Kendall Giles

Now

Sun, 11 Jan 2026 18:35:46 +0530

If you are wondering why this now webpage exists, check out this page by Derek Sivers.

Joined the Roanoke Regional Emerald Society Pipes and Drums band to play bagpipes at the opening ceremony of the annual Guns and Hoses charity hockey game at the Berglund Center between the local police and firefighters to support the Ronald McDonald House of Southwest Virginia, Roanoke, Virginia, 23 January 23 2026

Played bagpipes with the Roanoke Regional Emerald Society Pipes and Drums for the Roanoke Police Academy Class 91 Graduation Ceremony, 9 January 2026, Roanoke, Virginia

Affiliate Policy

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 18:35:46 +0530

Let me make something clear: I’d love to be paid to write on my website–please don’t hesitate to send money my way! But, alas, that hasn’t happened yet. Everything on this site is all me.

Sometimes people or companies send me products (e.g., books! guitars!) and I’ll review them on my website, though most of the reviews on my site are of products I’ve bought with my own money. Note that if I don’t like the product I’ll say so. Most of my reviews tend to be positive however, since I don’t usually write about products I don’t like. But all of the products I review on my website are products I have personal experience with.

Bio

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 18:35:46 +0530

Kendall Giles, Collegiate Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech, received his PhD in Computer Science from Johns Hopkins University and is PhD ABD in Science Technology and Society at Virginia Tech. Dr. Giles has over 20 years of work experience in government and with companies such as General Electric and Raytheon in software and systems engineering roles. He has taught training courses offered through the US Department of Veterans Affairs, covering the fundamentals of cybersecurity, computer networks, and information assurance. He has served as a research scientist at the Human Language Technology Center of Excellence in Baltimore, Maryland, and as a faculty mentor and research fellow at the Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics at UCLA in Los Angeles, California. In 2022 he was awarded a Certificate of Teaching Excellence and in 2024 he was awarded the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, both from the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech. His research interests include epistemic practices and risk in sociotechnical systems, the governance of emerging technologies, and engineering translation. Overall, his research sits at the intersection of engineering, the governance of emerging technologies, and science, technology, and society as a critical and interdisciplinary scholar. Also, with a focus on public engagement he produces the TechnoSlipstream podcast. Finally, via the Pseudodragon Project he plays bagpipes across the Greater Roanoke Valley and beyond.

Contact

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 18:35:46 +0530

Currently the best way to get in touch is via one of the social channel icons on the bottom of the page – eg, Bluesky, LinkedIn, etc.

If you’d like to keep up to date on a semiregular basis about what I’m doing and the various projects I’m involved in, consider subscribing to my newsletter:

Dinners with Dolores

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 18:35:46 +0530

Title: Dinners with Dolores: Family, Food, Fun

Author: Kendall Giles

Description:

On my mother’s 82nd birthday, I gave her a cookbook with 82 of her family recipes.

She cried for joy.

In addition to being a great cook, my mother is also an excellent artist, and throughout the cookbook I included not only pictures from her life, but also samples of her artwork.

Erdos number

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 18:35:46 +0530

The Erdos Number is a type of measure of distance in a social network, a variant of the small world phenomenon meme “Six Degrees of Separation,” which says that any two people in the world are six or fewer acquaintances apart.

For example, you might have heard of the “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” game where the challenge is to find a path between anyone involved in the Hollywood movie industry and actor Kevin Bacon. The “Bacon Number” is the number of degrees of separation between a given actor and Kevin Bacon.

First Steps Toward Becoming Heroic

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 18:35:46 +0530

Title: First Steps Toward Becoming Heroic

Author: Kendall Giles

Description:

First Steps Toward Becoming Heroic will help you become the person of your dreams, achieve worthwhile goals, and positively influence those around you. For those who are serious about changing their lives, contributing to their communities, and making the world a better place, this book will help you take those first steps toward living a meaningful, rewarding life.

Five Slices of Death

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 18:35:46 +0530

Title: Five Slices of Death

Author: Kendall Giles

Praise:

You took the lessons of "Stabbing for Dummies" [a story in Dr. Arnzen's 100 Jolts: Shockingly Short Stories] to a new level in your winning entry.

-- Dr. Michael Arnzen

A Dessert Worth Waiting For

In Five Slices of Death, author Kendall Giles neatly presents five short stories related to death and dying. To prepare the reader for a foray into this uncomfortable landscape, Mr. Giles provides an introduction discussing the fascination human beings have with fear and death and its emotional roots.

Gear

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 18:35:46 +0530

I’m often asked for gear recommendations, especially for video content creation, so I thought I would create a specific page for that. I’m constantly trying to improve my technique and upgrade my gear, so expect that this page will be updated over time. Also please note that some links may be affiliate links–if you buy products using my links–at no cost to you!–I may receive a small commission–I would appreciate your support to help me continue creating useful content. Please note that I do sincerely recommend these products–these are all products I am currently using or have used, unless otherwise noted. Currently my primary use cases involve creating or streaming videos for the university courses I create and teach, though I sometimes also create YouTube videos.

Performances

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 18:35:46 +0530

Throughout the year I play the great Highland bagpipes solo and in several pipes and drums bands across the greater Roanoke Valley area for a variety of performances, including graduation ceremonies, Highland Games, retirement celebrations, parades, Renaissance Faires, church services, weddings, funerals, and other social and cultural events.

Here are some past performances:

Privacy Policy

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 18:35:46 +0530

This Privacy Policy governs the manner in which the website collects, uses, maintains and discloses information collected from users (each, a ‘User’) of the website (‘Site’). This privacy policy applies to the Site and all products and services offered by company.

Personal identification information

We may collect personal identification information from Users in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to, when Users visit our site, register on the site, subscribe to the newsletter, and in connection with other activities, services, features or resources we make available on our Site. Users may be asked for, as appropriate, email address. Users may, however, visit our Site anonymously. We will collect personal identification information from Users only if they voluntarily submit such information to us. Users can always refuse to supply personally identification information, except that it may prevent them from engaging in certain Site related activities.

Speaking

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 18:35:46 +0530

I’ve got a fairly broad background, and enjoy giving talks and lectures on a variety of topics, including:

Science and engineering
Intersection of Technology and Society
Academia
Social media, blogging, and digital life
Writing, MFA programs, and self-publishing

As an example, here’s a resources page for the presentation on becoming a professional writer titled How Sausage Is Made: Becoming a Professional Writer I gave at the University of Southern Maine.

Surreal South 13

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 18:35:46 +0530

Title: Surreal South '13

Editor: Josh Woods

Contributing Authors:

Michael Baughan, Helena Bell, Lynne Buchanan, Kevin Catalano, Katherine Chariott, Joshua Eure, Kendall Giles, Joey Goebel, Becky Hagenston, Blake Kimzey, Tawny Leech, Nathan Alling Long, Alexander Lumans, Alice Otto, Adam Padgett, David James Poissant, Ron Rash, Fred Venturini, Jeff Weddle, Josh Woods

Description:

The dead will rise; witches will dance; swords will lunge; beasts will roam; gods will snicker; space and time will slip; slumbering horrors will shudder awake; innumerable eyes will watch your every move. Welcome to Surreal South '13, the fourth volume in the anthology series featuring stories embedded in the surreal and seen through the perspective of the American South, fiction that lives on the fringe. — from the Introduction by Josh Woods, Editor

Think Small

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 18:35:46 +0530

Think Small is a biennial international miniature invitational art exhibition hosted by Artspace in Richmond, Virginia. Artspace is a non-profit gallery for the visual and performing arts.

The theme and challenge of Think Small is for artists to create work that will fit in a 3" by 3" space.

Text is also art, and so to fit into a 3" by 3" space, a complete story must be 100 words or less.

Writing

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 18:35:46 +0530

SCIENCE, MATH, ENGINEERING, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETY ARTICLES

"AI Risk Management Case Study." Giles, Kendall. Virginia Tech. June, 2025.
"Engineering Gaze Case Study." Giles, Kendall. Virginia Tech. June, 2025.
"Silicon Valley Ideologies Case Study." Giles, Kendall. Virginia Tech. June, 2025.
"Review of Words and Power: Computers, Language, and U.S. Cold War Values by Bernadette Longo." Giles, Kendall. Technology and Culture 65, no. 2 (2024): 742–44.
"Review of Solar, Carlos. Cybersecurity Governance in Latin America: States, Threats, and Alliances." Giles, Kendall. H-Sci-Med-Tech (Humanities and Social Sciences Online Network on Science, Medicine and Technology), H-Net Reviews. August, 2023.
"Tributaries on a Heraclitian River: A Collaborative Review of Joseph Pitt’s Heraclitus Redux," Campos, Leo, Kendall Giles, Tiffany Smith. Social Epistemology Review and Reply Collective, 10 (5): 6-13, May, 2021, ISSN2471-9560.
"Reflections on Academic Agonies and How to Avoid Them by Joseph Agassi," Giles, Kendall. Social Epistemology Review and Reply Collective, 9 (12): 37-39, December, 2020.
"Semantically Informed Machine Translation," K. Baker, S. Bethard, M.Bloodgood, R. Brown, C. Callison-Burch, Glen Coppersmith, B. Dorr, W.Filardo, Kendall Giles, A. Irvine, M. Kayser, L. Levin, J. Martineau, J.Mayfield, S. Miller, A. Phillips, A. Philpot, Christine Piatko, L.Schwartz, D. Zajic, Technical Report No. 002, Human LanguageTechnology Center of Excellence, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore,Maryland, January 2010.
"Iterative Denoising," KendallGiles, Michael Trosset, David Marchette, Carey Priebe. ComputationalStatistics, 24:3, October 2008.
"Disambiguation Protocols Based on Risk Simulation," Donniell Fishkind, Carey Priebe, Kendall Giles, Leslie Smith, Al Aksakalli. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, Part A, 37:5, 814-823, September 2007.
"Iterative Denoising of Computer Network Application Traffic," Kendall Giles, David Marchette, Carey Priebe, and Don Waagen, Technical Report No. 655, Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, November 2007.
"Knowledge Discovery in Computer Network Data: A Security Perspective" Kendall Giles, Ph.D. Dissertation, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, October 2006.
"Splitting Methods for Decision Tree Induction: An Exploration of the Relative Performance of Two Entropy-Based Families," Kweku-MuataOsei-Bryson, Kendall Giles, Information Systems Frontiers Journal, 8:195-209, Springer, 2006.
"Fast Iterative Denoising," Kendall Giles, Michael Trosset, David Marchette, and Carey Priebe, Technical Report No. 653, Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, December 2005.
"A Model of Backscatter as Escher Tessellations," Kendall Giles, David Marchette, and Carey Priebe, 2005 Proceedings of the American Statistical Association, Statistical Graphics Section and Section on Statistics in Defense and National Security [CD-ROM], Alexandria, Virginia: American Statistical Association, 2005.
"The Development and Exploration of Online Classiﬁers for Backscatterfrom Denial of Service Attacks," Kendall Giles, David Marchette, and Carey Priebe, 2004 Proceedings of the American StatisticalAssociation, Statistical Computing Section [CD-ROM], Alexandria,Virginia: American Statistical Association, 2004.
"An Exploration of a Set of Entropy-Based Hybrid Splitting Methods for Decision Tree Induction," Kweku-Muata Osei-Bryson, Kendall Giles, Journal of Database Management, 15:3, 2004.
"On the Spectral Analysis of Backscatter Data," Kendall Giles, David Marchette, and Carey Priebe, 2004 Proceedings of the Hawaii International Conference on Statistics, Mathematics, and Related Fields, 2004.
"Exploration of a Hybrid Feature Selection Algorithm," Kweku-Muata Bryson, Kendall Giles, Boontaree Kositanurit, Journal of the Operational Research Society, 54:7, 790-797, 2003.
"A Backscatter Characterization of Denial of Service Attacks, "Kendall Giles, David Marchette, and Carey Priebe, 2003 Proceedings of the American Statistical Association, Statistical Computing Section[CD-ROM], Alexandria, Virginia: American Statistical Association, 2003.
"Splitting Methods for DT Induction: A Comparison of Two Families," Kweku Bryson and Kendall Giles, Proceedings of the 2002 Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS), Dallas, Texas, 2002.
"Attribute Discretization for Classification," Kweku Bryson and Kendall Giles, Proceedings of the 2001 Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS), Boston, Massachusetts, 2001.
"Comparison of Two Families of Entropy-Based Classiﬁcation Measures with and without Feature Selection," Kendall Giles, Kweku Bryson, Q. Weng Proceedings of the 2001 Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS), Wailea Maui, Hawaii, 2001.
"A Modularized Sensitive Skin for Motion Planning in Uncertain Environments," Dugan Um, B. Stankovic, Kendall Giles, Tony Hammond, and Vladimir Lumelsky, Proceedings of the 1998 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, Leuven, Belgium, 1998.

SHORT STORIES

“Here to Help,” ThinkSmall7 art exhibition, October-December 2013.
“Rebel Yell,” Surreal South ‘13, Press 53, October 2013.
“My Life, Dimly Lit,” Five Slices of Death, October 2011.
“Searching,” Five Slices of Death, October 2011.
“The Toll of Technology,” Five Slices of Death, October 2011.
“How to Say Goodbye,” Five Slices of Death, October 2011.
“A Delicate Touch,” Five Slices of Death, October 2011.

You took the lessons of ‘Stabbing for Dummies’ [a story in Dr. Arnzen’s 100 Jolts: Shockingly Short Stories] to a new level in your winning entry.

Teaching

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Currently I’m teaching at Virginia Tech.

Here’s a list of most of the courses I’m teaching or have taught over the years at various institutions and in various departments (for more details you could take a look at my vitae):

• Critical Engineering Approaches to Innovative and Emerging Technologies (G))
• Computational Engineering (U)
• Innovation Pathways in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (G)
• TechGirls Cybersecurity Workshop (**)
• Cybersecurity and the Internet of Things (G)
• Principles of Computer Security (U)
• Fundamentals of Computer Systems (G)
• Cybersecurity, Computer Networks, and Information Assurance (*)
• Mathematics of Knowledge and Search Engines (G)
• Statistical Methods I (G)
• Statistical Methods II (G)
• Applied Statistics for Engineers and Scientists (G)
• Introduction to Statistical Computing (U)
• Topics in Mathematics – Statistical Learning and Applications to Text Analysis (U)
• Applied Statistics (U)
• Elementary Probability and Statistics (U)
• Analysis and Design of Database Systems (G)
• Visual Basic Programming (U)
• Computer Hardware and Software (U)
• Web Development (U)

Books Read in 2022

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 09:05:58 +0000

This year I really leaned into reading. I chose books that were challenging, moving, interesting, and that had good stories to tell. I wanted to read books that could change me and how I understood the world.

The list below are the books I finished reading in 2022. I’ve still got a few I’m currently reading–if I finish them before New Years I’ll update the list. I included links in case you would like to grab a copy for yourself.

Guest Interview by Stacks on Stacks WUVT-FM at Virginia Tech

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 09:05:58 +0000

On Monday October 19, 2021 I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Joe Forte and Kira Dietz on their broadcast show “Stacks on Stacks” on 90.7 FM WUVT, Virginia Tech’s radio station. Their broadcasts are also available on the Stacks on Stacks podcast.

We discussed a variety of topics, including the growing importance of understanding the impact of technology on society, the difficulties of interdisciplinarity, and the motivations for and genesis of my Technoslipstream Podcast.

Review: Neewer 16-inch LED Ring Light

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 09:05:58 +0000

Neewer 16-inch LED Ring Light: In Use (camera shown for scale, not included)

Like many who shifted to more remote work, especially over the last year, I had been using large umbrella lights for my video-meetings-from-home needs. However, when shooting at home, umbrella lights can be awkward to set up and take up a lot of space. This Neewer 16-inch LED Ring Light allowed me to eliminate the bulky umbrella light while also provided perfect, easily customizable lighting for my face.

When to Start a New Project?

Sun, 27 Jun 2021 09:05:58 +0000

"Solar Powered STAR CLOCK of the Sapporo Station 札幌駅 in Sapporo Hokkaido Japan" by Arjan Richter is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Especially after 2020, that horrible, horrible year (for many, many people) you may be a little wary of starting an ambitious project in 2021. Maybe you’ve been wanting to start writing a novel. Maybe you’ve been wanting to start learning a new skill, like speaking a foreign language or playing the guitar. Maybe you’ve been wanting to start a new job or maybe even jump to a new career. Or maybe you’ve been wanting to start your own company. The possibilities are endless, but for many of us we had to put our lives, goals, and dreams on hold, or maybe even take a step back or two, to deal with our family or our job or maybe even our own health during the past year. And now, well into 2021, we may be looking around, exhausted, wondering where all the time went, wondering about our lives, goals, and dreams. Wondering about what might have been.

Markdown Syntax

Sat, 03 Apr 2021 23:29:21 +0530

Paragraph

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Becoming a Professional Writer

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

What This Is

"How Sausage Is Made: Becoming a Professional Writer" is a presentation I put together, more on the business side of being a writer than the craft side. I did a lot of research for this presentation, including interning in New York at a literary agency, doing a case study on a new pro writer, and interviewing 14 pro writers for their advice and suggestions. This page includes extra resources and links touched on in the presentation.

Presentation Description

It is the dream of many to become professional writers. That dream is often elusive however, in part due to an uncertain publishing environment, an opaque publishing industry, and uncertainty around just how to go about becoming a professional writer. In my presentation I'll show you just how the sausage is made, including my assessment of the current state of publishing, my experiences interning at a literary agency in New York, a look at platform building, a case study of a newly minted professional writer, and advice from current professional writers. I won't reveal the secret formula, but I will show you ways you can make this dream a reality for yourself.

Extra Resources

List of Professional Authors

During my research for this presentation, I consulted with 14 professional authors for their advice, suggestions, and inputs. Below is a list of their names, and links to their websites, and their forthcoming/recent books.

Fitness Interval Timer LITE

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

This is an archived project -- the app is no longer available on iTunes!

Description

Get and stay healthy using the Fitness Interval Timer LITE app. This app is useful for any timed activity, such as martial arts, bodyweight, kettlebell, weight, sprint, or HIIT training.

Key Features:

Customizable number of rounds
Customizable round work and rest times
Optional use of intervals
Customizable number of intervals
Customizable interval work and rest times
Pause, resume, reset workout
Audible chimes for the beginning/ending of the workout, and the beginning/ending of work or rest periods
Color indicators for work/rest periods
Audible chime for interval work/rest transitions

Use

Thank you for choosing the Becoming Heroic Fitness Interval Timer LITE. This is the LITE version--the full version is the Becoming Heroic Fitness Interval Timer app, which includes all the functionality of the LITE version plus the ability to save and delete workouts, as well as the removal of ads.

To use the app, on the Setup tab configure your workout. With Intervals OFF, select the number of rounds, and the time to work and rest in each round. With Intervals ON, also configure the desired intervals within each round.

Knowledge Discovery

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Working in multidimensional spaces is not just for science fiction writers.

One important part of machine learning, data mining, pattern recognition, and knowledge discovery is transforming data of interest–images, texts, genomes, computer network packets, etc.–into multidimensional spaces for further analysis. In these spaces, sometimes composed of many thousands of dimensions, we can then perform supervised and unsupervised learning.

But humans–the users of these machine learning algorithms–have difficulty in seeing/thinking beyond just three dimensions, so if you want humans involved in machine learning systems, you need to think about effective ways of transforming the data back into low-dimensional spaces for human consumption.

Martial Arts

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Besides a healthy diet, these days I concentrate mostly on strength and conditioning using kettlebells and bodyweight exercises. I also like to do martial arts.

Here are a few of my published fitness and martial arts articles:

"6 Life-Changing Ways Your Black Belt Journey Can Transform You," Kendall Giles, Breaking Muscle, October 2014.
"Bartitsu: The Steampunk Mixed Martial Art," Kendall Giles, Breaking Muscle, October 2012. Ranked #4 in most popular martial arts articles at Breaking Muscle for 2012.
"What Color Is Your Dojo?," Kendall Giles, Breaking Muscle, July 2012.
"Parting Thoughts," Kendall Giles, InYo: The Journal of Alternative Perspectives on the Martial Arts and Sciences, January 2012.

I’ve also made a few posts about kettlebells and fitness so far, so you may want to search through my site, but here are a few key ones to get you started:

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Reading

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

You exercise to keep your body healthy, so too must you read for the benefit of your mind. And for enough energy to do both, be sure to drink lots of coffee.

Here’s a list of some books and papers I’m currently reading, hope to read, or have just finished. And there are some that unfortunately I could not even force myself to finish – these, like misfit toys, are the abandoned.

Risk Simulation

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Decision making is often far from a straightforward task. For example:

Suppose there is a need to swiftly navigate through a spatial arrangement of possibly forbidden regions, each region marked with the probability that it is indeed forbidden. In close proximity to any of these regions, we have the dynamic capability of disambiguating the region and learning for certain whether or not the region is forbidden—only in the latter case may we proceed through that region.

For problems like these, technology can help users make difficult, complex decisions. When no closed-form formula exists, algorithmic simulation can help reduce noise and boost relevant information needed to optimize a particular problem.

Thank You!

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

THANK YOU so much for your support–I really appreciate it!

I’ll try to earn it by continuing to produce great content, by dreaming, exploring, making, writing, teaching, and doing.

From my heart, thank you.

Review: AcuRite Atlas Weather Station

Sat, 30 Jan 2021 09:05:58 +0000

AcuRite Atlas Weather Station: What Comes in the Box

The AcuRite 01007M Atlas Weather Station is a premium weather monitoring system for your home or business that includes temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, rainfall, UV index, light intensity, and lightning detection (optional, but included in the one I ordered) sensors. The station comes with the Atlas sensor system itself, mounting bracket and hardware, access point with power adapter and Ethernet cable, HD display with power adapter and wall mounting bracket, and instructions. Again, I ordered the optional lightning detector module, so that was included as well.

Review: AcuRite Temperature and Humidity Monitoring System

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 09:05:58 +0000

AcuRite Temperature and Humidity Monitoring System: What Comes in the Box

Worried that your HVAC might stop working while you are on travel? Interested in micro-climate temperature and humidity readings and forecasts to inform how you plan your day? The AcuRite 01006M Temperature and Humidity Monitoring System is a set of three temperature and humidity sensors that can be used to remotely monitor indoor or outdoor locations. Included in the box are three sensors along with one internet access point with ethernet cable and power brick. The myaccurite app needed to view the sensor readings is available for free for iOS and Android.

Review: Acurite Smart Weather Station

Sun, 17 Jan 2021 09:05:58 +0000

Acurite Smart Weather Station: Weather Station Outside

The Acurite Smart Weather Station is a 5-in-1 weather station that supports remote outside weather monitoring and includes a convenient web app. Included in the box is the display with power brick, one internet access point with ethernet cable and power brick, the weather station itself with mounting bracket/hardware, and instruction booklets for each.

Reflections on Academic Agonies and How to Avoid Them by Joseph Agassi

Thu, 31 Dec 2020 09:05:58 +0000

Image credit: Pedro via Flickr / Creative Commons

To end the year, I’ve got an article just out in Social Epistemology Review and Reply Collective: “Reflections on Academic Agonies and How to Avoid Them by Joseph Agassi”.

And here’s the book I reviewed: Academic Agonies and How to Avoid Them: Advice to Young People on Their Way to Academic Careers by Joseph Agassi.

Review: Gaiam Classic Balance Ball chair

Sun, 25 Oct 2020 09:06:58 +0000

Gaiam Classic Balance Ball chair: box

When I started working from home I wanted a chair that would help me stay alert and comfortable when in long meetings and classes – the Gaiam Classic Balance Ball chair was such a hit that my wife got one too. The “Classic” model comes with an adjustable back support.

Gaiam Classic Balance Ball chair: parts to assemble

The chair itself is easy to assemble and everything needed was included, including an air pump. The most challenging part was blowing up the rubber ball. We made my chair a little firmer, whereas my wife preferred hers a bit softer. This is easy to adjust – simply add or remove more air. Put together, the chair measures 22"W x 31"H x 22"D and weighs 13 pounds.

Review: NETGEAR ReadyNAS 3312 12 Bay Network Attached Storage

Sun, 25 Oct 2020 09:05:58 +0000

NETGEAR ReadyNAS 3312 12 Bay Network Attached Storage: Front

The ReadyNAS 3312 12 Bay Network Attached Storage is a high performance NAS ideal for a small office for file sharing, backup, HD streaming, virtualization, or disaster recovery. Enterprise features: 5 year hardware warranty is included, 24-hr replacement service, Serial number needed for coverage and customer telephone support. If you purchase the unit with drives, the drives are enterprise quality and also have 5 year hardware warranty. This is a rack-mounted hardware, comes with a variety of power plugs, has dual power supplies, and is just as noisy as any other enterprise-quality racked-mounted server.

Review: Lello Musso Pola Ice Cream Machine

Sat, 29 Aug 2020 09:05:58 +0000

Lello Musso Pola Ice Cream Machine: The Ice Cream Machine

The Lello Musso Pola Ice Cream Machine is a high-quality two quart capacity electric ice cream machine made in Italy. This is a commercial machine–it can make up to six quarts of ice cream, frozen yogurt, gelato, sherbet, or sorbet per hour. The dimensions of the machine are 12 1/4 inches high, 20 inches wide, and 14 inches deep. The unit weighs 66 pounds.

Review: Saeco Philips PicoBaristo Super Automatic Espresso Machine

Fri, 14 Aug 2020 09:05:58 +0000

Saeco Philips PicoBaristo Super Automatic Espresso Machine: Everything in the Box

If you like coffee and want a machine to just do everything for you, including adding frothed milk to make specialty coffee recipes, then you may want to check out the Saeco Philips PicoBaristo Super Automatic Espresso Machine. And unlike some home coffee machines, with the included filter you can make 5,000 cups of coffee without having to descale the machine!

Review: D'Addario DIY Solderless Cable Kit with Mini Plugs

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 09:05:58 +0000

D'Addario DIY Solderless Cable Kit with Mini Plugs: Box Front

The D’Addario DIY Solderless Cable Kit with Mini Plugs allows you to create up to five custom-length cables for your pedal board or rack gear. The plugs can work for either straight or right angle connections, and the mini-plug form factor allows you to space your pedals close together on your pedalboard.

Review: Antisocial Media: How Facebook Disconnects Us and Undermines Democracy

Tue, 21 Jul 2020 09:05:58 +0000

Antisocial Media: Front Cover

Facebook is one of the most popular examples of “social media”, though Antisocial Media: How Facebook Disconnects Us and Undermines Democracy by Siva Vaidhyanathan makes a compelling claim that the way Facebook operates is in fact antisocial, predatory, and divisive.

The second chapter details that the author, a professor of media studies, is an established cultural historian and media scholar–a case could be made that this chapter could have led the book, as this gives weight and credibility for the author’s largely critical analysis of Facebook. Certainly Facebook is not the lone social media provider guilty of problematic behavior, but as one of the largest it is the Frankenstein’s monster that gets noticed when running astray. The book’s main message is that while the initial motivations of Facebook were altruistic–connect with your friends, share pics and messages!–in its growth Facebook’s business model has distorted those initial benign intentions.

Review: August Home Doorbell Cam Pro

Sat, 18 Jul 2020 09:05:58 +0000

August Home Doorbell Cam Pro: Everything in the Box

The August Home Doorbell Cam Pro is a way to turn your mechanical chime doorbell into a camera that works with an application to provide you with many security and privacy features. I have the second generation, which comes with the security camera, a mounting plate, a wedge bracket, electrical sealing putty, mounting screws and anchors, and a USB charging dock. The August doorbell is meant to replace your house chime doorbell–to mount and use the doorbell you need a surface of 2.9 inches by 2.9 inches, an existing wired doorbell, 12-24VAC wired power, a mechanical doorbell chime, wifi internet connection (802.11 b/g/n/2.4 GHz or 5GHz), a Bluetooth-ready iOS or Android smartphone, and the free August app.

Review: Samson Go Mic Mobile Wireless Lavalier Mic

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 09:05:58 +0000

Samson Go Mic Mobile Wireless Lavalier Mic: What Comes in the Box

The Samson Go Mic Mobile Wireless Lavalier Mic is a lavalier wireless microphone complete system that comes with a receiver and accessories to connect to a variety of devices. In the box comes the lavalier mic, receiver, connecting cables, charging cable, charging brick, US and EU AC adapters, shoe mount adapter, 1/4"–20 Tripod Adapter, hook and loop adhesives, and a manual. Included cables are a USB-micro to Lightning cable, a USB-micro to USB-micro cable, a USB-micro to USB-C cable, and a 1/8" (3.5mm) to 1/8" (3.5mm) audio cable, allowing you to connect the receiver to iOS device, Android device, DSLR camera, mixer, or any device with a 3.5mm analog input.

Review: Samson Go Mic Mobile Wireless Handheld Mic

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 09:05:58 +0000

Samson Go Mic Mobile Wireless Handheld Mic: What Comes in the Box

The Samson Go Mic Mobile Wireless Handheld Mic is a handheld wireless microphone complete system that comes with a receiver and accessories to connect to a variety of devices. In the box comes the handheld mic, receiver, connecting cables, charging cable, charging brick, US and EU AC adapters, shoe mount adapter, 1/4"–20 Tripod Adapter, hook and loop adhesives, and a manual. Included cables are a USB-micro to Lightning cable, a USB-micro to USB-micro cable, a USB-micro to USB-C cable, and a 1/8" (3.5mm) to 1/8" (3.5mm) audio cable, allowing you to connect the receiver to iOS device, Android device, DSLR camera, mixer, or any device with a 3.5mm analog input.

Review: Revel Custom Cool Memory Foam Mattress

Fri, 26 Jun 2020 09:05:58 +0000

Revel Custom Cool Memory Foam Mattress: King Mattress, rolled and vacuum-packed

The Revel Custom Cool Memory Foam Mattress is a gel memory foam mattress made in the US that comes with a 10 year warranty. We got the King size labeled “medium-firm”, though the mattress felt more of a medium firmness.

