As one of my good friends pointed out the other day, I've been posting more about the operational status of my computer (usually during a period when it's actually operating) than I actually do about rocks or field camp. The subjects have more or less become intertwined, though, so I consider the statement nullified. >: )

So, to continue with computer-related posts, the latest incarnation of quirky behavior from this machine I discovered today after work. Powered it up to make sure it would boot without going to sleep (check), tried unsuccessfully to connect to Arialzone (check), then closed the lid and went downstairs to make some (not so good) microwave dinner stuff. Get back upstairs with food in hand and check the computer, only to find it appears to be OFF.

WTF?

Open lid, hit power button --- and the display reactivates. It had just turned the display off (normal for my custom battery settings). No sleep. Must've fixed it too well. Also suggests that the previous malfunctions may have been the computer thinking the lid was closed because of some sort of disconnect between the offending part and the motherboard. It DOES sleep normally when I select the option from the menu.

All in all, I'm hoping it stays this way, because I will take the extra steps to sleep this thing over the alternative any day and everyday.

Anyway, I'm putting up a few more pictures from out West. I'm sitting in front of the (defunct) Burger Down just across the street from campus and am yanking MSU Wireless from Burkee Hall, because it's too nice to languish in my room.


This is the Grand Prismatic Pool in Yellowstone. It's not as spectacular from the ground as it is from the air, but it's still beautiful. I have some great panoramics of this. The color progression is unbelievable.






















Ol' Faithful. It was pretty cool. They have benches ringing most of the way around the geyser and we were there with approximately 500 other people when it erupted (sometime around 1:30 pm). There are several eateries, a visitor's center, and a HUGE gift/food/more food/indoor court thing nearby. Definitely one of the (if not THE) place people in Yellowstone appear to flock to.


























Back to the Tetons. I love this range. Apparently the French did, too (give you one guess what "Tetons" translates to). Took this right after sunset and a GREAT dinner.






















This is from one of the first sites we went to in Yellowstone. Can't remember the name, but I could point it out on a map for you. This was an area riddled with small hydrothermal pools. They drained off into the lake and deposited these spectacular iron oxides mixed with some other stuff -- maybe sulphur?


























Back to the Grand Prismatic Pool area (sorry for the random, I really don't like how Blogger handles images and I'm too lazy to fight with it)! This was in the mid-afternoon and one of the last sites we visited. We spent most of our time there alternatively steam-bathing (in slightly sulphurous steam), marveling at the hydrothermal pools, and watching this beauty of a high-base thunderstorm roll in. In the foreground is one of the smaller pools preceding the Grand Prismatic Pool. The color contrast between the mineral deposits on the ground and the storm above was pretty cool.