kazan. It was sort of an "Orient Express" on the economy-plan so far as I was concerned, though my gracious Russian hosts thought it rather expensive and inconvenient I think.

Here I am in the carriage at Kazansky vokzal, just a few minutes before departure


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazansky_Rail_Terminal
Kazansky station had one of the biggest platforms I have ever seen (bigger than in London and Japan - and that says something) and the train had more carriages than any I had ever seen.

One of my most vivid memories of that trip is that the train ran late and we sat on a siding just before the bridge into Kazan in the early morning waiting for passing traffic. It was snowing and we were near a small village. It was peaceful, and intriguing to watch the villagers go about their early morning business. There were a few cars and trucks, mostly people were our for a walk. Given no automobiles, it could have been the turn of the century.

In Kazan my hosts showed me great hospitality. Stayed at a very nice spa near the Volga. We had some great meals in restaurants and in my hosts's homes. Saw many interesting and historic sites in Kazan. I especially remember the building with spires of many religions.


And my hosts took me out to a Russian (in name/type, place and ownership *smile*) 2-10-0 locomotive.


Also passed a display of the Buran (or variant) at one of the institutes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buran_program
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buran_(spacecraft)
but it might have been a BOR-4 or other relative.

Took the train back to Moscow, and the plane out from Domodedovo, and then back to London for a few days with my wife (business and sightseeing).

Trip to Japan 2005

My wife and I visited Japan in 2005. We went to the Aichi Expo
http://www.expo2005.or.jp/en/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expo_2005
Saw lots of Morizo and Kiccoro. Saw many interesting exhibits, including ones about new high speed trains.

Also got to see Satsuki and Mei's house at the Expo...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Neighbor_Totoro
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Expo_2005_of_Satsuki_and_Mei%E2%80%99s_House_01.jpg

Also got to visit Kyoto and Nara.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nara,_Nara
The deer at Nara are adorable, but also very very cheeky (read aggressive). Watch your back when you feed them wafers!



Saw the (possibly) largest wooden building at Todai-ji
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C5%8Ddai-ji
And (possibly) the oldest wooden building at Horyu-ji
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C5%8Dry%C5%AB-ji
These are just two of many National Treasures of Japan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_National_Treasures_of_Japan_(temples)

Trip to Canada in 2005

We took the route to Nova Scotia via the Gaspe.
Stayed near Mont Albert.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasp%C3%A9_Peninsula

and near Isle Bonaventure, famous for the Fou de Bassan colonies

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonaventure_Island

visited Forillon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forillon_National_Park

Spent some time picking blueberries in Nova Scotia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blueberries
http://www.nswildblueberries.com/



Visited Halifax
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halifax_Public_Gardens

Saturn, Mars and Venus are in Conjunction July 2010

It is July 2010 and a great time to see Saturn, Mars and Venus. They are in the constellation Gemini near Pollux and Castor, and Regulus in Leo - if that means much to you.

Just after sunset (the sun sets in the West by the way) look directly West and there should be bright stars that are "not quite right". Mars and Venus are both reddish and disks (not a point source of light like a star) and will not really twinkle (at least will twinkle less than a star). Saturn is a little harder to find, but with binoculars it should look like an enlongated disk. As the evening progresses these will all set following the sun.

It is difficult to find the moons of Saturn, but one can look for maps and try to find them
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/planets/3308506.html
Saturn's moons are not as easy to find as Jupiter's moons which are on a line with Jupiter.

http://www.space.com/spacewatch/planet-triple-play-venus-mars-saturn-100602.html
http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2010/0602/Rare-sky-show-Saturn-Mars-and-Venus-appear-together-this-week

http://www.jackstargazer.com/
(look for July 2010 episodes)
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/ataglance
(look for July 2010 editions)