tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47727200490246554742024-03-12T21:26:07.566-07:00C.W.Holeman IIIYet an other personal blog by some unknown, obscure, redundant person. Yeah, that's right. There aren't enough of those out there yet. (Oh, and I use too many parentheses to boot.)C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4772720049024655474.post-43236025317249722972022-01-28T08:01:00.007-08:002022-01-28T08:02:45.740-08:00THIS BLOG HAS MOVED<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">THIS BLOG HAS MOVED</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">New Location: </span></span><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <a href="https://www.cwholemaniii.com/blog/index.shtml">cwholemaniii.com/blog</a></span></span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span><br /></b><p></p>C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4772720049024655474.post-51531227754493050312015-10-01T16:01:00.000-07:002015-10-01T16:01:49.543-07:00To: Cricket Wireles. From: An upset customer; Paying for service I am not receiving.<div>
<div>
<div>
As a relatively new customer to your service, I was
thrilled with your pricing, etc. But it seems that that comes a cost. A
cost that is seemingly too high. The cost of reliability.</div>
</div>
I
have been unable to receive incoming calls or text messages for a week,
at least. I Do not know exactly when this issue started because
everything seemed fine on my end. I could place outgoing calls and
*send* text messages, but not get any replies in turn.</div>
When
I realized that I was having an issue I called your tech support. Your
people were very friendly, and utterly unhelpful. After several
protracted phone calls, I was finally told that the issue *must* lie
with my phone, and was transferred out to Motorola, so they could assist
me. <br />
<div>
<div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Not understanding how the issue
could possibly be my phone, yet driven by a need to solve the issue, I
spent the next 5 hours dealing with them, in the end factory resetting
my phone, and being forced to spend many hours rebuilding my contacts
lists, apps, etc.</div>
<div>
Only I still had no service.</div>
<div>
After
several *additional* calls to your tech support over the course of two
days, I was finally told that "oh, the cell tower you are using is down
for maintenance, and has been for days." When I asked how much longer it
was going to be down I was assured that it would "Only" be down for an
*additional* two days. Upon asking, I was informed that I could get an
allowance to reimburse me for the gap in my service. It would be
roughly 4-6% off my bill. How utterly underwhelming.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
That was three days ago. And I still don't have service.</div>
<div>
To
say that this has negatively impacted my view of your company would be a
vast understatement. As an individual counting on your company I have
already missed being able to talk to my sister on her birthday, had
dinner plans with numerous friends fall apart, and I know not what else.</div>
<div>
As
the sole operator of a small business, I don't even know *how much*
business I have lost. A single missed contract can cost me an entire
month's living wages. In the past week I sent out numerous bids to
potential customers, and my phone is absolutely vital to communicate
with my customers. Can you imagine if you suddenly lost access to *your*
phone? And I have no doubt that you have secretaries, and multiple
phone lines to help you.</div>
<div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I look forward to hearing from you.</div>
<div>
</div>
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--</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: monospace; white-space: pre;">C.W.Holeman III</span><a href="mailto:cwholemaniii@gmail.com" target="_blank"></a><br />
<pre><b>WEBSITE:</b> <a href="http://www.cwholemaniii.com/" target="_blank">http://www.cwholemaniii.com</a></pre>
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C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4772720049024655474.post-83036913788821489542012-09-06T08:45:00.000-07:002012-09-06T08:45:03.687-07:00A Baker's Dozen: Photography Tips For Events<br />
I recently had someone ask me for advice on shooting a wedding. I gave her the following tips and tricks. Do any of you have other ideas, corrections, or pearls of wisdom to share?<br /><br />
<ol>
<li>The most important piece of advice I have to give is to take more photos! When shooting a wedding, if you walk away with less than a thousand pictures, you probably did something wrong. Just keep shooting everything, and everyone, in sight.</li>
<li>At least 80% of the pictures I take never see the light of day. You only get to see the cream. (Bonus tip: If you post all your photos of people trying to laugh, talk, and eat at the same time, you won't have anything to blackmail them with later. Keep a strategic reserve.)</li>
<li>If you shoot in manual mode ~95+% of the time, like I do, you have to be aware of things like turning around while near shadow-boundaries, etc. (exposure needs can change radically when you least expect it.)</li>
<li>I also recommend that you keep the image-review mode turned on; that way you can see if you are messing up on things, such as exposure times, with every shot.</li>
<li>Make sure you have a tripod (So useful!), enough space on your memory card, and a spare battery or two.</li>
<li>Auto focus is usually the best way to go, as it frees your mind for finding your next shot, and not on trying to get the previous one right. BUT! Sometimes you will want manual.</li>
<li>Get there early, and stay late. Shoot anything that moves, and also any of the things that do not.</li>
<li>Longer distances + lower F-stops = more focus contrast between subject and background.</li>
<li>Check out your shots by zooming in on the details of one every once in a while, especially around the time before and after the sun sets.</li>
<li>Change your angles a lot. Shoot from the hip. Hold your camera on your tripod up as high as you can reach. Don't be afraid to get down on the ground; Perspective matters!</li>
<li>Remember, there is no such thing as a wasted picture; you're not shooting on film. It's free and unlimited and <i>free</i>!</li>
<li>Change around your settings and play with your equipment <i>before</i> the event to get a good idea of how you want to roll with things when you are crunched for time. (They aren't going to walk down the isle again for you.)</li>
<li>Have a back up camera! (Beg, borrow, or steal!) Even if it's just a point-and-shoot. I have a friend who is a professional photographer and her camera recently went out in the middle of a wedding shoot. If the bride and groom had not hired two photographers, she would have been in a world of hurt. A P&S may not take super quality shots, but it's a mountain better than nothing.</li>
</ol>
