Jack’s Old & Busted Blog

(rockart.uark.edu): The Narrows shelter (3CW35), located just below a ridge crest east of Mountainburg, is locally famous for its unique rock art panels of human figures. The site’s location just below a county road has made it a favorite place for visitors over at least the last 60 years.

Spent a couple of hours here this afternoon, the result you can view in this photoset (family & friends only, sorry). The most interesting aspect of the visit was the way new “layers” of petroglyphs would reveal themselves the longer you stared at a wall. It’s as if the rock was peeling back layers of time (the most recent layer being ’70s-era peace signs). The site has been significantly damaged over the years by vandals and looters, but the central figures have not been defaced. Of course, I would prefer the site never to have been touched, but juxtaposition of the (modern) graffiti somehow made it more interesting for me.

If you would like specific directions, or GPS coordinates, ask me.

(BBC): For the past few nights the moon has appeared larger than many people have seen it for almost 20 years. It is the world’s largest optical illusion, and one of its most enduring mysteries.

No one wants to think about the possibility that the moon might be falling into the earth, of course.

(UrbanGiraffe): “Despite the availability of hundreds of themes, and the general goodness of the default Kubrick theme, sometimes you just want to give your blog that personal touch, and the only way to do this is by going under the hood and having a look around.”

Sjarvis has recently joined the rebel scum that are wordpress. This has inspired me to work on a new design for this page. Until then, enjoy the visual stylings of the (slightly modified) Default Theme.

Ask A Scientist, a part of the Newton Bulletin Board System operated by the Division of Educational Programs at Argonne National Laboratory, in Argonne, Illinois.

I can’t say enough good things about Ubuntu Linux. This is my third distro to try, and Ubuntu is by far the simplest, cleanest, and quickest to install and configure. And I really like saying “Ubuntu.” Ubuntu!

(ubuntulinux.org): “Ubuntu” is an ancient African word, meaning “humanity to others”. Ubuntu also means “I am what I am because of who we all are”. The Ubuntu Linux distribution brings the spirit of Ubuntu to the software world.

PIII-Linux box update: Configuration is very stable now after getting the whole wireless USB adapter bit sorted. I installed an additional (old) HD to use as a swap partition/generic storage device. This definitely speeded things up (I do the same thing at work with my Mac; a separate VM device really helps). I’m confident enough now with Linux to make it a permanent part of JackNet.

More abaondoned building photography, from Russia, even.

(abandoned.ru): Future is waiting for us. With hollow skeletons
or downsized ugly creatures with bulgy eyes - it’s not important.
Important thing is that there will be a footprint left.
Footprint of civilization. Cement, metal and dust not claimed by anyone.
They are eternity.