Revel Custom Cool Memory Foam Mattress: Inside the Roll

The twelve inch mattress is made of a two inch gel top layer, a four inch support layer that contains air channels, and a six inch DuraBase foam layer. However, the mattress is delivered to your doorstep in a box vacuum-packed, folded in half, and rolled up into a cylinder.

Review: Harry Potter Mystery Flying Snitch

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 09:05:58 +0000

Harry Potter Mystery Flying Snitch: Box Front

The Harry Potter Mystery Flying Snitch is an official Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts product, authorized and licensed by Warner Brothers. The snitch looks very realistic and is a 1:1 scale to the movie snitch. This toy won several awards, including the Awarded Independent Toy Award Gold 2018, the Tillywig Award, and the Gift of The Year (UK) Award.

Starting the Paul Davids Next Level Playing Intermediate Guitar Course

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 09:05:58 +0000

Determined to break out of my beginner-guitar rut, I’ve decided to take the Paul Davids Next Level Playing guitar course. I made a video below to introduce the project and discuss my motivation. The course is broken into seven levels, and so as I make progress through the course my intent is to make a video discussing each level, then in my final video in the series I will give my review and assessment of the course.

Review: Hohem iSteady Pro GoPro Gimbal

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 09:05:58 +0000

Hohem iSteady Pro GoPro Gimbal: Everything in the Case

The Hohem iSteady Pro GoPro Gimbal is a 3-axis gimbal stabilizer that can be used with GoPro Hero7/6/5/4/3 cameras, but also with other similar-sized action cameras such as the Sony RXO, Yi 4K, AEE, and SJCAM sports cameras. The gimbal comes with a micro-USB charging cable, a tripod, a manual, and a semi-rigid zippered case. Note that this gimbal does not work with GoPro Hero8 cameras. The rechargeable 4000mAh lithium-ion battery allows for about 12 hours of filming, and with the USB-A port the battery can also serve as a power bank to charge your cell phone, for example. The micro-USB port and USB-A port are on the gimbal handle under a rubber panel–these ports are for charging only.

Review: Parker Jotter Fountain Pen Kit

Thu, 18 Jun 2020 09:05:58 +0000

Parker Jotter Fountain Pen Kit: Complete Set

The Parker Jotter Fountain Pen Kit is a kit that contains everything you need to start writing with the Parker Jotter fountain pen. The kit comes with one Parker Jotter fountain pen, one two-ounce bottle of Parker black Quink ink, two black cartridges, two blue cartridges, one ink converter, an instruction manual, and a cleaning cloth.

Review: Roland BTM-1 Bluetooth Speaker with Guitar Input

Wed, 17 Jun 2020 09:05:58 +0000

Roland BTM-1 Bluetooth Speaker with Guitar Input: What Comes in the Box

The Roland BTM-1 Bluetooth Speaker with Guitar Input is a small Bluetooth speaker that allows you to also connect your guitar so that you can play along with audio tracks. In the box you get the speaker, manual and information, and a two foot USB-A to micro USB charging cable. The speaker’s dimensions are 264 mm wide, 78 mm deep, and 100 mm tall, and weighs just over two pounds, which means this speaker can conveniently sit on a table or shelf, and could even fit in a typical backpack, though there is no case for the speaker. The speaker has two two-inch 4 W speakers.

Review: Rivet Geometric Area Rug

Fri, 12 Jun 2020 09:05:58 +0000

Rivet Geometric Area Rug: With Couch

The Rivet Geometric Area Rug is a hand-tufted, medium-pile rug with a blue and ivory geometric pattern. The rug weighs about 22 pounds, measures 5 x 8 feet. A medium-pile rug (.3 to .5 inches) is best for medium-to-high traffic areas.

Rivet Geometric Area Rug: Back of Rug

The rug is 100% polyester. The stitching and overall feel of the rug seems high quality and it vacuumed without shedding a lot of fibers.

Review: Duxtop Professional Portable Induction Cooktop

Fri, 05 Jun 2020 09:05:58 +0000

Duxtop Professional Portable Induction Cooktop

The Duxtop Professional Portable Induction Cooktop is exactly that: a portable one-burner cooktop that heats pans through induction, unlike radiant/electric or gas stoves. An induction cooktop means your pans must have bottoms made from ferrous materials, such as cast iron, iron, magnetic steel, and enameled iron. Cookware made from glass, ceramic, copper, aluminum, or non-magnetic stainless steel cannot be used. The dimensions are 12.9 x 16.5 x 4 inches and weighs about 13 pounds.

Review: SKIL PWRCore 12 Cordless Drill and Oscillating Multitool Kit

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 09:05:58 +0000

SKIL PWRCore 12 Cordless Drill and Oscillating Multitool Kit: What Comes in the Box

The SKIL PWRCore 12 Cordless Drill and Oscillating Multitool Kit comes with a drill/driver, oscillating multitool, battery, charger, accessories, and manuals. The kit comes with one 12V 2.0 Ah lithium battery that works with both the drill and the multitool. It takes the charger about an hour to fully charge a depleted battery. Lights on the charger indicate charging status or battery error/defect.

Review: SKIL PWRCore 20 Cordless Circular Saw

Thu, 28 May 2020 09:05:58 +0000

SKIL PWRCore 20 Cordless Circular Saw: What Comes in the Box

The SKIL PWRCore 20 Cordless Circular Saw is a 6-1/2 inch cordless circular saw that includes a 4.0 Ah lithium battery and charger. Also included in the box are an extension to allow the attachment of a vacuum cleaner hose (attaches to the saw with the included extra screw) as well as manuals. SKIL Power Tools is a Chinese-owned company based in Naperville, Illinois. They focus on making a large variety of consumer-grade tools including cordless drills/drivers, belt sanders, and routers, in addition to circular saws.

Review: Thule Paramount Backpack 27L

Wed, 27 May 2020 09:05:58 +0000

Thule Paramount Backpack 27L: Front

The Thule Paramount Backpack 27L is designed primarily to be a weather-resistant commuter backpack that holds laptops, tablets, and other items you need to get through the day with comfortable and secure storage while you are traveling by car, bike, train, or foot. My backpack, the focus of this review, is the 27L Paramount, though Thule also has 16L, 24L, and 29L versions (note that some of the features vary across the different sizes). Thule is an established Swedish company known for making quality items such as backpacks, laptop and camera bags, car roof boxes, roof racks, and bike racks.

Review: Wood Metal Platform Bed

Tue, 26 Nov 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Wood Metal Platform Bed: Assembled Bed

While having a memory foam mattress delivered to your doorstep is convenient, a comfortable mattress is only part of the solution to getting a good night’s sleep. You also need a bed! Thankfully you can get beds delivered to your doorstep as well, such as the Wood Metal Platform Bed. Unlike some beds which require a box spring as well as a mattress, a platform bed only needs a mattress, which makes it a perfect companion to a new memory foam mattress.

Review: Autel Robotics EVO Drone

Wed, 20 Nov 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Autel Robotics EVO Drone: Drone in flight

With the Autel Robotics EVO Drone it has never been easier to take flight with a drone that offers pro features such as being foldable into a compact form for travel, a camera that shoots high-quality images and video, and an app that provides for advanced settings and sophisticated drone automation maneuvers.

Autel Robotics EVO Drone: What comes in the box

Included in the box are the drone, aircraft remote controller, power cable, charger, battery, 3 pairs of propellers, micro-USB and USB-C cables, a 32GB micro storage card, and manuals. The camera has a 3-axis stabilizing gimbal and records up to 4K resolution at up to 60 frames per second, with a recording speed up to 100mbps with H.264 or H.265 codecs. The glass lens takes photos at up to 12 megapixels. The drone offers roughly 30 minutes of flight time per charge with a range of about 4.3 miles. The included micro storage card holds approximately 1 hour of 4K video. The drone weight is about 1.9 pounds.

Review: Shure SE535 Wireless Earphones

Tue, 22 Oct 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Shure SE535 Wireless Earphones: Wireless Set Up

Especially when on travel or if you have an active lifestyle, wireless headphones that sound good and that have a long battery life are essential features. The Shure SE535 Wireless Earphones have these features and more.

Shure SE535 Wireless Earphones: Everything in the Box

Included in the box are the SE535 earphones, a wireless Bluetooth 5 cable and battery, a 3.5mm audio cable (127 cm), a micro-USB charging cable, a 1/4" audio adapter, a carrying case, and a custom fit kit with a variety of sleeves. The wireless cable and the wired cable each have an inline mic and remote controls. The wireless battery has a clothing clip and the battery life lasts about 10 hours. The range of the wireless Bluetooth connection is about 10 m (30 ft).

Review: Michael Kors Stainless Steel Quartz Watch

Thu, 17 Oct 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Michael Kors Stainless Steel Quartz Watch

In an age where many previously simple devices now allow you to speak commands to them, surf the internet, and receive emails, sometimes you want a watch that just tells you the time. The Michael Kors Stainless Steel Quartz Watch is just such a watch: clean, functional, analog display, and not connected to the internet.

Review: Ravenna Faux Leather Recliner

Sun, 13 Oct 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Ravenna Faux Leather Recliner: Assembled Chair

Comfortable leather recliners are expensive. However, the Ravenna Faux Leather Recliner is a surprisingly comfortable faux leather alternative as long as you don’t need to move the chair too often.

Ravenna Faux Leather Recliner: Legs in Bag

When you take the pieces from the box, be sure to remove the white bag tied to the underneath of the chair–this bag contains the four chair legs.

Review: Thule Gauntlet MacBook Sleeve

Mon, 19 Aug 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Thule Gauntlet MacBook Sleeve: With MacBook Laptop Closed

To protect your laptop when on travel, you may have previously tried those soft neoprene laptop sleeves–you may have also been left unimpressed. If so, the Thule Gauntlet MacBook Sleeve is a definite step above in terms of protection and aesthetics. the 12 inch gauntlet is a molded polyurethane sleeve that perfectly fits a 12 inch MacBook, though it can fit other small tablets and laptops–the sleeve outer dimensions are 11.8 x 1.2 x 9.8 inches and the inner laptop compartment dimensions are 11 x 7.8 x 0.5 inches. The weight of the sleeve is 0.66 pounds.

Review: Aston Microphones Stealth Dynamic Mic

Tue, 13 Aug 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Aston Microphones is known for making quality microphones and mic accessories. Their latest, the Aston Microphones Stealth Dynamic Mic is a mic that I think is their best example of audio wizardry yet.

Aston Microphones Stealth Dynamic Mic: Mic with Aston Halo Reflection Filter (Not Included)

In the box you get the mic, a mic stand mount, a 5/8 inch to 3/8 inch mic stand adapter, a manual, and a few extra goodies. The picture shows the mic mounted with the Aston Halo Reflection Filter–the mic does not come with the Halo Reflection Filter. The mic dimensions are 7.72 inches long and 2.28 inches wide (diameter). The mic weight is 1.52 pounds. In addition to circuitry for four separate mics, this large mic body contains an internal shock mount system to help reduce vibration noise as well as a built-in Class A preamp. The mic attaches to the mic mount via a quick-release attachment that inserts into the mic end cap–it is easy to click the mic onto the stand and then remove it when you are done. Though so far I’ve had no troubles, I should point out that the part of the mic mount that clicks into the mic end cap is plastic.

Review: LikeWar: The Weaponization of Social Media

Mon, 12 Aug 2019 09:05:58 +0000

LikeWar: The Weaponization of Social Media: Book Cover Front

If you are wondering how collusion affected the 2016 US presidential election, why the internet is the most effective communication medium in the world, and why social media companies effectively are countries in terms of power and influence on the world stage, then you should immediately grab a copy of LikeWar: The Weaponization of Social Media.

Review: Sony PG10 Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Wed, 07 Aug 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Sony PG10 Portable Bluetooth Speaker: Front of Speaker, Closed

If you want a portable party music solution with lots of features, the Sony PG10 Portable Bluetooth Speaker is worth considering. This speaker has two 1.57" tweeters and one 7.08" woofer in a compact 13” x 14 7/8” x 12” package with built-in handles and that weighs just 14 pounds 13 ounces. Moreover, the built-in rechargeable battery packs about 13 hours of music party power.

Review: Sony XB72 Bluetooth Home Audio Speaker

Tue, 06 Aug 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Sony XB72 Bluetooth Home Audio Speaker: Box Front

The Sony XB72 Bluetooth Home Audio Speaker is a large powerful speaker that dazzles with great sound quality as well as customizable LED lighting, supports Bluetooth, and has a surprising number of features. In the box you’ll find the speaker, a power cable, and quick-start/reference guides.

Sony XB72 Bluetooth Home Audio Speaker: Horizontal and Vertical Orientations

The speaker itself has dimensions: 13 5/8” x 25 7/8” x 15” and weighs about 26 lb 16 oz. Thankfully the speaker comes with a carrying handle, which makes moving and positioning the speaker convenient, since the speaker can be oriented vertically or horizontally. The speaker itself can crank out the volume with three 2" tweeters and two 6 3/8” woofers. In addition to sound, the speaker also has built-in lights: a strobe light, LED lights outlining the speaker cabinet, and lights for each speaker. Note that these lights are on by default, though they can be turned off with a button on the top of the speaker.

Review: Marshall Stockwell II Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Wed, 31 Jul 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Marshall Stockwell II Portable Bluetooth Speaker: Box Front

Marshall has a complete line of great sounding Bluetooth speakers. The Marshall Stockwell II Portable Bluetooth Speaker is exactly the speaker powerhouse you’ve come to expect from Marshall, but this time in a portable, rugged 2.76" (deep) x 6.34" (wide) x 7.09" (tall) 3.04 lb (1.38 kg) package. The speaker includes one 10 W Class D amplifier for the woofer and two 5 W Class D amplifiers for the tweeters, providing 80 dB SPL @ 1 m, which is surprisingly loud. In fact, I kept being pleasantly surprised by this tiny little speaker in its features and performance.

Review: Leather Messenger Bag

Sun, 30 Jun 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Leather Messenger Bag: What Is Included

This Leather Messenger Bag from Oak Leathers is genuine leather and large enough to hold a 15" laptop. The bag comes with a leather adjustable shoulder strap with brass buckle hardware. The strap is not padded, though if the strap is shortened enough the resulting double-thickness of leather is an improvement over just the single thickness. The bag depth is a little over 3.5", the width is 15", and the height is about 12." While you might be able to squeeze in a slightly larger laptop, this would strain the bag and I would not recommend it.

Review: Ernie Ball FlexTune Clip-On Tuner

Wed, 12 Jun 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Ernie Ball FlexTune Clip-On Tuner: Box Front

I absolutely love one of my guitars (a PRS), but all of the clip-on tuners I had won’t stay clipped on it for very long because the tuner clamp mechanism can’t find enough to hold onto with that particular headstock design. So I thought I would give the Ernie Ball FlexTune Clip-On Tuner a try, and I have to sat not only does the tuner stay clamped onto my guitar, but the large display and other features make this my preferred tuner.

Review: Waterman Hemisphere Deluxe Fountain Pen

Sun, 02 Jun 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Waterman Hemisphere Deluxe Fountain Pen: In Premium Gift Box

I recently reviewed the Waterman Hemisphere Fountain Pen and liked it so much I decided to try the Waterman Hemisphere Deluxe Fountain Pen, which is similar to the regular “Hemisphere” line except with an upgraded finish. I chose the “Light Grey Cracked” finish, which is a striking cracked metallic finish that looks even better than it does in the pictures. Other finishes in the Deluxe line include “Rose Wave” and “Blue Wave.”

Review: Thule Landmark 40L Travel Pack

Tue, 28 May 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Thule Landmark 40L Travel Pack: Front of Pack

I had wanted a carry-on sized backpack for some upcoming longer trips and so I was excited to try the Thule Landmark 40L Travel Pack. This charcoal gray pack, made from tough 420D Dobby polyester and 600D polyester has 40L of volume, has dimensions 9.8 x 13 x 21.5 inches and weighs just 3.17 pounds. In addition to the padded shoulder straps, the bag has top and side carry handles, though the carry handles are really just for convenience–the pack is meant to be worn as a backpack. Note that Thule also has larger models in their Landmark line–in 60L and 70L versions that come with detachable 20L daypacks. My pack, the 40L model, does not include the detachable daypack–it is just one backpack.

Review: Sealy 10-Inch Hybrid Bed in a Box

Mon, 27 May 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Sealy 10-Inch Hybrid Bed in a Box: All Rolled Up

Buying a mattress these days has never been easier and mattress quality has never been better, and the Sealy 10-Inch Hybrid Bed in a Box is no exception. This mattress arrived on my doorstep in a modest 16.5 x 16.5 x 44.5 inch box weighing about 60 pounds. The mattress inside is shrink-wrapped in a plastic roll.

Review: Leather Duffel Bag

Fri, 24 May 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Leather Duffel Bag: Duffel Bag made from Buffalo Leather

I had wanted a durable bag for taking to the gym or for a carry on bag for a short trip, so I was really skeptical when ordering this Leather Duffel Bag from Leather Centric. However, I was pleasantly surprised upon receiving it–in an age of synthetics, this is a quality leather duffel bag. The bag is made from a thick buffalo leather–red with an orange undertone. The handles, zipper closures (there are two zipper closures for the main compartment, so you can open/close it from either direction), shoulder strap pad, and other attachments are a medium brown leather. The overall dimensions are about 19 x 10 x 10 inches.

Review: Ringside Tornado Punching Bag

Sun, 19 May 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Ringside Tornado Punching Bag: Fully Assembled

I’ve enjoyed using Ringside heavy bags, Muay Thai bags, and gloves over the years, so I was excited to try out the Ringside Tornado Punching Bag. This bag is free-standing and combines elements of a heavy bag with a double-end bag.

Ringside Tornado Punching Bag: Everything in the Box

In the box you get the empty plastic base, the stand and spring, the bag, and all hardware and instructions needed to put everything together.

Review: Waterman Hemisphere Fountain Pen

Sun, 19 May 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Waterman Hemisphere Fountain Pen: Gift Box

If you are looking to upgrade from using a starter-level fountain pen, are about to start a significant or meaningful writing project, or want to make a good impression with a gift that will surely be well received, you may want to consider the Waterman Hemisphere Fountain Pen.

Waterman Hemisphere Fountain Pen: Pen in Gift Box

The pen comes in a striking gift box–I liked the box so much I kept it. I got the Bright Blue version, which has a metallic blue lacquer finish and palladium-plated stainless steel trim. The pen comes with a blue ink cartridge. A converter is not included, though a converter is available for purchase if you would rather fill your pen using ink from a bottle.

Review: Dyson V11 Animal Cordless Vacuum

Sun, 28 Apr 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Dyson V11 Animal Cordless Vacuum: Everything in the Box

I’ve enjoyed using the Dyson V6 Animal Cordless Vacuum for years, but the Dyson V11 Animal Cordless Vacuum is even better. The vacuum comes with two powered cleaning heads with rotating brushes (a large one for the floor and a smaller one for seats/couches, etc.), two attachments with brushes, one crevice tool attachment, a wall mount charging bracket, charging brick, and manual/warranty information. Assembled, the vacuum is slightly longer and heavier than my V6, though the V11 is quieter and has a lot more useful features.

Review: Navsuma Jewelry Box

Sat, 27 Apr 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Navsuma Jewelry Box

The Navsuma Jewelry Box, Black is an inexpensive jewelry box. Though the Amazon product title says it is “luxury leather,” the jewelry box is covered with a thin, black faux leather material with white stitching. The box lid has a glass panel, which makes viewing the items in the top compartment convenient. Overall dimensions are about 12" x 8.5" x 5.25".

Review: Makita Cordless Miter Saw with Laser

Sun, 21 Apr 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Makita Cordless Miter Saw: Everything in the Box

The Makita XSL06PT 18V x2 LXT Lithium-Ion (36V) Brushless Cordless 10" Dual-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw with Laser Kit (5.0Ah) is a solid battery powered miter saw as capable as their version powered with an electric cord. The saw comes with two 18-volt lithium ion batteries and charger–both batteries are needed to power the saw. In use the batteries lasted a long time–I was able to make hundreds of cuts before needing a recharge. One thing I appreciated was that after I completed my first project, I left the batteries charged but idle for weeks. When I got back to it, the batteries had not noticeably discharged and the saw worked flawlessly. The fact that this saw is cordless means you can make repairs literally out in the field, such as repairing fencing or at new construction sites. The saw also comes with a 10" blade. There are a lot of features with the saw, though a few stand out. The steel rail sliding system works great and allows you to work in restricted spaces (eg near a wall). The saw is very accurate. The dust collection ports work well though the saw does come with a dust bag. The saw miters 0-60° left and right, and bevels 0-48° left and right.

Review: Marmot Slate Weekender Bag

Sun, 14 Apr 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Marmot Slate Weekender Bag: Front

The Marmot Slate Weekender Bag is a backpack-style bag with plenty of room for your laptop and other items as well as a small compartment for a change or two of clothes. The exterior is water resistant and the 2.8 pound bag holds a volume of 28 liters and has dimensions of about 12.8 x 7.5 x 20.9 inches. In addition to being able to carry this bag as a backpack, the bag also has padded carry handles on the top and side.

Review: Medline Rollator Walker

Fri, 01 Feb 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Medline Rollator Walker: Assembled

As we get older, mobility becomes an issue. The Medline Rollator Walker is a walker with four 6 inch diameter plastic wheels that can be of great help to those needing mobility assistance. However, note that the walker needs assembly, so this is likely not the walker to purchase if you are purchasing the walker for yourself.

Review: Belkin PowerHouse Charge Dock

Fri, 25 Jan 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Belkin PowerHouse Charge Dock: Dock and Power Brick

There have been various Apple iPhone and Apple Watch chargers and charging docks available for a while now, but the Belkin PowerHouse Charge Dock combines the ability to charge both an iPhone and Watch at the same time with one convenient charging dock. The charger comes with a power brick that has a 4’ cable. Yes, the power brick is almost as big as the dock.

Review: Ravenna Industrial Coffee Table

Sun, 20 Jan 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Ravenna Industrial Coffee Table: Side View

The Ravenna Industrial Coffee Table is easy to assemble and looks smart in a contemporary, industrial, or rustic style room. The finished dimensions of the assembled table are 21.7 in. x 43.3 in. x 15.7 in.

Ravenna Industrial Coffee Table: Assembly

The table comes with two shelves and two metal frames to hold the shelves together, as well as needed screws and hex key wrench–no additional tools are needed. There are 8 short screws and 4 long screws that hold the pieces together. In fact, we put the entire table together in about 10 minutes–it took longer to unbox the pieces than it did to assemble the table.

Review: Seagate Barracuda SSD SATA III 500GB Internal SSD Drive

Fri, 18 Jan 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Seagate Barracuda SSD SATA III 500GB Internal SSD Drive: Box Front

We wanted to upgrade our Synology NAS (network attached storage) to make it better for serving music and video files. We decided to add a SSD for read caching, and selected the Seagate Barracuda SSD SATA III 500GB Internal SSD Drive for this purpose. This drive has a 2.5" form factor, 500GB capacity, and max sequential read/write speeds of 540 / 520 MB/s. Because this is a 2.5” drive, we also needed an adapter, and selected the Rosewill 2.5" SSD to 3.5" SATA Hard Disk Drive HDD Adapter Caddy Tray, available on Amazon.

Review: Extech MA3110 Cat IV 3000A AC Clamp Meter

Wed, 16 Jan 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Extech MA3110 Cat IV 3000A AC Clamp Meter: What's Included

The Extech MA3110 Cat IV 3000A AC Clamp Meter is a portable meter with a flexible current and built-in multimeter. In the box you get the meter, two multimeter probes, two AA batteries, and a manual. The meter is comfortable to hold, with dimensions of 11.4" x 5.3" x 1.1."

The basic idea is that you can use the clamp to enclose a conductor in order to take AC current readings. For example, if you wanted to measure current draw of a household device, you could plug the device into a line splitter (not included) then enclose one side of the splitter with the meter.

Review: Breville BTM500 Smart Tea Infuser Compact

Sat, 12 Jan 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Breville BTM500 Smart Tea Infuser Compact: Box Front

The Breville BTM500 Smart Tea Infuser Compact is a convenient tea maker that allows you to control the water temperature and steep times to make up to four cups (34 ounces) of tea at a time. The controls allow you to select the temperature of the water (175°F, 185°F, 195°F, 200°F, 212°F) based on the type of tea you are making (Green, White, Oolong, Herbal, and Black).

Review: Kenmore 55550 50 Pint Dehumidifier

Mon, 07 Jan 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Kenmore 55550 50 Pint Dehumidifier: Front

If your home is damp or if you need to help clean up from a water spill, the Kenmore 55550 50 Pint Dehumidifier is a medium-sized dehumidifier that is easy to use and has convenient features. The unit is called a “50 pint” dehumidifier because it is rated to dehumidify up to 50 pints of water per day. The dimensions of the 50 pint unit are 14.1" x 22.7" x 12.2" and the unit weighs 39.3 pounds.

Review: Marshall Woburn II Wireless Speaker

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Marshall Woburn II Wireless Speaker: What's Included

Marshall has continued revamping its home speaker line–the Marshall Woburn II Wireless Speaker delivers upgraded wireless Bluetooth functionality while keeping that rocking Marshall sound. In the box you get the Marshall speaker, quick-start and warranty manuals, and both US and EU power cables. Note that there are no included 3.5mm input nor RCA input cables. The dimensions of the speaker are 15.75 in x 12.20 in x 7.87 in, and the speaker weighs almost 19 pounds. If you are wondering the main differences of the Woburn II and the previous model, the Woburn (which I also own):

Review: Modway Fully Assembled French-Style Armchairs

Tue, 01 Jan 2019 09:05:58 +0000

Modway Fully Assembled French-Style Armchairs: Chair Front

The Modway Fully Assembled French-Style Armchairs are a set of two armchairs that can be shipped directly to your door fully assembled.

Modway Fully Assembled French-Style Armchairs: Chair Back

The chairs are painted in a rustic weathered French style and washed out gray in color. The chairs are covered in a fabric (website says beige, but is more gray to me) stitched with a button-tufted diamond pattern on one side of the chair back. The fabric on the chair back, arm rests, and seat are trimmed with piping. The seat has a foam pad. Note that these are not outdoor pieces, especially since the fabric is not waterproof.

Review: HP Laserjet M118dw Monochrome Printer

Thu, 27 Dec 2018 09:05:58 +0000

HP Laserjet M118dw Monochrome Printer: Box

The HP Laserjet M118dw Monochrome Printer is HP’s new budget laserjet printer. Best value laser printer? Let’s take a look.

HP Laserjet M118dw Monochrome Printer: What's Included

This printer is a wireless monochrome laser printer. In the box you get the printer (with a 1000-page black toner cartridge and a 23,000-page imaging drum already installed), a power cable, a USB-A to USB-B cable (for a USB 2.0 port), and setup instructions.

Changes Coming to the TechnoSlipstream Newsletter

Tue, 04 Dec 2018 09:05:58 +0000

‪Yesterday I sent out the last TechnoSlipstream newsletter of the year. I’m changing things up for 2019 though.

First, I’m switching from MailChimp to TinyLetter. MailChimp is great, but really for companies who need lots of marketing bells and whistles. I also found the MailChimp user interface to be rather clunky and inefficient–I wasn’t posting many newsletters because the overhead and hassle was a big disincentive. So I’m switching to TinyLetter. TinyLetter is owned by MailChimp, but is meant more for an individual who just wants to write a newsletter.

Review: Philips HD9630/28 Avance XXL Airfryer

Sun, 02 Dec 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Philips Avance XXL Airfryer: Front

I fell in love with my previous air fryer, as the instantly-heated air quickly cooked foods, so I could create tasty yet healthy meals without having to actually fry the food. Even better: the Philips HD9630/28 Avance XXL Airfryer is larger than my previous air fryer, allowing me to cook faster, since I can now cook more food at once–I now can cook everything in one batch that took multiple batches in my previous air fryer.

Review: Michael Kors Access Runway Stainless Steel Smartwatch

Fri, 30 Nov 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Michael Kors Access Runway Stainless Steel Smartwatch: Box

If you are looking for a stylish smartwatch with a round face, Michael Kors Access Runway Stainless Steel Smartwatch is an elegant watch with a number of notable features in such a classy design. Notable features include heart rate tracking, smartphone notifications, NFC payments (eg Google Pay), GPS, 1.19-inch touchscreen display, mic for the voice-activated Google Assistant, music storage, customizable watch faces, alarms, and multiple time zones. This watch is also water resistant to 30m–ie recreational swimming. The metal on this model is a rose gold-tone stainless steel, though there are other finish options available.

Review: Marshall Stanmore II Voice Speaker

Sat, 24 Nov 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Marshall Stanmore II Voice Speaker: Box Front

I have multiple Marshall speakers and multiple Alexa devices, but the Marshall Stanmore II Voice Speaker is the best of both worlds–all the Alexa utility boosted by that powerful Marshall sound. Read on to see why I love these speakers.

Marshall Stanmore II Voice Speaker: Speaker Front

The Marshall Stanmore II Voice is a Marshall WiFi/Bluetooth speaker system integrated with Amazon Alexa voice control. Note in the lower left of the speaker there are LED lights to indicate Alexa has heard your voice.

Review: CycleOps M2 Bike Smart Trainer

Tue, 20 Nov 2018 09:05:58 +0000

CycleOps M2 Bike Smart Trainer: Rear View

If you want to get in more miles on your bike, don’t want to miss a ride due to bad weather, or just want to ride your bike through virtual worlds, then the CycleOps M2 Bike Smart Trainer might be just what you are looking for.

Review: Chicago Cutlery Prime Black Knife Block Set

Mon, 19 Nov 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Chicago Cutlery Prime Black Knife Block Set: Box Front

The Chicago Cutlery Prime Black Knife Block Set is a seven-piece knife set that promises a black, modern design and includes a knife block. Let’s see if these knives really have the edge.

Chicago Cutlery Prime Black Knife Block Set: Knife Block Set Front View

The knife set comes with:

Designing the Neil Gaiman Writing Masterclass

Sat, 17 Nov 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Neil Gaiman Writing Masterclass: Coming Early 2019!

I’ve had to sit on this for a while, but the word is out — Neil Gaiman is coming to Masterclass! Earlier this year I got to meet with Masterclass and the creative producer to brainstorm ideas to help shape Neil’s class.