Hope this helps! C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4772720049024655474.post-23654562128817112132012-04-25T15:34:00.000-07:002012-04-27T14:12:22.083-07:00<span style="background-color: black; color: red;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; line-height: 24px;"><b style="background-color: black;">---This Post Contains minor SPOILERS for </b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; line-height: 24px;"><b style="background-color: black;">both The Hobbit, and the movie (Part 1) of the same name.---</b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 24px;">The Hobbit (Part 1) movie is still eight months from release, and I already have a minor litany of complaints about it. I'll restrict each post to a single point. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 24px;">In an special screening of a ten-ish minute long segment shown to theater owners and reporters in late April 2012, (in which it was generally lambasted for using 48 FPS 3D filming techniques, which I cannot comment on, having yet to see that) one reporter gave a quick summery of a few of the tidbits he was privy to, including this quote:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 24px;">"Bilbo imperiled by three giant troll-like monsters before Thorin Oakenshield and the dwarves come to his rescue." [</span><a href="http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/122/1223523p1.html">http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/122/1223523p1.html</a><span style="line-height: 24px;">]</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 24px;">The <b>DWARVES</b>? SERIOUSLY? </span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 24px;">This is a perfect example of changing the superbly crafted story that J.R.R. Tolkien wrote simply for the sake of changing things. This is the one thing that truly drove me bats-in-the-belfry, crawling-up the-walls, yelling-at-the-theater-screen, enraged in the Lord of the Rings movies.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 24px;">I have always loved the scene with Burt, Tom and William. It's a delightful, light-hearted, yet suspenseful encounter. In it we get to see that Gandalf is not only a high and powerful wizard (A member of the Istari, a Servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor, etc.) but he can use guile and small tricks quite effectively as well. In addition to all this, we get to see the, nature of Trolls, how they interact with one another, and just how out-classed dwarves are by Trolls.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 24px;">Instead, it looks as though we are going to get, "dwarfs attacking monsters." (Yes, I spelled dwarf with an F; as in Fail.)</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></div>C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4772720049024655474.post-18585383055744050202011-11-02T15:52:00.000-07:002011-11-02T15:52:44.189-07:00From the B.I.N. # 5Death Star anyone? If you are looking for the next big laser thing, I give you this: "it is fired to produce [10] large laser beams several feet wide that are then combined and focused down onto a tiny spot..." That will, "tear apart the fabric of space." with 200 petawatts of laser power; "100,000 times the power of the world's combined electricity production."<br />
<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/8857154/Worlds-most-powerful-laser-to-tear-apart-the-vacuum-of-space.html">http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/8857154/Worlds-most-powerful-laser-to-tear-apart-the-vacuum-of-space.html</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Are you ready for Cyber War? ('Cause it's coming...)<br />
<a href="http://news.sky.com/home/technology/article/16101158">http://news.sky.com/home/technology/article/16101158</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Genetically modified mosquitoes designed to kill off their children before reaching maturity released into the wild.<br />
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/31/science/concerns-raised-about-genetically-engineered-mosquitoes.html?_r=4&ref=business">https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/31/science/concerns-raised-about-genetically-engineered-mosquitoes.html?_r=4&ref=business</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Threaten to wipe Israel off the map, and for some strange reason, they consider a preemptive attack; you know, <i>before</i> you finish building your nukes. Go figure.<br />
<a href="http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16101552">http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16101552</a>C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4772720049024655474.post-13518666796843311732011-10-19T14:57:00.000-07:002011-10-19T14:57:44.111-07:00From the B.I.N. # 4Computer virus hits US drone fleet. Refuses to leave.<br />
<a href="http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/10/virus-hits-drone-fleet/">http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/10/virus-hits-drone-fleet/</a><br />
<br />
<br />
US Army to deploy the new Switchblade, a backpack portable drone/guided missile.<br />
Article:<br />
<a href="http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.b0b893fb04aee2445cb9d54b02462bd7.2f1&show_article=1">http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.b0b893fb04aee2445cb9d54b02462bd7.2f1&show_article=1</a><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/23185079?byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />
114 year old electric car had same range as the Chevy Volt.<br />
<a href="http://dailycaller.com/2011/10/14/114-year-old-electric-car-gets-same-40-miles-to-the-charge-as-chevy-volt/">http://dailycaller.com/2011/10/14/114-year-old-electric-car-gets-same-40-miles-to-the-charge-as-chevy-volt/</a><br />
<br />
<br />
A NY senator believes that we have too much freedom of speech: <i>"Proponents of a more refined <b>First Amendment </b>argue that this freedom should be treated <b>not</b> as<b> a right</b> but as a privilege — a special entitlement granted by the state on a conditional basis that<b> can be revoked</b> if it is ever abused or maltreated." </i>(Emphasis added.)<br />
<a href="http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111001/00002316160/ny-state-senators-say-weve-got-too-much-free-speech-introduce-bill-to-fix-that.shtml">http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111001/00002316160/ny-state-senators-say-weve-got-too-much-free-speech-introduce-bill-to-fix-that.shtml</a>C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4772720049024655474.post-25845139788330525542011-07-24T09:34:00.000-07:002011-10-20T16:25:34.718-07:00Comic-Con 2011I went to<a href="http://www.comic-con.org/"> <span id="goog_1314336935"></span>Comic-Con International<span id="goog_1314336936"></span></a> yesterday for the first time. It was also the first time I've been to this sort of Con when I was the one calling all the shots. I learned how not to make a lot of serious and painful noob mistakes, the hard way. But, I got in for free, so I can look at them as low cost lessons, however painful they may have been.<br />
<br />
The one thing that I did really right was to get into Comic-Con for free by pre-registering to be a volunteer. You work a three hour shift doing some menial task at some point in the day, and get to play the rest of the day for free. You can get in like this as many days as you want, and they throw in a free t-shirt to boot. (Thanks to <a class=" twitter-atreply" data-screen-name="Tomasthanes" href="http://twitter.com/Tomasthanes" rel="nofollow">Bruce Mohler</a> for letting me know that this could be done!)<br />
<br />
Lessons Learned:<br />
<br />
<ol><li>Go more than one day. One day is simply not enough time to even skim the floor if you want to go to any panels. This is the most important lesson I learned. When presented with the option of stopping to get a photo of this costume and to chat with the person at that booth, <i>or</i> to keep moving to see what is further ahead, I usually picked the latter because I didn't have enough time. And even while making that painful choice so often, I <i>still</i> never did cover the whole floor.</li>
<li>A written out schedule is <i>essential</i>. I missed several events I would have liked to see because I had the wrong times in my head and or because I just forgot about them with so much else going on.</li>
<li>Arrive before 7 am. I got there too late to get an early volunteer assignment, so I wasted three hours doing stuff <i>for</i> the con instead of doing stuff <i>at</i> the con after it opened.<br />
</li>
<li>Some panels have epic lines, others have none.</li>
<li>Bring a mini-folding chair. There <i>will</i> be time spent in those epic lines. Be ready.</li>
<li>There are <i>boring</i> lines, have a (small, light!) book with you.</li>
<li>Make sure shoes are ready for <i>lots</i> of walking/not-quite-running. A panel on each end of the building and zero time to get from one to the other means you won't always be able to stroll from one place to the next. (Mine needed fresh gel pads.)<br />
</li>
<li>Bring paper. I saw several people I would have liked to get signatures from, but had nothing for them to sign.<br />
</li>
<li>Check the signing schedule carefully and bring the appropriate books.</li>
