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Category Archives: Observation

Get out your hard hat?

I’m going to be upgrading to the latest version of Wordpress software this week. Things will probably be broken or misaligned until I can reinstall the tweaks and apply all the fine tuning.
If things are really borked, go to Marginalia, my Tumblelog. Listen to some eclectic music, read a few quotes, and view the photos […]

Today is Document Freedom Day

Celebrate Document Freedom Day! From the DFD website:
Document Freedom Day (DFD) is a global day for document liberation. It will be a day of grassroots effort to educate the public about the importance of Free Document Formats and Open Standards in general.
DFD’s main goals are:

promotion and adoption of free document formats
forming a global network
coordination of […]

Things I’ve learned as a…

Things I’ve learned as a…
Test/Manufacturing Engineer:

Have a general pool of knowledge to draw from. Know how to find information. Be a quick study.
The people who build and assemble the product(s) are my most valuable resource. They know the practical reasons for why things are, or aren’t, working.
Know when to ask for help. […]

Post-Burning Man (quick) tip - Cleaning up

There’s a lot of cleaning to do when you get home from the playa. This is due to dust-storms, the trip home, and simply living on the playa. Over the years, I’ve found these simple tips work:

Add vinegar to laundry and gear washing water. Around a cup per washer load or gallon of sudzy water […]

Virginia Tech

fear

Pablo Picasso, Guernica
hope

Paul Signac

Claude Monet

Vincent Van Gogh

Superbug gonorrhea: Have they found patient zero?

I had to chuckle when I saw this on Google News. That’s Paris Hilton, isn’t it? Drug-resistant gonorrhea isn’t funny, but Paris Hilton’s picture associated with the story is funny. Maybe she’ll end up being the celebrity spokesperson for the issue?

 
 
 
 
Resources (genuine information):

Gonorrhea - CDC […]

Installing memory, Ze Frank, and Jonathan Coulton

I upgraded the memory in my partner’s Mac Mini this weekend. I had been thinking about it for awhile, but after seeing how sluggish it was when he ran iTunes and Safari at the same time, I knew it was time to upgrade.
The challenge was opening the Mini. My partner liked […]

Smart Car sighting - Monte, Mexico

While waiting for the bus in Monte, Mexico, my partner noticed this Smart Fortwo parked nearby.
* 1 US gallon = 3.785 liters
* Gas was selling for 12.8 pesos/liter
* 1 US$ = 11.1517 Mexican pesos
So gas was (3.785 * 12.8) / 11.1517 = $4.345/US gallon. That makes the Smart Fortwo a practical […]

Burning Man tips - On hold until late March

I need to put a hold on the Burning Man tips and regular blog posts until late March. I just don’t have the bandwidth. I need to take care of some household and family concerns. Sorry.

I have a list of over thirty tips to write about and I’ve asked some friends to guest […]

Al Qaeda cannibals nuke Russian Army cheerleaders in China

I’ve notice a new approach with the spam I’m receiving. Spammers are trying to lure me into opening their email by making it look like it’s a sensationalistic news story. The subject line will read something like: ‘Al Qaeda cannibals release video of Duke cheerleader kidnapping’ or ‘Chinese missles nuke Russian Army units’.

I can be […]