They already have a few writing classes, by authors such as Malcolm Gladwell, James Patterson, Margaret Atwood, and R.L. Stine. So they asked for my input to help make a writing class with Neil unique and extra special, to play on his strengths as a writer and storyteller to craft the Neil Gaiman masterclass. Of course, the result is fully his class and I’m sure he took the course in directions I did not anticipate, but yes, it was neat to be involved, even just a tiny bit.

New iPad Pro: Workflows, Productivity, and Anticipation

Sat, 17 Nov 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Writing, Workflow, iPad Pro, and iOS

I’ve been thinking lately of reworking my writing, image editing, and publishing workflows, especially now that the new iPad Pros are out. Here are some thoughts by Craig Mod on how the hardware of the new iPad Pros is from the future, but the OS and software, alas, are from the past:

Switching contexts is also cumbersome. If you’re researching in a browser and frequently jumping back and forth between, say, (the actually quite wonderful) Notes.app and Safari, you’ll sometimes find your cursor position lost. The Notes.app document you were just editing fully occasionally resetting to the top of itself.6 For a long document, this is infuriating and makes every CMD-Tab feel dangerous. It doesn’t always happen, the behavior is unpredictable, making things worse. This interface “brittleness” makes you feel like you’re using an OS in the wrong way.

Review: Keiid Boombox with VW Radio, Bluetooth, Wooden Cabinet, and More

Fri, 09 Nov 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Keiid Boombox with VW Radio, Bluetooth, Wooden Cabinet, and More: CD Playing

If you want to listen to your MP3s with a bit of nostalgia, or maybe you have a stack of CDs but are running out of devices to play them on, then the Keiid Boombox with VW Radio, Bluetooth, Wooden Cabinet, and More may just be your next desktop stereo cabinet, soundbar, and conversation piece. Let’s put it this way: when today we can fit more than a supercomputer’s worth of processing power in our pocket, advertising their 27.5" x 8" x 6.3" boombox that weighs about 20 pounds as “compact” only makes sense if you go back to the future of the 1980s.

Review: Placeholder Shoe Storage Ottoman

Sat, 03 Nov 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Placeholder Shoe Storage Ottoman: What Comes in the Box

The Placeholder Shoe Storage Ottoman holds 10 pairs of shoes as well as provides space for other items, such as blankets, boots, or clothing. The ottoman comes pre-assembled, except for the four legs. Overall dimensions are about 20.5" high, 22" deep, and about 47.5" wide.

Placeholder Shoe Storage Ottoman: Leg Detail View

No tools are needed to attach the legs–they simply screw into the bottom of the ottoman.

Review: Spyder Men's Bandit Stryke Jacket

Fri, 12 Oct 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Spyder Men's Bandit Stryke Jacket: Front

The crisp weather outside right now calls for a light jacket, such as the Spyder Men’s Bandit Stryke Jacket. But this jacket pulls double duty. The Spyder Men’s Bandit Full Zip Stryke Jacket is great for walking around in fall weather and serves as a great first layer for cold weather activities.

Spyder Men's Bandit Stryke Jacket: Inside

The material is a light-weight polyester sweater knit on the outside bonded to an anti-pill fleece on the inside. It’s really soft! There are also black stretch fleece panels at the underarm and on the sides, which help keep this jacket comfortable when moving–even skiing. And your neck stays comfortable even when the collar is zipped due to the brushed microfiber liner.

Review: EZVIZ WiFi Security Camera

Sun, 23 Sep 2018 09:05:58 +0000

The EZVIZ WiFi Security Camera is a convenient WiFi indoor security camera that takes high-quality images, if you can get it to work through your network firewall and don’t mind a few security considerations. The images captured by the camera are very clear and it is nice having full HD quality in such a small camera that is very flexible in its mounting options. It is also nice having the option of capturing images locally on a microSD card, as well as subscribing to their cloud service.

Review: Sirui Smartphone Wide Angle Lens

Fri, 21 Sep 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Sirui Smartphone Wide Angle Lens: Lens and Clip

The Sirui Smartphone Wide Angle Lens attaches to your smartphone with a clip, giving your smartphone the flexibility of being able to switch between multiple lenses, like DSLR cameras. But how well does this lens and clip work?

Sirui Smartphone Wide Angle Lens: Everything That Comes In The Box

In the box you get the wide angle lens, a lens cleaning cloth, a plastic lens cap, and the mounting clip. The lens also comes with a clear plastic box with an attached aluminum clip, though the box only holds the lens, not the clip. So even if you store the lens in the box, you will still need another container for the clip, and you will also need to manage keeping the two containers together (since one without the other is not useful). The 18mm wide angle lens has optical glass and an aluminum housing. The mounting clip is metal with a metal spring.

Review: Seagate Exos 7E8 8TB Enterprise SATA Hard Drive

Sun, 16 Sep 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Seagate Exos 7E8 8TB Enterprise SATA Hard Drive: Top

For quiet and dependable hard drives, Seagate is a known brand. Seagate continues this quality trend with the Seagate Exos 7E8 8TB Enterprise SATA Hard Drive. This line of drives (I have the 8TB 3.5" model) offers data-center-level quality data storage.

Seagate Exos 7E8 8TB Enterprise SATA Hard Drive: Bottom

From a performance perspective, these drives come with a 2 million hour MTBF rating and support workloads of 550TB per year–10 times the performance of typical desktop hard drives. In fact, these drives also come with a 5-year limited warranty.

Review: Ringside Apex Flash Sparring Gloves

Sat, 15 Sep 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Ringside Apex Flash Sparring Gloves

A good pair of boxing gloves is essential for sparring, martial arts training, and heavy bag workouts. The Ringside Apex Flash Sparring Gloves not only keep your hand protected, but add a little sizzle with “flash” styling.

Ringside Apex Flash Sparring Gloves: Palm Side

These sparring-quality gloves are made with a special Injected Molded Foam process to create a single 2" layer of protective foam, giving your hand more protection and lasting longer than layered foam gloves. The synthetic leather shell is easy to clean. Note that the thumb is attached to the fingers for safety, so these gloves are really only meant for boxing. The breathable palm mesh and perforations help keep the gloves ventilated. The gloves also have grip bars to help you make a tight fist.

Review: One Wall Black 11" x 14" Picture Frame

Fri, 14 Sep 2018 09:05:58 +0000

One Wall Black 11" x 14" Picture Frame: Standing

Sometimes you need a simple picture frame that looks good standing on a table or mounted on the wall. The One Wall Black 11" x 14" Picture Frame is an elegant black 11" x 14" picture frame that comes with tempered glass and is suitable for several picture sizes and display options.

Review: Tulo Foam Mattress, Queen, Firm

Sun, 09 Sep 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Tulo Foam Mattress, Queen, Firm: Unwrapped and Ready for Sleep

Memory foam mattresses are wonderful to sleep on, provided there is an extra layer to prevent the mattresses from becoming to warm. The Tulo Foam Mattress, Queen, Firm, is a memory foam mattress with four layers to help you get a great night’s sleep.

Tulo Foam Mattress, Queen, Firm: Just Out of the Box, Rolled Up

The mattress arrived in a box rolled up and vacuum-sealed in plastic. The weight of the box was about 75 pounds–the box is much easier to maneuver with two people. We got the QUEEN size mattress, 80”L X 60”W X 10”H, which arrived in a box 19”L X 19”W X 42”H.

Review: Rockjam G905 Sheet Music Stand

Thu, 06 Sep 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Rockjam G905 Sheet Music Stand

If you play a music instrument while reading from sheet music, you want your sheet music stand to be sturdy and reliable. The Rockjam G905 Sheet Music Stand is an all-steel reliable sheet music stand that can serve a number of purposes.

Rockjam G905 Sheet Music Stand: What's Included

The stand comes in three pieces that assemble together easily, and weighs a little over six pounds. The stand has a 475mm x 345mm tray with a lip and an angle bracket. The stand also has a height bracket to adjust the height from 940mm to 1420mm. The base of the stand is composed of three adjustable legs.

Review: Sterling by Music Man Stingray Ray4 Bass Guitar

Sun, 02 Sep 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Sterling by Music Man Stingray Ray4 Bass Guitar

The Sterling by Music Man Stingray Ray4 Bass Guitar may be the import line of Ernie Ball Music Man Stingray basses, but don’t let that fool you–this bass guitar is a can provide solid rhythms and you’ll fit right in with most any style band in looks and sound.

Sterling by Music Man Stingray Ray4 Bass Guitar: Headstock Front

The Ray4 is a 4-string bass with the memorable and classic StingRay design. I have the bass in black, with black teardrop pick guard, basswood body, hard maple neck, and hard maple and jatoba fretboard. The Ray4 comes with one low noise hum bucking Sterling-by-Music-Man-designed ceramic pickup, and the three metal knobs control volume and high/low boost/cut with an active preamp circuit (9V battery included).

Review: Full Gray Linen Platform Bed

Mon, 20 Aug 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Full Gray Linen Platform Bed: What Comes in the Box

This Full Gray Linen Platform Bed is a modern, stylish full size bed that can be assembled in about an hour, and only needs a mattress–it has built-in supports, so you do not need to provide box springs. In the box you get everything shown in the picture to assemble the bed, including a bag of extra bolts, a hex wrench, and a nut wrench. The tufted headboard is padded and covered with a gray linen material. The headboard, and bed sides have a wooden frame, and metal rails and supports provide extra stability. The top of the headboard is about 42.5" off the ground, the width of the outer bed frame is about 56.5", and the length of the bed is about 80.5".

Review: Acer Nitro 5 Spin Convertible Laptop

Sat, 18 Aug 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Acer Nitro 5 Spin Convertible Laptop: Flat Open

The Acer Nitro 5 Spin Convertible Laptop is a flexible, multipurpose laptop with a sharp, large display. This laptop, which weighs in at just under five pounds and has dimensions of about 15" x 10.2" x 0.7", came with the Microsoft Windows 10 Home OS, and has the following hardware specs:

Intel Core i5-8250U 1.6 GHz Quad-core CPU
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 with 4 GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM
15.6" Full HD (1920 x 1080) Widescreen LED-backlit IPS Multi-Touch Display
8GB DDR4 Memory, 256GB SSD & 1TB HDD

For connectivity the laptop comes with a 802.11ac wireless LAN, and the laptop also has a 1280 x 720 webcam, 4 mics, and 2 speakers (with subwoofer). The keyboard is particularly nice, with red backlit keys and even a number pad, and there’s also a 4.2" x 3" touchpad with embedded fingerprint reader.

Review: Tripp Lite 10-Port USB Charging Hub

Wed, 08 Aug 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Tripp Lite 10-Port USB Charging Hub: Front

More and more mobile and other electronic devices these days ship without USB charging power adapters–they may include a charging cable but assume you will provide the power adapter or will charge the device by plugging it into your computer. Even if you have your own charging adapters, your charging area and power strip becomes a crowded, tangled mess of power bricks and cables if you are trying to charge multiple devices. The Tripp Lite 10-Port USB Charging Hub helps resolve these issues by providing 10 USB charging ports in a compact package.

Review: FILA Accessories Conditioning Rope

Tue, 31 Jul 2018 09:05:58 +0000

FILA Accessories 18' Conditioning Rope: Box Front

If you are into fitness, conditioning, and whole-body workouts, then you might want to consider training with “conditioning ropes.” A conditioning rope can be a very effective and versatile part of your workout routine. Let’s take a look at the new FILA Accessories Conditioning Rope and see what it brings to the health table.

Review: Ampeg Scrambler Bass Overdrive Pedal

Mon, 30 Jul 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Ampeg Scrambler Bass Overdrive Pedal: The Pedal Box

Bass players need pedal love too, and a great effect to kick your bass tone up a notch is an overdrive, so let’s check out the straightforward and versatile Ampeg Scrambler Bass Overdrive Pedal.

Ampeg Scrambler Bass Overdrive Pedal: The Pedal

The pedal has a black matte all-metal case with bright white lettering and knob value markings–I found this combo to be very readable. There is a bright purple LED power indicator and the foot switch feels very solid–it gives a satisfying click when pressed. This is a true-bypass circuit, so your input signal will not be distorted when the pedal is not engaged.

Review: Fluid Audio Strumbuddy Guitar Amp

Thu, 26 Jul 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Fluid Audio Strumbuddy Guitar Amp: On a Guitar

Sometimes you just want to noodle around on your electric guitar on your couch and don’t want to go through the hassle of setting up your amp and pedals. Sometimes you want to practice your guitar but aren’t near your guitar equipment. Sometimes you want to play your guitar late at night without waking up the entire house. For those times, the Fluid Audio Strumbuddy Guitar Amp may be just what you need.

And Now to Tackle Webmentions

Mon, 23 Jul 2018 09:05:58 +0000

In my previous post I experimented with using https://brid.gy/ to send a webmention for the purpose of auto-posting to Twitter.

As another piece to the indieweb puzzle, I found a post on Aaron Parecki’s site, “Sending your First Webmention from Scratch,” that I thought I would try.

Essentially we want to manually use HTML markup using microformat extensions to create the webmention, like this:

<div class="h-entry">
    <div class="u-author h-card">
      <img src="https://kendallgiles.com/media/kendall_navy_embark_profile_pic_120_square-compressor.png" class="u-photo" width="40">
      <a href="https://kendallgiles.com/" class="u-url p-name">Kendall Giles</a>
    </div>
    <p>in reply to: <a class="u-in-reply-to" href="https://aaronparecki.com/2018/06/30/11/your-first-webmention">@aaronpk</a></p>
    <p class="e-content">Trying out this guide to sending webmentions</p>
    <p>
      <a href="https://kendallgiles.com/2018/07/and_now_to_tackle_webmentions/" class="u-url">
        <time class="dt-published" datetime="2018-07-23T09:05:58Z">July 23, 2018</time>
      </a>
    </p>
</div>

Next, I need to discover the target’s webmention endpoint:

Testing SemiAuto Post to Twitter

Sat, 21 Jul 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Testing out https://brid.gy/, indieweb, and realizing the POSSE dream. Hmmm. A bit rough at the moment, but it’s a start. Seems still too many manual interventions to be usable–need to look into automating some of this. Here’s the current process:

Write note
Include <a href="https://brid.gy/publish/twitter"></a>
Run script to rebuild static site and push changes to my domain
Enter note URL on Bridgy webpage and publish

The first thing I’ll look into is automating step 4–at least I should be able to kick off a script to send webmentions…

Review: Marshall Mid ANC Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Bluetooth Headphones

Sun, 15 Jul 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Marshall Mid ANC Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Bluetooth Headphones: Box front

You might know the name from their guitar amps, but Marshall also makes audio headphones and speakers. The Marshall Mid ANC Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Bluetooth Headphones are their new headphones that allow you focus more on the music with freedom to move.

Marshall Mid ANC Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Bluetooth Headphones: Box back

The headphones use Bluetooth aptX technology, which gives you freedom of movement of about a 30’ radius from the sound source. ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) technology uses microphones built into the headphones to monitor ambient noise and help block especially low-end external noise. In use I found the headphones do not block high frequency audio well but does a good job at reducing noise that can make traveling and listening to audio bothersome, like engine rumble.

Review: SKLZ Acceleration Trainer

Sun, 15 Jul 2018 09:05:58 +0000

SKLZ Acceleration Trainer: Box Front

If you think about sports that need explosive movements, such as the start of a sprint, or the lunge of a sport fencer, or the backpedal of a footballer–the SKLZ Acceleration Trainer can help you get faster and more powerful in those movements.

SKLZ Acceleration Trainer: Box Back

The basic idea is that the athlete wears a special belt with a ring, and a coach or partner holds a stretch resistance band that loops through the ring. When the athlete starts their movement–sprint start, lateral shuffle, backpedal, etc–the band provides resistance that the athlete must overcome. Once the athlete has accelerated through the movement, the coach can release one end of the band, which slides through the ring and allows the athlete to continue with their movement safely.

Review: Calculated Industries AccuMASTER Digital Calipers

Sat, 14 Jul 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Calculated Industries AccuMASTER Digital Calipers

I’ve recently started working on my own guitars and absolutely enjoy the process of changing the strings or installing new pickups, as well as just keeping the guitars in good working order. One tool that has been really handy in all of these tasks is the Calculated Industries AccuMASTER Digital Calipers.

Calculated Industries AccuMASTER Digital Calipers:front

These are 6" stainless steel digital calipers with a jumbo display and that allow you to take inside, outside, step, and depth measurements. They are accurate to 0.001 inch (0.02mm) and have a resolution of 1/64" or 0.01mm or 0.0005 inches. The display shows measurements in fraction inches, decimal inches, or millimeters.

Curated List Number 6 Is Out

Fri, 13 Jul 2018 09:02:58 +0000

To help you better understand the digital world we live in, and to mention a few things of interest, here’s another personally curated list of links and commentary—[TechnoSlipstream Curated List of Science, Technology, Society, Writing, Academia, and Life Links #6] (https://www.patreon.com/posts/20043311)

Review: Chefman 6.5 Qt Air Fryer

Thu, 12 Jul 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Chefman 6.5 Qt Air Fryer: Sugar Snap Peas Cooking

I was really skeptical when I heard about it, but after trying it out, I’m really diggin’ the Chefman 6.5 Qt Air Fryer.

Chefman 6.5 Qt Air Fryer: Box Side 1

These types of ovens are marketed as “air fryers,” but essentially they are mini convection ovens. This particular unit comes with a rotisserie spit and has a 6.5 quart capacity.

Review: Urban Calisthenics book by Tee Major

Sun, 08 Jul 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Urban Calisthenics book by Tee Major: Front Cover

“Street” workouts are popular now because they evoke grit, sweat, minimal equipment, and maximal strength. So with the new fitness book by Tee Major, “Urban Calisthenics: Get Strong and Get Ripped with Progressive Street Workouts You Can Do Anywhere,” we are promised something quite compelling indeed. The premise of the book is that you don’t need a gym to get in shape, just “a few simple pieces of equipment, and the willpower to make it happen.” Let’s take a look to see if that’s really all you need, and if this is the fitness book for you.

Review: Lenox Abilene 112-Piece Flatware Set

Fri, 06 Jul 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Lenox Flatware Set: The Full Set

If you are looking for a fine set of flatware, you can’t go wrong with the Lenox Abiline Flatware Set. This is a large, comprehensive set of flatware. Included are 112 pieces:

Twelve Teaspoons
Twelve Place Spoons
Twelve Place Knives
Twelve Place Forks
Twelve Salad Forks
Twelve Sporks
Twelve Round Bowl Soup Spoons
Twelve Steak Knives
Twelve Iced Beverage Spoons
Serving Spoon
Pierced Serving Spoon
Serving Fork
Serving Ladle

Yes, you read that right–this set even includes 12 sporks!

Review: greatBIGcanvas The White Horses of The Camargue In The South of France by Scott Stulberg Photographic Print

Mon, 02 Jul 2018 09:05:58 +0000

greatBIGcanvas The White Horses of The Camargue In The South of France by Scott Stulberg Photographic Print

France is one of my favorite countries to visit. I’ve never been to the South of France though, and this framed photographic print, greatBIGcanvas The White Horses of The Camargue In The South of France by Scott Stulberg Photographic Print, makes me really want to go.

Review: Rivet Capiz Shell Chandelier

Sun, 01 Jul 2018 09:05:58 +0000

Rivet Capiz Shell Chandelier: On!

The Rivet Capiz Shell Chandelier gives a bright light and has real shells. The chandelier itself is almost 14" in diameter and the height can be varied between about 19.5" to 61.5" in height.

Rivet Capiz Shell Chandelier: Everything in the Box

The chandelier comes with mounting hardware, 4 bulbs with glass covers, electric cables, silver extension rods and silver base plate, and capiz shell strands. You can vary the height of the chandelier by using the desired number of extension rods. Also, note that the silver base plate rod had a hinge so the chandelier can be mounted on an angled ceiling.

Review: Rivet Glass Pendant Light

Sun, 01 Jul 2018 09:02:58 +0000

Rivet Glass Pendant Light: On!

The Rivet Glass Pendant Light is a chandelier that brings a warm glow to a cozy room in your house. The glass globe for this chandelier is about 8" in diameter and the height can be adjusted (at the time of installation) from about 14" to 60".

Rivet Glass Pendant Light: Included in the Box

In the box you get mounting hardware, a black metal base plate, a faux wood metal fixture, a glass globe, electric cable and wires, and a 60W bulb. Installation takes about an hour, though I had to run to the hardware store because the included screws were too long for my ceiling electric box.

Review: NETGEAR CM600 DOCSIS Cable Modem

Tue, 26 Jun 2018 09:02:58 +0000

NETGEAR CM600 DOCSIS Cable Modem: Box Front

Instead of renting your cable modem, if you buy something like the NETGEAR CM600 DOCSIS Cable Modem then you’ll be able to eliminate the monthly rental fees. The NETGEAR CM600 supports up to 960Mbps download speeds, and has 24 downstream and 8 upstream channels. This cable modem is DOCSIS 3.0 certified, which means it supports cable providers such as XFINITY from Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox, and Cablevision.

Review: BenQ HT2050A 1080P DLP Home Theater Projector

Mon, 25 Jun 2018 09:02:58 +0000

BenQ HT2050A 1080P DLP Home Theater Projector

If you are looking for a home theater projector with great image quality, the BenQ HT2050A 1080P DLP Home Theater Projector is a solid choice.

BenQ HT2050A 1080P DLP Home Theater Projector: Box Front

This BenQ projector is a 1080p projector with a brightness of 2,200 Lumens. Note that this projector uses DLP display technology, which uses a matrix of microscopically small mirrors for smooth, jitter-free images. This is the technology used, for example, in IMAX theaters.

Review: Epson EX3260 SVGA 3,300 Lumens Portable Projector

Mon, 25 Jun 2018 09:02:58 +0000

Epson EX3260 SVGA 3,300 Lumens Portable Projector

If you are looking for a portable projector that displays vivid images even in well-lit rooms, the Epson EX3260 SVGA 3,300 Lumens Portable Projector maybe be exactly the projector you are looking for.

Epson EX3260 SVGA 3,300 Lumens Portable Projector: Everything Included

The Epson EX3260 is an SVGA (800x600 pixels) resolution projector that comes with a carrying case, VGA cable, USB-A to USB-B cable, remote control + batteries, power cable, instruction manual, and holder for the optional Wireless LAN Module (ELPAP10). This optional accessory allows you to send audio and video to the projector wirelessly by connecting to it on your LAN.

A Vision Update

Fri, 22 Jun 2018 09:02:58 +0000

Since high school I’ve worn glasses. Sure, there was a brief flirtation with contacts (too fiddly), but glasses have long been a part of my life. This made doing some activities difficult. Being very nearsighted for example, in martial arts without my glasses my opponents were just blurry figures trying to kick me in the head.

Last week that all changed when I had LASIK surgery.

Review: Ringside Leather Heavy Bag

Sun, 17 Jun 2018 09:02:58 +0000

Ringside Leather Heavy Bag

If you want an intense heavy bag workout but don’t need to work low kicks, then the Ringside Leather Heavy Bag is a great choice.

Ringside Leather Heavy Bag: Top of Bag

This heavy bag is about 14" in diameter, 42" tall, and 44" in circumference. This bag is pre-filled–it weighs 100 pounds–and comes out of the box ready to hang. Also included with the bag are hanging chains. The top of the bag is laced closed.

Review: Ringside Muay Thai Heavy Bag

Sat, 16 Jun 2018 09:02:58 +0000

Ringside Muay Thai Heavy Bag

Using a heavy bag is a great way to get in a workout, especially to improve your cardio and overall conditioning. This Ringside Muay Thai Heavy Bag let’s you get in your kicks, punches, and whatever else you want to throw at it.

Ringside Muay Thai Heavy Bag: Stitching

The bag is 13" wide, 72" tall, and weighs 100 pounds–it comes pre-filled, so all you have to do is hang it. The bag comes with a metal chain with a large carabiner snap link and swivel. This bag does not come with a hook on the bottom of the bag–it is meant to swing freely.

Review: Proctor Silex Mini Fridge

Wed, 13 Jun 2018 09:02:58 +0000

Proctor Silex Mini Fridge

If you are looking for a mini fridge for your office, dorm room, basement, or garage, this Proctor Silex Mini Fridge makes getting drinks or snacks very convenient.

The overall outer dimensions are about 18 7/8" W x 33 1/16" H x 20 5/8" D. One particularly nice feature of this fridge is the separate freezer compartment. I also liked that this fridge is rather quiet: around 54 dB, measured about a foot from the compressor. The door hinge is reversible and the front feet are adjustable.

Review: Mowox Self-Propelled Battery Lawn Mower

Sun, 27 May 2018 09:02:58 +0000

Mowox Self-Propelled Battery Lawn Mower: Mower side view

Battery-powered mowers are increasingly good choices for those who do not want the extra noise, expense, maintenance costs, and toxic fuel storage issues of a gas mower, especially if you have smaller yards. The Mowox Self-Propelled Battery Lawn Mower is a battery-powered mower that is also self-propelled. Let’s see how this mower performs.

Review: Black and Decker Electric Lawn Mower

Tue, 22 May 2018 09:02:58 +0000

Black and Decker Electric Lawn Mower: The Mower in the Box (Cat Not Included)

The Black and Decker Electric Lawn Mower is a great option if you are looking for an inexpensive, lightweight mower, especially for relatively small yards (ie your mowing is limited by the length of your extension cord).

Black and Decker Electric Lawn Mower: Everything that comes in the box

There is some assembly required, but everything you need is included and assembly only requires connecting the handle together with knobs and screws, then sliding the handle into the mower base.

Review: Miele Blizzard Bagless Canister Vacuum

Mon, 21 May 2018 09:02:58 +0000

Miele Blizzard Bagless Canister Vacuum: Standing Upright

After having used the Miele Polaris Galaxy canister vacuum for years (I was originally drawn to the Miele brand because of the quietness and quality of their vacuums), I was thrilled to try the Miele Blizzard Bagless Canister Vacuum especially because the Blizzard did not require the periodic purchase of expensive replacement vacuum bags.

Review: Ernie Ball Prodigy Mini Guitar Pick

Sat, 19 May 2018 09:02:58 +0000

Ernie Ball Prodigy Mini Guitar Pick: Mini Size Comparison

If you’ve never played a mini-sized guitar pick, you should give the Ernie Ball Prodigy Mini Guitar Pick a try. In the photo you can see they are not much bigger than a US dime. This small size makes the pick seem really fast, so these small picks are great for soloing on electric guitars. They aren’t my favorite for acoustic guitars, but they really shine for riffs on electrics.

Review: La-Z-Boy Calvin PowerReclineXR Rocker Chair

Mon, 14 May 2018 09:02:58 +0000

La-Z-Boy Calvin PowerReclineXR Rocker: Chair in normal upright position

In the La-Z-Boy Calvin PowerReclineXR Rocker Chair you can be the Captain of the television remote as well as the power nap. This chair is a soft, reclining rocking chair with electronic controls, and from it you can navigate a sleep wonderland.

La-Z-Boy Calvin PowerReclineXR Rocker: Everything that comes in the box

The chair is shipped in two sections. The included instructions tell you how to attach the chair back by sliding it onto two metal rails on the chair base. The instructions then refer you to an online product guide, though the specific URL for the guide was not given, and it was unclear which manual to choose from. For this reason, I would skip looking for the online manual.

Review: Mind Reader Valet Suit Holder

Sat, 12 May 2018 09:02:58 +0000

Mind Reader Valet Suit Holder: Holding Woman's Jacket and Pants

For those who like to get together the next day’s clothes, and who especially want to make sure those clothes stay pressed, the Mind Reader Metal Valet Suit Rack Stand, Silver may be just what you need.

Mind Reader Valet Suit Holder: Everything in the Box

In the box you get the valet stand parts and a sheet of assembly instructions. Though assembly is required (it took about ten minutes), the only tool needed is a hex wrench, which is included.

Curated List of Science, Technology, Society, Writing, Academia, and Life Links #3

Fri, 11 May 2018 06:02:58 +0000

We are entering an age of targeted ads, “fake” news, gamified search engines, and polarized social media. But I’m a human and this is my personally curated list of links and commentary—just for you!

AI, Machine Learning, Machine Intelligence, Security

There are some solid recommendations here in The 10 best books about A.I.. With the unveiling of Google’s Duplex, which, arguably, uses deception to trick people into thinking it’s human, perhaps a few folks at Google should read the book Robot Ethics. </snark>

Review: Quiet Air Compressor

Sat, 05 May 2018 10:02:58 +0000

Excell SAC22HPE 1 Hp Ultra Quiet 2 gallon Air Compressor: Hose not included!

If you’ve ever used a typical air compressor, you know that, from a sound perspective, they are usually very loud–so loud, in fact, that it is harmful to your hearing. The Excell SAC22HPE 1 Hp Ultra Quiet 2 gallon Air Compressor however lives up to its name–it is very quiet compared to typical air compressors.

Tom de Haven and Words Down on the Page

Sat, 05 May 2018 08:02:58 +0000

Tom de Haven has retired from the university and is returning to the writing life.

A novelist (I think he’s published 19 novels and is working on his 20th), Tom taught writing for some 38 years, most recently at Virginia Commonwealth University. I had the pleasure of taking a writing course from him, which led to attending his outstanding Norton Island writing workshop, which led to getting an MFA in creative writing. Kind of a crazy path, considering I was a statistician at the time.

4 May 2018

Fri, 04 May 2018 08:02:58 +0000

Azalea in Soft Morning Light:

3 May 2018

Thu, 03 May 2018 08:02:58 +0000

Selfie of Me in the Mornings Before Coffee:

2 May 2018

Wed, 02 May 2018 08:02:58 +0000

Last day of classes at Virginia Tech:

30 April 2018

Mon, 30 Apr 2018 08:02:58 +0000

For want of a co-author:

In 1975, a cat co-authored a physics paper. Just as Jack H. Hetherington prepared to publish his work, a colleague pointed out that he'd used "we" rather than "I", despite being the only author. Not wanting to edit his paper, he added his cat (pictured) as a second author. pic.twitter.com/ffmWvLXu5f
— Anna Hughes (@AnnaGHughes) April 29, 2018

And here’s a link to the actual paper: Two-, Three-, and Four-Atom Exchange Effects in bcc ^{3}He

29 April 2018

Sun, 29 Apr 2018 08:02:58 +0000

Texas Tavern:

Texas Tavern in Roanoke, Virginia.