<li>Most signings require a ticket/bracelet you have to get before hand, or you can't even get in the line.</li>
<li>Bring more snacks. Between the walking around all day and seeing thousands of people eating plate pizza, etc., I wanted to eat more than I brought with me. </li>
<li>There is a <i>lot</i> going on. </li>
<li>Bring an SLR with some serious zoom. There were some pretty awesome pictures I could have taken if I had a lens with 20x or 30x magnification instead of my paltry 4x.<br />
</li>
<li>20 GB of cards for my camera was more than enough. However, had I gone to more panels, I would likely have shot a lot more video, so 20 GB was not overkill. Also, three batteries was a close call, so bring four next time to be on the safe side.<br />
</li>
<li>Rob a bank on the way there to have enough cash. There was a lot of really cool things I could have bought, and not all of them cost an arm and a leg. Admittedly, some of them did cost a few limbs, hence the bank job. </li>
<li>The floor closes early, like a business, and does <i>not</i> stay going forever like a fair. (Hence the "could have" in #15. I was going to go back down to the floor after the Mythbusters panel and buy the things that I thought I was being smart by purchasing later and therefore not carrying around all day.)<br />
</li>
<li>You can row hop close to the front of a big-deal panel by arriving several events ahead and moving fast when it empties out after each event.</li>
<li>A volunteer job may be very boring. I was a Human Wall for two hours before I got reassigned.</li>
<li>Get your volunteer shirt as soon as possible after you can, things close down earlier than you may think. </li>
<li>The Mythbusters are even more funny in real life than they are on TV.</li>
</ol>Coolest Costumes Seen:<br />
<ol><li>An older Steampunk Lady with a Predator on a leash.<br />
</li>
<li>The Monty Python set of three: A king and two knaves. Massive pack and clomping coconut shells included. </li>
<li>A Centaur with articulated rear legs.</li>
<li>A family of Klingons.</li>
<li>A Death Star.</li>
<li> I think Darth Vader requires a special mention. There were more flavors of him than you might think. There was the Classic Vader, the Mini-skirt and leather Lady Vader, the Black and White with Jar-Jar's head on a platter with lettuce Vader, the Bobble Head Vader, the Hello Kitty Pink and Black Vader and more.</li>
<li>I saw one Captain Jack Sparrow that was so good that I thought it was Johny Depp for several seconds.</li>
<li>I'm not even going to mention the mountains of Stormtroopers, fairies, elfs, zombies, superheros and capers. But there were hundreds and hundreds of them.</li>
</ol>People seen:<br />
<ol><li>Molly Quinn from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_%28TV_series%29">Castle</a> just walked across my path which was very cool.<br />
</li>
<li>Jim Butcher was at a signing. </li>
<li>The <i>entire</i> Mythbusters Cast was at their pannel:<br />
</li>
<ol><li>Adam Savage (Twice! Once at the panel, and once on the floor in disguise, so I didn't recognize him at the time.)<br />
</li>
<li>Jamie Hyneman</li>
<li>Tory Belleci</li>
<li>Kari Byron</li>
<li>Grant Imahara </li>
</ol></ol><br />
All in all, I had a great day and hope that I can make it back next year. With these lessons learned, I plan to have an absolute <i>blast</i> next time around.C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4772720049024655474.post-79612752244596426672011-07-13T19:54:00.000-07:002011-07-17T19:02:31.821-07:00From the B.I.N. # 3<b>Putting the Intelligence Into AI</b><br />
Not content to create an AI that could learn how to play the computer game <i>Civilization</i> on it's own (and win 46% of the time) researchers at MIT taught the AI <i>how to learn how to read</i> English. (Note that they did not teach it English, they actually made it smart enough, that <i>it was able to learn English it on it's own</i> by playing the game and looking at the manual!) When it was given the general help / instruction manual for <i>Civilization</i>, it was smart enough to assimilate that knowledge, and increase it's win rate to a staggering 79% of the games it played.<br />
<a href="http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2011/language-from-games-0712.html">http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2011/language-from-games-0712.html</a><br />
<br />
<b>Synthetic Burgers</b><br />
Professor Mark Post, from Maastricht University in the Netherlands, and his team have grown synthetic pork strips and claims that within a year, they will also be able to grow synthetic beef for use as a cheap and efficient meat source. <br />
<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2008347/Test-tube-burger-coming-soon-Lab-grown-meat-needed-feed-world.html">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2008347/Test-tube-burger-coming-soon-Lab-grown-meat-needed-feed-world.html</a><br />
<br />
<b>Global warming?</b><br />
"The earth is heating super rapidly! It's caused by man! We are killing our planet!" Only, the temperature has not moved in over a decade. Hmmm. Asia pollution "blamed" for halt in warming. The key sentence from the article: <i>"World temperatures did not rise from 1998 to 2008, while manmade emissions of carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuel grew by nearly a third, various data show." </i>(emphasis added.)<br />
<a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/04/us-climate-sulphur-idUSTRE7634IQ20110704">http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/04/us-climate-sulphur-idUSTRE7634IQ20110704</a><br />
<br />
<b>Man Induced Climate Change?</b><br />
"Global warming will cause terrible storms which will grow to truly epic proportions!" Only, "During the past 6-years since Hurricane Katrina, global tropical cyclone frequency and energy have <i>decreased</i> dramatically, and are currently at<i> near-historical record lows</i>." (emphasis added.)<br />
<a href="http://www.coaps.fsu.edu/~maue/tropical/">http://www.coaps.fsu.edu/~maue/tropical/</a><br />
<br />
<b>Don't take no pictures!</b><br />
"Be afraid. Fear everything and everyone!" That's the message we hear every time you get near an airport. Fear is used as a catch-all excuse to do anything. Don't like a passenger taking a picture of your name badge when you are rude to passengers? Call them a "security risk" and have them booted off the airplane!<br />
<a href="http://www.pixiq.com/article/woman-escorted-off-us-airways-flight-for-snapping-iphone-photo">http://www.pixiq.com/article/woman-escorted-off-us-airways-flight-for-snapping-iphone-photo</a>C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4772720049024655474.post-2086177640400152352011-06-22T09:44:00.000-07:002011-06-22T09:44:02.172-07:00From the B.I.N. # 2The Pentagon finally starts to move into the future of cyberwarfare. Now they have guidelines:<br />
--<a href="http://apnews.myway.com/article/20110622/D9O0SERG0.html">http://apnews.myway.com/article/20110622/D9O0SERG0.html</a><br />
<br />
Scientists create blobs of cooled light particles.<br />
--<a href="http://www.mnn.com/green-tech/research-innovations/stories/new-kind-of-light-created-in-physics-breakthrough">http://www.mnn.com/green-tech/research-innovations/stories/new-kind-of-light-created-in-physics-breakthrough</a><br />
<br />
New Japanese machine takes the super computer lead, and they're not even done building it. The "K" will rise from 8.16 petaflops to reach<i> 10 petaflops</i> once it is at full power.<br />
--<a href="http://news.techworld.com/data-centre/3286946/japan-builds-worlds-most-powerful-supercomputer/">http://news.techworld.com/data-centre/3286946/japan-builds-worlds-most-powerful-supercomputer/</a><br />
<br />
Scientists grow rat organs in mice, and are ready to try growing human organs in pigs. Don't mix up <i>that</i> bacon!<br />
--<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/8584443/Pigs-could-grow-human-organs-in-stem-cell-breakthrough.html">http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/8584443/Pigs-could-grow-human-organs-in-stem-cell-breakthrough.html</a><br />
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Micro drones are on their way.<br />
