Coding With Cats

It is hard to code when a kitty tail is falling down the middle of your screen! :)

What I Have Learned About Cooking Duck

1. Duck fat. Duck fat. Duck fat. Duck fat.
2. It is hard to go wrong with roast duck.
3. Trussing.
4. Stuffed with one or two peeled potato chunks to absorb any off-taste.
5. How to cut off the head, neck, and feet.
6. Clipped the wings.
7. Salt, pepper, and paprika rub.
8. Pour water into the roasting pan so oven does not get splattered.
9. About two hours at 190 C (375 F)
10. Poke holes into the duck to drain the fat layer.
    
11. Use a roasting rack; do not want the duck absorbing all the drained fat.
    
12. Carving duck does not produce a lot of meat; a bit on the legs, the wings, and breast.

Overall, a lot of praise. Seemed to come out OK.

Conan: Age of Volta

Playing retro games tonight.

I had forgotten the noise the Apple II made when it booted. Fun.

Ethical Problems in Computer Engineering (1965)

A book I want to read:

http://eureka.lib.csus.edu.proxy.lib.csus.edu/record=b1242250~S35

Author	American Society for Engineering Education. Ethics Committee
Title	Ethical problems in engineering, by Philip L. Alger, N.A. Christensen [and] Sterling P. Olmsted. Edited by Barrington S. Havens and John A. Miller
Publisher	New York, J. Wiley [1965]

Computer Science Topic Generator

At least I will not have to worry about how to pick out my computer science thesis topic:

http://www.cs.purdue.edu/homes/dec/essay.topic.generator.html

• A meta-level functional architecture related to a high-level secure preprocessor
• A high-level digital network for a high-level mobile theorem prover
• A parallel secure system derived from a synchronized binary architecture

and so forth. Excellent.

Duck Confit

Somehow in about two weeks I have to learn how to make duck confit.

Necessity is the mother of invention.

What I have learned so far:

1. Frozen duck is expensive; fresh duck is probably more expensive.
   
   
2. Several local poultry locations in Sacramento may carry duck; the downtown farmer's market may also carry duck meat. Or the Asian markets. Raley's and Wholefoods carry frozen duck.
   
   
3. It takes rendered duck fat to make duck confit. A lot of rendered duck fat; about one pound of fat per cup of rendered fat. Good to know! Rendered duck fat is expensive to buy; about $10 per half-pound. :P Unrendered duck fat runs about $10 for 5 lbs.
   
   
4. I will probably want to have on-hand: metal strainer; candy/deep-fry thermometer; covered baking dish
   
   
5. It will take time to make: (1) 36 hours to salt cure the meat; (2) anywhere from 1.5-7 hours to bake; (3) curing time in the fat; (4) reheating time prior to serving.
   

Looking like too much for me to bite off right now; the rendered duck fat is too much. Maybe a roast duck instead, and reserve the duck fat for another occasion.

UPDATE: This person may have saved the day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwpwqtmKcgc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=714ifZ-Kgnw

Not traditional by any means (not cured; not poached in rendered duck fat; not cured in fat); but for I bet it approaches the quality of duck confit without quite the cost and ingredient sourcing involved with the rendered duck fat.

UPDATE:

• The Sacramento Farmer's Market sells "Beef, Pork, Chicken, Fish. No duck or lamb."
  
  
• Corti Brothers sells frozen duck for $5/lb. They sell rendered duck fat, 7 ounces for $8.50
  
  
• New American Poultry sells frozen duck legs and breasts for $3/lb. They sell frozen ducks for $2/lb. They do not sell rendered duck fat.

Graduate School: Spring 2011

When I last checked in with Dr. Cui Zhang, CSUS computer science department graduate program adviser, we dusted off my graduate school transcript and determined I had one or two classes to retake. This afternoon, I checked in with her again and reviewed my progress.