A Call for Slow Writing, by Lindsay Waters:

In A Call for Slow Writing, Lindsay Waters says:

It’s time for journal essays to replace books as the dominant mode of scholarly communication

In academia, there are lofty demands for getting tenure–demands mostly centered on publication. The form of what is published depends on the field–in engineering, you’ll want quite a few journal papers and conference papers; in the humanities, you’ll want a number of books. As the executive editor for the humanities at the Harvard University Press, Waters here is concerned about the humanities, and the overproduction of poorly written books hastily produced to beat the tenure clock:

28 April 2018

Sat, 28 Apr 2018 08:02:58 +0000

How Facebook is like Exxon:

In many ways, Facebook is like the Exxon of our time — an indispensable tool that everyone despises — Exxon, maybe Comcast, and now Facebook; there’s not a lot of brands like that. – Moxie Marlinspike

Exxon is still around, though there is growing support and awareness, especially in other countries (Germany), of alternate energy sources. But what awareness and support is there for non-Facebook, non-corporate platforms for the average person? There are options, sure, but I guess that’s easy for me to say. I’m talking about awareness of and support by the mainstream.

27 April 2018

Fri, 27 Apr 2018 08:02:58 +0000

As always, to learn, grow, and explore, I’m trying a few new things.

1

A few days ago I posted A Curated List of Science, Technology, Society, Writing, Academia, and Life Links. Since I live and work at the intersection of a number of interesting fields, I thought I would start creating a curated list of Science, Technology, Society, Writing, Academia, and Life Links. We are entering an age of targeted ads, “fake” news, gamified search engines, and polarized social media. But I’m a human and this is my personally curated list of links and commentary–just for you!

Review: Mind Reader Bamboo Kitchen Utility Cart

Thu, 26 Apr 2018 08:02:58 +0000

Mind Reader Bamboo Kitchen Utility Cart

I liked the Mind Reader Bamboo Kitchen Utility Cart more than I thought I would, though there were a few features that could have been better.

Mind Reader Bamboo Kitchen Utility Cart: What Comes in the Box

Mind Reader Bamboo Kitchen Utility Cart: Styrofoam Particles Everywhere!

Review: Dyson Pure Cool Air Purifying Tower Fan

Tue, 24 Apr 2018 08:02:58 +0000

Dyson Pure Cool Air Purifying Tower Fan: What Comes in the Box

Sometimes a fan is not just a fan.

In the case of the Dyson Pure Cool Air Purifying Tower Fan, in addition to generating a cooling breeze, the fan actually does quite a bit more. This oscillating fan contains an air purifier, air quality sensors, remote control, LCD display, WiFi, and an interface to smart home devices such as Amazon Alexa.

Review: Bertech ESD High Temperature Rubber Mat

Fri, 20 Apr 2018 08:02:58 +0000

Bertech ESD High Temperature Rubber Mat

Especially if your projects involve high temperatures, such as soldering, you really need a protective project mat that can withstand high temperatures. And if your projects center around electronics, then you should also be using a grounding strap to prevent electrostatic discharge from zapping your components. This Bertech ESD High Temperature Rubber Mat solves both problems.

A Curated List of Science, Technology, Society, Writing, Academia, and Life Links

Mon, 16 Apr 2018 08:02:58 +0000

I live and work on the edge of several different worlds: science, technology, society, academia, and writing. It is truly exhilarating trying to see the world from these different perspectives, though it can be exhausting–there’s a reason why I have multiple coffee and espresso machines! It is impossible to keep up with all the news, but I do try to dip into the streams of discoveries, advances, and life-changing events in these various domains as much as possible. In doing so I come across astonishing, puzzling, interesting, and sometimes mind-blowing articles. I also sometimes write articles and meditations on technology and life, thinking about living in and making sense of today’s world–about what I call Being Digital.

Review: Clifton Heritage RFID Leather Wallet

Sat, 14 Apr 2018 08:02:58 +0000

The Clifton Heritage RFID Leather Wallet, front

In 2007 I started using an RFID wallet–not this Clifton Heritage RFID Leather Wallet–and back then, many people didn’t understand the need for one. These days however, people’s attitudes are slowly changing, and we are seeing more products to help us keep our information from being stolen.

The Clifton Heritage RFID Leather Wallet, back

What is RFID? RFID stands for radio-frequency identification, which allows special chips called RFID tags to be placed on most anything–inventory, credit cards, livestock, smart fobs, passports–you name it. These chips contain electronic information that can be read when the chip comes close to a special RFID reader. This is the idea being “contactless payments” – you place your card near the reader and information is wirelessly transmitted to process your payment transaction.

Fender Strat Upgrade New Pickups, Locking Tuners, and Coil Split

Tue, 03 Apr 2018 08:02:58 +0000

Upgraded 1995 Fender Stratocaster

I have a 1995 Fender Strat, made in Mexico. To make it play and sound better, I decided to make a few upgrades.

Fender Locking Tuners, Front

The easiest upgrade was to replace the stock tuners with Chrome Fender Locking Tuners. I’ve never had a guitar with locking tuners before, but everyone raves about them, and I figured at least they would help with tuning stability.

Review: Netgear Nighthawk X6S AC4000 WiFi Router

Sat, 24 Mar 2018 08:02:58 +0000

The Netgear Nighthawk X6S AC4000 WiFi Router

The NETGEAR Nighthawk X6S AC4000 Tri-band Gigabit WiFi Router is a race horse for home networking–there is a lot of functionality is this new access point (AP). However, note that it is probably not the router to purchase for your “average” home user because the setup is not entirely plug-n-play; plus many of the features and flexibility will go unused unless you are a power user. But, for the right use-case, this AP is a good choice, and for those cases the extra cost is justified.

Review: Community Coffee Nespresso Capsules Signature Espresso

Sun, 18 Mar 2018 08:02:58 +0000

I’ve been a fan of the Nespresso Dharkan capsules (Original line) and have recently been enjoying the Intenso capsules (Vertuo line)–you can guess from the names that I prefer a bolder cup of coffee. I recently decided to try a third-party capsule compatible with the Nespresso Original Line of machines, the Community Coffee Private Reserve Signature Espresso Nespresso capsules, and here are my thoughts. Again, note that these are coffee capsules for the Original Nespresso machines, not the Vertuo machines.

Review: FLIR ONE Thermal Imaging Camera

Sun, 18 Mar 2018 08:02:58 +0000

This is a thermal image of a cat.

The FLIR ONE Thermal Imaging Camera is a thermal imaging camera that plugs right into your phone or tablet mobile device. There are certain situations around the home where having a thermal imaging camera can come in handy. For example, with energy costs rising it could save you a lot money if you could identify where heat is escaping from your house because of poor insulation. This compact camera needs no extra cables or batteries, and it allows you to easily take thermal pictures and videos. This camera is available for Android (needs USB-C connector) and iOS platforms–I have the Generation 3 model for iOS.

Review: DHP Bailey Microfiber Upholstered Futon

Tue, 13 Mar 2018 08:02:58 +0000

The DHP Bailey Microfiber Upholstered Futon is an attractive informal couch or love seat that also folds into a bed. Oh, and it’s also very firm.

The futon arrives in a large box—I would suggest having two people to unbox and move the couch into position.

The couch requires minimal assembly—you just need to attach the silver legs on the bottom of the couch. When you unbox the couch, the legs, bolts, and hex key are located in a zippered compartment on the couch bottom. The couch has pre-drilled holes, so to attach the legs just line up the holes and tighten the bolts. Once assembled, we found the couch to be a nice informal couch. The microfibre upholstery is soft, but be warned that it attracts lint and cat hair like crazy.

Review: Baci Perugina Milk Chocolate Bar

Wed, 07 Mar 2018 08:02:58 +0000

The first time I went to Milan it was during Christmas, and the piazza in front of the Duomo was filled with vendors selling roasted chestnuts, gifts, decorations, and candies. One of the chocolates I tried was made by a company called Baci, and it was one of the best bites of chocolate I ever had. And now, with the Baci Perugina Milk Chocolate Bar I can bring back those memories and that taste year-round.

Review: Novogratz Vintage Mix Sofa Futon

Sat, 03 Mar 2018 18:02:58 +0000

The Novogratz Vintage Mix Sofa Futon is an attractive firm grey sofa that folds down into a guest bed, but the key word to keep in mind is “firm.”

The sofa comes in a very large box and I would suggest having two people to unbox and move the couch into position.

When you unbox the couch though don’t panic if you don’t at first see all the pieces—there is a hidden zippered compartment underneath the couch that contains the couch sides, hardware, and assembly instructions. That was the funny part—the first step in the instructions was to unzip the hidden compartment and remove everything, including the instructions.

Resumes and Vitae--Formatting First Steps

Sat, 17 Feb 2018 12:59:29 +0000

Writing and editing a resume or a curriculum vitae (CV) is a tedious project requiring much coffee and chocolate to finish successfully. Moreover, since I’ve hopped between industry and academia and across multiple fields several times now, I’ve also had the periodic chore of having to convert from the industry resume format to the academia vita format. These days, since I’m writing more in plain text, especially Markdown, instead of using Word Processors favored in some fields, I had been avoiding updating my vita because it was still in .doc format. However, I recently took the plunge in converting it to text.

Review: Activ5 Portable Strength Training Device and Coaching App

Thu, 08 Feb 2018 16:17:06 +0000

Quirky. That’s was the first thought I had when seeing the Activ5 Portable Strength Training Device & Coaching App. But after trying it, I’m a convert, so in addition to “quirky” I’ll also have to say the device is “effective.” You should understand though what the device does so that you can evaluate whether it will fit your needs, so let’s take a look.

Review: Samsung Powerbot R7010 Robot Vacuum

Mon, 05 Feb 2018 15:24:55 +0000

Would you rather spend time vacuuming or spend time with your family, earning more money, or learning something new? That’s the appeal of robot vacuums, and this Samsung POWERbot R7010 Robot Vacuum can help let you spend more time doing the things you love.

After using for years one of the earlier robot vacuum models (a Roomba), I was interested to see how much they had improved and was eager to try this model from Samsung.

On London, Curveballs, and Next Steps

Fri, 12 Jan 2018 18:29:08 +0000

The plane is descending into London. If this were any other time, I’d be ecstatic–I love London. However, this time London was not my destination. So, then, why then am I minutes from landing in Heathrow Airport?

This trip’s debacle is thanks to a maintenance issue with my United flight. Can the trip be saved? Absolutely, if I can make this new detour through London work. But Heathrow is a large, meandering, patchwork of an airport and my connection window through that maze is narrow. I’ll also have to hope the connecting flight makes it, and so on down the chain of steps before I can reach the destination. So I really don’t know what will happen. Some things are just out of my control. But that’s OK because I can always make course corrections–those are under my control. At any point in time, given my current circumstances, I can always choose to take the best next step towards where I’m trying to go. No matter what happens, I can always choose how I respond to others, I can choose how I feel internally even when something else goes wrong, and I can choose what I want to do going forward.

Review: Saeco PicoBaristo Automatic Espresso Machine

Mon, 08 Jan 2018 18:05:59 +0000

While there are many “capsule” coffee solutions, such as Nespresso and Keurig, if you are serious about your coffee, you may want more flexibility and variety than the capsule machines can offer. For example, you may want to use your own coffee beans ground your own way, you may want to adjust the volume produced, and you may even want to add a dollop of frothed milk added on top. The Philips Saeco HD8924/47 PicoBaristo Automatic Milk Frother Espresso Machine gives you this flexibility and variety, all in one compact machine.

Nathaniel Fick: Cybersecurity Today Is Treated Like Accounting Before Enron

Mon, 08 Jan 2018 11:40:04 +0000

Nathaniel Fick, “Cybersecurity Today Is Treated Like Accounting Before Enron”:

Every business is now a digital business, and nearly every citizen is increasingly reliant on the connected world. We live in an era of mass targeted attacks where nation state-level resources are being directed against companies and private citizens, and until our security culture changes, we can expect to see more massive breaches throughout 2018 and beyond.

Enron of course was once heralded as “America’s Most Innovative Company,” before it went bankrupt due to fraud. This changed business accounting practices, and helped create the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

Review: Nespresso VertuoPlus Coffee and Espresso Maker by Breville

Wed, 03 Jan 2018 09:53:17 +0000

If you’ve ever enjoyed coffee poured by a real barista, then you know how good coffee should taste. Unfortunately, you may also know how much time it takes to travel to a coffee shop or make real coffee at home. Fortunately, the Nespresso VertuoPlus Coffee and Espresso Maker by Breville allows you to enjoy good coffee at home without all that overhead.

Review: Emerson Sensi Touch Wi-Fi Thermostat

Tue, 26 Dec 2017 08:38:58 +0000

With more and more “smart” devices becoming available, a useful and obvious device to upgrade in your home is the common thermostat. The Emerson Sensi Touch WiFi Thermostat brings convenience and energy-saving features into the home. This thermostat is a complete replacement for your home’s old thermostat. This thermostat has an LED touch display, allowing for a better interface and display of more information than traditional “dumb” thermostats. This thermostat even works with Amazon Alexa, allowing for more flexibility in use.

Review: Brother ADS2200 Document Scanner

Mon, 25 Dec 2017 14:01:44 +0000

Increasingly, there’s no need to have piles of paper stacked around, so having a good scanner is important for creating digital versions of documents you wish to save. The Brother ADS2200 Document Scanner is advertised as a high-speed, color, duplex scanner with a “space saving design”.

The scanner comes with a document feeder that attaches to the back of the scanner, a power adapter, and an instruction manual/warranty. Importantly, which I’ll discuss further below, this scanner does not support WiFi and does not come with the required USB 2.0 cable that is necessary to scan to your computer. The scanner also does not come with necessary software and drivers — you must have Internet connectivity to first download this software to your computer for installation — the literature says Windows and Mac platforms are supported.

Review: HON Perch Stool

Sat, 23 Dec 2017 16:14:04 +0000

Just what is a “perch stool”?

You might have heard about how some people work at “standing desks”. Basically, a standing desk, as its name implies, is a desk raised high in the air so you have to stand in order to work at it. This trend is to help encourage people from sitting down all the time, which can cause back and other health problems over time unless you are careful. This HON Perch Stool basically allows you to “perch” (between sitting and standing) at your desk.

Review JBL Flip 4 Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Wed, 06 Dec 2017 10:14:01 +0000

This is a loud, portable Bluetooth stereo speaker.

The set I have, the JBL Flip 4 Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker (White) & Protective Travel Case Bundle, is actually the JBL Flip 4 Bluetooth speaker in addition to a travel case for the speaker.

Review Moodx Wireless Ambiance Light by RapidX

Tue, 05 Dec 2017 10:42:14 +0000

Need an ambience light? Fancy a light cube? Want a modern version of the lava lamp?

The Moodx Wireless Ambiance Light is essentially a 25 Watt light cube that changes colors.

Technically the light can produce 16 million colors, includes a 4000 mAh rechargeable battery which provides 4-40 hours of lighting, and comes with a 5V/2A charger (which connects to the cube via a micro USB port), a rubber cork threaded with a connecter, and a small metal tripod. The moodX lamp has a limited one year manufacturer’s warranty, which can be found on the company’s rapidx website.

Review ASUS ROG STRIX Thin and Light Gaming Laptop

Mon, 27 Nov 2017 09:56:36 +0000

A workhorse laptop with a large, HD screen, 16GB memory, quad cores, backlit keyboard, and large hard drive makes for a solid gaming or development platform — even better, this ASUS ROG STRIX Thin and Light Gaming Laptop is also (relatively) lightweight! Let’s take a closer look.

Here are the basic specs:

Review ASUS Chromebook Flip C302 with 12.5-Inch Touchscreen

Fri, 24 Nov 2017 15:49:31 +0000

I’ll compare this ASUS Chromebook Flip with 12.5″ touchscreen to the smaller and more portable ASUS Chromebook Flip C101PA-DB02 with 10.0″ touchscreen in just a moment, but first let’s look at its specs.

This Chromebook weighs just under 2.7 pounds and has dimensions of about 12″ x 8.25″ x .6″ thick. The chassis is aluminum (feels sturdy!), and the computer has a 12.5″ 1920×1080 touchscreen.

Review Skull Whiskey Decanter and Glass Set

Thu, 23 Nov 2017 15:24:44 +0000

This Skull Whiskey Decanter and Glass Set might be a good gift or for your own use, though be sure to read the full review.

In total, the set comes with a skull decanter, four skull glasses, and one tray.

The skeleton skull decanter is the best part of this set. The decanter holds 750ml and has a simple cork stopper. The diameter of the decanter opening is about 1 inch, so you may want to use a funnel (not provided) when pouring into the decanter. The decanter itself seems very solid and well-made.

Review ASUS Chromebook Flip C101PA-DB02 with 10.1 Touchscreen

Sat, 11 Nov 2017 19:01:45 +0000

If you are looking for a lightweight and travel-friendly Chromebook that can be used in a variety of ways, then the ASUS Chromebook Flip C101PA-DB02 is a very wallet-friendly option.

This Chromebook weighs just under 2 pounds and has dimensions of about 10.25″ x 7.13″ x .6″ thick. The chassis is aluminum (feels sturdy!), and the computer has a 10.1″ 1280×800 touchscreen.

Review: Design Toscano Climbing Skeleton Wall Sculpture

Fri, 27 Oct 2017 08:15:57 +0000

If you want to raise your spooky game, this climbing skeleton from Design Toscano may be just what you are looking for — perfect for Halloween.

This is basically a sculpture of the upper half of a skeleton. The material, common with Design Toscano, is a crushed stone bonded with resin. As you can see from the pictures, the detail and paint is quite realistic.

Review: Sabatier Expandable Dish Rack

Mon, 16 Oct 2017 19:46:18 +0000

For something as simple as a dish rack, it’s amazing how difficult it is to find one that actually works well. With this Sabatier Expandable Dish Rack, I think I’ve finally found a solution.

Basically, this is a dish drying rack for your countertop that expands from 18.5″ to 29.4″ (46.9 cm to 74.6 cm), which means if you don’t have a lot of dishes to dry, you only need to take up a small portion of the counter, but when guests come over, you can expand to accommodate the extra dishes. There are also a few extra features that turn this dish rack into a really useful one.

Review: Gator Frameworks GFW-GTR-SEAT Acoustic Guitar Stand

Wed, 27 Sep 2017 20:22:53 +0000

The Gator Frameworks GFW-GTR-SEAT Acoustic Guitar Stand solves a couple specific problems that you may have as a guitarist (acoustic, electric, bass — don’t be fooled by the company’s use of the word “acoustic” in the product title).

The first problem is one that sounds simple, but is actually quite common — finding a place to sit when playing your guitar. Most chairs are actually no good because they have arm rests that hit your guitar. This Gator seat solves that problem — there are no arm rests to get in the way. Also, the seat is a little higher than most domestic chairs, which allows for a more comfortable playing position.

Review: IRIS Yellow Shell Barstool with Wood Eiffel Legs

Tue, 26 Sep 2017 14:40:40 +0000

If you are looking for a splash of color around your raised kitchen island or bar, then you might like the IRIS Mid-Century Modern Shell Barstool with Wood Eiffel Legs.

Note that these barstools come as a two-pack. Each barstool measures approximately 20″ x 20″ x 43″, and the seat is almost 28″ off the floor. The barstool seats are plastic, the legs are wood with black metal hardware, and the legs have plastic feet on the bottom.

Review: Sealy Full Response Premium Collection Mattress

Mon, 25 Sep 2017 15:59:39 +0000

After getting this Sealy Full Response Premium Collection Mattress I’ve been getting solid sleep, so I thought I’d give a few details and make a few comments.

This mattress is part of Sealy’s “Response Line” of innerspring mattresses. I have the “full” size, which measures 74″ by 53″ by 14″, and the “cushion firm” firmness, which in-between their “plush” and “firm” options. This mattress is also the “Premium” version, which is the mattress in the “Response Collection” with the most features — other versions in that collection include the “Essentials” and “Performance” versions.

Review: Flanger FL-02L Universal A-Frame Guitar Stand

Tue, 12 Sep 2017 12:28:05 +0000

If you keep your guitar near you, then you are more likely to pick it up and practice it. With that in mind I decided to purchase multiple guitar stands, so no matter where I was in the house I could conveniently rest my guitar and have it nearby. However, my wallet said not to go too crazy, so I decided to try this budget Flanger FL-02L Universal A-Frame Guitar Stand. Let me just say that this stand not only is very affordable, but it also gets the job done.

The Nature of Science

Sun, 10 Sep 2017 18:40:32 +0000

Image Source: Eric Fisk, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Scientific_Universe.png

In my last essay I wrote about the intersection of science, technology, and society, along with how the intersection of those three is tricky, but important, to understand.

Okay, then let’s try to tackle something perhaps easier: what do we mean by “science”?

I think we all have an idea in our head of a “scientist,”. You’re probably picturing someone in a long white lab coat, standing by an equipment and notebook-strewn laboratory table, perhaps also wearing glasses, and either holding a test tube full of bubbling liquid or with their hair standing on end as they rest their hand on an electrostatic generator.

On the Intersection of Science, Technology, and Society

Thu, 07 Sep 2017 09:13:34 +0000

A Venn diagram is a diagram that shows all elements of multiple sets drawn as circles, including elements common to multiple sets (i.e. regions of overlapping circles). If you were to draw a Venn Diagram of science, technology, and society, what would you say is in the intersection? In other words, if you look at those aspects of the science discipline that also overlap with technology, and that also overlap society — culture, humanity, politics — what do you get?

Review: Victorinox Altmont Deluxe Rolltop Laptop Backpack

Mon, 04 Sep 2017 14:37:06 +0000

My wife and I like to travel, and she’s long admired my rolltop backpack (here’s a link to my review of the Thule Covert DSLR Rolltop Backpack). The problem is that Thule backpack is way too big for her, so she was quite happy to try the Victorinox Altmont Active Deluxe Rolltop Laptop Backpack, which is smaller in scale. So after we both tried the bag, I incorporated her comments and observations into my review.

Review: Lenox Garden Grove Teapot

Wed, 02 Aug 2017 10:47:31 +0000

This Lenox Garden Grove Teapot is a stylish, modern bone china teapot that will fit most settings, from casual to formal. The teapot itself is a white bone china with gold accents and a blue floral toile pattern. The teapot is not at all dainty — rather, it has a nice thickness so that you do not feel it will shatter when picked up. It feels strong and of high quality. As an added benefit, it’s made in the USA!

Review: QualGear 120-Inch Fixed Frame Projection Screen

Tue, 01 Aug 2017 20:39:08 +0000

Upgrade your movie nights!

If you’ve been watching your movies by projecting the video onto a painted wall or via some similar hack job, then you’ll be blown away by the visual quality of this QualGear 120-inch projection screen. The catch is that you’ll have to assemble the screen yourself.

The screen I ordered is the 120-inch 16:9 4K HD Ultra White screen that comes with a black matte material, similar in texture and look as velvet, for the border. Including the frame, this comes out to about 9 feet by a little more than 5.25 feet. This is a big screen.

Review: Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Express Dock HD

Fri, 21 Jul 2017 15:55:28 +0000

Here’s a little story to start this review:

You catch an ad for a restaurant chain that says, “Gourmet Dinner, Guaranteed to be Enjoyed by EVERYONE in the World.”

So, being a member of the EVERYONE group, you decide to pay hundreds of dollars for this gourmet meal, only to discover after trying it that every dish contains meat. Being a vegetarian, you are out your money, have a stomach ache, and are still hungry.

Review: Bertech ESD Mat with Wrist Strap and Grounding Cord

Fri, 21 Jul 2017 09:26:57 +0000

When doing any sort of electronic assembly/disassembly, soldering, or even just tinkering and poking around, you really should work on a special grounded surface to prevent electrostatic discharge from zapping your components. This ESD mat from Bertech is such a mat — it makes a good general-purpose electronics project mat.

The company makes mats in a variety of sizes — mine is a 2’ x 4’ mat, though the 0.093" single layer vinyl material is easy to cut to size. In the box you get the mat, a wrist strap, and a grounding cord.

Review: Benro SLIM Aluminum Travel Tripod

Thu, 06 Jul 2017 12:03:37 +0000

For my needs, this is an exceptional travel tripod.

I am not a professional photographer, but I do travel a lot, and so I want a robust travel tripod that is easy to use. Previous travel tripods I’ve tried were often too flimsy or unstable — I was never sure that the tripod legs wouldn’t collapse under the weight of the camera or fall over in a gust of wind. Or the tripods were made with plastic pieces that often broke or didn’t latch securely. Or the tripods were inconvenient to use — requiring a screwdriver to remove/attach the camera plate, or were just too fiddly to use on a regular basis. Or they were just too stripped of features in order to be called “travel” tripods.

Review: Nokia Steel Activity and Sleep Watch

Sun, 02 Jul 2017 15:47:48 +0000

Fitness watches are all the rage these days — some come with quite a bit of functionality, others not so much. Some look nice, others not so much. This new Nokia Steel watch says it is an “activity” and “sleep” watch — but is it a fitness watch? Let’s take a closer look.

Review: BRAVEN Brava Conference Call and Car Speaker

Tue, 27 Jun 2017 09:33:53 +0000

Ever wished for a mobile conference call speaker? Ever wanted a little more volume from your phone or tablet when playing audio in your car? Disappointed with your tablet’s speakers when watching movies? Well, the BRAVEN Brava Conference Call and Car Speaker might just be the solution you need.

Essentially, this is a speaker with a rechargeable battery, two omni-directional, noise-canceling mics, and Bluetooth connectivity. This means you can host a conference call by placing this speaker in the center of the table without having to deal with a tangle of wires and plugs. Have a car without Bluetooth integration? Don’t upgrade your car, but instead get this speaker so you can listen to your audiobook in the car. Or you can watch a movie from your laptop or tablet and give the audio just enough boost to make the movie experience enjoyable.

Review: Marshall Monitor Bluetooth Wireless Over-Ear Headphones

Fri, 23 Jun 2017 15:50:53 +0000

Especially for those who create music, you probably know the Marshall name from their iconic line of guitar amplifiers, but they also make a line of headphones and speakers for those who want to rock out while listening.

Here’s a pic of the Marshall Woburn Bluetooth Speaker, Marshall Monitor Headphones (right), and Marshall Monitor Bluetooth Wireless Over-Ear Headphones (left):

Upgrading Bridge and Tremolo for Fender Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar Guitar

Sun, 28 May 2017 14:36:46 +0000

I’ve had this project on my queue for a while now, and today I took the plunge.

A while ago I purchased a used Fender Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar guitar. I had heard so many good things about this guitar that I bought it sight-unseen, knowing it also had significant limitations.

The specific guitar I purchased did not come with a tremolo arm, so I knew I would have to get that replaced. But the larger issue for the Vintage Modified Jaguars is that they come with the vintage bridge, which is a known horrible design.

My Life in One Pic

Wed, 15 Mar 2017 20:54:52 +0000

For the moment, my life in one pic.

The building in the foreground is the rear of Durham Hall on the Virginia Tech campus, where I have my office. In addition to labs and offices for Electrical and Computer Engineering, Durham Hall also contains engineering labs and offices for Civil and Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Industrial and Systems Engineering.

Myke Cole and the Reality Show Hunted

Fri, 27 Jan 2017 05:21:57 +0000

In today’s world, every time you make a call, send a text, or make a purchase you leave a tiny digital crumb that someone else can use to track you. That’s the motivation for a new reality show called Hunted on CBS that may be worth your time.

The premise of the show is that teams of two Fugitives try to evade capture for up to 28 days within a 100,000-square mile region in the southeastern US. The winning team gets $250,000. Trying to prevent this however are teams of Hunters — elite intel and ops experts from local, federal, and military agencies.

How to Summarize a Technical Paper

Sun, 22 Jan 2017 15:37:24 +0000

If you are in a technical field, whether in academia, government, or industry, it is important to read technical articles and papers so that you can try to stay current with ever-changing technological progress. One habit that will benefit you over time is writing your own summaries of the papers you read. So, this is a short tutorial on how to summarize a technical paper primarily for your own understanding and research.

How to Setup a SEED Lab Environment

Fri, 13 Jan 2017 13:42:37 +0000

Modified: August 2018

Here are some basic instructions for setting up a SEED lab environment for cybersecurity education:

Install the VirtualBox virtual machine software (not necessary if you already have VMware).
Download the desired VM image — here’s the link to SEEDUbuntu16.04.zip (built May 2018), and here’s the link to the user manual
Verify the MD5 checksum of the VM image file (2d4aefc4624f4676674dc8e19cf7cfec at the time of this post). Yes, it’s only MD5, but it’s better than nothing.
After unzipping the VM image, for the most part you can simply follow these instructions.

Other lab environment setup instructions and options can be found on their lab setup page.

Quick Python Tutorial

Fri, 13 Jan 2017 12:22:31 +0000

Last modified: 2 June 2021

This page provides a set of simple Python 3 (since Python 2 has reached end-of-life, I don’t recommend Python 2!) examples to help bootstrap you into using this language. Resources at the end of the page provide more details and examples you can consult if you want to dig deeper.

Assuming you’ve had exposure to a high-level programming language, the best way to learn Python is to:

How To Install VirtualBox

Thu, 12 Jan 2017 19:41:30 +0000

Here’s how to download and install the latest version of VirtualBox:

Goto the VirtualBox website and download the latest version for your platform on the downloads page. At the time of this writing, Virtual Box:

runs on Windows, Linux, Macintosh, and Solaris hosts and supports a large number of guest operating systems including but not limited to Windows (NT 4.0, 2000, XP, Server 2003, Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10), DOS/Windows 3.x, Linux (2.4, 2.6, 3.x and 4.x), Solaris and OpenSolaris, OS/2, and OpenBSD

How to Install Python 3

Thu, 12 Jan 2017 17:05:29 +0000

Last modified: 4 January 2020

NOTE: You may want to consider installing a Python distribution such as Anaconda, as that distribution comes with many of the third-party libraries already built-in. This can prevent possible manual installation headaches of those libraries in the base package down the road. However, if you just want to install the base Python language, you can follow the instructions below.