--<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/20/world/20drones.html?_r=3">http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/20/world/20drones.html?_r=3</a><br />
<br />
Chart of current drone in use by the US military:<br />
--<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/06/19/world/drone-graphic.html?ref=world">https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/06/19/world/drone-graphic.html?ref=world</a><br />
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Apple to decide when you are allowed to use the video camera on new iPhones. Forget recording that favorite band of yours.<br />
--<a href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3641676/Apple-to-ban-iPhone-gig-filming.html">http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3641676/Apple-to-ban-iPhone-gig-filming.html</a><br />
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Obama: Libya isn't a war. Because flying aircraft over a country and dropping bombs on people isn't war as long as there are no troops on the ground and the targets can't return fire <i>effectively</i>. According to Obama's arguments, he could <i>nuke a country off the map</i> without Congressional approval.<br />
--<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/16/us/politics/16powers.html?_r=4">https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/16/us/politics/16powers.html?_r=4</a>C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4772720049024655474.post-9065790844703531282011-06-13T14:09:00.000-07:002011-06-22T09:44:46.141-07:00Bizarre / Interesting / Newsworthy (BIN # 1)From the B.I.N. for this week, I give you the following articles:<br />
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In China, genetically modified cows produce human breast milk. It will be sold in stores within three years. Other cows modified are resilient against mad cow disease, and yet other beef cattle are genetically modified to produce more nutritious meat.<br />
--<a href="http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/news/china-genetically-modifying-cows-to-produce-human-breast-milk-20110608-ncx">http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/news/china-genetically-modifying-cows-to-produce-human-breast-milk-20110608-ncx</a><br />
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Matt Stutzman, a man born with no arms, still has none. But what he <i>does</i> have is a qualification for the National U.S. Olympic team in archery. Yep. Armless archery.<br />
--<a href="http://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2011/06/06/r_sxx109pfrlwa_cpzlzx6rw/index.xml">http://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2011/06/06/r_sxx109pfrlwa_cpzlzx6rw/index.xml</a><br />
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A mother in the UK has volunteered to donate her womb to her infertile daughter, to be transplanted so that the daughter can have a daughter (or son) of her own. If successful, Sara could conceive and carry a child in the same womb she herself was born from.<br />
--<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/jun/13/uk-mother-agrees-donate-womb-daughter">http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/jun/13/uk-mother-agrees-donate-womb-daughter</a><br />
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I don't care so much about the game aspects of this, but the voice controls in "Ghost Recon: Future Soldier" is really rather impressive. As shown in the video near the bottom of the article, even with another demo blasting near by, the Xbox (via Kinect) was able to pick up almost every voice command given by the both the interviewer and interview-y. It's still not as good as you've seen on the Enterprise, but it sure is getting close.<br />
--<a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/08/kinect-integration-in-ghost-recon-future-soldier-hands-off-vi/">http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/08/kinect-integration-in-ghost-recon-future-soldier-hands-off-vi/</a>C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4772720049024655474.post-60103339030917701092011-05-10T10:46:00.000-07:002011-05-10T10:47:48.405-07:00Building a Reprap, Pt. 3 (The Frame, A)<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px;">Part one of this series is <a href="http://cwholemaniii.blogspot.com/2010/10/building-reprap-pt-1-what-is-reprap.html" style="text-decoration: none;">here</a>.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">I bought a set of cast plastic structural supports from Fireraiser for $30. Sadly, they have to be drilled by hand, unlike printed parts.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">I got all of the hard drilling out of the way with a drill press: about 2.5 hr.</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zlqyqa2c9X8/TclyDc54-RI/AAAAAAAAE1k/Dd1xkIMjRUk/s200/IMG_0047.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Drill</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uJn5GXlot1E/TclxOU9khkI/AAAAAAAAE1g/FpRQ2WygmNA/s1600/IMG_0046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uJn5GXlot1E/TclxOU9khkI/AAAAAAAAE1g/FpRQ2WygmNA/s200/IMG_0046.JPG" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Drill</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cnG2JOrvoss/TclzQBkdEbI/AAAAAAAAE1s/_N3hp7rewI8/s200/IMG_0050.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Drill</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Cut some of the needed threaded rods with hacksaw: 20 min.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-azIrVnyyxwg/Tcl1aUdIC_I/AAAAAAAAE1w/bn-pGRma7VU/s1600/IMG_0082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-azIrVnyyxwg/Tcl1aUdIC_I/AAAAAAAAE1w/bn-pGRma7VU/s200/IMG_0082.JPG" width="150" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Measuring... </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oJf9cxR3y1E/Tcl1zPOrCUI/AAAAAAAAE10/5xKxmqKfCtw/s1600/IMG_0083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oJf9cxR3y1E/Tcl1zPOrCUI/AAAAAAAAE10/5xKxmqKfCtw/s200/IMG_0083.JPG" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">...twice.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fwIw5tfPjiw/Tcl2HBfH1fI/AAAAAAAAE14/yPZ3QTR4zQE/s1600/IMG_0085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fwIw5tfPjiw/Tcl2HBfH1fI/AAAAAAAAE14/yPZ3QTR4zQE/s200/IMG_0085.JPG" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Cutting once. (x6)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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</span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span id="goog_123562701"></span><span id="goog_123562702"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Assembly: over 1 hour due to messing up the ends and needing to clean them up first. It's starting to come together.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a_0JqGzcnKg/Tcl3pb7I-lI/AAAAAAAAE18/lcIYFEJt2Mg/s1600/IMG_0087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a_0JqGzcnKg/Tcl3pb7I-lI/AAAAAAAAE18/lcIYFEJt2Mg/s320/IMG_0087.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Progress!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XtgOA9vPLW4/Tcl37TGNXBI/AAAAAAAAE2A/ipqh2xdn7cs/s1600/IMG_0094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XtgOA9vPLW4/Tcl37TGNXBI/AAAAAAAAE2A/ipqh2xdn7cs/s200/IMG_0094.JPG" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The workspace</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4772720049024655474.post-12108557458898059802010-11-14T10:32:00.000-08:002010-11-14T10:56:51.039-08:00Building A Reprap, pt. 2 (Motors)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Part one of this series is <a href="http://cwholemaniii.blogspot.com/2010/10/building-reprap-pt-1-what-is-reprap.html">here</a>.</div><br />