The bad news is from the cursory analysis she picked out several other classes she suggested I retake. The good news is she seemed upbeat about me getting A's in the two classes I am retaking. She suggested I consider taking four classes:

1. CSC 60 - Intro System Program Unix (3 Units)
   
   
• Spring 2010 TR 1:30-2:45 p.m. (Chung Wang)
  
  
2. CSC 132 - Computing Theory (3 Units)
   
   
• Spring 2010 TR 4:00-5:15 p.m. (Meiliu Lu)
  
  
3. CSC 139 - Operating System Principles (3 Units)
   
   
• Spring 2010 MW 5:30-6:45 p.m. (Senad Busovaca)
  
  
4. STAT 50 - Intro Probability+Stat (4 Units, gulp)
   
   
• Spring 2010 MWF 4:00-5:10 p.m. ("Staff")
  

She said the Los Rios Community College system does not offer the statistics class, so I would need to take Math 50 through CSUS. She suggested I not retake courses in calculus (I guess not as big a deal for CSUS computer science grad students as I thought). I am tempted to take them again anyway, though, as my memory of the subject is rusty and I think it would help me with my GRE.

She seemed relieved when I told her I was considering entering in Spring 2011. The current deadline for Fall 2010 enrollment is mid-November. Some other random notes:

• The CSC department assigns grad students to an adviser based on last name, after they become fully classified (all entrance requirements met).
  
  
• There is no such thing as an unclassified graduate student any longer. Everyone is either conditionally classified or fully classified.
  
  
• Graduate students may choose either a thesis or a project. It is student-dependent, and not something to really think about until the student approaches advancement to candidacy.
  
  
• Once a student advances to candidacy (begins working full time on the final project/thesis), the student gets to pick their own faculty supervisor. This may be different than the adviser they were assigned when they became fully classified.
  

So, a mixture of good news and bad news. To put a positive spin on it, I will be stronger for taking these classes over again.

UPDATE: CSC 60 is also ARC CISP 453, MW 10:30-11:50 a.m., and Lab from 12:00-1:20 p.m.

Radio Songs

Heard on KYDS, 91.5:

Calgary, Alberta-based Tegan and Sara's "Monday Monday Monday" from their 2003 album, "If It Was You," on the Vapor/Sanctuary label. Video.

CSUS CSC 130 First Midterm Exam Grades

The first midterm grades from my class this semester are in; it was a bloodbath:

	Section One	Section Two
80+	3	3
70-79	3	3
60-69	7	5
50-59	11	9
49-	7	6
Average	58.81	59.62
Standard Deviation	12.84	15.48

Maximum possible points were 100. Out of 57 test takers: 6 earned better than a B (11%); 6 earned a C (11%); 12 earned a D (21%); and 33 earned an F (58%). The test counts for 15% of the final grade.

To repeat: 60% failed using a scale of 90+ = A, 80-90 = B, and so forth.

Unicode to the Windows Console

Spent a lot of time refreshing my memory of Unicode this evening, trying to figure out how to get Unicode in Java to appear properly in the Windows console.

Apparently, native calls to the Windows subsystem are suggested as the best way, but how can this be a good thing for a write-once, run-anywhere language?

Running "chcp 65001" to select the Unicode code page for the console, and then executing the Java code as "java -Dfile.encoding=UTF-8 class" barfs all over my screen. The Unicode character I want to print comes out OK, but the rest seems broken.

UPDATE:

Apparently this works:

System.console().writer().print("\u2591");
System.console().writer().flush();

UPDATE #2:

OK, this only works for code page #437. o_O Time to call it a night. Will attempt to print my character tomorrow: http://www.fileformat.info/info/unicode/char/2591/index.htm

UPDATE #3:

This link was informative: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1272032/java-utf-8-strange-behaviour . Perhaps it is because I am encoding some values and not others?

I Heart Java Debugger

I love it, I hate it. OK, I love it!

So far so good. Once I got past the weird quirk with the java compiler not overwriting already compiled classes with debugging information. :P

Java Debugger is Dumb

Took me about 15 minutes to realize the java bytecode compiler was not overwriting all my class files when I compiled with debugging information (-g) turned on.

