I was listening to the song by Astrud Gilberto and Stan Getz titled “The Girl from Ipanema”. Nice jazz tune. But as I am wont to do and before the mid day lethargy hits I figured I’d explain the issue I have with the song.

Nothing to do with the music at all. But the logic.

You see the girl from Ipanema goes walking – sure. And the guy smiles but she never sees. Did the guy never think to change his position so the girl sees him? Inquiring minds would like to know why he didn’t. I mean if the view is lovely and you want someone to know you appreciate it you always say hi, or ask them to turn around and grace you with a cute front/posterior etc. I mean come on, how big a wuss is the guy in the song?

But I guess that’s just the way I see the world. I mean you have to, in the immortal words of Ferris Bueler – stop and smell the roses sometimes. Otherwise you may as well whole up in your own home and never leave. Become a shut in.

I mean I look at myself – I don’t consider myself classically handsome. But I get hit on regularly and say thanks. Maybe it’s the t-shirts I rock as I note they get noticed all the time. I mean come on, an image of Leonard Nimoy as Spock with a halo, stained glass effect and a panel that says LLAP – Live Long and Prosper. That and my Cocoa Rebels t-shirt get noticed, so too my rock, paper, scissors, lizard, spock shirt. Or my well loved but now worn out red t-shirt with the alphabet spelled out in game controllers.

I’d written a function to take a given number, then reduce it by half for x iterations. Problem was with some numbers it’d go past the limit of 64 bit subscripts and error out. This came out of something I’d read where if you keep reducing the distance you travel by half you’d never reach your destination. It’s funny what I read ends up as functions in this python app I’ve written.

I had some error checking built in. But then I thought, why not just check if the end result is greater than or equal to 1. That solves it – it never gets into the weeds this way. Perfect.

Here’s the code:

def byhalves(): # A thought experiment .
i=0
a=float(input(“Enter a number to halve until errors out:”))
t=int(input(“Enter number of iterations:”))
print(“Be prepared, halving a distance means you’ll never reach it.”)
try: # What you’ll find is pretty much any number will never reach zero by half
while i<t:
i=i+1
b=a/2 # Took out the natural log. For the purposes
# of this app it’s worthless.
#c=math.log(a)
#d=math.log(b)
if b>=1:
print(“a=”,a,”\t\tb=”,b,”\t\tindex=”,i)
else:
print(“Out of range at final result one.”)
break
a=b # Now make a equal to the last result. And iterate on.

except(ValueError):
print(“Exceeds maximum allowable exponents.\nTry again with fewer iterations or index.”)
filw.write(‘Termination of By Halve Function.\n’)#for logging of module term
filw.write(ctime(time()))#with full timestamp
filw.write(“\n”)
return()

if you don’t know Python I’ll break it down:
1. def byhalves() – this is setting up the function byhalves.
2. i=0 – this is the index initialized to zero
3. a=float(input(“Enter a number to halve until errors out:”))- input a floating point value and store in the variable a.
4. t=int(input(“Enter number of iterations:”)) – the index you’ve chosen in integer form. Stored as variable t
5. the print is obvious – it puts it on screen.
6. try: – this is the error catcher. Right now this is coupled with except statement toward the bottom that uses a print statement to tell you that you’ve blown past the max number for exponents.
7. while i<t: – this is a while loop where the index is compared to the number you entered and stored as variable t.
8. i=i+1 which I could abbreviate as i++ This increments the index value.
9. b=a/2 – this takes the valuable stored as a and divides it by 2 or half. Then stores it in variable b.
10. if b>=1: – so long as the b or displayed variable doesn’t go below 1 we’re good.
11. print(“a=”,a,”\t\tb=”,b,”\t\tindex=”,i) – so everything in Python 3.4 you have to wrap in parentheses and quotation marks. In this line you see I put labels a=, b= and so on. The commas separate the quotes from the variable and so on so they all appear on the same line. And you’ll see some \t’s in there – those are tab escape codes.
12: else: The if/else clause terminator.
13. The next line of the else: prints Out of range af final result one.
14: The terminator of the try: clause is except: and this one triggers on ValueError which you get when you blow past the max number of exponents.
15: Prints Exceeds maximum allowable exponents then on the next line(That’s the \n) says to try again with fewer iterations or index.
16: Anything that begins filw.write – thats logging for this function.
17: ctime(time()) – that gives time in normal format for time stamp logging.
18: return() – returns to the main body of the program.

