The Life and Times of Jim
Hi, there. I'm Jim. Welcome to my phlog!
This site was written for Las Vegas, then LouisVille. Now, it seems to be about anywhere. In these phlogs, you'll see a lot of my personal notes and pictures. I like to post my observations here to remember life and celebrate it. I'm not religious. I don't pray for good fortune. I'm ecstatically grateful for the gift of life and I think our time should be remembered and not taken for granted. I'm not a writer. I think pictures tell stories so much better than words. I love just about everything in this life, and, I guess that would have to include you. So, if you've seen me, don't be surprised if your picture is in here somewhere. Of all the critters, people are absolutely the most interesting. 
<< 07/2008 < 06/2009 Calendar 08/2009 > 07/2010 >>Sign InView Other Logs
Fri 
07/24/2009 08:36:18
 jim  Tal
-- This is a comment
! This is a comment
! This is a bracketted comment !
STRING         - 1 bytes integer 0 to 255, EG STRING(2) x; is a 2 byte ascii string
INT            - 2 bytes, 0 to 65,535 or -32,768 to + 32,767. This can also be a string EG: INT twochars := "CH";
INT(32)        - 4 bytes
UNSIGNED(1~15) - n bits, 0 thru (2**n - 1)
UNSIGNED(16)   - 0 to 65,535, or -32,768 to +32,767. This is your standard address
FIXED          - 8 bytes, for FIXED(0) or FIXED(*) the range is -9 kazillion to +9 kazillion
REAL           - 4 bytes, precise to 9 digits
REAL(64)       - 8 bytes, precise to 17 digits

INT(16)   is the same as INT
INT(64)   is the same as FIXED(0)
REAL(32)  is the same as REAL

Examples:
LITERAL double_word = (4 * 8);
INT    (double_word) num; ! num is a INT(32)
INT       x := 4                  ! x is decimal 4
INT       x := %177               ! x is Octal 177
INT       x := %B01010            ! x is Binary 01010
INT       x := %B0000000000000010 ! x is 2;
INT       x := %B1111111111111110 ! x is -2 (using twos compliment);
INT       x := %H1A               ! x is Hex 1A
FIXED(3)  x := 0.642F;            ! x is 642000, the  3 shifts the decimal right
FIXED(-3) x := 642945F;           ! x is 642000, the -3 shifts the decimal left
FIXED(*)  x := 123                ! x is stored, not scaled

BLOCK  x                       ; ! Declare Global Variables
     INT        flag    := TRUE;
     INT(32)    index   := 22  ;
END BLOCK                      ;
BLOCK PRIVATE                  ; ! Declare Local Variables
     INT        myflag  := TRUE;
     INT(32)    myindex := 22  ;
END BLOCK                      ;

PROC paragraph_x   ; FORWARD   ; ! Declares that paragraph_x will be out of compile sequence
PROC called_program; EXTERNAL  ; ! Declares that a paragraph can be found in a called program
PROC paragraph_x (param)       ;
BEGIN
     INT param;
END;

PROC paragraphs_nested (param) ;
BEGIN
  ENTRY entry_point              ; ! Declares a programs entry point
  some code
  SUBPROC entry_subroutine(x)    ; ! Declares a subroutine with a PROC
     BEGIN
     some code  
     END;

  entry_point:
     some more code

END;

PROC myproc;
BEGIN !Local data declarations
   SUBPROC some_sub (param); !Declare subprocedure 
      INT param; 
      ENTRY sub_entry;         ! Declare entry-point identifier
      INT var;                 ! Some code here 
   sub_entry:                  ! Apply entry-point
      var := var - param;      ! identifier to statement 
      some code         ;      ! Tal can get ugly very quickly
   END;                        ! End subprocedure 
   some code 
   !Local statements
   CALL sub_entry (1); !Call entry-point SUB_ENTRY 
   END;

PROC xx(v1,v2,v3);
BEGIN...END;
...CALL xx(v1, !nothing!, v3) ! Comments help document ommited variables

DEFINETOG omit                !
some code
?IF omit
some code
?ENDIF omit

Sample compile statement: suppress octal code after each line, suppress all but header information, compile for syntax only
   and puts the errors in a file called xxx, and sets the omit toggle on
TAL/in myprogram/;nocode, suppress, syntax, errorfile xxx,settog omit,

Operators:
  x  := 2     ! move 2 to a number
  x ':=' 'AB' ! move characters to a string
  x := @var   ! x is the address of var
  .x          ! convert x from a INT to the word address of another variable
  <<          ! Signed Left shift
  '<<'        ! Unsigned Left shift
  + - *       ! Signed operators for add, subtract and multiply
  '+' '-' '*' ! Unsigned operators for add, subtract and multiply
  = <= >=     ! comparisons
  '=' '<='    ! comparisons (unsigned)
  <>          ! Not equal

According to the manual, you can do math on a string variable. EG: STRING x; x ':=' 'A"; x := x * 2; Go figure?