Removing all the class files, then recompiling worked.

Radio Songs

This week:

Coyote Grace

Blk Jks

Roseanne Cash's album The List.

2009 Vision Exam

My last eye exam was in May, 2008. Today I had new results:

SRX (Spectacle Prescription)
O.D. (Oculus Dexter, my right eye):

1. SPH: -0.75
2. CYL: +1.00
3. AXIS: 170

O.S. (Oculus Sinister, my left eye):

1. SPH: -0.75
2. CYL: +0.50
   
3. AXIS: 178

Instead of the eye puff, they used a puff-less, more accurate measurement to test my eye pressure, which turned out to be 15. I asked what abnormal eye pressure would be, and she said borderline high is 22, and low would be around 4, I think.

I went in today because I have been having intermittent vision issues, which after consultation seem to be...migraines. I have never had them before, so apparently they affect vision pretty severely.

Radio Songs

Heard on KYDS 91.5 this afternoon:

Leigh, UK-based The Ting Tings' "Shut Up and Let Me Go" on their 2008 album "We Started Nothing" on the Columbia and Red Ink labels. Video.

Leigh, UK-based The Ting Tings' "That's Not My Name" on their 2008 album "We Started Nothing" on the Columbia and Red Ink labels. Video.

Strangely, KYDS was playing songs about five times in a row this afternoon before advancing to the next song.

Pumpkin Monster, Jun 10, 2009 - Sep 17, 2009

Riding the Regional Transit light rail train home earlier this afternoon, I watched the scenery go by as if reality was moving along to a script I had no part in controlling. The walk home was windy, dusty, and moderately hot. Dawn burst into tears as I entered; we departed shortly thereafter for the Watt Avenue Pet Hospital. There, our 14 week kitten Pumpkin Monster was rapidly deteriorating.

The Feline Leukemia Virus, or FeLV, is an ancient virus, perhaps as old as 10,000,000 years. It is a retrovirus, merging into existing cells and copying when they do. It is the most lethal feline germ-based virus; cancer, immune system destruction, and rapid reduction of red blood cell counts are the most common result of a FeLV takeover.

The eight-week kitten we came to call Pumpkin Monster caught our attention early in the evening of Thursday, July 31. Her cries came in clearly through our front screen door. I mimicked her cries; after much hesitation, she cautiously began eating from a dish of prepared wet food.

It would take a week of continuous feeding and encouragement before she trusted us. She slept to the side of our porch, under the walkway where it was cool during the hottest parts of the day, and occasionally bounded away into the tall native grasses in our front yard. In the evening, she peered into the darkness as several local possums rustled in the dried leaves and tree branches.

She had arrived with a kitty cold; her nose was runny, she sneezed, she scratched her ears regularly, and her eyes teared. Once stroked, however, an instant purring engine came to life, continuous and affectionate. When I came home from work, I would find Dawn waiting for me, sitting with her back to the front door, holding Pumpkin Monster on her lap. She had found her home. It was not long before we knew two things: (1) she was definitely a stray; and (2) she was probably going to become our third cat.

She loved to play. The fiber-weave front doormat was a favorite place to scratch. The long-stemmed leaves were a toy to paw at. A newly-purchased chicken bobble-toy became a sparring partner.

On her first visit to the vet (Mon, Aug 10) she received a complete and thorough exam. Her ears were filled with Acarexx earmite treatment. She received her first FVRCP/FELV combo vaccine shot. Her feces were checked. She received a FeLV + FIX combo shot. She was dewormed, given Clavamox antibiotic drops, and erythromycin ophth ointment. It was at this exam that the vet determined she was approximately eight weeks of age, placing her birth date arbitrarily at June 10.

Shortly after getting her checked, we brought her into our home for closer care. She responded well to the treatments. As she recovered, we began to learn her character traits. When excited, her tail became a wiggle-whip, quickly flying from one side to the other. She was a quiet cat most of the time, rarely startled, and very curious. Her head would turn one way and then the other as I cooked meals.

