I had heard that there was legitimate academic interest in the online virtual world of SecondLife. I had previously downloaded a copy of the program but found my system to be inadequate. I now have a newer box running Ubuntu 10.04 (lucid) with a NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (version 173). There was no installation required, I simply down loaded the latest version of SecondLife for Linux and unpacked the bundle in a Desktop directory. The executable is already there.
I did a small project for a geomorphology seminar. It concerned the handling of materials that would normally be carried by a natural river system. The San Fernando Valley has a series of debris dams that catch material eroding from the surrounding hills. The canalized river system must be kept clear of this material in order to insure proper drainage of run-off to the ocean. This has implications regarding the reduction of ground water recharge as well as beach erosion.
This is a book of what may or may not be haiku. I'm intrigued by the idea of expressing ideas and emotions in a very concise and hopefully elegant manner. I have no formal training in haiku but I have been reading a number of web sites on what it is and how it is done. I try to adhere to the 5-7-5 formula but I'm given to understand that these days it is not a requirement. I'm not at all sure what the requirements, if any, really are for that matter.
Into the pond
For no good purpose.
Joyous leaps.
Scene from once a nunatak
A scalloped path
and glacial valley.
This is a view from the top of the Kuna Crest. Dana Meadows can be seen in the upper center portion of the photo. The glacial valley leading to Mono Pass and Parker Pass is in the upper right corner.
Why this reminds me more of O'Keeffe than cowboys says something but I don't know what.
A faint reflection
From an ancient Spring
I can barely recall
Ancient slopes broken
Precipitous cliffs arise
View from Parker Pass
Oh friends, not these tones!
Rather, let us raise our voices in more pleasing
And more joyful sounds!
Joy! Joy!
Joy! Joy!
View after leaving the trail to Donahue Pass and continuing up towards Mt Lyell. Mt Gibbs, Kuna Crest and Koip Crest as well as Lyell Canyon. I used to practice printing photographs with this negative.
Mts Lyell and Maclure as seen from the Kuna Crest. The glacial lobes were a bit larger then.
It's just a small thing
that's of little consequence.
Melting away.
I recall thinking at the time I took this photo that I was entering dangerous territory, rather like entering the jaws of a large beast. Looking back now I see how transitive and delicate this view was. The shot was taken looking out from inside the Conness glacier bergshrund. We could see the rock surface curving away under the ice and these icicles while looking out.
The glacier is a stark environment of ice and rock with surprising elements of incredible beauty found in the interstices as well as the landscape in general. Here is an ice cored moraine burying the toe of a classic cirque glacier. Note the exposed ice of the glacier where old snow has melted away. Note also the melt pond at the base of the moraine.
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