Before you download or install anything, first make sure you don’t already have Python 3 installed. For example, if I enter the python command, I can see that I have Python 2 installed:

Are You Ready for 2017?

Tue, 27 Dec 2016 17:12:00 +0000

I was writing a post as the news of Carrie Fisher’s death came across the wire, and then not long after came the news of the passing of author Richard Adams. I was writing about something else, but that can wait. New topic.

Look, in many ways, for many reasons and for many of us, 2016 was a tough year. And no, this isn’t just about celebrity deaths.

But the Universe does that — sometimes it pushes us, sometimes it pulls us. Sometimes it ignores us. But that’s because it’s the Universe — the Universe gives to us or takes away from us only as much as we can handle.

Tis the season

Sun, 16 Oct 2016 07:16:49 +0000

The air is growing thin, and the shadows long.

I’ve noted this fellow appearing lately at odd angles as I drive around my neighborhood, most often between dusk and dawn.

Sometimes he’s in someone’s yard (as in my quick pic from tonight — sorry for the blur, I tried to brighten the image). Other times he’s standing beside a split rail fence, from behind a hay roll, or at the edge of forest and field.

MTailor and the Age of Custom Clothing?

Wed, 24 Aug 2016 21:34:05 +0000

So, maybe you’ve encountered this scenario: you walk into a retail clothing store, grab something off the rack that you think you will like, try it on, look at yourself in the mirror, and say to yourself, “They must have used Godzilla as the template when they made this piece of clothing.”

I have that problem a lot. Invariably, if I choose a dress shirt based on the correct size in the neck circumference and arm length (the standard way to fit men’s off-the-rack dress shirts), there’s usually enough room in body of the “traditional fit” shirt for me to wear the shirt over the top of body armor, three eight-pound sacks of russet potatoes, and a ferret named Herbert, still in it’s cage.

Teaching and Course Design Showcase

Wed, 24 Aug 2016 09:33:46 +0000

I’ll be on a panel discussion about teaching and course design at Virginia Tech 29 August 2016, 11:00-14:00, Torgersen 1100:

Feel free to pop in any time — it’s going to be an open panel format so you can move from one discussion to another.

Yaling Yang and I will be representing Electrical and Computer Engineering, and there will be faculty from Business Information Technology, the Master of Information Technology program, English, Accounting Information Systems, and Statistics as well.

Test blog post using new Pythonista 3

Thu, 21 Jul 2016 22:06:50 +0000

The need for a new workflow

So publishing a new blog post using WordPress has always been a bit of a hassle. I mean, WordPress as a platform is wonderful, but if you want to publish a new blog post, for example, you are forced to interact with the WordPress app or via the WordPress admin login on your website.

And to post anything, you’ve got to press lots of buttons, clicking here and there, getting everything situated according to the WordPress user interface.

The State of the World

Thu, 07 Jul 2016 20:55:46 +0000

Yet another day has passed,

where people stomp and shout,

so quick to point the finger,

in their mind there is no doubt.

Yet we all have room to grow,

to learn, to see, to do.

To make the world a better place,

it takes work from me, and you.

The Power of the Reset

Tue, 24 May 2016 08:28:22 +0000

Sometimes you’re just keeping your head down, working on some project or goal. Especially for really intense or interesting projects, life around you blurs as you focus on reaching that last milestone. You try to find time for your other interests or hobbies, but in reality everything is put on hold, all for the sake of finishing.

School of Rock Blues Show at Uptown Alley in Richmond

Tue, 12 Apr 2016 07:26:53 +0000

Really looking forward to our upcoming show. We’ve been working hard on a Blues-themed set and will be performing at Uptown Alley on May 1:

I’m thankful to be a part of this super-talented group — the pics of us on this page are after another two hour rehearsal at the School of Rock.

The Monster in My Guitar

Sun, 13 Mar 2016 11:17:41 +0000

You can’t stop the signal, Mal.

— Mr. Universe

You see, there’s been a problem with my music setup for some time, but I’ve been too busy lately to properly investigate.

When practicing guitar, sometimes I would hear this noise — an annoying static hiss, as well as a repetitive, ice-picky clicking, like one of those people who pop bubblegum every two or three seconds for hours on end.

Data Science, Security, Folklore, and The Beatles

Fri, 04 Mar 2016 11:52:45 +0000

You’ve probably heard of at least some of these disciplines:

machine learning
computer science
statistics
probability
software engineering
pattern recognition
knowledge discovery
computer engineering
data mining
data analytics
data engineering
artificial intelligence
visualization

And there are more disciplines I could have thrown into the list, but these are all elements of the growing umbrella field called data science.

There is a huge demand in private industry and in government for folks who can can look at data (and increasingly big data) and discover or reveal hidden insights. In other words, the goal is to take data and turn it into knowledge.

Unusual interesting things on my YouTube Channel

Sun, 28 Feb 2016 09:42:10 +0000

Someone left a nice comment on my YouTube channel:

This channel stands out because it has no “iphone” reviews but has many unusual interesting things reviews you had no idea they exist. That’s why I like it.

Head on over and check it out — you might find some unusual interesting things you had no idea existed!

Start with a Strong Password

Tue, 23 Feb 2016 10:05:59 +0000

While there has been a lot in the news lately about hackers, terrorists, and other organizations wanting backdoors into your iPhones, laptops, and other computing devices — which reduces security and puts the nation in danger — you should at least start with a strong front door: choose a strong password.

According to SplashData, here are the top 10 WORST passwords people used in 2015:

Joining the Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty at Virginia Tech

Sat, 06 Feb 2016 09:15:39 +0000

I’m happy to announce that I’ve just accepted an offer to join the faculty of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech!

The College of Engineering at Virginia Tech is like a Hogwarts for engineers — a magical place full of learning and wonder.

Here is a pic of the Virginia Tech Drillfield after a bit of snow:

Dreams and Resistance

Mon, 25 Jan 2016 20:37:52 +0000

Whether it’s writing that first short story, or getting that first sale, or landing that new job, or beginning a fitness program, or starting a new company, or taking martial arts lessons, or learning a music instrument: if you focus, get started right now, and apply grit, you can do it.

Don’t let resistance get in the way of your dreams.

The Uprising: Dogs and Cats Working Together

Fri, 15 Jan 2016 12:53:43 +0000

The uprising began with something so innocent, something so insideous: Dog taught Cat how to open Amazon boxes and how to render styrofoam into a blizzard of white particles.

The world, or at least my house, may never be the same.

James Bond, Radiohead, and the New Year

Tue, 05 Jan 2016 22:53:04 +0000

James Bond, Radiohead, and the New Year

My wife and I spent New Year’s Eve at a James Bond event in Washington D.C.

The event was held at the Washington Plaza Hotel, and combined all the style associated with Bond — black tie, martinis, gourmet food — with a festive party for folks who admire Bond, but who probably have never had to fight a bad guy with metal teeth named Jaws.

16 Elevating Resolutions for 2016

Mon, 04 Jan 2016 11:58:29 +0000

16 Elevating Resolutions for 2016 Inspired by Some of Humanity’s Greatest Minds

Get inspiration for your New Year Resolutions by reading resolutions from some notables, such as James Baldwin, Soren Kierkegaard, Susan Sontag, and Bertrand Russell.

You’ve got to tell the world how to treat you. If the world tells you how you are going to be treated, you are in trouble.

— James Baldwin

From: Brainpickings

Year In Review: Hello 2016, Goodbye 2015

Sun, 27 Dec 2015 23:17:13 +0000

Thank You 2015

December is always a busy month. We race to finish projects, buy gifts for loved ones, make travel plans, spend time with loved ones, feast, rest, and, finally, relax from the ordeals of the past year. The last week in particular is a time for reflection on events that happened during the past 12 months and plan-making for the next.

First Public Performance!

Wed, 02 Dec 2015 09:02:47 +0000

Just a quick note.

After a lot of guitar practice, and practice with a band, I’m happy to say that we totally rocked Richmond, Virginia in my first public performance!

We alternated eight-song sets with another band and kept Sharky’s Bar hopping.

In the pic we are on our final number (#16) and you can see we filled the dance floor.

A Note to Marketers and Purveyors of Fine Wares Who Bring Themselves to My Attention

Fri, 30 Oct 2015 00:24:58 +0000

Dear Marketing/Scammer Dude/Dudette:

I give you props for reaching out to me and recognizing that I have a “really interesting” blog/YouTube channel.

Shows initiative. Fer sure.

I admire that you say you have the “skillz” to take my blog/YouTube channel to #1 on The GOOGLE!!!!!

It’s good indeed to know oneself, for, I say to you: “No one is free who has not obtained the empire of himself. No man is free who cannot command himself.”

Does YouTube Enable Trolls, Harassers, and Online Attackers?

Tue, 27 Oct 2015 10:06:56 +0000

WHAT HAPPENED WHEN MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL WAS ATTACKED

Simply put, YouTube is the most popular, and the most powerful, platform for video content consumption and creation. However, unintentionally I’m sure, YouTube enables their content creators to be harassed, trolled, and attacked online by anyone with a grudge, malice, or pathological intentions.

I say this because recently a short video I created and posted to my YouTube channel was maliciously targeted by an unknown (to me) attacker–for now let’s call them a troll. The troll flagged to YouTube that my video “was inappropriate”.

Derek Sivers and What I'm Doing Right Now

Wed, 21 Oct 2015 23:31:04 +0000

Over the years Derek Sivers has created, shared, and helped a lot of people.

Just recently, with one blog post, he has created a movement–the /now movement.

All it takes is one person with a flash of insight to ignite that spark. Here’s Derek on how to start a movement:

So, if you ever want to know what I’m currently working on, visit my /now page.

Oh, by the way, here’s the bigger point to all this: if you have some goal, dream, or project that you want to pursue, but for whatever reason haven’t yet started–HINT: now is the time to start.

Runnin Down the Dream

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 10:03:33 +0000

Although I may not have the exact quote, Ray Bradbury once said something like, “Jump off the cliff and learn how to play guitar on the way down.”

Well, that’s certainly one way to learn to fly:

Last fall I started taking guitar lessons.
In August I started playing in a band with other musicians (who are far more talented than I am).

Knockin On Heavens Door, Bob Dylan

Sun, 02 Aug 2015 09:55:50 +0000

Yes, I’ve heard about not being able to teach old dogs new tricks. Nevertheless, I started taking guitar lessons last fall and really enjoyed it. But I’ve been away for much of this year, so to help avoid forgetting everything I’ve learned I decided to try something new on my own.

So here’s me giving a go on guitar at Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door by Bob Dylan, via Rocksmith 2014:

On Hair, and Innocence

Mon, 22 Jun 2015 07:16:46 +0000

Yesterday afternoon I had set off on Route 460 in rural Virginia, going from here to there, as one does, when I pulled off the road into this little oasis of an Exxon gas station. It was another hot, humid day in the South, and there weren’t many people about, except for this one car on the far side of the gas pumps. A woman walked across my lane into the convenience store where, according to the cardboard sign, they served some of the finest fried chicken in the county. An older lady got out of the car to pump the gas, and a little girl, perhaps all of seven years old, climbed onto the metal railing at the end of the aisle of gas pumps.

What I Am Doing This Summer

Fri, 19 Jun 2015 11:39:10 +0000

Just a brief note.

I’ve been quiet lately because I’m neck-deep in a rather interesting research problem: speech-to-text translation for low-resource languages.

I’m up at the Human Language Technology Center of Excellence, in Baltimore, Maryland.

Here’s a summary of what we are researching, from hltcoe.jhu.edu/research/scale-workshops/:

Automated translation of human speech has been a long-term research goal; it was mentioned by President Clinton in his 2000 State of the Union address, and more recently, prototypes were announced by Skype and Google in January 2015. Spoken language differs significantly from the high-quality, grammatical inputs typically provided to Machine Translation (MT) systems; difficulties include pauses, disfluencies, corrections, interruptions, repetition, and restarts. Speech To Text Translation (STTT) thus suffers from problems intrinsic to speech recognition, difficulties inherent in translation, and problems that arise from the composition of the two.

Fleet Week Parade of Ships Embark with the Navy 2015

Sat, 23 May 2015 08:39:38 +0000

I was honored to participate in the Parade of Ships 2015, the kickoff event for Fleet Week.

Fleet Week is an annual event by the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Marine Corps, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the city of New York for community outreach and as a way to celebrate the sea services.

But let me first give special to thanks to my sponsor, Dennis Hall. The selection process can take from three months to three years starting from the time of nomination to vetting by the Navy and finally selection and embarkation to a ship at sea. Dennis Hall, founder of Avere Group LLC, made my embark possible via his nominating me the US Navy. He is neither an employee of nor contractor with the military. He does this as a pay-it-forward in tribute to service members, veterans, allies and their families. Dennis Hall initially submitted my nomination to the Public Affairs Officer of the US Navy Commander, Naval Air Forces, US Atlantic Fleet. The Public Affairs Officer selected me for the Distinguished Visitors Program. Dennis Hall may be e-mail contacted at: ContactDennisHall@gmail.com. Note that the word “Contact” is part of his e-mail address. His mobile phone number is 916-430-5263. His blog for Avere Group LLC is www.AvereGroup.Wordpress.com. On Twitter he is @averegroup.

My Embark Aboard the USS George H. W. Bush Aircraft Carrier

Tue, 12 May 2015 10:06:33 +0000

On May 6, 2015 I had the immense honor of being included among twelve Distinguished Visitors who served a two-day tour of duty on an embark aboard the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier. The time went by so fast it only seemed like we were gone five minutes.

I’ll try to summarize what we saw and experienced on-board, but I know it will be difficult to capture what a truly incredible experience it was. Moreover, and most importantly, it will be difficult to express just how proud I am of the US Navy and the men and women who serve–of all the things I’ll show and talk about below, please keep in mind that the Navy’s most important asset is its people. To a man and woman, each person we met on-board exhibited more pride, professionalism, and purpose than in any organization I’ve previously seen.

Review: Toshiba Satellite S55T-B5150 15.6-Inch Touchscreen Laptop

Sun, 10 May 2015 19:53:33 +0000

This is a review of the Toshiba Satellite S55T-B5150 15.6-Inch Touchscreen Laptop.

Before I get into the review, I first wanted to itemize several of the laptop’s key technical specifications:

Intel Core i7-4710HQ 3.6 GHz Processor
12 GB RAM
256 GB Solid-State Drive
15.6-Inch Screen, Mobile Intel HD graphics
Windows 8.1
Weight: about 4.75 pounds
Dimensions: 10.2″ x 14.96″ x .93″
4K Ultra HD (3840 x 2160) HDMI output
1 ethernet port
1 SD card port
1 headphone jack
3 USB ports (2 are USB 3.0)
801.11 AC wireless

There are several things that I liked about this laptop.

Step Inside Abbey Road via Google

Thu, 16 Apr 2015 10:01:18 +0000

If you are interested in music, especially how it is recorded and produced, step inside one of the most famous recording studios in the world, Abbey Road.

You can listen to a tour by Giles Martin and see where some of the greatest albums ever were recorded.

My Photo and the All-Italian Repertoire Chorus of the Dante Alighieri Society

Wed, 15 Apr 2015 09:26:55 +0000

Honored that the All-Italian Repertoire Chorus of the Dante Alighieri Society chose one of my photos to announce their upcoming spring concert.

Review: D Addario Clip-On Tuner

Mon, 13 Apr 2015 21:51:03 +0000

D’Addario is a US manufacturer of music instrument strings, and is especially well-known for their guitar strings. But the company has also branched out into making a variety of music instrument accessories, including clip-on tuners.

Clip-on tuners are great because you just clip it onto your instrument’s headstock, pluck a string, and the tuner will visually tell you the note you played and whether the note is sharp or flat.

Review: Tom Bihn New Ristretto Messenger Bag

Fri, 10 Apr 2015 09:49:27 +0000

I do a lot of travel and my THULE Covert DSLR Rolltop Backpack is great when I need to carry all my gear for an extended trip. But it’s a bit much for an everyday carry bag, where I just need a few essentials to get some work done. Even my Timbuk2 Commute Messenger bag is too bulky–I wanted something minimal, durable, and that keeps all my stuff protected and secure. So after lots of surveying, I finally found a bag that checks off all the requirements: the Tom Bihn Ristretto.

A Few Thoughts As I Prepare to Board an Aircraft Carrier

Wed, 25 Mar 2015 09:15:06 +0000

You know that feeling you have when you lean just a touch too far back in your chair?

It’s like a combination of fear, panic, and a tingly-kind-of-awesome-rush-that-you-won’t-admit-you-kind-of-liked.

So, I have this unique opportunity to get a rare, firsthand look at a US Navy aircraft carrier, as well as interact with the men and women who serve on board. If approved, in the next few days I’ll be participating on an embark aboard the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) under the Commander Naval Air Force Atlantic (CNAL) Distinguished Visitor (DV) program.

Scientific Replication, Reproducibility, and R: An Example

Sun, 22 Mar 2015 18:02:58 +0000

Scientific replication, or verifying the results of an experiment by an independent researcher, is one of the pillars of the scientific method and is one of the strongest ways to strengthen a scientific claim. In one of the earliest examples of replication, Christiaan Huygens traveled to the the laboratory of Robert Boyle in 1663 in order to help Boyle and Robert Hooke replicate Huygens’s experiment related to the discovery of the vacuum¹:

Wife and Puppy Love Rock and Roll

Tue, 24 Feb 2015 13:34:33 +0000

I finally caught up with my guitar instructor after being away for a while and one of the songs he tasked me with is, “I Love Rock and Roll,” made famous by the Joan Jett and the Blackhearts release in 1982. The song was originally recorded and released in 1975 by Alan Merrill and Jake Hooker of Arrows. Joan Jett’s version however became a #1 hit and is judged to be one of the greatest guitar songs of all time.

Authenticity, Neoprimitivism, and the Rejection of Science

Sun, 22 Feb 2015 11:25:35 +0000

The first is that authenticity turns out to be just another form of hyper-competitive status seeking, exacerbating many of the very problems it was designed to solve. Second, and even more worrisome, is that the legitimate fear of the negative effects of technological evolution has given way to a paranoid rejection of science and even reason itself.

A Top Amazon Reviewer

Sat, 14 Feb 2015 17:47:57 +0000

So one nice surprise is that I recently found out I’m now among the elite of all Top Amazon Reviewers–at the time I looked I was #964 out of 10,000 Amazon Top Reviewers and out of probably hundreds of thousands of Amazon Reviewers in general.

Note that there are an unknown number of people who review Amazon products–probably hundreds of thousands of people, and maybe even more. Anyone who has left a review of some item on Amazon is an Amazon reviewer, so you can imagine that there are many, many of these people. Well, of all those reviewers, Amazon considers the 10,000 reviewers with the highest rank–based on # of reviews and # of helpful votes by other people reading the reviews–to be Top Reviewers. Of those 10,000 Top Reviewers, Amazon awards an extra label on their profiles if they are in the Top 1000 of all Amazon reviewers–these are the toppamost of the poppamost of reviewers!

R, Markov Chains, and the Jabberwock

Wed, 07 Jan 2015 23:33:12 +0000

A few months ago I reviewed a new book on R, called Introduction to Scientific Programming and Simulation Using R, Second Edition, by Owen Jones, Robert Maillardet, and Andrew Robinson. I liked the book — R is becoming more popular and widely used as a language and tool to parse and process the increasing amounts of data around us, and this book provides a rich introduction to the power of R.

Review: Gretsch Honey Dipper Resonator Guitar

Sun, 21 Dec 2014 09:30:29 +0000

If you are looking for a guitar with a cool look and a sweet, crunchy, ringing sound, then check out this Gretsch Honey Dipper Resonator guitar.

The body of the guitar is nickel-plated brass with a finish called “Weathered Pump House Roof”. It has a biscuit resonator cone made from 99% aluminum, “f” sound holes, a rosewood fretboard, and a mahogany neck. Another thing to point out about the neck is that though it’s called a round neck, the neck has a slight v-shape to it. The headstock has a pearloid face with the Gretsch logo.

Review: Marshall Woburn Bluetooth Speaker System

Wed, 17 Dec 2014 09:42:48 +0000

If you are tired of wimpy little Bluetooth speakers for your mobile devices or laptops or whatever, then you should take a look at the Marshall Woburn Bluetooth Speaker System – Black.

As you would expect from a Marshall product, this is a high quality speaker–it feels rock solid and it looks great. Most importantly it sounds brilliant–clear, crisp audio that doesn’t distort as you crank the volume.

Art, Writing, Music, and Running a Business

Mon, 15 Dec 2014 09:52:32 +0000

Today, there have never been more opportunities for the independent artist–writer, musician, video creator–to perform their craft and get paid for their efforts by their fans.

But that doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy.

When Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn, the duo forming the indie band Pomplamoose, went on a 28-day tour, playing 24 shows in 23 cities across the US, they were, and were not, successful. They sold 1129 tickets in San Francisco at the Fillmore, among other achievements, but ended up losing $11,819 in the tour.

Christopher Lee, Rock Music, Heavy Metal, and Christmas

Wed, 10 Dec 2014 14:22:10 +0000

You may recall Sir Christopher Lee’s performances as Saruman in The Lord of the Rings (2001–2003) and The Hobbit (2012–2014) movies. Or as Count Dooku in the final two films of the Star Wars prequel trilogy (2002 and 2005). Or as Frankenstein’s monster in the 1957 The Curse of Frankenstein.

So, you think of him as an actor. He is that, and quite a fine one.

Review: MOTU 828X Audio Interface

Sun, 07 Dec 2014 22:01:28 +0000

I’ve been wanting to take my voice and music recording to the next level for a while now, but I’ve had a lot of trouble deciding which audio interface to get. Well, I’ve been testing this MOTU 828x and I think I’ve found the answer.

The MOTU 828X is an audio interface with 28 inputs and 30 outputs — all in a lightweight, slim rack-mountable case. The MOTU came with rack-mounts attached to the case, but since I don’t plan on mounting it in a rack, and also because I’ve been carrying it with me on trips, I removed the rack-mounts with a hex-wrench.

Review: DE 2600mAh Powerbank Battery Charger Flashlight

Sun, 07 Dec 2014 09:09:28 +0000

Everyone these days seems to have at least one mobile device. Unfortunately, battery technology has not quite kept pace with all the fancy features of our iPhones, tablets, and cameras. So having an extra battery in our bag can often help us get through the day.

The DE 2600mAh Powerbank Battery Charger Flashlight is a charger for mobile devices that take their charge via the USB port. In addition, the Powerbank has a convenient built-in flashlight.

A Thanksgiving Message

Thu, 27 Nov 2014 00:03:12 +0000

Hey everyone, today is Thanksgiving.

Instead of spreading messages of hate, or making yet another divisive post, or amplifying the commercial news, or forwarding along some meme or message you don’t really know much about, or stomping your feet, or trying to invent yet another reason to look down on someone else, or just plain adding to the negativity in the world, why not instead try being thankful for something in your life? Why not try making those around you better? Why not try improving the world in some way? Why not try love?

The Channel Strip in an Analog Mixer

Mon, 10 Nov 2014 09:02:28 +0000

I had written previously about resuscitating a dying Korg D1200 Digital Recording Studio.

Now I’m trying to learn its functionality.

As a first step, here’s a short video I made on the channel strip in an analog mixer, and I used the Korg D1200 as my example. I made this video as a part of the music production course I’m taking through Coursera and the Berklee College of Music.

How To Use the Basic Compressor in GarageBand

Sat, 01 Nov 2014 09:09:40 +0000

Here’s a short tutorial video on how to use the basic compressor plugin in Garageband.

I’m learning a lot these days about music production, which is actually helping me to learn to play music instruments.

Years ago, I remember trying to record myself playing an instrument—on playback, however, the audio was horrible, and it wasn’t just because of my playing!

How To Set Up an EQ Template in GarageBand

Thu, 30 Oct 2014 09:14:45 +0000

Just a quick note—here’s a new tutorial video about EQ in GarageBand.

EQ, which is used to alter the frequency response of a recording, plays a fundamental role in shaping and mixing recorded tracks. It can be used for corrective as well as creative purposes. For example, we might want to remove low-frequency rumble or noise to clean up a track. Or we might want to call the listener’s attention to different instruments at different parts in a song.

The Easy Way To Earn Money As A Writer

Tue, 28 Oct 2014 09:54:35 +0000

After having one of my articles plagiarized, I thought I would put together a quick and easy how-to guide for anyone else who wants to bypass all the effort, time, and creativity it takes to become a writer who produces their own original content. In fact, I’ll even show you how to make money on the Internet off your “writing” in just six easy steps.

Here goes:

Plagiarism of My Article at Breaking Muscle by jiujitsutimes.com

Mon, 27 Oct 2014 13:20:07 +0000

I just found out a recent article I wrote for the fitness and martial arts magazine Breaking Muscle has been plagiarized by jiujitsutimes.com.

The article I wrote was “6 Life-Changing Ways Your Black Belt Journey Can Transform You,” and can be found online here: http://breakingmuscle.com/other-martial-arts/6-life-changing-ways-your-black-belt-journey-can-transform-you.

The plagiarized article at jiujitsutimes.com by someone named “kitt canaria” is “The Journey to Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt,” and as of the writing of this blog post, can be found online here: http://jiujitsutimes.com/blog/the-journey-to-jiu-jitsu-black-beltg/.

Review: Introduction to Scientific Programming and Simulation Using R, Second Edition

Tue, 21 Oct 2014 19:26:57 +0000

If you are at least tangentially involved in processing, analyzing, and learning from data, then you are probably familiar with the free statistical programming language and software environment known as R. But R can do a lot more than plot data and perform hypothesis tests–the new book Introduction to Scientific Programming and Simulation Using R, Second Edition, by Owen Jones, Robert Maillardet, and Andrew Robinson, is your guide for using R to tackle problems in computational statistics, simulation, optimization, operations research, and scientific programming.

Review: A Handbook of Statistical Analyses Using R, Third Edition

Thu, 18 Sep 2014 10:06:58 +0000

With the explosion of the amount of data available, the need for stronger data analysis tools than Excel has grown. Fortunately one of the best data analysis tools, R, is also free. This book, A Handbook of Statistical Analyses using R, Third Edition, by Torsten Hothorn and Brian Everitt, provides a handy primer for using R to perform standard statistical data analysis.

How to Start Learning Music

Sun, 24 Aug 2014 09:30:49 +0000

You’ve got this dream of ripping through an electric guitar solo with your band during the climax of the song in front of a sea of your adoring fans. Or maybe you’ve dreamed of playing Beethoven on piano in a packed concert hall. Or maybe you’ve dreamed of playing a slow aire on the bagpipes from atop a castle wall, overlooking a forested valley.

Beyond the 10000-Hour Rule

Mon, 18 Aug 2014 09:42:31 +0000

By now I’m sure you’ve heard of the 10000-Hour Rule, popularized in Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers: You need about 10000 hours of practice to achieve mastery in a given field. Want to become an expert violinist? Want to be an elite programmer? Want to paint like the Renaissance Masters? Start practicing right now. After an hour of practice, you’ll only have 9,999 more hours to go.

A Knock On the Door at 1:57AM

Sat, 16 Aug 2014 13:16:36 +0000

What do you do when someone knocks on your door at 1:57AM?

If you are me, evidently, you go outside and look around.

Last night I found 3 girls–one pregnant–in my driveway standing next to their car.

“Do you know how to change a flat?”

To set the stage, I’ll just mention that I live way out in the boonies–I look outside my window in the morning and I see not neighbor, but cow. So it’s pretty dark out at night, and everything and everyone except the crickets are snuggled in their beds. Like I was, moments before.

The Synthesizer Amplitude Envelope: Explanation and Examples

Mon, 11 Aug 2014 09:36:34 +0000

Ever wondered how synthesizers make all those crazy sounds? One way has to do with the amplitude envelope.

Synthesizers are an important component of modern music and are also useful for understanding sound design. A subtractive synthesizer is one which uses the application of a filter to alter the timbre of an audio signal, and the amplitude envelope is used to control how the volume of the sound changes over time.

Black Belt

Wed, 23 Jul 2014 09:28:37 +0000

A while ago I posted about one of my goals: achieving black belt.

Thankfully, I can now announce that I have successfully accomplished this goal!

Right before leaving on walkabout I undertook one of the most demanding trials I’ve every experienced–my black belt test in the martial art of Muay Thai, held over the course of three days at my gym, The Edge Martial Arts and Tumbling in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Talk About Walkabout

Tue, 15 Jul 2014 03:45:51 +0000

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.

— Walden, by Henry David Thoreau.

And Now for Something…

I’m on walkabout.

I realize that for most people that word may be a bit nebulous—probably equivalent, information-wise, to me saying something like, “I’m calculating a p-value,” so I wanted to share my definition of walkabout, especially in case it might inspire you to go on one as well.

Review: Epson WorkForce DS-560 Document Scanner

Wed, 25 Jun 2014 16:23:41 +0000

Scanning stacks of nasty paper documents into digital form has never been easier, so today I want to take a look at the Epson WorkForce DS-560 Document Scanner to see if it’s up to the job.

This scanner is said to scan wirelessly to mobile devices, and at speeds up to 26 pages per minute via USB. The scanner also can send documents to cloud services such as Evernote and Google Drive. And, the scanner is said to have a small footprint on your desk along with options for making color and image adjustments to scanned documents.

Review: Cake Boss 24-Piece Cake Decorating Tip Set

Mon, 23 Jun 2014 18:01:00 +0000

Today I want to take a look at this Cake Boss 24-Piece Cake Decorating Tip Set, which allows you to decorate your cakes, cupcakes, cookies and other pastries at home with quality ingredients that actually taste good.

The Cake Boss 24-Piece Cake Decorating Tip Set comes in a reusable, sturdy box that keeps your tips organized. Each cake tip is stored on a pyramid, so you can easily see what you have.

Review: Q-See Surveillance Security System

Sat, 14 Jun 2014 12:45:28 +0000

The Q-See QT5716-9L6-1 16 Channel Surveillance System is an everything-included surveillance system kit.