On Mon, Aug 31, we returned to the vet. She had started sneezing again. She received a prescription of Zeniquin 25 mg antibiotic, a FeLV annual vaccination, a FVRCP second vaccination, and a secondary deworming.

We were to continue for ten days with the Zeniquin, and her condition seemed to improve. Around Sun, Sep 6, she started showing symptoms of sickness again: sneezing occasionally, tired, picking at food. We re-started her regimen of anti-biotics, medicated nasal decongestant, and anti-herpes meds, along with a liquid vitamin booster.

After minimal improvement, we returned to the vet on Thu, Aug 10. The vet examined her and noted she had lost weight. He reported strong heart and lung vitals, however, and requested we continue with our regimen and weigh her weekly to see if she improved.

Her condition continued to deteriorate, however. Eating was intermittent and a struggle. Often, it would come up as vomit. She was so lethargic she wetted her sleeping area. Drinking water was a lengthy process. Clearly, something was wrong. On Wed, Aug 16, Dawn brought her back to the vet. Bio-checks were done: a blood sample was taken, a urinalysis was requested of us after she failed to offer up a sample during her stay. The vet prescribed Cyproheptadine HCl tablets, 4 mg, to stimulate her appetite. Dawn was provided a monster syringe and instructed on how to inject 35 mL of fluid into her in one go. We were also given five cans of Science Diet A/D high-fat and protein food, which we were instructed to make into a slurry and feed her using a syringe.

The next day, Thu, Aug 17, today, the worst news possible arrived. The blood work showed Pumpkin Monster's red blood cells composed 10% of her total blood volume; the average level in a healthy kitten is 28%. Her blood was filled with toxins. All signs pointed to chronic kidney failure, an irreversible and fatal prognosis. The vet noted he had felt the kidneys and Pumpkin Monster had not registered pain, another red flag. Dawn walked Pumpkin Monster back to the vet for immediate treatment.

We were given the choice of a blood transfusion and hospitalization, which would take 2-3 days and cost $1,500-$1,700, or euthanasia. In the vet's experience, with such a severe prognosis, nothing in-between was worth pursuing. The probability was low but possible the blood transfusion would work. Due to staffing shortages, the Watt Ave Pet Hospital would unfortunately be unable to immediately retrieve necessary supplies; the nearest place to procure them was Dixon, CA, a 35 minute trip by car from our home.

Dawn and I discussed our options by phone. We decided to go for the blood transfusion and hospitalization. I would return home early and together we would drive to Dixon, CA and retrieve the needed supplies.

Dawn called back shortly thereafter; the vet had discovered another finding from the blood work: Pumpkin Monster had tested positive for FeLV, the Feline Leukemia Virus. While still grim, this prognosis was better than chronic renal failure. A FeLV-positive cat might live for many months, even several years, with proper care. However, the next news proved heartbreaking.

The veterinarian had consulted with an feline internal medicine expert; both reached the conclusion dehydration alone could not account for Pumpkin Monster's blood toxicity levels. It was overwhelmingly likely the FeLV virus had triggered cancerous growths in her kidneys. In addition, she had black diarrhea, which indicated her intestine was ulcerating, and she was losing blood cells that way too. The doctor described her future: a blood transfusion every 3-4 weeks; as her condition worsened, she would eventually require one every 3-4 days. Dawn and I discussed the latest news over the phone. The news left us numb. I would come home and be with Dawn and Pumpkin Monster.

A short time later, as I sat on the light rail train, the vet called Dawn back and said Pumpkin Monster was becoming manic in her cage, most likely due to oxygen starvation from a low blood cell count. We had noticed her behavior becoming erratic at home as well over the previous three days; she would wander through the house and crawl to the living room window ledge and cry, then attempt to climb up the glass.

