patoadam | Reading

I am going through some code, cleaning up old constructs before a major release that's coming up. This takes me into some interesting places.

Today, I realized that there is a whole species of things that can be simplified by cutting out a lot of intervening code that is building unnecessary objects and doing unneeded lookups. I've patched a couple of places and will continue looking at the problem tomorrow.

Some of the fun, of course, is that we've moved up to Java 8 since this code was originally written which opens up all *sorts* of possibilities for playing with Java Streams. The amount of things that you can now do with one (longish) line of code is really impressive. :)

xkcd_feed

https://xkcd.com/3179/

'That's definitely above the catch-and-release size minimum for planetesimals.' 'I'm going to throw it back anyway.'

https://xkcd.com/3179/

doonesbury_alt_feed

https://www.gocomics.com/doonesbury/2025/12/10/

billroper

I am gradually catching up on things, both at home and at work.

The problem is that as I catch up on one thing, another thing comes careening down the track.

The good news is that we went out to dinner with friends tonight and had some good conversation. And the chance to talk to someone who is not one of my coworkers is a fine thing!

doonesbury_alt_feed

https://www.gocomics.com/doonesbury/2025/12/09/

tim_harford_feed

Posted by Tim Harford

https://timharford.com/2025/12/cautionary-tales-what-a-bloody-mess-were-in-britains-redacted-accident/

https://timharford.com/?p=9802

Windscale is supposed to be Britain’s big leap into the nuclear Age, bringing science fiction to life in 1950s Northern England. But in the race to catch up with America’s nuclear program, scientists are tinkering with forces they don’t fully understand. When the reactor catches fire, no-one knows how bad it could be, or how to put it out. As the reactor workers scramble to save lives, other eyes on Windscale are much more concerned with containing the political fallout and burying the truth.

This episode is available exclusively to members of the Cautionary Club, and Pushkin+ subscribers.

[Apple] [Spotify] [Stitcher]

Further Reading

This script relied on two books by Lorna Arnold – Windscale 1957: Anatomy of a Nuclear Accident, and her autobiography, My Short Century. The BBC’s 2007 documentary, Windscale – Britain’s Biggest Nuclear Disaster, can be found on YouTube. In the same year, Richard Wakeford published The Windscale reactor accident—50 years on in the Journal of Radiological Protection. Bill Penney is remembered in obituaries by The Royal Society and New Scientist.

https://timharford.com/2025/12/cautionary-tales-what-a-bloody-mess-were-in-britains-redacted-accident/

https://timharford.com/?p=9802

billroper

There are serious things that I could post about today and honestly, I just don't feel like it.

I'll just say that Calvin the Dog seems to be healing up nicely after last week's surgery. Ruby is not sure this is a good thing.

Of course, Ruby is far from certain that *Calvin* is a good thing...

xkcd_feed

https://xkcd.com/3178/

Our models fall apart where the three theories overlap; we're unable to predict what happens when a nanometer-sized squirrel eats a grapefruit with the mass of the sun.

https://xkcd.com/3178/

doonesbury_alt_feed

https://www.gocomics.com/doonesbury/2025/12/08/

billroper

There are just limits to what you can get done in a weekend, especially when you have two dogs who are anxious to compete for your time. I appear to be Calvin's "safe person" and when he is threatened by Ruby, he will hop up on top of me in my chair looking for protection. This annoys Ruby, because Calvin is now hogging her person. (This is not to say that the dogs do not love the other people in the house -- I just appear to be the household alpha.)

The Christmas tree did not get straightened up in its stand today, because that's a three person job really and I was not going to get that level of cooperation. But one of the tubs of Christmas decorations has gone back to the basement and most of the decorations are actually up which is a good thing.

The driveway was also shoveled by Julie and me in various shifts. Julie does not quite realize that the apron is part of the driveway, but I have explained this to her and hope to have better luck next time. Gretchen suggested that I should fire up the snowblower, which probably would have been the best idea if I already had gas and was sure that I had the appropriate snowblower oil *and* had an empty gasoline container. Maybe before the *next* major snow. Today's was about five inches, which is definitely a depth where the snowblower becomes worthwhile.

I bought more plugins and software upgrades while they are on sale. Now I just need to *do* something with them...

And I cleaned off the top of the bookcase in my bedroom, putting the stuff that had accumulated there away for its safety. I'll need to remember where I put it when I need it. That's the tricky part. :)

Tomorrow, it's back to work and I have a *lot* of things to do. Happily, I updated the password that was going to expire today when I logged in *yesterday*...

filkferengi

I like chocolate. From this first principle, interesting adventures derive [themselves]. I used to favor Hershey's Kisses, but the logistics of fiddling with tiny wrappers during an arthritis flare were an obstacle. Then I hit upon the bag of milk chocolate chips as my delivery vector of choice; direct chocolate hit, chocolatier taste, no fiddly wrappers - what's not to like?

When they're not to be found, that's what. Over a couple of weeks, due to scarcity, my sweet spouse went to more than one store, for me. Then, last week, there were none to be found anywhere. He brought me a bag of Kroger's store brand and a bag of Ghirardelli. While not as chocolatey and with more beat-up looking chips, the Kroger was still an acceptable alternative. Ironically enough, the Ghirardelli bag combined being significantly more expensive with larger chips. My spouse called the chocolate taste "understated." I called it "nonexistent." Nothing like paying more for less flavor.

