just finished reading a series of books - somewhat older ones, but with an interesting premise. If the Confederate States had WON - what would happen?
The author's name is Harry Turtledove. He takes this premise right up to the first world war, with the US allied with Germany - and they win. Interesting writing, and it puts into place how one little event affects a multitude of events that occur after it....

 

Here's photos of Nathanael skiing a couple of weeks ago. We went to the Windsor Park Golf Course in Winnipeg - they turn it into a complete ski trail system each winter. You have to know how to handle the hills, though! 

More along the lines of sound programs....

Found another one - I wanted to do short sound clips of instruments for students to listen to, and found Audacity - freeware that allows you to do clips of WAV and MP3 files. Doesn't handle Windows Media without more plug-ins, though.

Pandora and Songbird

Listened with interest earlier this week to CBC as I heard the local afternoon program. They were discussing online music services:

Pandora is an online service that currently (sadly) is only available in the US - it asks you what kind of music you would like to do a search for, and then creates a radio channel with just that style of music in it. Tried it out, it works great. Hopefully they get this setup for Canada very soon.
Apparently, there is also a way to hook this up to your stereo! It's called Squeezebox. Check out both of these links!

Songbird is a Media Player with a significant difference - it's Open Source. Anyone who has used Open Office, Mozilla or Thunderbird will find this interesting. Give it a bit more time, and this will give Real Player a Challenge!

Of course - the pose..... 

Nathanael's concert - he's sitting on the far left with a sled on his lap. 

The hit of Christmas - MORE KNIGHTS!! 

Visiting with Granny - we went for lunch at her place. Nathanael had a chance to show her his dancing steps and songs that he had learned during the first part of the year. 

Currently reading....

"Shun the gossip of men as much as possible, for discussion of worldly affairs, even though sincere, is a great distraction inasmuch as we are quickly ensared and capivated by vanity.

Many a time I wish that I had held my peace and had not associated withmen, Why, indeed, do we converse and gossip among ourselves when we so seldom part without a troubled conscience? We do so because we seekcomfort from one another's conversation and wish to ease the mind wearied by diverse thoughts. Hence, we talk and think quite fondly of things we like very much or og things we dislike intensely. But, sad to say, we often talk vainly and to no purpose; for this external pleasure effectively bars inward and divine consolation.
...
Bad habits and indifference to spiritual progress do much to remove the guard from the tongue. Devout conversation on spiritual matters, on the contrary, is a great aid to spiritual progress, especially when persons of the same mind and spirit associate together in God."

From The Imitation of Christ - Thomas A Kempis