Tue 
07/21/2009 20:11:06
 jim  WestView, Pa - DPietros
Mon 
07/20/2009 18:08:29
 jim  The Flame BBQ
Mon 
07/20/2009 07:17:22
 jim  A week of Goodbyes
It was nice hanging with you guys.
Goodbye for now: Jeff, Jennifer and Glen.
We took Jennifer to the airport.
She went to Vegas and we went to the Moon Township. We never got a good chance to take her to Mars.  (I'm serious)
While at the airport, Jen got into a little bit of trouble. It was her first time flying alone. She misplaced her ticket and her birth certificate down some place.
A nice couple saw that she was in trouble and offered their help.
In the end, the security office had her documents, and Jennifer and the couple flew off too Vegas.
The couple was from...you guessed it, Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh people are the best!
Mon 
07/20/2009 07:09:09
 jim  Farm Jokes
Sat 
07/18/2009 16:14:15
 jim  Coraopolis, Pa
Sat 
07/18/2009 10:45:24
 jim  During Jens Last Day
Fri 
07/17/2009 20:34:21
 jim  Homestead Square at Night
Fri 
07/17/2009 20:33:31
 jim  Homestead - Jen, Becky

Happy Feet!
Fri 
07/17/2009 16:35:51
 jim  A Cool Goodbye
I was standing outside, talking to my buddy as he loaded up his car with the last of his belongings from his cubical.
We shared a smoke, and I watched him drive off for the last time.
Standing alone, I felt a cold breeze at my back.
In less than five minutes, the sky turned into an orchestra of thunder and lightening. The streets flowed with mud.
When I left work soon afterwards, it was still pouring outside.
I looked at the parking lot and I realized that out of the hundreds of people I work with, I was the last person to leave. 
I have five weeks and three days left on my contract. This past year has been full of magic.
Thu 
07/16/2009 18:16:39
 jim  Cabana Bar - Jeffs Going Away Party
Bon Voyage, Jeffrey We celebrated Jeff's goodbye party at the Cabana Bar (lots of fun). The Cabana Club has a thatch covered bar in an outdoors setting with sand, lots of tables, fire pits, and a water fall. After two drinks, we wanted something to eat. If you want food at the Cabana Bar, you have to order take out from the restaurant, and bring it down. That seems odd, since it is right next to the restaurant. County codes make businesses do some very odd things. So our next stop was Walnut Grove. The party broke up probably around 7 pm. It sure is nice having friends. It's been a fun year with you buddy! We celebrated at the Cabana Bar then went to Walnut Grove. These guys are the greatest!
Tue 
07/14/2009 21:49:45
 jim  Robinson Cracker Barrel - Becky, Jen
I stepped out, bought some shirts and a jacket, had them gift wrapped, then brought to the table - Just Because
Tue 
07/14/2009 06:50:55
 jim  So Sad to Say Goodbye
A fellow contractor got the axe yesterday. I'm going to miss him a lot.
It's pretty common for us contractors to come and go.
It can happen at any time and as a general rule it should be expected.
For me, contracting makes the most efficient use of the time we have here; if there's work, I work. If there is nothing to do, I play.
It's not like my fellow contractor did anything wrong. It's always difficult to say goodbye. But we'll bump into each other again.
We picked a high paying profession.
We knew we'd be travelling a lot. We knew we'd be changing contracts every year. There's always the chance that when we come in, all of the security codes will be changed, and we'll be out of work.
We knew we'd be giving up our rights of employment and we signed them away.
While the road, I've lost loved ones, forgotten what it is like to have a home, and I can't say for sure who I've become. Last year I lost my fortune.
I could never do this alone.
To contract nationally, you have to give up a normal livestyle.
It's an exchange. You trade familiarity for a broad spectrum of knowledge and experience.
And I've got to say, I've met some GREAT People along the way.
Mon 
07/13/2009 20:26:02
 jim  West View - Football Fields
Sat 
07/11/2009 19:42:04
 jim  Splashes of Kennywood
Sat 
07/11/2009 19:18:24
 jim  Kennywood-Fountains
Sat 
07/11/2009 17:47:46
 jim  Kennywood-Becky,Jen
Sat 
07/11/2009 17:33:48
 jim  Kennywood-Views
Sat 
07/11/2009 15:35:13
 jim  Kennywood-Rides
Sat 
07/11/2009 15:32:32
 jim  Kennywood-SkyTram
Sat 
07/11/2009 08:04:12
 jim  Wexford Apt Critters
Fri 
07/10/2009 20:55:53
 jim  New Castle - China Buffet
Fri 
07/10/2009 20:30:34
 jim  New Castle - SummerFest