This week, relief was in sight, as he returned home victorious with the desired chocolate. Those first chips after a week of deprivation were intensely pleasurable. [I may have to do extra walks this week, weather permitting.]

As I went towards the fridge this afternoon, in anticipation of more chocolate chip goodness, I heard music in my head. I'm a filker; this isn't exactly a surprise. Bill & Gretchen Roper have an excellent song on the subject, "My Husband The Filker." As I let the tune play out to see which one it was, "Sha bop, sha bop" flowed into "I Only Have Eyes For You", a decidedly apt tune for chocolate on an overcast winter afternoon.

Current Mood: complacent
Current Music: The Flamingos--I Only Have Eyes For You

doonesbury_alt_feed

https://www.gocomics.com/doonesbury/2025/12/07/

$mdlbear: blue fractal bear with text "since 2002" (Default)$

mdlbear

There were some real lows this week -- possibly having less to do with Leslie Fish's death (see Sunday) than with my realization on Tuesday that I was a month away from Colleen's and my 50th anniversary. Possibly also including communicating with my healthcare providers, which required an email to my GP's clinic (also on Tuesday) and a phone call to my oncologist's office on Friday. I prefer using a website, but both websides and the app are broken in various ways.

And Tuesday evening there was a huge wave of something negative, but I've no idea what or why.

However, I got the things done. And there were also a couple of unexpected highs, notably Thursday afternoon when somebody from the family of previous occupants came over to get a misdirected package. And I was able to hand them a nearly-full grocery bag of stuff that had accumulated over the last year, and which I had failed to find the last couple of times I had a chance. As I noted afterwards, it apparently doesn't take much to lift my spirits for a few moments.

But four walks, and four (admittedly short) guitar sessions. I'll take it. And today is my daughter's 7th anniversary! (I had forgotten, but I'd gotten a DM Friday night to say that they needed money because their car had died. Good timing.)

Linkies! Raccoon goes on drunken rampage in Virginia liquor store and passes out on bathroom floor. Dumuzi's Dream - world's first film in ancient Sumerian. (With subtitles, of course.)

( Notes & links, as usual )

Current Location: Schildhaven in Den Haag

billroper

Calvin the Dog seems to be healing up well after his surgery, so that's good. He's also leaving the area alone, so we are dispensing with the Cone of Shame. Today, Gretchen put his new larger harness on him, which we are hoping will make him happier, because he had pretty much outgrown the previous one.

In different news, I updated the website today, so everything there is up to date. This is much easier when you're doing it one song at a time. :)

ericcoleman

After much coding, waiting for Square, and gnashing of teeth, FilkConbobulation registration is live! Prereg is $50.00, it will be $60.00 at the door. There will be a student rate, that will be posted soon.

Folks who backed the GoFundMe do not have to go through the registration process. We know who you are (bwahahahaha).

Our special thanks to JT Traub, Rob Wynne, and Merav Hoffman for helping Lizzie get through the coding with an inkling of her sanity left (as much as she generally has).

Hotel registration is also live.

This is starting to look like an actual con!

filkconbobulated.org

doonesbury_alt_feed

https://www.gocomics.com/doonesbury/2025/12/06/

billroper

I headed down to Tobias Music for their holiday Taylor Tone Show, where many Taylor guitars were compared. It was a lot of fun and I picked up a few new bits of knowledge that I hadn't had before. Mind you, I carefully didn't play any guitars this trip, because no guitars are currently allowed to follow me home. :)

My Taylor 710ce-l9 limited edition short-scale is still on consignment there and can be seen on their website. If you're looking for a standard Taylor dreadnaught, it's a good deal...

xkcd_feed

https://xkcd.com/3177/

Luckily, the range is limited by the fact that the square boundary lines follow great circles.

https://xkcd.com/3177/

doonesbury_alt_feed

https://www.gocomics.com/doonesbury/2025/12/05/

tim_harford_feed

Posted by Tim Harford

https://timharford.com/2025/12/cautionary-tales-why-did-grace-oakeshott-disappear/

https://timharford.com/?p=9785

At the start of the 20th century, Britain was slowly becoming a freer place for women. Young Grace Oakeshott seized every opportunity to learn and improve the world around her – though she found those opportunities frustratingly narrow. One day, she vanished suddenly, leaving behind only a pile of clothes on a beach. A hundred years later, the truth about Grace’s disappearance has finally come to light.

For bonus episodes, ad-free listening, our monthly newsletter and behind-the-scenes conversations with members of the Cautionary Tales production team, consider joining the Cautionary Club.

[Apple] [Spotify] [Stitcher]

Further reading

The key source for this episode of Cautionary Tales is Radical Reformers and Respectable Rebels: How The Two Lives of Grace Oakeshott Defined an Era (2016) by Jocelyn Robson

We also drew on:

“Shooting Affair at Parakae”, Poverty Bay Herald, 10 June 1908.

Breton Folk: An Artistic Tour in Brittany (1881) by Henry Blackburn

And my own book The Logic of Life (2008) .

The following websites were useful:

www.education-uk.org

www.english-heritage.org.uk

Women and the Law in Victorian England

https://timharford.com/2025/12/cautionary-tales-why-did-grace-oakeshott-disappear/