To see exactly what’s included in this surveillance system, here is an unboxing video:

There are 8 of bullet cameras included with the package. The camera has a weatherproof metal housing and can be used inside or outside. In addition to the main lens, the camera has 36 IR LEDs for up to 100′ of night vision. Each camera comes with a 60′ cable, which provides both power and video signal transmission.

Review: Thule Covert DSLR Rolltop Backpack

Thu, 29 May 2014 09:54:09 +0000

If you are looking for a stylish, rugged, comfortable, and totally functional backpack to carry your computer, camera, and other gear, you may want to check out this new THULE Covert DSLR Rolltop Backpack.

This is a backpack with a special compartment specifically designed to protect your DSLR camera and lenses, though you can use it for so much more.

Review: Seagate 4TB Backup Plus External Hard Drive

Mon, 26 May 2014 09:47:55 +0000

If you talk to your favorite geek, he or she will ask you if you backup your data regularly. In an age where more and more of our precious memories and records are completely digital, it is crazy not to make backups of your data, so you might want to consider the Seagate 4TB Backup Plus External Hard Drive as a part of your backup strategy.

Review: Samson ResolvSE 8 Active Studio Reference Monitor

Sun, 25 May 2014 08:26:21 +0000

The Samson SE8 2-Way 8″ Active Studio Reference Monitor is a powerful speaker that produces clean audio.

In the box, you get the speaker, a power cable, and an owner’s manual. Note that there is only one speaker in the box!

The speaker looks great and feels very solid. Note that the controls and ports for the speaker–the three line-level inputs (1/4″, RCA, and XLR), volume, highpass frequency control, power switch, and power plug–are on the back of the monitor.

Unboxing the Q-See QT5716-9L6-1 16 Channel Surveillance System

Sat, 24 May 2014 08:44:55 +0000

Today I wanted to take a look at a new surveillance system, the Q-See QT5716-9L6-1 16 Channel Surveillance System. I’ll follow-up this post with a review of the system’s features and performance.

Inside the big outer box are the components of the system, each in their own separate box.

In this video, I do an unboxing of the surveillance system:

Review: Apotop Wi-Copy DW21 Personal Cloud Storage and Wireless Router

Tue, 13 May 2014 20:17:43 +0000

Clouds, clouds, clouds. Every business seems to want their data in a cloud. But clouds aren’t just for businesses. The Apotop Wi-Copy DW21 is a personal cloud device that offers lots of functionality, especially to users with mobile phones, tablets, and computers.

In the box you get the Apoptop Wi-Copy itself, a micro-USB cable, and a quick-start guide. I did not find the guide itself that helpful, so in my video review I outline several use-cases and problems that this device can help solve.

Review: Dragon Dictate 4.0 for Mac

Mon, 05 May 2014 10:57:18 +0000

I was very motivated to take a look at Dragon Dictate 4.0 for Mac.

The package includes the software on a CD, a quick-start guide, and a USB mic.

Installation was fairly straightforward, though note that you will need to train the software before you can use it. For dictation I read a short story by Mark Twain–training only took about 5 minutes.

Review: Kingston 32GB Elite SD Memory Card

Sat, 26 Apr 2014 22:05:48 +0000

If you want a dependable memory card, then this Kingston 32GB Elite SD Memory Card is a good choice.

I also talk about this in the video, but some features of this card include:

The US-based Kingston Technologies is one of the top suppliers of computer memory products. This company has a long record of producing quality memory cards.
Their Elite SD cards come in a variety of capacities, up to 64GB—mine is a 32GB card. This card supports the Secure Digital High Capacity format, which goes up to 32GB.
This is a Class 10 card, which means it must provide a minimum of 10MB/s read/write level of performance. Kingston says their card provides 30MB/s read performance.
This card supports the Ultra HighSpeed class 1 bus, which means you will get faster data transfer when you use this card in a UHS device, such as video cameras used in real-time broadcast applications. So this card is appropriate for shooting full HD video and consecutive HD photos with non-UHS recording devices, and real-time broadcasts with UHS devices.
This card has a locking switch you can use to prevent erasing data on the card.

Here’s the video review of the Kingston 32GB Elite SD Memory Card:

Review: Fender 52 Ukulele

Sat, 29 Mar 2014 12:01:00 +0000

I travel a lot, and so I wanted an ukulele that I wouldn’t mind if it got dinged up a little bit. Also, I wanted to experiment with recording ukulele tracks on a DAW such as GarageBand. So I thought I’d try the Fender ’52 Ukulele.

Note that this is a concert ukulele, but its most obvious feature is its telecaster shape and all the tuners on one side of the headstock. The body has a laminated spruce top with laminated mahogany back and sides. The neck is mahogany, with a rosewood fingerboard. The gloss urethane finish and overall look of the ukulele is very nice.

Review: Belkin 6-Inch Lightning, 30-Pin, and Micro-USB Cable Kit

Sat, 22 Mar 2014 16:40:38 +0000

Today it is common to have multiple tech gadgets, such as laptops, iPads, iPod Touches, smart phones, Kindles, cameras, and external hard drives. But if you want to travel anywhere, you end up, in addition to the devices, lugging around a massive tangle of cables.

Towards a solution for the cable-bird’s-nest-in-your-bag problem is this Belkin USB Cable Kit.

In the kit you get:

Review: Cut Your Cable TV Tether with Google Chromecast

Mon, 17 Mar 2014 10:33:09 +0000

I think it’s great that more and more people today are realizing that paying on average $90 per month to their cable company to watch television is not really worth it. In fact, according to research group TDG, the number of US Pay-TV households peaked back in 2011. More people are cutting their cable TV tethers to take advantage of the Internet and streaming video services such as Netflix and YouTube.

Review: Jabra SOLEMATE MAX Wireless Bluetooth Stereo Speaker

Wed, 29 Jan 2014 17:03:41 +0000

You might not have heard of the company named Jabra, which among other things is a global supplier of headsets and speaker phones, but the Jabra SOLEMATE MAX speaker is a new addition to their line of wireless speakers. They say this speaker is designed for indoor as well as outdoor use, so let’s take a closer look and listen!

Review: Belkin Ultimate iPad Air Keyboard Case

Fri, 24 Jan 2014 09:54:04 +0000

I had previously thought I had found my favorite iPad Air keyboard/case, but after testing the Belkin Ultimate Keyboard Case for iPad Air, I’ve changed my mind.

I go into a lot more detail in my video review, but here are the main features I like about this keyboard/case:

The keyboard base is made from aluminum, making the resulting keyboard and case very sturdy yet also very light
The case comes with super strong magnets to hold the iPad Air at three different viewing angles
This keyboard/case reliably shuts off the iPad Air when the case is closed, and turns the tablet on when the case is opened
The keyboard has a long battery life — I’m still on my first charge, but Belkin says you can get up to 6 months of keyboard use
The keyboard folds away so you can use just the tablet, if you want to.
The keys on the keyboard feel good and provide for responsive typing. Note that while this is not the same fullsize keyboard like on your laptop, and some of the keys might be slightly shifted from their normal positions, it still provides for fast and accurate typing once you get used to the layout.
This is elegantly designed–there is no on/off switch and no bluetooth pairing switch–everything is handled automatically.

Here’s my video review of the Belkin Ultimate Wireless Keyboard and Case for the iPad Air:

Review: AmazonBasics Lightning to Micro USB Adapter

Tue, 14 Jan 2014 16:53:04 +0000

Overwhelmed with the number of cables, adapters, and chargers that you must haul around to keep all your cell phones, tablets, and other devices happy and healthy? If you have Apple devices, you know you must carry along cables and chargers that only work with Apple products. The latest Apple mobile devices use the Lightning adapter, something proprietary to Apple. So if you want an alternate way to charge and sync your Apple products, or if you want to eliminate having to carry around cables and chargers just for your Apple devices, then you might be interested in the AmazonBasics Lightning Compatible to Micro USB Adapter.

Review: Samson Meteor USB Microphone

Tue, 14 Jan 2014 15:26:46 +0000

If you are looking for a stylish, portable USB mic with great sound quality, you might want to consider the Samson Meteor Mic, which is a USB condenser microphone with a large diaphragm and a cardioid pickup pattern.

I go into more detail in my video review (below), but here are the main things I like about the mic:

Review: Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Folio for iPad Air

Fri, 10 Jan 2014 13:29:37 +0000

If you have the new iPad Air, you know what a great device it is, from a solid and diverse app ecosystem and fast performance to a physical design that gets just about everything right.

But there are two things that can make the iPad Air even more useful–a protective case and an external keyboard. The Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Folio for iPad Air combines a protective case and keyboard into one product, and just might be the best accessory you can buy for your iPad Air.

2014: Onwards and Upwards

Sat, 04 Jan 2014 16:16:46 +0000

Thank You for 2013

At the top of 2014, I wanted to explicitly thank all my friends and family, in physical space as well as online, who followed and shared with me in my various adventures in 2013, such as:

The publication of a short story in Surreal South ’13

* The display of a short story in an art gallery as part of the ThinkSmall7 art exhibition * Earning my MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Southern Maine * Traveling around Europe * Launching and growing my YouTube channel * Developing and launching a mobile app for iOS devices called Fitness Interval Timer LITE * Training in Muay Thai.

I really appreciate everyone’s support—your likes, subscriptions, comments, and shares help make the effort it takes to document and put everything online worth the effort!

Review: Bella Dots Collection Programmable Coffee Maker

Mon, 16 Dec 2013 10:20:55 +0000

Sometimes you just need a pot of coffee, and so I wanted to take a look at the BELLA Dots Collection 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker.

In the box you get the coffee maker itself — note that they come in happy colors, so you can match your kitchen decor, or maybe even your iPhone. There is also a 12-cup glass carafe, a measuring spoon, and this is a wonderful idea — a permanent coffee filter, a removable filter basket, and an instruction manual.

Unboxing and look at the Seagate Wireless Plus external hard drive with wifi

Wed, 06 Nov 2013 13:38:03 +0000

Whether you have a tablet computer or a mobile phone, you can have so much fun with your mobile devices that you quickly run out of storage space for your videos, movies, music, apps, and documents. The Seagate Wireless Plus 1 TB Mobile Device Storage, which is a portable hard drive equipped with wifi, may be just what you need. Solutions like this greatly expand the amount of storage available to your device, so let’s take a look inside the box and see why a drive like this may be the most important accessory for your mobile phone or tablet.

Unboxing and Look at the Brother ADS1500W Compact Color Desktop Scanner

Wed, 30 Oct 2013 11:13:31 +0000

After years enjoying my Fujitsu ScanSnap scanner, I thought I would take a look at this Brother ADS1500W Color Desktop Scanner, which promises among other things a more compact design and the ability to scan your documents to the Cloud. Let’s take a look at how well this Brother scanner lives up to its claims.

But first, let’s see what’s in the box:

You get the scanner, power supply, USB cable, DVD, quick-start guide, and a receipt sleeve (a sleeve into which you can put receipts for scanning).

Unboxing and look at the Kindle Fire HDX 7 tablet computer

Sun, 27 Oct 2013 20:40:28 +0000

After Apple’s recent upgrade to their Apple iPad Mini tablet, there are now three good small-form-factor tablets to choose from: the Apple iPad Mini 2, the Google Nexus 7, and the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 7″.

Today let’s take a look at the tablet that many say gives you the most bang for the buck, the Kindle Fire HDX 7″.

Here’s what’s in the box:

Review of the Hamilton Beach 2-Way FlexBrew Coffeemaker

Fri, 25 Oct 2013 10:43:10 +0000

You may not know it, but computer scientists are people who turn coffee into code. But no matter what your profession, creative endeavor, or party you’re trying to recover from, I think everyone can agree with Special Agent Dale Copper that there’s nothing better than a good cup o’ Joe.

So today let’s take a look at the Hamilton Beach 2-Way FlexBrew Coffemaker and see how well it will make a cup of coffee.

Macabre Story in Surreal South 13, Edited by Josh Woods

Thu, 24 Oct 2013 16:01:23 +0000

I am pleased to have my short story “Rebel Yell” in the anthology Surreal South ’13, edited by Josh Woods and published by Press 53.

The dead will rise; witches will dance; swords will lunge; beasts will roam; gods will snicker; space and time will slip; slumbering horrors will shudder awake; innumerable eyes will watch your every move. Welcome to Surreal South ’13, the fourth volume in the anthology series featuring stories embedded in the surreal and seen through the perspective of the American South, fiction that lives on the fringe. — from the Introduction by Josh Woods, Editor

Evil Dead: I Will See You Soon

Thu, 24 Oct 2013 10:31:59 +0000

Sorry. I couldn’t handle it. Perhaps the constant nightmares left me a bit on edge, but I felt another week of searching for the Evil Dead and their infernal signs choking me like a noose, so I left town.

This act surprised and upset my wife.

Edgar Allen Poe chose to spend a lot of time in Baltimore, and since he too was a man overcome by fits of melancholy and despair, I also walked those seedy streets in search of some solace, but none was to be found there.

Story to be displayed in the ThinkSmall7 art exhibition at artspace Gallery at Plant Zero

Mon, 14 Oct 2013 10:00:56 +0000

My flash fiction story “Here to Help” has been selected to be displayed as a part of the ThinkSmall7 art exhibition!

ThinkSmall is a biennial international miniature invitational exhibition that challenges artists to produce small-scale work with a maximum dimension of 3″ x 3″, and ThinkSmall7 is the 7th installment in the series.

The ThinkSmall7 exhibition runs October 25 through December 22, 2013.

Fun time making fried pies with my mom

Sat, 12 Oct 2013 14:17:19 +0000

Making fried pies each fall is a tradition in our family. Nothing says home like a warm fried pie on a rainy fall day.

I recently helped my mom make some fried pies, and I shot some video of the process. It was a lot of fun—I hope you enjoy the video:

Note that the recipe for these fried pies is in this book of 82 family recipes: Dinners with Dolores: Family, Food, Fun

Evil Dead: To the Old Knowby Cabin

Thu, 10 Oct 2013 12:07:26 +0000

This happened yesterday, but I was so conflicted with excitement and dread that I thought it best to sleep on it before posting about what I found.

So, after tossing and turning all night due to nightmares, here’s more about my continued search for the Evil Dead.

This is week 4.

And I don’t mean to inflict these horrors on you—I’m just hoping that by writing them down, I will be able to break their hold on me.

Review of the Bosch L-CART: Not your grandfathers dolly

Wed, 09 Oct 2013 23:14:31 +0000

Especially on bad weather days, when you’ve got a lot of tools to carry to your job site, or when you need help moving something heavy, having a dependable dolly is an absolute must. So today I want to take a look at the Bosch L-CART, which can not only help you move boxes of books, but is optimized for carrying Bosch’s innovative L-BOXX power tool storage system.

Unboxing the Bosch 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Drill and Impact Driver Cordless Combo Kit

Tue, 08 Oct 2013 08:58:15 +0000

Some tools have been made more useful through technology enhancement. A prime example is how the common screwdriver has been made more useful by adding a motor, battery, light, and a way to change the screwdriver heads. A great example of this is the Bosch portable drill found in the Bosch CLPK234-181L 18-Volt Lithium-Ion 2-Tool Combo Kit with 1/2-Inch Drill/Driver, 1/4-Inch Impact Driver, 2 Batteries, Charger and 2 L-BOXX Cases.

Evil Dead: X-ing Deadites

Thu, 03 Oct 2013 15:59:19 +0000

Previously I told you about the second Evil Dead sign I saw, the one suggesting, “Join us!”

At the time I thought it was a bit funny, but after today’s trip I’m not so sure.

Over lunch I decided to continue my Evil Dead search where I left off last week.

Again, once I got out into that part of the country, I met no traffic as I drove along those winding country roads. Come to think of it, I didn’t see any wildlife either. No cows in the fields, no birds in the trees, no dogs running in the yards.

Evil Dead: Join Us!

Thu, 26 Sep 2013 16:13:41 +0000

Last week I posted a pic of a sign along the road pointing towards “Evil Dead.” I got curious, so today over lunch I investigated.

Driving down narrow country roads, I didn’t see any Evil Dead. In fact, it was strange to see no one at all–living or dead. Where did everyone go?

I finally came across this sign: “Join Us!” Ha. Even if there really are Evil Dead somewhere out in these old woods, who would be dumb enough to follow their signs?!?

New Kindle Fire HDX Specs, Pricing, and Availability

Wed, 25 Sep 2013 11:02:49 +0000

Two years ago Amazon introduced the Kindle Fire, and yesterday they announced the newest Kindle Fire model, the Kindle Fire HDX.

The Kindle Fire HDX comes in two versions: 7″ and 8.9″, and these have advanced performance processors, displays, and batteries. And Amazon has reduced the weight of these tablets, as well as added many other hardware and software updates and new abilities, such as “perfect color”—100% sRGB—on-device tech support, and the new Fire OS 3.0 “Mojito”.

Evil Dead Sign

Sun, 15 Sep 2013 16:09:04 +0000

I passed this creepy sign on the way home. It’s that time of year, when the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead is thin. Only this time, the dead are thoughtfully providing helpful signage.

Unboxing and Review: Bose QuietComfort 20i Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones

Thu, 12 Sep 2013 15:57:34 +0000

I’ve been using my Bose QuietComfort 15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones for several years now and they’ve become essential to my productivity.

Especially when working in a noisy environment—whether that be in a coffee shop, an open cubicle room, or even at home—noise cancelling headphones are great for tuning out the world, which helps increase focus and reduce stress.

Review: TASCAM TH-2000 Headphones

Wed, 11 Sep 2013 16:09:00 +0000

The TASCAM TH-2000 Headphones are a fairly inexpensive and decent sounding set of closed headphones.

Using a set of cheap iPhone earbuds and my pair of Sennheiser HD-280 Headphones, I compared a variety of music styles, from hard rock to audio books, with the TASCAM headphones. The TASCAM headphones sounded much better than the earbuds, but not quite as good as the Sennheisers. The TASCAMs have a heavier bass, while the mid and high frequencies are not as strong. This was fine for rock music, but the narrator’s voice in the audio books sounded artificial and oddly placed in the aural space. Also, I found the TASCAMs to be a little uncomfortable after extended wear, and I suspect they will feel oversized for some people.

Kendall Giles Academic Genealogy

Sat, 07 Sep 2013 19:00:52 +0000

OK, genealogy, and academic genealogy at that, are perhaps not the most stimulating of topics. But throw in scientific and mathematical giants such as Euler, Bernoulli, Lagrange, Poisson, Hadamard, and a cameo by Leonardo da Vinci himself, and what began as a dry exercise turned into a fascinating romp through history.

Thanks to the Mathematics Genealogy Project, and some curiosity, I was able to trace back my academic genealogy from my PhD advisor, to his PhD advisor, to his PhD advisor, etc., all the way back until the records gave out.

Review: Outslayer Muay Thai Heavy Bag Stand

Sat, 07 Sep 2013 11:05:16 +0000

In a previous post I wrote about how to fill an empty heavy bag.

But along with a quality heavy bag, I also needed a way to hang the bag. Hanging the bag from the ceiling or from the wall was not an option in my finished garage, so I looked for free-standing bag holders. Having experience with a cheaper bag stand, where the metal supports restricted movement and also caused injury by getting in the way when kicking the bag, I wanted a stand that would maximize my ability to use the bag while minimizing the amount of space it took up in my garage.

How to stuff a heavy bag

Mon, 02 Sep 2013 21:02:58 +0000

Hitting and kicking the heavy bag are great exercises, and heavy bag work is a core component of some martial arts, such as boxing, muay Thai, and MMA.

Heavy bags come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from the small canvas boxing bags like this one:

to freestanding training bags like this one,

to the more realistic “B.O.B.” Body Opponent Bag:

Review: Anolon Advanced Bronze Nonstick 9-Piece Cookware Set

Wed, 14 Aug 2013 15:49:25 +0000

If you are looking for a quality nonstick set of cookware, you should consider the Anolon Advanced Bronze Nonstick 9-Piece Cookware Set.

The set includes:

1-1/2 quart covered saucepan
3 quart covered saucepan
8 quart covered stockpot
10 in skillet
3 quart covered saute pan

As a bonus, the set also includes 2 free 10x15in cookie pans.

In my video I show an unboxing and brief review of the cookware, but the main features of this cookware set include:

Inch by Inch, It Is a Cinch

Wed, 31 Jul 2013 09:46:32 +0000

At practice tonight Coach reminded us of the following saying:

Yard by yard, it’s hard

Inch by inch, it’s a cinch

The idea is that for any lofty goal you have set for yourself–and you should be setting lofty goals for yourself–it can get overwhelming thinking about all the things you have to do to reach that goal.

Review: Lowepro Photo Hatchback 22L AW photography backpack

Fri, 26 Jul 2013 10:51:19 +0000

I’m not a professional photographer, but I do enjoy taking pictures and shooting video, especially for documenting life’s events on my websites and YouTube channel.

Most recently I had to go out of town to shoot video at my cousin’s roller derby, stay the night, then return the next day. My camera bag held all my camera gear, yes, but I had to bring along another bag for my clothes, computer, and other peripherals. Because I needed my computer and some peripherals with me during the shoot, that meant lugging around two separate bags the entire time.

Essay: Dont Be Afraid

Mon, 22 Jul 2013 09:53:10 +0000

For anyone who’s lived in most any large city or has done a lot of travel, you come to develop a certain “sixth sense” about people trying to scam you or otherwise part you from your money. You are not necessarily afraid of these people, but you learn to be wary.

The magic solution to their problem, aside from taking your wallet outright, often seems to be $5, whether that’s for gas for their car broke down a couple blocks over, or for bus tickets so they can go home to their waiting wife and children, or for this really nice bicycle that seems way too small for them, but that nevertheless works really great and that they are willing to sell to you. And yes, their name is Sarah, or their daughter is Sarah, or whatever name is stamped into the nameplate under the bike’s seat.

Review of The Complete Guide to the Drinks of James Bond by David Leigh

Sat, 20 Jul 2013 19:15:20 +0000

Over on the Becoming Heroic Podcast we are currently doing a deep dive into the first James Bond novel, Casino Royale, by Ian Fleming. Because I take my job seriously, as Bond did, I’ve been doing a bit of Bond research.

One of the books I’ve finished is The Complete Guide to the Drinks of James Bond, 2nd Edition, by David Leigh.

As you can guess from the title, this book is a treasure chest of drink information and recipes. The book is quite interesting, and covers drinks in the books and the movies, up through the movie Skyfall.

ROLLER DERBY! Mother State Roller Derby vs Little City Rollergirls

Sun, 14 Jul 2013 17:36:20 +0000

In a spirited match on a muggy Saturday afternoon at Skateland of Richmond, 13 July 2013, the ladies from Mother State Roller Derby (out of Richmond, Virginia) hosted the Little City Rollergirls (out of Johnson City, Tennessee).

This was my first roller derby experience, and I have to say I was blown away by the level of competition, intensity, fitness, and training that the women from both teams exhibited.

Unboxing, Review of Epson XP-410 Wireless Color Inkjet Printer with Scanner and Copier

Mon, 08 Jul 2013 10:01:44 +0000

Here’s an unboxing and first printing of the Epson Expression Home XP-410 Wireless Color Inkjet Printer with Scanner and Copier.

Look, not everyone can afford a laserjet printer. A quality inkjet printer like this Epson is able to fill the gap for those who need quality printing as well as scanning and copying functions from their printer.

Review of the Perfect Pushup V2

Fri, 05 Jul 2013 19:34:36 +0000

I wanted to talk a bit about the Perfect V2 Pushup. These fitness devices were invented by a Navy Seal, so you know they are built like a tank. And the Navy Seals know something about getting fit, working hard, and doing lots and lots of pushups, so let’s take a look.

While pushups are a staple bodyweight exercise, many people have trouble doing plain pushups because it stresses their wrists. The Perfect Pushup has a padded handle that many find alleviates their wrist issues when doing pushups.

Unboxing of Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM wide angle lens

Tue, 02 Jul 2013 22:05:30 +0000

Here’s a quick unboxing video of the Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM wide angle lens.

I’ve been enjoying the Canon 40mm pancake lens on the Canon EOS Rebel SL1—it’s a great macro lens—but I also wanted a wide angle lens, especially for outdoor shoots.

While not as compact as the 40mm, the 24mm does have a low profile, which fits with why I chose the SL1 in the first place.

What do the critters think of the new Canon EF 40mm STM pancake lens?

Wed, 26 Jun 2013 16:02:49 +0000

I recently showed you an unboxing video of the new Canon EOS Rebel SL1 camera, and compared its size to my old Lumix GF2.

Because I wanted to minimize the form factor of the Canon, I also got with the camera the new 40mm f/2.8 40mm EF STM pancake lens. At just 22mm thick, it is the smallest lens Canon has made, so it certainly fits the “minimal form factor” requirement. The STM means “stepper motor” and is supposed to make for silent focusing during movie recording.

Size comparison of Canon EOS Rebel SL1 with Lumix GF2

Sat, 22 Jun 2013 13:36:07 +0000

Yesterday I had an unboxing of the new Canon EOS Rebel SL1 camera.

I filmed the unboxing with my beloved Lumix GF2, which is an absolutely fantastic travel camera.

Since I got the Canon SL1 for its video features AND because it’s the smallest and lightest DSLR currently available, I thought it would be interesting to compare the “micro four thirds” format Lumix GF2 with the compact Canon SL1 DSLR.

Note that I had to take pics with my Android phone—sorry if some of the pics aren’t as good as they could have been!

Unboxing the Canon EOS Rebel SL1 Camera

Fri, 21 Jun 2013 23:59:23 +0000

Slowly but surely I’ve been learning more about photography and shooting video. It’s something I enjoy doing, and I’m always trying out new techniques, with the goal of telling a more compelling story. So with that goal, I’m excited to unbox the new Canon EOS Rebel SL1 18.0 MP CMOS DSLR Camera.

I had been using the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 12 MP Micro Four-Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera, which is a compact, mirrorless camera that packs in many of the features of the larger DSLRs.

Review: Runtastic GPS Sports Watch with Heart Rate Monitor

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:54:20 +0000

A business axiom is that if you can measure it, you can improve it. Nowhere is collecting data more important than in your personal fitness efforts. If you want to decrease your resting heart rate, lose weight, gain strength, gain endurance—or any of a number of goals you may set for yourself—if you are not collecting data to track your workouts, you must not be that serious about achieving your goals. Especially for runners and cyclists, one tool that can help your fitness efforts is a heart rate monitor watch.

Review: SKLZ Workout Interval/Circuit Timer

Sat, 01 Jun 2013 22:35:09 +0000

For those wanting to get or stay in shape, and who also have busy schedules, high-intensity interval training is often the preferred way of working out. The basic idea is to organize your workout into rounds, combining periods of intense exercise with brief periods of rest. The result is a better workout in less time.

The key to success then is a good interval/circuit timer, so I took the opportunity to test the SKLZ Workout Interval/Circuit Timer.

New Dark Horse graphic novel Freaks Amour reading by Tom de Haven

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:12:50 +0000

I had the pleasure of attending a reading by novelist Tom de Haven of new material from the just-released Dark Horse Comics graphic novel edition of Freaks’ Amour, based on his acclaimed cult novel.

Tom’s novel, Freaks’ Amour, tells of a horrific New Jersey after a nuclear blast, where survivors—many of them “freaks” of radiation—clash with each other in a city where there is no longer a normal.

Cicada Invasion: A 17-Year Life Cycle

Mon, 13 May 2013 14:47:09 +0000

So as you’ve probably heard, the cicada invasion for this 17-year brood has started.

I took a few pictures to document their life cycle.

After spending 17 years underground, the cicada nymphs crawl from the ground and head toward the nearest tree.

In this pic you can see some of the many holes spotting the ground at our farm:

Here is a pic of a cicada nymph climbing an oak tree:

Review: Sitting in the shade with the Super-Brella Umbrella Chair

Fri, 10 May 2013 12:59:05 +0000

With the weather warming up, it’s time to start thinking about outdoor activities. But too much sun can be a problem, so I got this Super-Brella Chair for sitting in the shade when at events like camping, tailgating, cookouts, and picnics.

The main feature of this chair is its umbrella, which acts as a sunscreen as well as rain umbrella. In fact, the umbrella is quite versatile in how it can be configured.

Review: OXO Good Grips Measuring Cups

Wed, 08 May 2013 08:27:05 +0000

I apologize in advance for getting excited about something like this, but I have to admit that I’m not too ashamed to say I’m really happy with my OXO Good Grips Measuring Cups.

There are several reasons why I think they are the best measuring cups I’ve ever had:

Their stainless steel construction gives them a solid feel
They have soft, non-slip handles
They have a nice design—including a lip, so liquids don’t run down the sides of the measuring cup when you pour
The measurement markings are clearly visible
They attach and detach easily from a metal ring that helps keep them all together
They are easy to clean by hand or by dishwasher

The Podcasting Resurgence

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 23:23:16 +0000

Ever heard of podcasting? Ever listened to a podcast? Do you actively listen to podcasts?

Back in 2005 when the iPods were taking the world by storm, podcasting too became popular. Podcasting allowed anyone—not just news journalists and radio talking heads—to create a “show” of their own.

Just as blogging opened up the writing world to aspiring writers, podcasting did the same for the world of audio.

Why Now Is a Great Time to Return to Hardware

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 12:20:30 +0000

There is a coming revolution in manufacturing, and this time it’s going to take place on the desktop in your home. As the Economist says, “Something big is happening to the business of making things.”

The time period of the 1960s to the 1980s was a great time to be an electrical engineer, physicist, inventor, hobbyist, or geeky teen. There was a fascination and enthusiasm for building electronic projects, fostered in part by the popular Heathkit kits:

An Inexpensive Complete Home Gym

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 09:53:34 +0000

Are you looking to set up a home gym but don’t have a lot of room or cash? Want to buy equipment that gives you the best exercise bang for your buck? In this article I’ll show you an inexpensive complete home gym that can get you into shape for minimal money and maximal value.

When I say “home,” I mean you likely have limited space in which to exercise in your house or apartment, especially if you are setting up your first home gym. So I’ll focus on equipment that doesn’t permanently attach to the walls and that takes up minimal space. In fact, I’ll focus on portable equipment that can easily be put into the trunk of your car so that you can take your gym with you wherever you go, so that you can still get in your workouts even if you are on travel.

