Dawn has some much better photos...

Dawn has some much better photos ... of those bright spots on Ceres, but the cause of them is still a complete mystery.  What they heck are they?  NASA has a poll going to let you cast your prediction.  I voted for a salt deposit...

Modules are coming in Java 9...

Modules are coming in Java 9 ... read all about it!

When I initially started programming in Java, almost 20 years ago, I made a long list of the “missing features” the language had.  I lost that list a long time ago, but modules were one of those missing features.  Each version of Java has added at least one of the things I had on that list, and with Java 9's modules (assuming they make the final cut), I can't think of any more things I had on that original list that are missing.  But ... now I'd make a new and different list, and there are plenty more things I wish Java had.  Probably the the top thing on my new list would be a way to access raw network packets.  I can dream, can't I?

Memristors for sale...

Memristors for sale...  I check every few months to see if you can buy one, and now you can!  They're not on Digi-Key, yet, but at Knowm $220 will buy you a part with eight of the little beasties on it.  Looking at the data sheet, they're still a little challenging to use.  This part is aimed at researchers, so that aspect doesn't matter quite so much as it would if they were aiming at design-ins for mass-produced systems.  Still – they're real!

Another day, another hydrotherapy session...

Another day, another hydrotherapy session ... and Debbie continues to do well on them.  The therapist today told her that it was time for her to start easing back into “regular” physical therapy, where she's bearing her full weight on her (formerly broken, and much-abused) knee.  That means he sees progress – great!

We celebrated by going out to Herm's for breakfast.  With both had their southwest steak and eggs: steak marinated, rare, and delicious; an avocado half, salsa fresca, and eggs poached in circles cut from bell peppers.  Instead of potatoes, we got fruit cups: blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, grapes, orange, and peach.  Yum!