The vet receptionist recognized us and quickly directed us into an examination room. Our vet walked in and briefly discussed the prognosis and we told him we had decided to choose a peaceful end for Pumpkin Monster. A few moments later, Pumpkin Monster was brought in wrapped in a blanket. We had heard her crying through the thin walls, but when she saw us she popped her head up and nuzzled us. Dawn held her and we were left alone to say our goodbyes. She was very pale; the anemia had left her paws and nose sallow instead of a healthy pink. We kissed her, stroked her, and listened to her as she attempted to crawl out of the blanket and snuggle closer. She purred for us as best she could; in her weakened condition, they came in interrupted bursts.

One of the attendants we had met during previous visits came in and shared how affectionate she had become of Pumpkin Monster over our visits to the clinic. It was a sweet thing to do, and sincere.

The injection into her IV drip acted quickly. Within 60 seconds, she was gone. Dawn held her and heard a soft groan as her body relaxed. Gently laying her on the table, the doctor listened as her heart slowed, then stopped. We were given as much time as we needed to stay with her after the procedure.

We plan to bury her on Saturday in a small plot of earth near our home, near the spot where she first appeared; our neighbor recommends it as helpful for the grieving process. During a previous loss of a cat, she found grief would strike her in waves; visiting the grave each time helped her feel a sense of connection and closure.

Pumpkin Monster Memories

• She frequently escaped from our older cats by hiding in places they could not reach: under our stove; under the kitchen table; under living room chairs; under the bed; behind the washer/dryer.
  
  
• Her tail whipped back and forth and wiggled when she became excited
  
  
• It took our local hardware store attendant three or four tries to get her nametag engraved. The first time the machine sucked it in unexpectedly and printed only a partial message; the second, he misspelled Pumpkin; finally he got it right. Her tag was in the shape of a heart, because she was such a little kitten with a big heart.
  
  
• She played frequently with a bobble chicken and a toy mouse
  
  
• Sometimes she chased our 14-pound cat Yoshi around the house; Yoshi often bit and tried to subdue her; it was like a horse standing over a dog. For her safety, we kept them separate.
  
  
• Sometimes she slept on a pillow near Dawn's head; other times, she preffered snuggling up to us at night on the bed; during her final nights, she crawled on top of us and slept on our chests.
  
  
• Even though she slept all day and felt lethargic, she perked up and seemed happy when I arrived home
  
  
• At night, I would hold her and sing silly songs to her while scratching her fur; she seemed to enjoy them.
  
  
• When she had more energy, she ferociously attacked the cloth handles on our bed; these handles lift the mattress frame to allow storage under the bed.
  
  
• Dawn remembers the first night Pumpkin Monster let Dawn pet her, and how she started purring and how happy she felt to snuggle with her for the first time
  
  
• Dawn remembers how during outdoor feeding time initially, she would crawl under Dawn's bent knees and fall asleep as she read a book.
  
  
• Dawn remembers hearing her crying; an investigation revealed Yoshi was carrying Pumpkin Monster by the scruff of her neck, like a mommy cat might carry a baby.
  
  
• She and Yoshi would pine for each other when separated. Yoshi would look in through an internal window on her in our bedroom. Other times, he might wait patiently outside our bedroom door. Eventually, he learned he could lean on the bedroom door and force it open.
  
  
• When I got up in the morning, she would sit patiently on the kitchen floor and watch me cook breakfast. Dawn says I would sing silly songs, such as "curious kat" as she explored inside our cupboards.
  
  
• I remember keeping her in the bathroom when we first brought her into our home, with a small cat bed, food and water. We tried this again after she started having accidents later on, but her cries tugged at both our heartstrings; we brought her back into our bedroom and kept her there for the remainder of her time in our home.
  
  
• I remember breaking kitten treats into halves to allow her to eat them more easily. We also used Pill Pockets to help her with her quartered pills. At the end, we crushed them, mixed them in a dollop of honey, and placed the honey on her nose. She licked it off and ingested the dosage.
  
