Consulting Like Ron
My wife had a call from a prospective client of Ron’s the other night. We were recommendation number 5. He said that he thought all of Ron’s referrals must have been on Ron’s payroll; that everybody raved about Ron.
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Weighing with a Voyol
Pre-dawn reading of Patrick O’Brian’s “The Far Side of the World*” (with marine hero, Master and Commander, Captain Jack Aubrey) delights but puzzles me with some splendid, strong, salty yet obscure phrases, like this running commentary to child midshipmen of a rare-used weighing with a voyol: “Watch now. He makes it fast to the cable – he reeves the jeer-fall through it – the jeerfall is brought to its capstan, with the standing part belayed to the bitts. So you get a direct runner-purchase instead of a dead nip, do you understand?” Read more
Puss-Puss
This is a St. Valentine’s Day Tale. In 1982 I was the supervisor of a large geotechnical engineering service project for the Ok Tedi mine. My crew was about 70 people – all males. But being boss, I had le droit de seigneur; the right to take female company. So I took unto me a female companion, Puss-Puss. Read more
Lollygagging with Rene
It is just after dawn. I am in Pago Pago (PAHNgo PAHNgo), on Tutuila island in American Samoa. On most Saturday mornings I lollygag, putter, don’t do much of anything. So, as usual this Saturday morning, I am lollygagging while keeping Rene company. Read more
Yoohoo/Yahoo – Where Were My Pages??
For anybody who came to my website today, October 6 2009, looking for Vitae or Motley Views pages or whatever – I am sorry you did not find them. Yahoo hid them. Yahoo hosts my website, by the way. Read more
PE/BE
Like all US licensed civil engineers I have had to take and pass licensing exams. They are not fun: in California a licensed Civil PE (Professional Engineer) has to endure about 21 hours of exams. Read more