You know what a motor is. But you may now know what a <i>stepper motor </i>is. A stepper motor is a motor where an exact, precise, jolt of electricity will rotate the shaft one complete revolution. This is very useful for when you need to move something in a measured manner, like say, a printer. The Reprap will use several of these.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/TOAkasS8kOI/AAAAAAAAEbI/GJ5vU1qQOqQ/s1600/motor.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/TOAkasS8kOI/AAAAAAAAEbI/GJ5vU1qQOqQ/s400/motor.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The NEMA 14 stepper motor</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>In order to send those precise jolts of electricity, you have your computer (in this case an Arduino Mega) send a signal to a <i>stepper motor driver</i>. A stepper motor driver is yet another tiny circuit board covered in handy bits of electronics. (My astonishingly small familiarity with these technologies allows me to use these complex technical terms.)<br />
<i></i><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/TOAjkdEyF7I/AAAAAAAAEbE/XZ_lHjq2vfQ/s1600/driver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/TOAjkdEyF7I/AAAAAAAAEbE/XZ_lHjq2vfQ/s400/driver.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I will be using Pololu A4983 stepper motor drivers.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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Now that you have background, here's what I worked on Saturday:<br />
<ol><li>Converted the loose wire ends on the motors to convenient plugs (x4 motors).</li>
<li>Soldered the driver boards together (x4 drivers).</li>
<li>Programmed the Arduino Mega to talk to the Reprap software.</li>
</ol><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Before Pictures:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/TOAnEpx_oxI/AAAAAAAAEbU/pjyM6BbJU4Y/s1600/driver_parts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/TOAnEpx_oxI/AAAAAAAAEbU/pjyM6BbJU4Y/s640/driver_parts.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-solder driver</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
During Pictures:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/TOAoAt2wMEI/AAAAAAAAEbc/QT4uaol8qZs/s1600/driver_solder.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/TOAoAt2wMEI/AAAAAAAAEbc/QT4uaol8qZs/s640/driver_solder.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of little bits to connect.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/TOAq6Kea3MI/AAAAAAAAEbw/BQDPTbU6NGI/s1600/arduino_programing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/TOAq6Kea3MI/AAAAAAAAEbw/BQDPTbU6NGI/s640/arduino_programing.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The USB cable is connected to a netbook which is programing this Arduino.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
After Pictures:<br />
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/TOAmYHGdQII/AAAAAAAAEbQ/i5zOezZTg3I/s1600/motor_post.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/TOAmYHGdQII/AAAAAAAAEbQ/i5zOezZTg3I/s640/motor_post.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wires now a plug.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/TOApZR0VcQI/AAAAAAAAEbo/2LE4LYMcqhU/s1600/driver_done.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/TOApZR0VcQI/AAAAAAAAEbo/2LE4LYMcqhU/s640/driver_done.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Driver, post solder. I'll try to get a better picture of this later.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
</div>C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4772720049024655474.post-73038008935632204142010-10-15T10:14:00.000-07:002010-11-15T09:40:15.520-08:00Building A Reprap, pt 1: What Is A Reprap?I have begun to build a <a href="http://reprap.org/wiki/Main_Page">Reprap</a>, along with several other people from the San Diego <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hackerspace">Hackerspace</a> (Don't look at me like that, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacker_%28hobbyist%29">go educate yourself</a> on the real meaning of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacker_%28hobbyist%29">hacker</a>.), and I plan to blog the process. But first, what is a Reprap?<br />
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A Reprap is an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source">open source</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_prototyping">3D fabrication</a> machine. If you are familiar with the <a href="http://www.schlockmercenary.com/">Schlockverse</a>, think of it as a primitive fabber. If you know about Star Trek, think of is as very (!) primitive <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replicator_%28Star_Trek%29">replicator</a>.<br />
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If you somehow are not familiar with ether of those references, I will describe a Reprap for you. In essence, a Reprap is a personal, printer sized machine capable of "printing" plastic objects.<br />
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They can make everything from the practical to the complicated to the whimsical. (Images from <a href="http://www.thingiverse.com/">Thingiverse.com</a>)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://thingiverse-production.s3.amazonaws.com/renders/63/9e/57/cb/24/5076191955_04b9e028a8_b_display_medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Practical</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Complicated</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whimsical</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://thingiverse-production.s3.amazonaws.com/renders/89/49/d3/9f/d1/resized-CIMG5761_display_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>There are many commercial 3D printers on the market, but the "cheap" ones tend to run in the $25,000 range. A Reprap on the other hand should cost me under $500. While it's true that the print quality is not as fine as a commercial machine would produce, a Reprap is a clear winner in the affordability department.C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4772720049024655474.post-34854231589026426512010-08-30T11:21:00.000-07:002010-08-30T11:21:35.641-07:00TruthTruth without love is like a naked singularity. Alone, if you get too close, it will tear you to shreds, leaving essentially nothing. <br />
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With love, truth is (again like a singularity) an incredible, almost unending source of power.C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4772720049024655474.post-57963091468187104832010-08-11T20:06:00.000-07:002010-08-11T20:06:01.689-07:00Tree Hugging DribbleI had to calculate my carbon foot print for a health (!) class and come up with five ways to reduce it. I had so much fun, I decided to do a few extra. I post my list, as I turned it in, here:<br />
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I have a carbon footprint of about 7.4 tons a year, about 1/3 the national average, and I've never even given it a thought. Most of the reason for this low number is due to the fact that I lead a (relatively) simple life due to religious convictions and common sense, along with a a good dose of frugality. These are some of the potential changes I've come up with:<br />
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1. Move to a smaller house (The 392 square foot place I'm in now is just so big. I would, but you can't build a legal house with a smaller footprint.)<br />
2. Use zero cooling instead of a swamp cooler (which uses 1/2 the electricity of an air conditioner)<br />
3. Take more online classes to reduce driving (I would but I always take the online option if it's available, so this one's an you, [name of school].)<br />
4. I could drive a Tata Nano (I would, but the state of California won't let me, or anyone else, because they think the Nano is too dangerous for it's occupants - and they have decided not to lat me make my own choice in the matter of my personal safety, thinking they can live my life for me better than I can.)<br />
5. I could jump off a cliff before I get married and have children ["Basically, too many people are the problem" -- One of the instructors, today, Aug. 2010] (But that's obviously poor idea: I don't get to decide when I die, that's God's job.)<br />
6. I could disconnect my tankless water heater, and just use cold water.<br />
7. I could throw away my bread machines and make my bread purely by hand, and cook it in an "eco-oven."<br />