**DISCLAIMER** to properly use this you need the time and math libraries imported.

Recently someone had to see a new MD regarding high blood pressure. I’m on the fence if I should identify this doctor because he’s the attending for a practice in the area.

One of the prime reasons that I as a general principle distrust MD’s is because I’ve caught them out with their what I term lies.

For example, someone was told by the doctor that carbs were ok because we need them for quick energy, that he could have a potato or rice. And that when the A1C number drops from 9 to 6.2 that you’re still diabetic, not pre-diabetic. It’s enough to make me angry and make me question the ability of doctors to consistently say the wrong fucking thing.

This doctor also said that eating one meal a day resets the metabolism and lowers it. Someone said if that that were the case, the Jews who were released from the Nazi concentration camps would look like Beluga Whales instead of the emaciated messes that they were.

This doctor also put him on medication for the high blood pressure. But here’s the thing, the doctor was dismissive of the other factors that can raise blood pressure, like lack of sleep, agitation, anxiety, dehydration etc. Even the Nurse Practitioner said dehydration can raise blood pressure. Couple it with a few of the other factors I mentioned and well you can see my concern.

This doctor had the temerity to say to put someone’s health care in the doctors hands. I’ll use the Latin for this one Ut Si.

Then of course there’s the persistent myth that fats are bad for us. That sugar is ok – so tell me why we’re seeing increased rates of Type II diabetes and still it seems as many heart attacks, strokes, etc. We were told a big fat lie by a doctor.

I note too doctors have become more pill pusher than anything else. I think we can blame that on the pharma industry. I mean lunches, trips all over creation, etc. Really?

Because we’ve been on a low/no carb/sugar diet and losing weight and seeing someones A1C drop lower and lower.

I suppose we’re both a doctors worst nightmare – informed patients.

Some time back I’d posted how the nearby Joe’s Meat Market. Today I was tasked to go in and get some skin on bone in chicken thighs and some slab bacon cut nice and thick.

The deal 10lbs of skin on bone in chicken thighs were $12. That works out to $1.20 a pound for one of the best parts of chicken you can get. And they’re super easy to de-bone – two lateral cuts, one scrape under with good shears and one just pulls the bone out of the thigh. The bones of course have a little meat on them so they get saved to make soup later on.

Yesterday I got two ribeye steaks – cut about an inch or so thick. That was more pricey but I’ll say something – usually you end up with a lot of gristle with steaks like that you might purchase at a supermaket (Or is that supermercado?) In fact I think the quality of the steaks is what caused an order to get the chicken at the same place.

Plus it supports a local business. It saddens me to see the number of local places that have shut down over the years. But this market seems to be going strong. Hopefully it’ll be going strong for years to come.

And we’re going to be eating chicken thighs for awhile I guess.

Some time ago I purchased Dorie Greenspan’s book “around my french table”. The book is copyrighted as of 2010 so eight years later I’ve begun in the words of Ina Garten to start working my way through every easy, delicious recipe.

So with that I cooked the first thing – the Gougeres. If windows Notepad and character map would behave the accented first e would be there – but it’s my least favorite OS called Windows 10.

The Chouf a Pate went together lickety split. It’s butter, flour, salt and flour. Then that cooked mixture goes into the mixer and add five eggs waiting for each to be absorbed into the dough.

Then in goes the cheese – I used a sharp cheddar until such time as I can get some gruyere again.