How to Take Notes

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 08:00:18 +0000

I’ve found that having a good note-taking system helps me in many ways. The interesting thing is that, despite quite a bit of time spent in the school system, I was never actually taught how to take notes—it’s a process that I’ve learned on my own and evolved over time. Since taking notes is such a useful, basic, and fundamental skill that is rarely taught, I thought it would be helpful to review how to take notes.

Shifting website content, more website content

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 12:16:34 +0000

UPDATE (19 December 2015):

I’m rolling back my idea of splitting off content — too much of admin overhead. So Becoming Heroic and Rebel Rock Rules are being integrated back into this website.

Thanks for visiting, and be sure to watch for the upcoming changes.

ORIGINAL POST:

Just a quick note.

As you may have noticed, I’ve posted on a variety of topics here in kendallgiles.com, from kindle reviews and how-tos, to writing-related posts, to motivational posts, to music-related posts, to podcast posts, to personal posts.

See now, read later with "Send to Kindle"

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 08:53:30 +0000

You may be surfing around the web and you may come upon a website article that has something like this button on it, circled in red in this screenshot:

In fact, if you are reading this post on kendallgiles.com, then you should see the Send to Kindle button on this page as well.

This button is part of a new service offered by Amazon called, you guessed it, “Send to Kindle”. Clicking on this button allows you to send this article to your Kindle, or to the free Kindle application on your computer, iPhone, iPad, or Android device, for later viewing.

How To Prepare a New Recording Project in GarageBand

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 07:17:38 +0000

I’m finally taking the plunge on figuring out that piece of software called GarageBand that keeps showing up on all my Apple computers.

GarageBand is an easy-to-use Digital Audio Workstation that is quite powerful, yet designed by Apple so that anyone can jump right in and start recording and playing music. The software is even available on the iPad and iPhone, allowing you to record music wherever you go.

Stay in touch when Google Reader goes away

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 11:53:22 +0000

As you’ve probably heard by now, Google is shutting down Google Reader, the service that allowed folks to follow various websites and other news sources via RSS subscription. Here’s their announcement: http://googlereader.blogspot.com/2013/03/powering-down-google-reader.html.

There are other RSS readers, but Google’s had the largest audience, and many other RSS readers that depended on Google’s RSS API are going to go away as well.

Royce Gracie Seminar: Growth from Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 21:22:53 +0000

We are hardwired to view sameness as safety, change as danger.

I realized this when considering whether or not I should sign up for a jiu-jitsu seminar with martial arts legend Royce Gracie.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with him, Royce is a professional mixed martial artist from Brazil who specializes in a form of jiu-jitsu developed in part by his father, Helio Gracie.

New life for a Korg D1200 Digital Recording Studio

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 08:00:58 +0000

Towards improving the sound quality of my podcast and other audio and video projects, I recently scored a Korg D1200 Digital Recording Studio. Technology-wise, perhaps it’s a bit old, but I think it may be what I need to take the next step in my audio adventure.

Reading "The 2 Hour Guide to Mastering Evernote" by Brandon Collins

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 10:24:46 +0000

Book Reviewed

The 2 Hour Guide to Mastering Evernote – Including: Tips, Uses, and Evernote Essentials [2nd Edition], by Brandon Collins.

Introduction

There is a popular software service called Evernote, which is designed for taking notes and organizing/archiving stored information. The software works on most computers and devices, and keeps your information “in the cloud” so it is always available.

Coursera, Clay Shirky, MOOCs, and a Video about Recording the Spoken Word

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 23:28:55 +0000

I’ve just completed the first week in my Coursera course Introduction to Music Production, taught by Loudon Stearns from the Berklee College of Music. My goal is to learn more about music engineering so I can increase the quality of my podcasts and other audio and video efforts.

The Art of Connection

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 14:52:24 +0000

When you connect with another person, there is an exchange. I do or give you something and you do or give me something in return.

Previously I posted about how if people want a job, they should learn to program. Though schools are behind the curve in teaching students how to program, programming offers one of the most powerful and rewarding ways for people to learn to think creatively, to solve problems, to earn a living, and to make products that are useful.

Want a job, learn to program

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 14:23:11 +0000

A few weeks ago I posted the article “Kids and the new literacy: reading, writing, AND programming”, where I talked about the importance of children learning to program computers as a critical skill going forward. So I’m really excited to see this idea echoed in the following video from the folks at code.org, where Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Chris Bosh, and Will.I.Am break it down for you:

Coursera, MOOCs, and free higher education

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 00:04:35 +0000

I’ve written before about how there are more options and changes within higher education for increased learning and accessibility.

At the forefront of these changes to higher education are MOOCs, Massive Open Online Courses. These are courses offered by traditional university professors and sponsored by traditional higher education colleges and universities, though without the traditional five-figure tuition. In fact, many/most of these courses are offered for free.

Lifelogging, journaling, and productivity with IFTTT

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 23:44:23 +0000

There are many software tools and apps available for time management, journaling, lifelogging, and productivity, such as Google Calendar, Evernote, Things, and OmniFocus. And of course, one can’t forget the traditional way of keeping track of what we did during the day and what we will do tomorrow—pen and paper, ideally a nice notebook and a fountain pen.

I was first indoctrinated in time management principles and practices by the use of the veritable Franklin Planner. However, as computers became more prevalent, and as recordkeeping migrated towards digital files rather than paper, I also migrated away from bulky paper-based systems and towards simple and efficient digital systems, especially those that favored David Allen’s Getting Things Done system.

A great noise was heard across the land: enter the bagpipe

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 00:22:50 +0000

Following through on a New Year’s resolution/threat, I’ve spent the last month scouring the house, attic, basement, nearby cairns, and local graveyards looking for my set of bagpipes.

Let me back up a bit.

Long ago, when Hobbits lived in holes in the ground with round doors, I took a few bagpipe lessons from Pipe Major Doug Stewart. It was a lot of work wrestling that instrument into playing something that resembled music, but eventually music did play, and I even managed to play bagpipes in four weddings.

A part of my childhood, Continental Hobby Center burned to the ground in Lynchburg

Sat, 26 Jan 2013 21:07:14 +0000

[](http://www.kendallgiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Screen-Shot-2013-01-26-at-11.06.55-PM.png)

[ photo: WSET TV ]

Part of my childhood burned to the ground today, so I thought I should at least acknowledge it with a post.

The Continental Hobby Center in Lynchburg, Virginia, was a regular haunt when I was a wee lad. Yes, they had lots of craft supplies, but back then they also had a huge selection of toy models and a track for racing slot cars (we called them “womp womp” cars).

Kids and the New Literacy: Reading, Writing, AND Programming

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 20:53:13 +0000

In the horse and buggy era, being literate meant knowing how to read and write. Knowing how to interact with other humans was a basic step towards becoming a functioning member of society. However, since then the bar has been raised. Computers have now become so integrated into everything we do, that knowing how to interact with humans as well as computers is now a basic step towards becoming a functioning member of society.

Amazon Prime and the Kindle Fire: Together They Go Best

Sat, 19 Jan 2013 00:49:13 +0000

So I’ve been enjoying my Kindle Fire for quite a while now. Especially since I travel a lot, having so many books at my fingertips seems to make the unruly airports, cramped plane seating, and tiring waits at restaurants a lot less, well, unruly, cramped, and tiring.

But I’ve stumbled onto something that makes my Kindle Fire even more awesome. No, not Jean-Luc Picard holding my Kindle Fire. Rather, something called Amazon Prime.

What do you do with an MFA?

Sat, 12 Jan 2013 12:11:40 +0000

On Saturday January 12, 2013, I was awarded an MFA in Creative Writing from the Stonecoast MFA Program at the University of Southern Maine. (Pictured above, L-to-R: Allister Timms, Derek Hoffman, Jim Kelly, Amy Tibbetts, Kendall Giles)

There was much rejoicing.

Note: as backgrounders on writing and how to become a better writer, check out my articles on a writer’s quick-start guide and how to choose an MFA writing program.

Interview with science fiction and fantasy author Myke Cole

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 21:35:45 +0000

At the end of 2012 I had the chance to have a fascinating talk with science fiction and fantasy author Myke Cole.

Originally for a presentation on becoming a professional writer I gave for the Stonecoast MFA program in Creative Writing at the University of Southern Maine, I think this interview will be of interest to all writers who are struggling to make their way in the world.

My Bartitsu article ranked in top 10 of most popular articles at Breaking Muscle for 2012

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 12:58:08 +0000

Cool news — my article on Bartitsu ranked in the top 10 (it ranked #4) most popular martial arts articles at Breaking Muscle! Here’s a list of the top 10 martial arts articles for 2012 at Breaking Muscle and here’s my Bartitsu article.

Heart: First Look at the Black Belt Test

Sat, 15 Dec 2012 10:04:10 +0000

I previously wrote about a goal I have, earning a black belt in martial arts.

Since that post, I’ve been training as much as I can amid a hectic travel schedule. In a future post I’ll mention how to get in some quality workouts while on the road, but for now I want to focus on my first personal glimpse at the black belt test.

Overcoming Introversion in the Age of the Internet

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 20:43:09 +0000

I want to talk a bit about something that concerns people who want to achieve success in their new business or new career, but who have some sort of aversion to reaching out to other people socially or for guidance/mentorship/assistance. In other words, I want to talk about being introverted.

Being introverted, this hesitancy to network and interface readily with other people, is increasingly detrimental in the Age of the Internet, since the whole point of the Internet is networking. So I want to discuss introversion and to give some tips introverts can use to get out there and work on building their social network.

Totally Awesome Gift Guide 2012

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 10:10:13 +0000

It’s time once again to highlight a few items that would make great gifts.

EBOOK READERS

Ebook readers have come a long way. Initially ridiculed and misunderstood just a few years ago, now ereaders are pervasive and have even changed the way we read. Taking along a bookshelf full of books on a trip is trivially easy, highlighting passages and taking notes is done with the swipe of a finger, and purchasing new books can be done from almost anywhere with the click of a button and made available for reading within minutes.

Copenhagen Denmark trip recap: sushi, business, and bicycles

Thu, 22 Nov 2012 08:20:25 +0000

I previously wrote about our leg of the trip that took us up into the tallest spires of castles and down into the depths of mines dark and damp.

We then headed north, to Copenhagen, in the land of the Vikings.

However, in Copenhagen at least, I’d say it’s now the land of the bicycles, where about 30% of the people there travel and commute by bike.

Life Strategy and the Power of Now

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 06:17:55 +0000

When you wake up in the morning, do you have some sort of plan to guide you through the day? Not a rigid schedule, but a set of heuristics to help your decision making about what to do and what not to do? What about your life—do you have a life strategy?

Most of you probably have your decisions decided for you automatically and you probably rush through the day on autopilot—you have kids to feed and send off to school and/or you have to get dressed yourself, jump in the car/bus/train, and commute to your cubicle at work. You come home, fix food for the family, watch television, then go to bed. Rinse and repeat.

Castles, Knights, Mines, Dwarves, and Mozart: A Dream Fulfilled, A Trip to Remember

Sat, 10 Nov 2012 12:03:39 +0000

Salzburg. Birthplace of Mozart. City of impossibly steep AND narrow mazelike streets.

We stumbled into the oldest restaurant in Europe, open since the year 803. Charlemagne ate there.

We managed to score reservations to eat there too.

During the dinner we listened to selections of Mozart played by a string quintet in period clothes and ate dishes from 18th century recipes.

Hurricane Sandy and downtime

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 11:55:14 +0000

As I write this, the frankenstorm Hurricane Sandy is about to collide with the East Coast. We’d known for days the storm was coming and now it’s here. Hopefully everyone in the affected areas has heeded the warnings and have taken safety precautions, including evacuation if necessary.

We were to have flown today through Newark, New Jersey, but our flight has been cancelled. Major bummer. Travelers have been stranded and flight schedules will take days, if not weeks, to get back to normal. But also many businesses have closed, schools have closed, and other transportation networks have halted services.

New book: First Steps Toward Becoming Heroic

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 10:04:07 +0000

First Steps Toward Becoming Heroic will help you become the person of your dreams, achieve worthwhile goals, and positively influence those around you. For those who are serious about changing their lives, contributing to their communities, and making the world a better place, this book will help you take those first steps toward living a meaningful, rewarding life.

Stonecoast MFA reading in Lynchburg, Virginia

Sat, 20 Oct 2012 00:01:31 +0000

As a part of the Literary Lounge series at Riverviews Artspace in Lynchburg, Virginia, Bunny Goodjohn and three other alumni from the Stonecoast MFA program at the University of Southern Maine—Anthony D’Aries, Meriah Crawford, and Deborah Williamson—read selections from their fiction, memoir, and poetry.

In organizing this event, Bunny had in mind the idea of recreating the literary salon, where artists gather to meet in small, intimate settings to share their works with family, friends, patrons of the arts, and each other.

New Article: "Bartitsu: The Steampunk Mixed Martial Art" at Breaking Muscle

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 09:26:53 +0000

My new article is up at Breaking Muscle, “Bartitsu: The Steampunk Mixed Martial Art.”

Talks about Steampunk, martial arts, self-defense, Sherlock Holmes, Women’s Suffragist Movement, and really cool mustaches…

I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think!

How to record an audio interview on two tracks using Soundflower, Linein, and Garageband

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 15:18:24 +0000

For those who might want to record audio over two channels, such as one track containing audio from your mic and one track containing audio from a Skype call, as when conducting an interview, here is one way to do this inexpensively. There are apps and hardware devices you can buy, but I wanted to be able to record an interview using inexpensive (free) software. After a bit of trial and error, here’s the setup that seems to work best for me.

The Path to Black Belt

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 10:06:37 +0000

Over the years I’ve had to overcome difficult obstacles on the way to reaching my goals, and am currently writing a short guide to help others raise the bar, so to speak, on what kind of life they want to live. This guide will be called First Steps Toward Becoming Heroic, and I hope folks will find it helpful. Watch this site for news about its release.

Dinners with Dolores: Food, Family, Fun

Sat, 06 Oct 2012 22:59:40 +0000

On my mother’s 82nd birthday, I gave her a cookbook with 82 of her family recipes.

She cried for joy.

In addition to being a great cook, my mother is also an excellent artist, and throughout the cookbook I included not only pictures from her life, but also samples of her artwork.

Nutrition fads may come and go, but these recipes and paintings and pictures, to me, can never be replaced because they are the foundation for how our family and friends shared many happy memories together.

Book Cover: First Steps Toward Becoming Heroic

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 10:08:57 +0000

The interest in the Becoming Heroic project I’ve seen and the positive feedback I’ve received are very heartwarming — I’m very grateful!

Because so many people want to do more with their lives, but often have trouble getting started, getting out of a rut, or defining concrete life goals, I’ve been working on a short book to help those folks take the first few steps toward leading a happier, more meaningful life. This guide is meant to help get them started in the right direction, to help them take those first couple of steps towards making significant progress.

Quick roundup on the new Amazon Kindles

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 11:59:38 +0000

Amazon has just announced several new Kindle models, including the:

Here’s a great feature comparison of all the new Kindle models .

What happened when I found a snake in the basement

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 16:37:36 +0000

I had thought it was going to be a fairly uneventful day, but then I went into the basement.

After a baking summer, the last few wet, rainy days had left the air humid and the ground saturated, so I decided to head down into the basement to dump the water in the dehumidifier.

The bulb had burned out, but there was enough light coming in through the window that I could see well enough, though long shadows cast quite a bit of darkness near the floor.

What Superheroes and Gods can teach us about being human: Supergods, by Grant Morrison

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 11:10:44 +0000

What can Superheroes and Gods, at least those commonly depicted in comics and graphic novels, teach us about being human? Grant Morrison has some insights.

Grant Morrison is perhaps best known as the writer of some popular comics, such as comics depicting the X-Men, Batman, the Fantastic Four, and Superman, among many others. He is a comic industry veteran and his thoughts carry much influence. Thus, Morrison’s combined accounting and history of the comic industry, along with his own memoir, Supergods: What Masked Vigilantes, Miraculous Mutants, and a Sun God from Smallville Can Teach Us About Being Human, presents a welcome accounting of comicbooks as well as an interesting look into the mind behind one of comic’s most well-known writers.

From the ashes of the past year, a phoenix arises

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 10:54:53 +0000

So, these past twelve months have not been the greatest. A lot has happened since last August, so I thought I’d give an update on what has transpired.

A little over a year ago, an Aunt, who had been fighting cancer, was told to make her final life preparations.

Because her sister and niece (my wife) were in the US, and the Aunt was in Italy, arranging for her care and dealing with end of life issues became a logistical (and emotional, and financial) nightmare.

The changing university: options for increased learning and accessibility

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 11:25:01 +0000

College is a place where a professor’s lecture notes go straight to the student’s lecture notes, without passing through the brains of either. — Mark Twain

While Twain’s tongue-in-cheek observation about the traditional college model held true in Mark Twain’s day–up until about ten years ago the sit-in-lecture-and-listen model was the only viable option out there–these days there are more education options available than just sitting in a classroom listening to lectures for hours at a time.

A Stonecoast Residency: Day 9, Graduation

Sun, 15 Jul 2012 07:16:17 +0000

Despite everyone being exhausted, sometimes speaking in incomplete or undecipherable sentences from lack of sleep, a murmur of expectation was building in the air.

Though everyone else had two days of the residency left, for the graduating class, today was graduation day.

In the morning, the last batch of graduate presentations were given. Are you a plotter or a pantser? Do you organize what you are going to write first or do you dive in, giving yourself to the muse, letting your story evolve led by your characters?

A Stonecoast Residency: Day 8

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 19:32:14 +0000

Some people tell me, in an unsure whisper, that it’s Friday.

Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t.

Sleep deprivation is taking its toll.

Among the first events at the Stonehouse for Day 8 of this Stonecoast residency was a graduate presentation by Malissa Kent on “It’s Not Easy Being E: The Perils and Pitfalls of E-Publishing”.

A Stonecoast Residency: Days 6-7

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 22:08:05 +0000

Day 6 was designed to be a bit of a breather.

At this point, if you asked someone at Stonecoast what day of the month it was, most likely they would not have been able to tell you.

What day of the week is it, then?

Sorry, all the days are kind of blurred together.

So, Day 6 is a bit of a reset day. A time to clean the palate. Wash the laundry. Catch up on sleep. Renew. Rebirth.

A Stonecoast Residency: Day 5

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 09:02:40 +0000

Halfway through a residency!

As a perky pick-me-up, Lindsey Bogason gave a graduate presentation called “That’s Entertainment! The Value of a Good Beach Read”.

Lindsey convinced us that sometimes there’s nothing wrong with writing just for entertainment purposes.

I also want to note that among the other great graduate student presentations this morning, Lynette James gave a talk called “Not Other, Us: Tools for Inclusion”.

A Stonecoast Residency: Day 4

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 22:53:06 +0000

The bus picked everyone up at 7:45AM and took us to the Stonehouse. The road to Stonehouse weaves through Wolfe’s Neck State Park under arches of trees. It truly feels, when we emerge on the other side, like we are in a different, magical, writerly world.

For the graduate student presentations I went to “Virgins, Homosexuals, and Monsters, OH MY! – The Hows and Whys of Gothic Literature” by Angela Still.

A Stonecoast Residency: Day 3

Sun, 08 Jul 2012 19:53:51 +0000

A Stonecoast residency is all about writing, but it’s also about fellowship, learning, and becoming a professional writer.

And it’s an exercise in sleep deprivation.

I just wanted to put that out there.

Breakfast this morning was held at the Stonehouse because the Bowdoin cafeterias were closed for breakfast Sunday. Granola, Greek yogurt, blueberry French toast, and coffee fortified everyone for the new day.

Just hold on a second, you might say. Stonecoast is the MFA program in Creative Writing at the University of Southern Maine. What’s all this talk about Bowdoin College?

A Stonecoast Residency: Day 2

Sat, 07 Jul 2012 23:19:02 +0000

Today was the first full day at Stonecoast.

The morning started off with a general meeting and orientation for all students by Robin Talbot, including a presentation on the Stonecoast in Ireland program by Ted Deppe.

Next was the first workshop. So. This is the where students get critiqued by the other members of the workshop on their submitted stories. I.e., people you may know and may not know will give you feedback on a story you’ve written.

A Stonecoast Residency: Day 1

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 23:11:06 +0000

I’ve written before about how to choose an MFA writing program, as well as how to get the most out of a writing workshop. I’ve even written about how to just get started writing.

What I want to do here is sketch what it is like to attend a Stonecoast residency, which happens for 10 days at the start of each semester of the Stonecoast MFA program in Creative Writing, one of the 10 best creative writing programs.

Welcome Breaking Muscle Readers

Wed, 04 Jul 2012 09:14:44 +0000

Hey! Thanks for reading my Breaking Muscle article “What Color Is Your Dojo?” and visiting my website.

I write about a variety of topics, from technology to creative writing to fitness to martial arts, so feel free to browse around.

At the end of this post you can sign up for my weekly newsletter (it’s free!) and on the right you can connect with me on various social media sites.

My New Breaking Muscle Article "What Color Is Your Dojo?"

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 09:44:13 +0000

Here’s a link to my article on Breaking Muscle called “What Color Is Your Dojo?”

Breaking Muscle is devoted to developing and teaching cutting edge strength, conditioning, and mind/body programs. Drawing on top fitness athletes, coaches, and researchers, articles cover a variety of topics, including Olympic lifting, powerlifting, functional fitness, yoga, and nutrition. Their goal is to advance human health and performance through education, fitness programs, nutrition discussions, reviews, and demonstrations.

An Old Fashioned Barn Raising

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 21:18:39 +0000

You could kind of say it was an old fashioned barn raising.

We wanted a barn critters would be happy in. Drawn to, even. Of the earth, and of nature.

Growing Your Business: Five Key Tips When Contacting a Potential Client

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 14:28:40 +0000

I love it when readers of my blog get in touch with me via my contact page. Sometimes I hear from friends looking to reconnect. Other times I get feedback about an article or post I’ve written.

These messages make my day.

Most often, however, the messages I get are spam. Why, yes, I’m absolutely sure I don’t have a long lost relative living in Africa who wants to deposit an inheritance into my bank account.

The Venus Transit: Make Your Day Memorable

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 13:39:20 +0000

[](http://www.kendallgiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Visibility_of_2012_Transit_of_Venus.png)

NASA image of where the Venus transit will be visible

A couple of days ago I posted about making blackberry cobbler from some wild blackberries we found and picked.

Nature is always interesting and surprising, but that little discovery of some wild blackberries made that day truly memorable. Those blackberries were an opportunity to appreciate what nature has to offer, to call my mom and ask for the cobbler recipe, and to fix and eat a dessert made from scratch.

Wild Blackberry Cobbler

Sun, 03 Jun 2012 22:09:32 +0000

Brambles scraped and scratched. The air clung humid against skin crisped beneath the sun.

Skin itched.

What’s that? Reach for it.

Ouch, thorns!

No, look there.

Wild blackberries!

Let’s pick some.

Hands stained ruby red.

What should we do with them?

Mom’s blackberry cobbler recipe.

Stomachs full. Contentment on a late spring night.

Life is infinitely amazing.

How To Get the Most Out Of A Writing Workshop

Tue, 22 May 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Previously I had written about choosing an MFA program, and this time I wanted to talk about a central component to any creative writing program—the writing workshop, where members submit stories for critique by the other members of the workshop. And I guess I should state that writing workshops are not the exclusive domain of writing programs–any writer interested in improving the craft of their writing should consider attending a writing workshop.

Why I got punched in the face, and an exercise to enrich your life

Thu, 17 May 2012 12:10:18 +0000

“I didn’t mean to punch you so hard in the nose,” said David, after martial arts practice finished for the evening.

No, I’m not some sort of masochist–I really don’t like getting punched in the face.

So, then why does my face keep finding itself in front of someone else’s oncoming fists?

Because I stubbornly keep pushing forwards, wading into the onslaught. I’m in a new environment, with new rules and new requirements, and I haven’t yet learned to adapt and figure out how to make my face not be where the fists are aiming.

Scrivener: the secret weapon for writing like a professional

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:31:10 +0000

Previously, in my writer’s quick-start guide, I had mentioned a must-have writing software package called Scrivener. Given that I think Scrivener will transform how you write, I wanted to talk about this application here in more detail.

Scrivener has become my go-to writing application. I use it for everything—creative writing, academic papers, blog posts (like this one), recipes, project ideas, and notes. One day I’ll convert one of my short stories into a play script, and I’ll use Scrivener for that too. Like no other word processor I’ve used before, Scrivener has changed the way I write, increasing my writing productivity and organization by an order of magnitude.

Send files from your computer to your Kindle with SendToKindle

Thu, 03 May 2012 08:27:45 +0000

You’ve always had the option of transferring files to your Kindle using a USB, or emailing a document to your send-to-kindle email address. But now with the SendToKindle application, you can also transfer files to your Kindle using a Wi-Fi or Whispernet connection easily from your computer.

Where To Get The SendToKindle Application</h3?

What Types Of Files You Can Send

Microsoft Word (.DOC)
Microsoft Word (.DOCX)
TXT (.TXT)
RTF (.RTF)
JPEG (.JPEG, .JPG)
GIF (.GIF)
PNG (.PNG)
BMP (.BMP)
PDF (.PDF)

Demo and Tutorial

Here’s a quick demo and tutorial of the different ways you can send documents to your Kindle using the SendToKindle application. Note: for this demo, I’ll be using the Mac version, but the PC version works similarly.

April 2012 status update: still alive!

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 10:00:00 +0000

It has been almost a month since I last posted, but I just wanted to let everyone know I’m still alive!

Sometimes the deadlines, deliverables, and demands of the universe pile up and pile on.

I’m slowly digging my way out–hopefully I’ll be back to my regular posting schedule soon.

Just so you don’t think I’ve been kicking back, eating bonbons, here are some highlights from the last month:

Hail, power outages, flash floods--hello March

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 19:11:23 +0000

So I was just getting used to 80 degree F temps in March, when the skies opened up and unleashed a torrent of hail, flash floods, and lightening strikes that have the power in my house going up and down like bad strobe lighting. Hurray for country living.

Yes, that’s hail coming down in the pic.

Writers Quick-Start Guide

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 12:48:04 +0000

[](http://kendallgiles.4orion.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/lynette_kendall_marial_stonecoast_w2012.jpg)

(PHOTO: by Jim Kelly)

A friend of mine, who writes a lot and is now moving to get their work published, asked me for some help on some writing procedural matters. Not information on how to write, but, for example, how to create a pdf document, how to create Kindle book, and how to format a manuscript for submission. Nuts and bolts questions that are outside the craft of writing, but questions that need answering if one wants to get published.

Tom De Haven and the "Krazy Kat Goes to Kollege" Lecture

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:58:03 +0000

Tom De Haven, author of 18 books, regular contributor to the New York Times Book Review, and Professor in the VCU Department of English, will be giving the lecture, “Krazy Kat Goes to Kollege: Comics in the Curriculum (and what it means)” as the 2011-2012 Elske v. P. Smith Lecture.

New essay published in InYo martial arts journal, winter 2012

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:51:33 +0000

I just had an essay published in the Winter January 2012 issue of InYo: The Journal of Alternative Perspectives on the Martial Arts and Sciences.

Check it out!

Review: "Every Writers Dream", by Jeff Goins

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 10:53:49 +0000

With today’s dynamic publishing landscape and tight economic times, writers are increasingly expected to take on more of the marketing aspects by publishers for their books that make it to market. One subtle effect of this shift is that agents and publishers are looking at more than just the text of the book when deciding whether or not to sign the author. Yes, the author has to have written something great, but agents and publishers are also looking to see how well the author can help market the book.

How to Choose a Creative Writing MFA Program

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:07:37 +0000

It’s early in the morning—-the sun is not yet up, but here I am, typing away, coffee at the ready.

What’s going on? Why aren’t I sleeping?

Though I didn’t get home last night until 1:30AM, I’ve got things to write.

You see, I’m just back from a creative writing residency as part of the Stonecoast MFA program in Creative Writing, at the University of Southern Maine–I’m brimming with ideas, energy, knowledge, and inspiration, and am still warm from the love and fellowship of other dedicated writers.

My dog has died. Diamond: December 1996 -- January 2012

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 17:32:46 +0000

My dog has died, and also a part of me.

She came into our lives 16 years ago during a snowstorm in Wisconsin.

I had just come home from work in nearby Madison. It had started snowing earlier in the day, and by the time I got to our isolated farmhouse out in the country, the snow was more than a foot deep. Usually I entered the house via the back door, but something black, huddled in the corner of the front porch, caught my eye in all the snow.

Resolutions, Goals, and Improving Your Craft

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 23:22:12 +0000

I made a resolution to myself years ago that I would make a serious effort to pursue and improve my writing.

I’ve always been interested in writing stories and telling tales–hey, maybe I’ll even write a novel one day–but somehow job, career, and family always seemed to take a higher priority. And so no progress was made toward my goal.

Blue Skies Ahead: Thank You, Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 13:34:26 +0000

I just wanted to take a moment and thank everyone for their support, friendship, and love throughout 2011. I’ve had a lot of visitors to my website and have enjoyed keeping up with old friends and making new ones on various social networks.

2011 was a year of change for me, full of risks and surprises, big wins and failures. But 2012 is here now and it looks to be an another exciting year of growth, happiness, health, and reaching for the stars.

How to watch movies on your Kindle Fire

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 11:23:43 +0000

If you’ve just received a new Kindle Fire, it may not be immediately obvious how to watch movies on your device.

Your Kindle Fire comes with a free month of Amazon Prime, which includes not only free 2-day shipping, but also free Amazon Instant Videos (TV shows and movies).

Amazon Kindle Fire Unboxing

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 18:33:52 +0000

UPDATE September 2012:

See this post for the latest round of Amazon Kindles, including the Amazon Kindle Fire HD and the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite.

Original older post below.

—————————-

So the Amazon Kindle Fire ereaders are out now and there’s a lot of anticipation in the air as folks wonder what this new device is all about.