8. I could also buy 100 lb. sacks of flour, instead of 50 lb. sacks to reduce packaging.C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4772720049024655474.post-63152572489868723112010-04-12T18:48:00.000-07:002010-04-13T14:44:57.316-07:00Schoolwork # 2Because of the inability of my computer to run Second Life, I have decided to expolor a different online world, with a lower equipment threshold. After a few quick searched on Google, I found a site (<a href="http://mudconnect.com/">mudconnect.com</a>) that rates MUDs. I located a MUD that both looked interesting had a high rating, <a href="http://mdhoria.net/">Cities of M'Dhoria</a>, and went to it's website.<br />
I found that although I could just use telnet to play that there would be a richer experience (colored ASCII, etc.) if I downloaded a MUD client. I located and downloaded <a href="http://www.gammon.com.au/mushclient/mushclient.htm">MUSHClient</a>.<br />
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It only took me a few minutes to install, set up and connect to CoM once MUSHCLient was on my computer. After that I ran through the tutorial and then headed out.<br />
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Even though the game is very complicated, there were a whole stream of people literally waiting in line to help me get on my feet. These were not players, but rather helpers who worked on shifts to help new comers such as myself. Second Life could take a lesson from this.<br />
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If you don't know what a MUD looks like, here is a short time period's worth of play:<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"></div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">[Exits: (west) up]</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> A large sign is posted here.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A little, smelly goblin named Klog is standing here with a sneer.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Ext: wU | HP: 29/29 | Mana: 116/116 | Status: T </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">kill klog</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">You lunge forward and bite Klog with a snarling chomp.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Your bite <<< ravages >>> Klog!</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Klog is stunned but will probably recover.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Your pierce massacres Klog!</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Klog is stunned but will probably recover.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Ext: wU | HP: 29/29 | Mana: 116/116 | Status: T </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">murder klog</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">You show no mercy to Klog.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Klog splatters blood on your armor.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">You get a green key from the lifeless corpse of Klog.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Ext: wU | HP: 29/29 | Mana: 116/116 | Status: T </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">unlock west</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">*Click*</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">You unlock the door to the west.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Ext: wU | HP: 29/29 | Mana: 116/116 | Status: T </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">open w</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">You open the door to the west.</span></li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><ol><li>Where did I go?</li>
<ol><li>I finished with the tutorial, I explored the Academy Square with it's temples, banks, gardens and more.</li>
</ol>
<li>What did I do?</li>
<ol><li>I explored, enraged in combat and commerce and had social interactions.</li>
</ol>
<li>How did I design my avatar?</li>
<ol><li>The avatar in CoM are of course simply text. You get to select your race, size, weight, and various colorings. I chose to be a Canidae, a canine like creature.</li>
</ol>
<li>What challenges did I face?</li>
<ol><li>The interface is complex as I mentioned before, but with the help also mentioned earlier, it was a simple matter to overcome these challenges.</li>
</ol>
<li>How does CoM compare to other inversive experiences?</li>
<ol><li>It was very different from other experiences. Even in other ASCII based games I have played, there have been visual maps that showed my exact location. In CoM, there is only verbal descriptions, so that took a good deal of time to get used to.</li>
</ol>
<li>From the textbook?</li>
<ol><li>The anonymity granted by the virtual experience was similar to and in the case of chapter 35, identical to, what was described in the book. The real-time communications with others from around the world in a non-existent reality could be very absorbing.</li>
</ol>
<li>Predictions of the future?</li>
<ol><li>Within 20 years there will be full immersion, HD, 3D environments that can be experienced for free.</li>
</ol></ol><br />
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</div>C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4772720049024655474.post-19155712051643940062010-04-07T14:19:00.001-07:002010-04-07T14:20:31.247-07:00Schoolwork: Real people, Feel Free to IgnoreI went to start the "Blog Project" and found that it requires me to install and run Second Life. My computer is woefully inadequate to run this software. Additionally, my internet connection is far to slow to run it, even if my hardware could handle it.<br /><br />The hardware requirements for Blackboard are listed in the class documents, but the requirements for Second Life were not, so I had no forewarning that I would need anything other than what I had. I don't know of any way that I can complete this assignment.C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4772720049024655474.post-72799773364581776472010-03-23T11:54:00.000-07:002010-03-23T12:30:10.003-07:00Me vs Best Buy. The RematchMy camera had another issue. I sent this email to Best Buy.<br /><br /><br />To: S**** P*****<br />Geek Squad Public Defender<br />Executive Resolution Specialist<br />23 March 2010<br /><br /><br />A year ago, a camera that I had purchased from Best Buy had an issue and had to be sent in for repairs. That issue was eventually dealt with. A few weeks ago it again started showing symptoms, and then stopped functioning correctly. No problem. I shelled out a lot of money to get your super-duper best warranty, and I still have almost two years left on it.<br /><br />I took it into the store and turned it over to the Geek Squad. A week later, I received a phone call telling me that although the camera could not be repaired, I could just come in and they would give me a brand new one off the shelf. Great! That's much better than the solution from last year which took several months to get resolved.<br /><br />So I went in this morning to pick up my new camera. I should be in and out in ten minutes. Key word: should. Two hours and six employees later I finally left the store. I left the store Very Unhappy.<br /><br />It turns out that Best Buy no longer carries my particular model of camera. No problem they said. We'll just get you one with equivalent features. I spent the next hour helping your salesman try to find something that would work. Every time I / we found a camera with the right features (optical viewfinder, optical zoom, small size and sufficient resolution) or even close to them, he'd spend five or more minutes to go through the process to get it ordered in, because it would invariably not be in stock at the location where I was. Each time he found that he "could not get that one." While it's true that there are not many cameras on the market today with all of my required features, there are still some.<br /><br />Finally they gave up on finding a camera with the key features of the camera that I bought originally. They said that the equivalent camera today (without all of the required features.) costs $229.99. Therefore I could have that particular model, or $229.99 in store credit to replace my camera. After some deliberation I took the so called "equivalent" model.