FFAF Installment 3a

HAPPY FRIDAY, ALL!!!

It's Mother's Day Weekend so say something nice about your mom, or the mom of your kids.

I'll go first.

My Mom:

One of the things I've been thinking about lately is my childhood with my mom. I don't know why, but for the last year or so one specific moment of my childhood has been replaying in my mind. It's a moment when my mom and I were on the couch and I was laying down with my head resting on her lap. I remember her hand gently caressing my forehead and brushing my hair back. It was one of the most wonderfully euphoric moments I can remember during my 43 years.  And I remember thinking to myself "This is the epitome of a mothers love." (Yeah...I was young and didn't realize how much more was involved in "mommy-ing.") I still get the same warm fuzzies whenever I think about it, though.

Thanks, Mom, for that moment, and for everything you've done.

The Mother of my children:

There are women who learn to nurture their children, and there are women for whom nurturing is a natural instinct. For Lisa, nurturing comes naturally. I can't count how many times folks have said, "Wow, Lisa! You have such amazing patience with your children." It's true. Lisa simply knows how the value of being patient and utilizing a "teaching moment" as opposed to giving the kids "a good what-fer." She will say that she needs to grow in her patience. But many of us watching her wish we could attain to what she already has. When my children are grown and have children of their own, they will think back to their own mommy, and have an excellent example to imitate in how to nurture.

Lisa, I could not have imagined a better mother for my kids. You teach them...and me.

From the Inbox

I doubt you've seen anything like this before!!! This thing is SO life-like! Watch the video on the link and I promise you will start to feel sorry for the thing as it slips on ice and stuff.

BigDog is the alpha male of the Boston Dynamics family of robots. It is a quadruped robot that walks, runs, and climbs on rough terrain and carries heavy loads. BigDog is powered by a gasoline engine that drives a hydraulic actuation system. BigDog's legs are articulated like an animal’s, and have compliant elements that absorb shock and recycle energy from one step to the next. BigDog is the size of a large dog or small mule, measuring 1 meter long, 0.7 meters tall and 75 kg weight.

In separate trials, BigDog runs at 4 mph, climbs slopes up to 35 degrees, walks across rubble, and carries a 340 lb load.

The screenshot above is one of the creators giving the thing a SERIOUS kick to know if over, and it doesn't fall.