Review: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:17:21 +0000

We’ve no doubt all heard the cliche, “It takes a village to raise a child.” But award-winning author Neil Gaiman turns this phrase on its head and, with The Graveyard Book, explores a much more interesting premise: “It takes a graveyard to raise a child.” The prospect leads to tantalizing questions. For those who can imagine it, can the dead teach a child how to live? Can the dead protect a child from being killed?

Totally Awesome Gift Guide 2011

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:38:54 +0000

Here is the third annual Totally Awesome Gift Guide–a collection of gift ideas that go beyond the mundane.

These gifts are curated based on: my personal review (i.e., after using the item, I found it to be totally awesome), or I just really, really want the item myself (i.e., it is totally awesome, period).

So, here are some totally awesome gifts for totally awesome people (like you!). I’ve grouped them into three categories: Fitness, Electronics, and Books.

VCU Cabell First Novelist Festival and panel discussion

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 11:21:04 +0000

On Tuesday November 15, 2011, in the VCU Commonwealth Ballroom, day 1 of the VCU Cabell First Novelist Festival kicked off with an evening celebrating the novel, writing, reading, and building a career as an author. This two-day festival is a special event recognizing the tenth anniversary of the Award.

The keynote talk was given by NPR book critic and novelist Alan Cheuse, who spoke on “First and Last Novels: Rumblings About Writing and Publishing in the 21st Century.” In his talk, we gained an appreciation for James Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, we heard about the struggles in getting that first novel published (yes, editors sometimes lose manuscripts in liquor stores), and we were reminded of the importance of writing quality in the tempest of the modern publishing world.

What is a Kindle?

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:02:16 +0000

Lately, the news channels have been flooded with talk about “Kindles” and “Nooks” and “ereaders” and “ebooks”. Most of the stories focus on specific products, and rarely are the simple questions addressed, like: “What is a Kindle?” or “What is an Amazon Kindle?”. I’ve even heard: “What is a Kendall Reader?”. So I thought I’d give a short introduction on the Amazon Kindle.

5 quick links for 2 November 2011

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 09:57:25 +0000

Now that Halloween is behind us, we’ve a brisk march toward the end of the year in front of us. Here are five quick links to contemplate along the way.

Today we’ve got an interesting look at college degrees and whether or not college has been oversold, a look at Steve Jobs’s Buddhism, growing your own vegetables, and, of course, Vikings!

5 quick links for 26 October 2011

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 10:12:47 +0000

Find out how about the Slave Leia costume dilemma, meet Thor’s daughter–the fittest woman in the world, learn some life hacks, see why thermostats might soon be cool, and hear an inspiring cover of John Lennon’s Imagine!

Slave Leia PSA: How to rock your costume, starring Kaley Cuoco
Who is the fittest woman in the world?: Naturally, she’s Thor’s daughter. No, really.
Emmanuel Kelly’s X Factor audition: He nails John Lennon’s Imagine.
Next up by Tony Fadell, former chief architect at Apple?: A thermostat called Nest.
35 life hacks: Including how to go straight to your floor in an elevator.

Think Small 6 Event Information

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 18:17:16 +0000

I received a beautiful postcard containing event information about the Think Small 6 biennial international miniature invitational.

Note that as a part of this event I’ve been invited to read my story “Searching” at the November 11, 2011, 7PM flash fiction reading.

5 quick links for 21 October 2011

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11:49:35 +0000

This is an action-packed set of links to start off your weekend, what with knife throwing, a Sherlock Holmes 2 movie trailer, an exciting Chess Boxing Championship, and a Led Zepplin song done as only Michael Winslow can do it. And, if in all this excitement you lose your ereader, I’ve also included a link with advice on what to do about it.

5 quick links for 19 October 2011

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 10:27:39 +0000

A couple links are in the spirit of the season: demon kettlebells and an essay on the way of the monster by Scott Poole. But there’s always room for Martin Amis, a funny essay about Comic Sans, and, of course, Vikings!

Demonbells: These aren’t just ordinary kettlebells. Add a little demon to your workout.
Accepting the monster into your heart: Thought provoking essay by Scott Poole
Martin Amis on the novelist life: Writing, sex, and inspiration as one gets older.
An essay for those who don’t like the font Comic Sans: There are a few who turn up their noses at Comic Sans. This essay is for you.
First undisturbed Viking ship burial found on the British mainland: Huzzah!

Review: Before the Revolution, by Daniel Richter

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 08:22:13 +0000

History is not a discreet collection of independent events. What happens in one epoch, such as the Victorian Era or the Revolutionary Period, is not divorced from earlier events in the same epoch nor from events in previous epochs. Historical events are not blank slates—rather, there are always traces and artifacts left on the slate from what was writ before. And so with Before the Revolution: America’s Ancient Pasts, by Daniel Richter, it is refreshing to read a historical text that takes these “conditional events” into consideration, leading to perhaps one of the most nuanced and reliable accountings of the Pre-Revolutionary period of American history.

5 quick links for 14 October 2011

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 08:12:36 +0000

Just in time for the weekend: five quick links, including Oreos as art, the power of beauty, Richard Feynman on how science works, All Hallow’s Read, and tips for overcoming writers block.

Oreo cameos: Your next art project is only a bag of Oreos away
How does beauty feel?: Our response to beautiful objects
The scientific method and the rules of chess: by Richard Feynman
All Hallow’s Read: Neil Gaiman explains the event himself
The 10 types of writers block: and how to overcome them

Have a great weekend!

Review: Summer of Night, by Dan Simmons

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:20:38 +0000

Many of us have fond memories of childhood, especially those lazy summers when schools were out, the days were hot, and the neighborhoods were ripe for exploration with friends. Hugo award-winning author Dan Simmons captures this age of innocence perfectly in Summer of Night, but then he lets the monsters loose in this old school horror story about how the carefree lives of a group of children are quickly torn from them as they confront their ultimate nightmares.

5 quick links for 11 October 2011

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 09:01:00 +0000

Five quick links, including women’s self-defense footage, healthy recipes, NaNoWriMo tips, a beta version of The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, and 10 free online classes to level-up your life.

Awesome women’s self-defense footage: From about 1947. Note that she’s in heels and wears the flirty short shorts of the time.
Crossfit Evolve Nutrition:Some useful nutrition links and recipes for healthy eating
More NaNoWriMo tips and thoughts: NaNoWriMo is almost here!
Beta-version of The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction: Now live!
10 interesting online classes you can take for free: Level-up yourself by learning something

5 quick links for 8 October 2011

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 09:03:03 +0000

Today we’ve got five interesting links, including a video clip about Bruce Lee, an initial recommendation engine for science fiction books, two Steve Jobs links, and a link about the Geek Girl convention!

Hurray for the weekend!

Bruce Lee footage: His original Hollywood screen test, breaking with Chinese tradition, absorption of Western martial arts, origin of Jeet Kune Do, plus some action footage
A recommendation engine for science fiction books
Steve Jobs in pictures: From The Atlantic. Very moving.
Geek Girl Con: A convention for geek girls
Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford Commencement Address: It’s worth your time to watch the whole thing.

5 quick links for 6 October 2011

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 10:19:24 +0000

Five quick links, the day after Steve Jobs died.

Steve Jobs narrates The Crazy Ones: I dare you to listen to this and not get choked up. What will you do with your life?
Richard Feynman on Beauty: Take 5 minutes to watch this. It may change how you look at the universe.
Here’s why the Italian Wikipedia might be pulled: I.e., what happens when the illiterati write the laws for a country
The Power of Open: A look at how content creators–educators, musicians, writers, photographers–are pushing creative boundaries and are making their works freely available to anyone and everyone on the web. How will this culture of openness change education, policy, and entertainment?
Science Fiction writers have a job, and it’s time to do it: Says Neal Stephenson

Think Small 6, artspace at Plant Zero, and a public reading

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 08:33:56 +0000

I’ve been invited to read one of my short stories at the Think Small Micro Fiction Event at the artspace gallery at Plant Zero in Richmond, Virginia.

Think Small is a biennial international miniature invitational exhibition. This the 6th exhibition runs October 28 to December 18, 2011.

The key challenge to the Think Small exhibition is that artists must produce innovative works that fit within a 3″ by 3″ space. Thus, artists must “think small.” For the Think Small Fiction event, complete short stories must fit within that 3″ x 3″ space. This means that the stories must be 100 words or less!

5 quick links for 4 October 2011

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 08:39:25 +0000

I meant for this to go out yesterday, but the release of my new book kept me distracted. But here is a batch of interesting links, including one infographic to rule them all, how to keep safe when using public WiFi, a stunning new edition of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales, and a flowchart for how to choose what to read from NPR’s list of the top 100 science fiction and fantasy books.

Five Slices of Death, my new horror short story collection, is available now

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 11:19:33 +0000

Five Slices of Death, by Kendall Giles

My new collection of delicious horror stories has just been published!

Here are more details about the book and what’s inside.

BUY NOW!

Five Slices of Death for the Amazon Kindle

Five Slices of Death for the Barnes & Noble NOOK

5 quick links for 30 September 2011

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 08:05:59 +0000

In time for the weekend, and to get a jump on the Halloween festivities in October, here are five quick links. Included here are photos from a zombie walk, a recipe for a cappuccino fudge cheesecake, financial advice, one way to get onto Jeopardy, and how to peel a whole head of garlic in less than 10 seconds.

Go!

New Amazon Kindles and a Kindle Tablet called the Kindle Fire

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 10:08:35 +0000

UPDATE September 2012:

Click HERE for the latest round of Amazon Kindles, including the Amazon Kindle Fire HD and the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite.

Original older post below.

—————————-

Leaked data indicates Amazon is selling more than 2,000 Kindle Fires per hour! What is the Kindle Fire? More details on this and other new Kindle products below.

Amazon announced new Kindle products, and here is an initial quick look and review of what was announced–great new Kindles and a new Kindle tablet!

5 Quick Links for 26 September 2011

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 09:34:14 +0000

[](http://kendallgiles.4orion.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/pumpkins.jpg)

Pumpkins

Here are 5 quick links to help you start off your week, including 5 things to do every day for success, the 13 most important numbers, the hour of Frankenstein’s creation, and a peak inside a Google data center.

Frankenstein’s hour of creation identified by astronomers: “I saw—with shut eyes, but acute mental vision—I saw the pale student of unhallowed arts kneeling beside the thing he had put together. I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out, and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life and stir with an uneasy, half-vital motion. Frightful must it be, for supremely frightful would be the effect of any human endeavor to mock the stupendous mechanism of the Creator of the world.” — Mary Shelley
The 13 Most Important Numbers in the Universe: They say 1 is the loneliest number, but absolute zero has got to be pretty lonely too.
A peak inside a Google data center: Just how many servers does Google have in one of their data centers?
5 Things to do Every Day for Success: These aren’t sufficient conditions for success, but they will help you stay in the game.
Philosophical Quotes: Here’s a good one: “Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow.”–Aesop

Weekend links 23 September 2011

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 09:34:55 +0000

Weekend reading links for 23 September 2011, including: sushi etiquette, cultural insights from 5 million books, Bartitsu demonstration, and great science discoveries.

Culturomics: What We Learned from 5 Million Books: Great TED talk on some cultural insights from digitizing and processing 5 million books as n-grams.
Bartitsu and Suffrajitsu Demonstrations: Martial Arts demonstrations at the Western Martial Arts Workshop 2011 in London. Bartitsu is the martial art of Sherlock Holmes and Suffrajitsu is the martial art used by women fighting for the right to vote.
Silversmith wins MacArthur Genius Award
Sushi Etiquette: Note that the post keeps mentioning fish–not all sushi has fish. In fact, if you’ve been squeamish about trying sushi because of the raw fish part, then ask for “tomago” sushi–it’s rice with a piece of sweet egg omelet on top instead of raw fish. Delicious!
How technology is changing business: Great infographic on how businesses are changing, and why big companies often turn stale.
Where’s the octopus?: Super sneaky octopus!
Particles found to break the speed of light
Scientists reconstruct images of what we see based on brain activity: I want movies from my dreams!
Lego Star Wars Sandcrawler: Made from 10,000 Lego bricks.
Heinlein’s rules for writing

Have a great weekend!

Tuesday Links for 20 September 2011: writing prompts, jujutsu, nanowrimo, and more

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 08:36:06 +0000

Here are some links to help get you through the week, including: a Star Wars Asciimation, 50 most influential books, videos of martial arts throwing techniques, book 1 of The Secrets of Jujutsu, and one-word writing prompts.

Weekend Links: Saturday 17 September 2011

Sat, 17 Sep 2011 10:43:11 +0000

Here are some cool links for Saturday, 17 September 2011:

Pick Punch: make guitar picks from old credit cards, plastic gift cards, photo IDs, etc.
Which Book: service that suggests books for you to read based on your criteria, mood, and other preferences
If I owned a castle, this is what I’d wear: give me a castle and I’ll prove it

Two Interesting Spiders

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 18:25:20 +0000

So I recently found two interesting spiders in my yard, both of them fairly large. That, combined with seeing five praying mantises recently, and I’m beginning to wonder if there’s some strange mystical insect vortex centered on my house.

Here’s the first spider.

Writer Spider, top

Writer Spider, bottom

How to Get Started in the Martial Arts, Part 4: Final Thoughts

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 17:21:22 +0000

The Next Step is Yours

There are books and DVDs for learning martial arts available online, but your best way to learn a martial art is from a martial arts instructor, so be sure to ask around or search martial arts online forums for places to train if your initial searches for schools near you come up empty.

How to Get Started in the Martial Arts, Part 3: Choosing Where to Train

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 17:18:39 +0000

Choosing Where to Train

Now that you have some sense of the different martial arts styles and which ones interest you, the next decision is selecting a training location. Whether you choose a sport art or a historical martial art, the key is to find an instructor and dojo/salle/school with integrity, experience, skill, and good instruction. Some dojos/salles/schools or instructors will claim that their method is “the most authentic” or “the most effective”. Since there is no “most effective” or “most authentic” martial arts style, I would avoid paying attention to such marketing hype. Instead, focus your attention on which schools have effective instructors who are good at teaching the techniques for the style of martial art you are interested in learning. In the end, it is up to you, the martial arts student, to determine the true value of the instruction you receive.

How to Get Started in Martial Arts, Part 2: Choosing a Martial Art

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 17:11:02 +0000

Choosing a Martial Art

The previous part of this series discussed why you might want to consider martial arts training. In this part, we investigate the differences between various martial arts, and how to select one for yourself.

A Little Martial Arts History

The history of martial arts goes back thousands of years. It is very difficult to say that a particular martial art came from a particular country, since the different martial arts styles and schools have borrowed techniques and teachings as people moved from place to place across the globe. However, some martial arts are commonly thought of as “Eastern” martial arts, while other martial arts are commonly thought of as “Western” martial arts.

How to Get Started in the Martial Arts, Part 1: Benefits of Martial Arts

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:11:52 +0000

How many of you have watched a Bruce Lee movie, or perhaps you’ve seen the movie “Kill Bill”, and thought, “Man, I’d love to take martial arts training and learn to move like they do!”? Or maybe you’ve noticed that martial artists are generally in shape? Or maybe you’d like your kid to get off the couch and into a structured activity? Or maybe you’ve decided to learn some self-defense techniques? In this guide I will help people who might want to get started in the martial arts. Getting started is not at all mystical or scary, but there are a few things you might consider to help you on your way, and the purpose of this guide is to get you started in the right direction. I’ll cover the benefits of martial arts training, how to choose a martial art you are interested in learning, and how to find a place to train.

Review: Defender Wireless Driveway Alert System

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 13:31:59 +0000

In the current economic climate, many people are tightening their belts and becoming increasingly concerned about their loved ones at home. Others just want the peace of mind from knowing their homes are alarmed against unknown visitors. There might even be a few folks who want to prepare for the rumored upcoming zombie apocalypse. In all of these cases, installing a basic home alarm system is a good initial step to take.

Virginia Earthquake!

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 14:04:36 +0000

Looks like we had an earthquake in Virginia today around 2PM, and it was felt all the way up the coast to Maine and into Canada.

The USGS is reporting it as a 5.8 or 5.9 magnitude quake.

Thanks to Xeni Jardin, here’s a Google map showing how close the epicenter of the quake was to the North Anna nuclear power station.

After realizing what was going on, I grabbed my video camera and took some footage of some glasses clinking. About 31 seconds in you can also hear my cat, upset.

Review: A Kingdom Strange by James Horn

Sat, 20 Aug 2011 12:38:55 +0000

Colonizing a new land, whether on another planet or even just across an ocean, can be perilous work—obstacles are often insurmountable and constant danger close. We also dream of colonizing other planets in our fiction, but we actually just have to look to our past to witness how difficult this task truly was. Indeed, lest we get too complacent about the luxuries and comfort we all take for granted today, it is sometimes useful to remind ourselves of the sacrifices made by those in the past who struggled to establish footholds in foreign lands, and of the inhabitants of those lands who tried to defend themselves against exploitation.

Geek Guide to Vegas, Part 4: Extra Tips and Hints for Your Trip

Sat, 13 Aug 2011 14:54:55 +0000

So far in this series we’ve introduced Las Vegas, covered what to pack and how to get around the city, and suggested what to do for entertainment and what conventions might be of interest, especially for geeks.

I’ll wrap up the series with a few tips, hints, and other observations you may want to keep in mind in order to make the most of your trip to Las Vegas.

Geek Guide to Vegas, Part 3: Conventions and Entertainment

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 12:22:13 +0000

Las Vegas is a great city for entertainment and conventions! The two biggest reasons a geek would want to travel to Las Vegas are the two uber-geek computer security conventions, BlackHat and Defcon.

(PHOTO: Defcon 19 banner)

Defcon, for example, is now in the Rio, and just finished its 19th convention for the hacking and security 1337 (elite). This year at Defcon 19 there were sessions titled, for example, “Staying Connected During a Revolution or Disaster,” “Bosses Love Excel, Hackers Too,” and “Introduction to Tamper Evident Devices.”

Geek Guide to Vegas, Part 2: Packing and Transportation

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 09:19:51 +0000

[](http://kendallgiles.4orion.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/vegas_new_york_day_roller_coaster.jpg)

(PHOTO: Las Vegas: New York New York)

In general, it’s best to pack light. The weather in Las Vegas is very warm in the summer months, and the winter months aren’t very cold, so you likely won’t need bulky clothes. For best mobility, ease of travel, and no extra airline fees, try to avoid checking in any bags.

Geek Guide to Vegas, Part 1: Introduction

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 23:27:28 +0000

[](http://kendallgiles.4orion.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/vegas_paris_street_view.jpg)

(PHOTO: Las Vegas: Paris street view)

While you might not initially think of Las Vegas as a Mecca for geeks, this city actually does offer some hidden gems to make your trip worth your while. So if you’ve never been, in this series I’ll offer a few tips and observations, from travel planning to getting around town to what to see and do in “Sin City,” with recommendations biased for the geek/nerd.

Stonecoast Follies

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 21:46:02 +0000

Each evening at a Stonecoast residency is devoted to enrichment and learning across all genres of expression. One of the evenings is devoted to the “Stonecoast Follies,” a showcase of the amazing talent of the faculty and students who make Stonecoast such an amazing experience. The Stonecoast Follies is legendary, and this year’s show was amazing.

Let me be clear: these folks are writers by day, talents extraordinaire by night.

Stonecoast: halfway through a residency

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 22:27:25 +0000

A Stonecoast residency is very intense. After five days of catching the bus at 7:45AM each morning and ending programmed activities each evening around 10:00PM or so, not counting extra workshop assignments, catching up on laundry, email, and phone calls to home, the intense work ethic and lack of sleep does take its tole.

A lecture and reading by Jeffrey Ford

Sun, 10 Jul 2011 21:09:47 +0000

I had the pleasure today of seeing and hearing acclaimed and award-winning author Jeffrey Ford not once today, but twice!

A prolific author in Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Mystery, Jeffrey Ford has written novels, such as The Shadow Year: A Novel, The Girl in the Glass : A Novel, and The Portrait of Mrs. Charbuque : A Novel, along with collections of short stories, such as The Drowned Life (P.S.) and The Fantasy Writer’s Assistant: And Other Stories, and The Well-Built City trilogy. He’s won numerous awards, and lives and teaches in southern New Jersey.

InYo: The Journal of Alternative Perspectives on the Martial Arts and Sciences July 2011 issue

Sat, 09 Jul 2011 21:51:13 +0000

The martial arts journal InYo: The Journal of Alternative Perspectives on the Martial Arts and Sciences, from the Japanese in-yo (loosely: “in” = “yin” = darkness, and “yo” = “yang” = light) takes an in your face, alternative look at the martial arts and sciences.

The journal was recently redesigned, and my article “Understanding Ancient Martial Arts Texts: Pooh and Hermeneutics” was selected to be reprinted in the InYo: The Journal of Alternative Perspectives on the Martial Arts and Sciences July 2011 issue, along with a new introduction to the reprinted article.

Why writers should get their own domains

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 17:16:52 +0000

Writers, and other folks too, sometimes wonder if they should create their “online presence” and “develop their brand” using a service like GeoCities, MySpace, etc., or should they instead get their own domain?

The first way allows you to easily test the waters–kind of like blogging with training wheels. No problem with that as a temporary measure–everyone has to start somewhere.

Literary cat

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 12:04:50 +0000

Sorry, couldn’t resist taking a picture of our cat, taking a nap after a night of editing. She seems well adapted to the literary life.

No doubt she’s dreaming of captaining a starship searching for planets strange and populated with mice capering in catnip forests.

Tom Peters and the importance of personal relationships

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 21:52:23 +0000

So I arrived late to the campus cafeteria (a military campus, no less!) for breakfast–I had the credits on my card, but the card-swipe lady had closed her station, and the staff were sitting in loose clusters taking their breakfast. I suppose I was looking a little miserable, because one of the staff, an older lady, came up to me and ushered me in.

Most of the stations in the serving area had been shut down already, in anticipation of lunch prep, but managed to find coffee, cottage cheese, and some eggs the cook made for me on a griddle the size of a twin bed.

Review: Children of the Night, by Dan Simmons

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 09:51:49 +0000

Does the world need another vampire novel? I would say, yes, of course, especially if that novel is well written and adds something new or compelling to the literary conversation about vampires, a conversation that authors and readers have been having since 1872 with Sheridan Le Fanu’s “Carmilla.” In Children of the Night, Hugo award-winning author Dan Simmons makes a solid contribution to the ongoing vampire mythology by giving us not only a believable scientific explanation for vampirism, but also by adding to the history of Vlad Dracula himself.

Review: Dark Awakenings, by Matt Cardin

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 08:00:05 +0000

Half dark fiction, half academic musings on angels, demons, the dead, and monsters, Dark Awakenings, by Matt Cardin, is an exploration of the common religious goals of transcendence, rebirth, and salvation. So what makes this exploration dark? Cardin’s twist of the knife comes from the enlightened observation that these sorts of religious ideals may have tragic, dire, or even horrific consequences if actually realized. What if the path the pious have been following towards enlightenment turns out to lead to death and destruction? Split into seven short stories and novellas and three academic papers, this book is a rather unique combination of fiction and non-fiction horror writing, and a veritable treasure chest of stories and musings for aficionados of the horror genre.

Review: Soundmatters foxLv2 portable speaker

Sat, 28 May 2011 16:55:49 +0000

I’ve been looking for a good portable external speaker for my laptop for quite some time. I thought I had found the answer in the Logitech USB 305 Laptop Speaker Z305 (see my review of the Logitech Z305 speaker here), but when that Logitech speaker died just after using it for two months, I decided to invest in something of higher quality. So when I found the Soundmatters foxLv2 Bluetooth Pocket-sized Audiophile Loudspeaker System with Bluetooth and Hands-free Microphone, I realized I’d found not just a good speaker, but a great one.

Review: iPad Application Design Tips for the New Designer

Thu, 12 May 2011 22:44:13 +0000

Compelling applications on mobile devices, spearheaded by the Apple iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad, are introducing a new generation of people to computing technology as well as giving everyone access to innovative ways of interacting with applications, primarily with touch screens, GPS, and accelerometers. Especially due to the much smaller screen real estate and touch interface, designing effective applications for these devices can be a difficult task. As creator of the interactive book Alice for the iPad, one of the best-selling applications for the iPad, Chris Stevens provides an introduction and primer to these design issues and considerations in his book Designing for the iPad: Building Applications that Sell.

Free books on the Kindle

Thu, 12 May 2011 10:38:57 +0000

I’ve been using my Kindle for quite a while now and it continues to impress me with the ease and convenience it allows me to find new books and start reading them.

For example, in an earlier post I mentioned how to find free ebooks on your Kindle.

Just yesterday there were three older books I needed to find for something I’m working on and so I marched off to my library to try to figure out which stack/shelf/closet I’d squirreled them away in. I knew I had copies of them somewhere–they were classics I’d read many years ago: Sons and Lovers, by D. H. Lawrence, The Red Badge of Courage, by Stephen Crane, and Howards End, by E. M. Forster.

Blogging 10th year anniversary

Fri, 06 May 2011 16:06:24 +0000

Something made me look at the calendar and then there was a small epiphany, kind of like one small firecracker going off.

I realized that, today, I’ve been blogging for 10 years!

Wow, 10 years. This was even before 9/11, which in some ways seems like almost yesterday. But in other ways, like when looking back to better years, it was a lifetime ago.

Where Have All the Children Gone?

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 08:06:55 +0000

Where Have All the Children Gone?

By Kendall Giles

I have to make a confession. When I was in the fourth grade at Sandusky Elementary School, I was one of those kids who dealt in the black market. See, there was this other fourth-grader there named Jerry C., and I had inside knowledge that he was in the market for a certain something–a certain something that, if brought to school, would get that person in really big trouble, like with the Vice-Principal Rubinberg or even Principal Fauber.

Mushrooms on the mulch pile and galumphing through the Internet

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 08:59:42 +0000

Above is a picture I took yesterday of a little cluster of mushrooms I discovered on a pile of mulch in our yard.

Below are a few Internet links from the last couple of weeks. Highlights include why creative people are eccentric, six exercise machines to avoid, word of a new Sherlock Holmes story on the way, and the power of the Dark Side.

Review: Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 21:40:11 +0000

There seem to be as many books about how to write as there are actual writers, yet Anne Lamott makes a solid if not altogether inspiring contribution to the collection. Also known for her non-fiction books dealing with depression, Christianity, and alcoholism, in Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life author Lamott turns her humor and autobiographical lens toward offering sage advice and inspiration for writers of all levels. While far from Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style, and mute on the meter of poetry and the tropes of science fiction, Lamott instead focuses more on psychological issues that confront and haunt writers from all genres, such as defeating the blank page, avoiding perfectionism obsessions, cranking out that first draft, and writing for the right reasons.

Review: Danse Macabre, by Stephen King

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 21:54:52 +0000

Some of us love stories that leave us listening fearfully for shuffling footsteps in the dark, or movies that make us spray our popcorn about the room when the bogeyman leaps from the shadows, on reflection, we may wonder just what it is about scary stories that causes such fearful reactions. Those who scoff at the horror genre, who flinch at any mention of anything bad happening in a story and whose entertainment choices revolve around TV shows like American Idol, may wonder what all the excitement over the horror genre is about. The balm for both these groups is Stephen King’s Danse Macabre, an homage, exploration, and critical analysis of the horror genre during the period 1950-1980, a period that experienced the cultivation and development of the scary story form through radio, TV, movie, and book formats.

Smaug the dragon and galumphing through the Internet

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 09:14:28 +0000

Above: The Inn at Virginia Tech, in beautiful Blacksburg, Virginia.

Below: Galumphing links this week includes a call to visit Mount Vernon (especially in the spring), a reminder about plants that are poisonous to dogs, recipes for all those James Bond drinks we read about and saw in the movies, and, something I’m sure we’ve all wondered, just how much is Smaug the dragon worth?

Review: Beyond Rain of Gold

Sat, 02 Apr 2011 22:16:33 +0000

The author of many books, including the acclaimed Rain of Gold, Victor Villasenor in Beyond Rain of Gold gives us a memoir chronicling his struggles to get his previous novels published as well as his growing awareness of the spirit realm. The story starts with the funeral of Villasenor’s father, where the author learns from tales told by his relatives that his father was more powerful and had more wisdom than the author had previously realized. He also recounts his struggles to get his books published (including 265 rejections for Rain of Gold, which then went on to become a national best seller), and through a series of visitations and conversations with his father’s spirit, along with many visits with publishers and agents, he receives guidance and tips that eventually lead to publishing success. As the now-published author becomes successful and gives talks across the country, primarily about his book Rain of Gold, he also receives enlightenment from his father’s spirit on the nature of the universe.

A camellia and galumphing through the Internet

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 09:45:41 +0000

Spring keeps pushing through, as shown by our camellia, but I hear winter is going to make another stand this weekend.

Links this week include writing tips and commentary from James Patrick Kelly and Will Ludwigsen, some insight into the genius of Ben Franklin, a six month journey along the 2,200 mile Appalachian Trail condensed into 5 minutes, and a movie trailer for Captain America.

Review: Logitech USB Laptop Speaker

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 20:13:48 +0000

[ UPDATE ] Unfortunately, after two months of use, my Logitech USB Z305 speaker now regularly fails after just a few minutes of playing audio. By “fails” I mean the audio is playing fine through the Logitech speaker but then becomes mute after just a few minutes of playing audio. If I unplug the Logitech speaker then the audio resumes just fine through my laptop.

Apricot blossoms and galumphing through the Internet

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 10:37:30 +0000

Above, an apricot tree bursts into bloom.

The world watches, transfixed by the earthquake and tsunami news coming from Japan. The first link below is one way you can help, right now.

Other links include security concerns about being scanned while walking down the sidewalk, bitter ebook practices by a major publisher, Quidditch news, Will Ludwigsen on breaking in as a writer, new super-strong nylon, and accepting credit card payments on your iPhone.

The Boar’s Head and weekend reading links

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 09:06:01 +0000

Above is a boar located at the excellent Boar’s Head Inn in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Below is a potpouri of reading links. This week includes a space shuttle launch, someone fighting shadows with a sword, how to make a pan flute, and lots of recommended science fiction, fantasy, and horror books and authors. Oh, and Charlie Sheen.

[ VIDEO ] