Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Evanston: biked; pantsed; the Internet of ships; 'The Sea'

        Yesterday was lovely.  Blue sky.  Light wind.  Temperature in the mid-70sF/24C.  So I pumped up the tires on my bicycle and took my first ride of the year along the lake to Northwestern’s campus and back.  
        Lake Michigan is often as turquoise as the Caribbean.  Deceptively because the water is still cool.  People were sunning themselves on the beaches.  Walking and cycling on the bike path.  Someone had strung a hammock between two trees at Northwestern and a girl’s soccer clinic was underway.
        The world seemed a peaceful place. Deceptively.

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        My foul weather pants arrived.  The smock has not yet.  
        I’ve never before owned gear from Gill.
        The pants seem very well made and are cut like my old Henri Lloyd salopettes, which is what I want.  They are light and unlined, which is also what I want.  They are intended to keep me dry in warm temperatures.  I can always wear layers beneath them and also have a heavy set of foul weather gear for cold conditions.  The interior seams are taped, which they aren’t in the Henri Lloyd and that is where the Henri Lloyd leaks.
        I noticed on the label:  Do not stow wet.  Right.

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        The Verge has an article about what they call ‘the Internet of ships’ and most sailors call AIS, providing more background about the USS FITZGERALD collision.   Interesting that the Navy often turns AIS off and that fools hastened to leap to wrong conclusions.

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        I’ve been reading Pablo Neruda’s poetry and came across “The Sea”.