Here is  a photo of them just after baking:

The baked for 24 minutes. And let me tell you they’re delicious. I cannot believe how good they are. Now the numbers – each biscuit has .33oz or 1/3tablespoon(.33 = 1/3, = 1tsp) of butter, .2 whole egg, 2.9g carb total. Not bad and I must say I laughed at the Garten quote but yeah I’ll work my way throught this book.

On the 30th of this month someone goes in for eye surgery. Not me no, my vision is still intact. He was diagnosed with diabetes back in July but even then before beginning drug therapy via metformin his blood glucose reading fasting was 116.

But the clincher was the A1C test. I looked it up – it looks at how much glucose is attached to hemoglobin over a 90 to 120 day period. He was at 9 back in July now he’s at 6.2 or pre-diabetic. He’s also lost about 25lbs.

We’ve sort of embraced the keto diet. No added sugar, no or low carbohydrates. He goes even farther no fruit like oranges, apples, pineapple, etc. Instead it’s protein, cheeses, and vegetation. Only difference between he and I is that. I eat fruit, he doesn’t.

Myself – I figured there’s no sense in baking one potato, or a quarter cup of rice. So I too have lost 15 or 20 pounds.

And as a control of course, the physician assistant got a laugh from that. I tested mine – it’s rock solid in the 80’s. Of course I eschew fruit juices I see it as pointless just eat the fruit and get not just fructose but fiber, and other vitamins.

But it’s really fascinating – when I shop for food I look at ingredients and nutritional info. When you do you find that the standard U.S. condiments like mustard, ketchup etc. all have added sugar. Now added is a funny word to me – as some products say Balsamic vinegar have a sugar component in the nutritional side but no added sugar.

So I went searching saw that Heinz now had a ketchup with no added sugar. Good.

But take mayonnaise – all of them including the name brands have added sugar. As an experiment I made mayo myself – a couple of egg yolks, some olive oil, salt, pepper and a tiny bit of apple cider vinegar. Now there was some argument it was whole egg, not just yolk. But I was right – yolks only. If you want it thicker refrigerate it.

And shop around – my local Price Rite has a brown mustard with no added sugar.

A lot of this started when I read the Case Against Sugar by Gary Taube(s)

When you think of it there are enteire industries making products that are either killing or severely impeding life of people. Soft drinks, candy bars, you name it. Why do you think companies like Coca Cola, Mars Bars, etc. have diversified into pet foods, water, etc. They know the gig is up, even the famed Steve Jobs knew that what we call soda, pop, tonic, etc. is sugar water.

It has been two months since I’ve posted. Partly to do with the fact my net connection was down for a bit and I couldn’t get my WP password. Now that I’ve got a connection again another thing happened. Plus the muses took a hiatus.

The start switch on the dryer broke. You could twist it part way at one point and it’d start but then over time it just wouldn’t start anymore. I guess after 20 years of use it finally gave up the will to function.

So broke out the cordless drill with philips screw driver bit and proceed to remove a good 20+ screws to get the panel with the timers and switches down. Also disconnected the washer/dryer combo from the plug – not fun to work on something with 240VAC running through it. After that popped the knob off the start switch.

Now when they built this machine they did a few things which the engineer in me can appreciate. First – on the first cover I had to remove was an open ended envelope with the full documentation on the unit including electronic schematics, timing diagrams, etc.

Anyhow I removed the start switch. It’s made in the USA by General Electric – surprise, surprise, surprise. But then 20+ years ago most components were made in the Good Old U.S.A.

Next step look closely at the schematics – in it I observed the timer, the door switch and the start switch were all wired in series. Now the schematic shows the start switch as Normally open. But dissecting the switch and discovering the worn cam – it is a Normally Closed switch. And the switch was connected by slip-spade lugs.

What I did was put a 5-7mm thick bus bar in between the two wires, covered it with some shrink tubing, applied heat to the tubing and now the dryer works again.

Just a small change – if the door is open or the timer is on a stopped position the dryer is off. But close the door and move the timer to a timed position and it starts up.

Once again I count my education at the hands of engineers in my family and my love of electronics and electrical devices as a serious plus in my book. Plus mechanical things do not deter me.