<br /><br />I spent $500 on my original camera. That's enough to buy a brand new SLR today. That's not some low end piece-of-junk Kodak. That's nice, high quality equipment. I walked out the door today with a partially plastic product that is clearly inferior to the camera that I bought originally.<br /><br /> After I got it home, it became very clear within minutes that the camera I had been given was truly inferior. The next morning I called the store and finally found someone helpful. He apologized repeatedly for the poor treatment that I received and when told of my situation instantly concurred that the camera I had been given was inferior to the one I bought. He stated that the employees I'd dealt with clearly did not know about my original camera or they would never have tried to give me the low end camera they had. He told me to just come on back in and that they would give me what I should have been given as soon as I walked in the door.<br /><br />I live an hour away from the Best Buy location where this all took place. I was told that I would have to return to the same branch in order to fix this. I was not going to be in the area for a week and a half, so I asked my father to stop by on his way to work and swap them out. When he went in this morning it took him over 40 minutes of arguing with the customer "service" employee to get the camera.<br /><br /><i>And then, to add insult to injury, I was told that because Best Buy was replacing my camera with a brand new one (instead of repairing the old one) that the warranty had "been fulfilled" and that therefore Best Buy would henceforth no longer be bound by the original warranty--even though I still have almost two years left on it. However, if I would care to spend more money, I could buy a new warranty!</i><br /><br />A warranty is essentially a guaranty that the item bought will last for so long. If it stops working, you repair or replace it. You don't give excuses about how you can't repair it, and now it's worth less, so here, have a low end piece of junk. And by the way, would you like to buy a NEW warranty?<br /><div style="font-size: 0pt; height: 0pt;">a1ca81090f</div><br />I spent a great deal of money on a four year warranty. I was told that because of the manner in which you chose to fulfill your end of the agreement, that you were going to arbitrarily void almost half of my warranty. I not only find this to be a despicable business practice, but also deceptive, if not downright fraudulent.<br /><br />--<br />C.W.Holeman III<br />**Sig removed**C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4772720049024655474.post-73828462161044746862009-08-05T21:29:00.000-07:002009-08-05T23:11:46.691-07:00Multi-System USB External Hard Drive Project: Part 1With my recent acquisition of a 1 TB hard drive, I have now have my old 250 GB mini drive unused. My solution: make a demo box for on the go with mulitiple Operating Systems (OS).<br /><br />I plan to cut the drive into five, fifty gig partitions and put the following OS's on it:<br /><ol><li>Ubuntu 9.04</li><li>Ubuntu Server (32 bit) 9.04</li><li>BackTrack4</li><li>Windows 7 (RC)</li><li>Open Solaris</li></ol><br /><h4>Piece and Parts<br /></h4>I'm creating this USB system from my Macbook running OS X Tiger (10.4) and an older PC running Microsoft Windows XP. I have an external DVD burner for that machine. It's all going onto a Western Digital Passport Essential 250 GB external hard drive.<br /><h4>The Operating Systems<br /></h4><h5>Ubuntu 9.04</h5>I downloaded the most recent version of Ubuntu from <a href="http://www.ubuntu.com/">their website</a>. It was a simple matter to follow the directions on there to burn the ISO to a CD using "Disk Utility."<br /><br />Once you are running the live CD, it has a very straight forward tool for installing the OS onto the computer. It was as simple as telling it what language, timezone, default user, etc. I wanted and pointing it at the right HDD.<br /><p></p><h5>Ubuntu Server 9.04</h5>The ISO has been downloaded (also from <a href="http://www.ubuntu.com/">their website</a>) and I will work on adding it tomorrow.<br /><h5>BackTrack4</h5> BackTrack4 was another download. Their website is <a href="http://remote-exploit.org/backtrack.html">here</a>. It is rather larger than the Ubuntu ISO and required a DVD for it's 1.4 GB size. It has been burned as a live DVD and even as I type, it's installing on the HDD.<br /><br />Issues with BackTrack4: Getting X to start took a quick get around that I found <a href="http://www.lifedork.net/backtrack-4-released-for-shmoocon.html">here</a>. It was as follows:<br /><blockquote>If you can’t get X to work, first try to autogenerate an xorg.conf by typing “Xorg -configure” and try using the generated conf file. If that bums out, you can revert to VESA by typing “fixvesa”.<br /></blockquote>It took me both steps for it to work, but since then it's been smooth sailing.<br /><h5></h5><h5>Windows 7 (RC)<br /></h5> I got a copy of Windows 7 (RC) at <a href="http://www.socalcodecamp.com/">SoCalCodeCamp.</a> It turns out that you can't install it on an external hard drive without some major head aches. After a good bit of looking around, it seems that in order to do it you have to use some built-in system tools from Microsoft which are only available in Vista and 7.<br /><br />I don't have a box running either, so this will have to come later. I have a few messages out to friends who can help with that.<br /><br />In order to make things simpler later on, I've placed the partition for Windows 7 at the beginning of the disk. If you don't do this, Microsoft cannot find it's partition. None of the other systems have any trouble with this.<br /><br />Strike one against Windows 7, and I don't even have it installed yet...<br /><h5>Open Solaris<br /></h5>I picked up a Open Solaris live CD at the June <a href="http://www.sdjug.com/">SDJUG</a> meeting. I have not done anything with it yet.<br /><hr /><br />That's what I've got so far. More will follow.<br /><br />Have any questions? Please leave a comment and ask it. Have a comment?C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4772720049024655474.post-44403907191878904452009-07-20T23:37:00.000-07:002009-07-21T00:01:18.658-07:00Quick Photos (SIM card reader and USB charging adapter)<p>A few gadgets photos. Just got these the other day, and haven't had time to play with them yet. They came from <a href="http://www.dealextreme.com/">http://www.dealextreme.com</a> . Once I've used them a bit, I' post more info.</p><p>I found it interesting that the USB charging adapter has the <a href="http://www.apple.com/">Apple</a> stamp on it. It was just mixed in with tons of cheap Chinese items (which often do just the job, and at the right price.) This was not mentioned in the info about the item. I'd think it would be a selling point.<br /></p><br /><p><br />The packaging:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/SmVlRdY2kiI/AAAAAAAADHM/nWJjWF4cnAM/s1600-h/packing.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/SmVlRdY2kiI/AAAAAAAADHM/nWJjWF4cnAM/s400/packing.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360802282075492898" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/SmVlSRE-Y-I/AAAAAAAADHs/k0SaHxPD54M/s1600-h/both.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/SmVlSRE-Y-I/AAAAAAAADHs/k0SaHxPD54M/s400/both.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360802295950762978" border="0" /></a><br /></p><br /><br /><p><br />Both items: A USB power adapting charger and a SIM card reader.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/SmVlSGyKj4I/AAAAAAAADHk/1yPeWHXc0e8/s1600-h/sim_reader.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/SmVlSGyKj4I/AAAAAAAADHk/1yPeWHXc0e8/s400/sim_reader.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360802293187514242" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/SmVlR57mmNI/AAAAAAAADHc/_onRhxZ1Ieo/s1600-h/sim_in_computer.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/SmVlR57mmNI/AAAAAAAADHc/_onRhxZ1Ieo/s400/sim_in_computer.