  
• Pumpkin Monster occasionally went into Squirrel Mode; especially when held too long. Squirrel Mode generally consisted of flailing and scratching with tiny claws until she escaped and was free, at which point she returned to Normal Kitten mode.
  
  
• We had various nicknames for her: Pumpkin Friend, Pum Pum, Monster Friend, Pumpkin, Sweet P, Little Monster Friend, Super Friend, and really anything else that crossed our minds.
  
  
• With our bedroom door shut, she would play with our other two cats as they reached under the door.
  
  
• We would place her on our kitchen table while we ate if she seemed to express interest in what we were doing. She would walk around and investigate. I think she tried nibbling at bread we had, and maybe at pasta/lentils. Mostly, she was a big fan of tinned kitten food though.
  
  
• She was extremely light to pick up. At most, she weighed 3.3 pounds.
  
  
• She had an orange coat, with tabby stripes. Along her back, she had a slightly darker orange coloration. Her ears had sort of brownish tips on her ears. Our vet remarked how rare it was for an orange kitten to be female.
  
  
• She would crawl under our walkway during the heat of the day; Dawn would look and see two little eyes peeping out. She would eventually crawl out and stretttttch, then look at Dawn expectantly for foodies.
  
  
• I remember watching her follow around our neighbor's adult cat in the evening, shadowing him and attempting to bond with him.
  
  
• She would play with our other cats' large kibble cat food, batting it around the floor like a toy. These kibbles would end up in all parts of the house, from the hallway to the bedroom.
  
  
• She would attempt to suckle on Dawn's fingers.
  
  
• Pumpkin Monster found our wicker garbage baskets in the living room a convenient and cozy protective toy. She would rock back and forth in them.
  
  
• She would scratch and gnaw playfully at our front porch mat.
  
  
• She was really fond of our round red pillow in our living room.
  

Bamboo Bicycles

Heard about these while listening to KDVS 90.3 about a week or two ago. Here is one project:

http://www.bamboobike.org

A Google search returns lots of hits on this; this instructable shows the basic steps:

1. Figure out what type of bicycle you want
2. Get all of the parts and bamboo
3. Heat treat the bamboo
4. Tack it all together
6. Epoxy it all together
7. Build up bike
8. Ride off into sunset

Radio Songs

Philadelphia-native Teddy Pendergrass' "Turn Off the Lights", from his 1979 album "Teddy" on the Philadelphia International Records label. Audio. Classic lines: "Tonight, Im in a sexy mood, baby".

Cincinnatti, Ohio-based Bad Veins' "Go Home" from their 2009 eponymous album on the Dangerbird label. Audio at the ~26:30 mark.

Doylestown, Pennsylvania-native Pink's "Who Knew" from her 2006 album "I'm Not Dead" on the LaFace label. Video.

Little Rock, Arkansas-based Evanescence's "My Immortal" from their 2003 album "Fallen" on the Wind-up label. Video.

Burbank, California-native Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me" from her 1991 album "Luck of the Draw" on the label. Audio.

UPDATE: Dawn says hearing Teddy Pendergrass reminds her of his song "Only You", from his 1978 album "Life Is a Song Worth Singing" on the Philadelphia International Records label. Video.

MOL Alligator

Dawn and I saw this logo of the Mitsui O.S.K. Lines shipping company while en route to San Francisco's De Young Art Museum two weeks ago:


It is cute. Here is the story of how it came to be, from the designer Ryohei Yanagihara: http://www.mol.co.jp/yanagihara-e/library/library2.html

The company has a selection of historical promotional posters here: http://www.mol.co.jp/poster-e.shtml

Image courtesy of http://www.tikaro.com/2008/05/holy-grail-tshirt-quest-mitsui.html

Futher detail: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsui_O.S.K._Lines

Biking from Winnepeg to Texas

Heard a woman describing her experiences today on KDVS 90.3's program VELOlution . What an amazing trip it must have been. She received trip-planning assistance from Adventure Cycling. VELOlution might put up the show as a podcast as some point in the future; if so, worth checking out.