Fri 
07/10/2009 20:24:54
 jim  New Castle, Pa
Fri 
07/10/2009 18:59:06
 jim  Boating in Moraine State Park
Fri 
07/10/2009 18:47:22
 jim  Moraine State Park - Lake and Sky
Fri 
07/10/2009 18:04:18
 jim  Moraine State Park - Jen, Becky
Fri 
07/10/2009 18:03:38
 jim  Moraine State Park - Beach
Thu 
07/09/2009 12:51:12
 jim  Somewhere in Pa
My Cubical Area - To some it may sound strange to actually enjoy their job, but me, I love mine. There is a feel of comradery here. There is humor, excitement, and a feeling of importance I get when I'm working in my cube.
Contractors generally don't get much attention on the job. We usually sit, read, code, test and document. Our contacts exist in the form of emails, instant messages, and word documents. But this contract is so very different. I actually understand most of the system at this point. That is because, to the people, I'm not just a body, I am a real, live person. And these people, no matter how far they get promoted, they know the system's nuts and bolts.
Today, an analyst pulled up a program by its number, moved through the code, and called it up by its server name (not so cryptic). There are over a thousand programs in the system I work with, and he had this one memorized. Many of those who worked on this system have been promoted levels beyond programming.
I will miss this place and these times.
From Becky, Jennifer and myself, I'd like to express a special appreciation to Jeff, Lonnie, Georgia, Cynthia, Cindy, Arden, Rob, Scott, Dave, the people at Ericsson, and all of the people that we've met in Pennsylvannia so far. Pennsylvannia is beautiful by itself. Add you guys to it, and it is my heaven. Too bad it all has to end.
Wed 
07/08/2009 16:19:04
 jim  Soergel Orchards
Mon 
07/06/2009 09:47:26
 jim  Apt Critters
Sun 
07/05/2009 16:34:06
 jim  Pittsburgh Cemetary
Sun 
07/05/2009 15:14:27
 jim  Jim, Becky and Jennifer
Sun 
07/05/2009 13:46:28
 jim  Shadyside, Pa
Sat 
07/04/2009 21:38:36
 jim  State Pt Park - Fireworks
Sat 
07/04/2009 20:27:19
 jim  State Pt Park - Three Dog Night
Sat 
07/04/2009 18:45:36
 jim  Boat Races
Fri 
07/03/2009 20:26:22
 jim  State Point Park - Becky, Jennifer
Fri 
07/03/2009 19:48:46
 jim  Forbes, Pa
Fri 
07/03/2009 19:47:08
 jim  Pittsburgh, Pa - Bldgs
Wed 
07/01/2009 20:12:22
 jim  Vestal Park
Wed 
07/01/2009 06:51:54
 jim  Number, Numbers, Numbers!
Click here to read more: Pittsburgh dips to 60th in population among U.S. cities
Is it just me, or does this sound INSANE! I've been all over this country, and no way is Pittsburgh #60. If they'd quit using the boundaries drawn by whomever/whenever, and start using a circular reference from the city's center, these statistics would change immensely.
The way the census is run today, the population of Pittsburgh could easily double in one day based on the decisions In a Meeting! Don't believe me...check out the population of Louisville over the years, at a time when people are moving away!
Statistics people...don't trust them.
Half of the people quoting statistics state half of the facts, which is twice as many as those who don't.
Oscar Wilde - "The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple."
Mark Twain - "First get your facts; then you can distort them at your leisure."
Benjamin Disraeli - "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damn lies, and statistics."
Bill Gates - "Then there was the man who drowned crossing a stream with an average depth of six inches".
"There is sanity in knowing you are insane."
"The four most important things you should learn in life are:
Learn to listen, pay attention, and to count".
Sun 
06/28/2009 17:13:20
 jim  Little Italy, Pa
Sun 
06/28/2009 16:44:10
 jim  Natural History - Indians
Sun 
06/28/2009 16:38:18
 jim  Natual History - Egypt
Sun 
06/28/2009 16:21:40
 jim  Natural History Displays
Sun 
06/28/2009 16:03:28
 jim  Pittsburgh - Museum of Natural History
Sun 
06/28/2009 15:55:30
 jim  Natural History Museum
Fri 
06/26/2009 20:23:50
 jim  Mt Pleasant, Pa - Evergreen Drive In
Fri 
06/26/2009 07:17:40
 jim  Michael Jackson Dies at 50
He preached music, love and peace. His performances rocked the world. Michael Jackson Dies at 50.
BTW - He was found innocent in court of child molestation, and he did pay out $20 million to quiet the whole thing. Money is a strong motivation.
After being on a grand jury, I don't believe most of the news

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