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360802289737439442" border="0" /></a><br /></p><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/SmVlRiZ1tWI/AAAAAAAADHU/lSNBcWktORU/s1600-h/usb_wall_charger_adaptor.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/SmVlRiZ1tWI/AAAAAAAADHU/lSNBcWktORU/s400/usb_wall_charger_adaptor.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360802283421807970" border="0" /></a>C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4772720049024655474.post-51435836459581241882009-07-01T22:08:00.000-07:002009-07-01T22:19:24.839-07:00An Open Letter to Apple.An Open Letter to Apple.<br />June 28, 2009<br /><br /><br />Dear Apple,<br /><br />Let me start by saying I love your products, But.<br /><br />That But is the purpose for this letter. I friend of mine upgraded his computer about a year-and-a-half ago. He's a very generous sort of guy and he gave me his<br />old laptop. It happened to be a Macbook. Before that day I could have counted the number of times I'd used a Mac. You know the drill, kind of weird, nothing's<br />where it should be, and what happened to the right button, etc. I adjusted quickly because I'm used to running several different OS's (Linux in various flavors and<br />MS Windows). Today I am addicted.<br /><br />I love my computer. It's sleek and simple and elegant and everything you claim that it is. It hasn't spontaneously invented a cure for cancer yet, but other than<br />that...<br /><br />I live in a small town. I'm rather technically minded. You might think that's something of a non sequitur, but believe me, it's not. These two facts go hand in hand.<br />When someone has a problem with a computer, they often come to me. Am I a certified computer repair technician? Nope. Can I help a lot of people solve their computer<br />problems? You bet.<br /><br />When people come to me and say they're ready for a new computer, that this dinosaur from the 1990's has finally given up it's ghost, the first thing I ask them is<br />"What do you use your computer for?" Most of the time the answer is e-mail, word processing, and to surf the net. Do they need BlueGene/L to do these things? Of<br />course not. But they do want to watch those videos people send them and they do want to play those silly flash games too. Looks like it's upgrading time.<br /><br />I would love to be able to tell them that I'd be happy to pick up a Mac Mini next time I'm down at the store. I'd love to be able to tell them to order a Macbook<br />(Look, it even has free shipping!) But I can't. Why not you ask? You just said you love our products. Don't get me wrong, I do love your products, But.<br /><br />But I could buy a Mac Mini for $600, or I could buy just-another-PC for $275. I could buy a Macbook with those cool new aluminum cases for $1200 or I could buy the<br />"On sale now!" just-another-laptop that I saw while writing this letter for $300. And that includes Windows XP. Sure, I'd take it off and put Ubuntu on it, but<br />imagine if I could find it without Microsoft on it in the first place. It'd save me another $50 or $100. Sure I could buy the Macbook Air for $1500, or I could<br />buy an AEEE Asus netbook for under $300.<br /><br />You produce nice, high-end, quality merchandise. But you don't make anything for the my granny on Social Security, or for the high-schooler on a limited budget, or<br />for anyone else on a limited budget for that matter.<br /><br />Give us a Crab Apple Mac. A Mac to get us started. A Mac for the masses. We want to buy it, <em>I</em> want to buy it. I want to pass them around like hot-cakes,<br />and recommend them to everyone I know. But you don't seem to want to sell them to me. Apple, why don't you want my money? I want to give it to you.<br /><br /><p><cite>C.W.Holeman III</cite><br /></p><p>Cross-posted on my <a href="http://www.cwholemaniii.com">website</a> and sent to Steve Dowling (Apple's Corporate PR contact).<br /></p>C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4772720049024655474.post-4635861914061274482009-06-25T23:07:00.000-07:002009-06-25T23:40:48.719-07:00A Moral DilemmaThere I am at <a href="http://www.jackinthebox.com/">Jack in the Box</a> after class. It's some time after 10:00 pm. I'm eating my chicken sandwich minding my own business when three people come in to buy food. A woman, a man and a boy. The boy was probably about ten years old or so.<br /><br />I was the only non-employee in the restaurant when they came in, so I could hear them as they ordered their food. The boy ordered a hamburger deluxe, a shake and a lemonade. The woman, whom I assume was his mother, told him he could have one drink or the other, but not both. He took the shake and a cup of water. The adults ordered their food as well.<br /><br />A few minutes later when their food arrived, the man said, "Watch this." and walked away from the table. He went into the lavatory, and came back out moments later. At this point I see that he has the boy's, now empty, water cup. He proceeds to got to to the soda machine and serve a cup of lemonade. He then came back to the table, said "Here you go." and handed the cup to the boy.<br /><br />There is the moral quandary. What is the correct response to this situation? Confront the man for theft? Tell the manager? Ignore the situation? Or something else entirely? What do you think? What what you have done, and why?<br /><br />Thankfully I did not have to make a decision because the woman complained to the man, 'He can't have all that sugar. A shake and lemonade is too much!' The boy chimed in that he was fine with water. The man said he thought the boy/woman was just being cheap and he wanted to make the boy happy. He then apologized to the boy, dumped the lemonade in the lavatory and refilled the cup with water.<br /><br />I finished my sandwich and started the drive home.C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4772720049024655474.post-30175725617951167272009-06-02T08:33:00.000-07:002009-06-02T09:43:22.375-07:00The DollarPresident Truman was once known for using the phrase, "The buck stops here." He meant it in a positive light; no more passing the buck, no more shifting of responsibility, etc.<br /><br />The way the Obama Administration is headed, it looks like he will be able to use the phrase in a literal sense:<br /><br />Inflation just from the years 2000 to 2008 was between 22% and 45% depending on how it's calculated. (<a href="http://preview.tinyurl.com/2t64sk">link</a>) And that was before...<br /><br />Chairman Bernanke said the Fed is funding bailouts using a process “more akin to printing money than it is borrowing.” (<a href="http://preview.tinyurl.com/crlax4">link</a>) Which is leading to...<br /><br />Russia to push for new "World Currency" (<a href="http://preview.tinyurl.com/nont54">link</a> )C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4772720049024655474.post-68391424043860497522009-05-29T14:39:00.000-07:002009-05-29T15:58:02.983-07:00The Five C's of ComputingI came up with a list of actions people use computers for. When you break it down, people use computers for only a few kinds of tasks:<br /><ul><li>Computation</li><li>Creation<br /></li><li>Communication</li><li>Collaboration</li><li>Consumption</li></ul>If it's not on that list, you probably don't use a computer to do it.<br /><br />Did I miss anything? Let me know.C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4772720049024655474.post-46093765268301323012009-04-14T16:00:00.000-07:002009-04-14T16:05:40.998-07:00Fresh Bread<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/SeUWmJaWzfI/AAAAAAAACIA/0eNygv4zcfE/s1600-h/IMG_9041.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_potENx0oclk/SeUWmJaWzfI/AAAAAAAACIA/0eNygv4zcfE/s320/IMG_9041.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324686979052785138" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I just pulled this fresh bread out of the oven. Four rolls, one small loaf and one small loaf with a butter hardened crust, half of which has a cinnamon and brown sugar topping.C.W.Holeman IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13622540840602968016noreply@blogger.com1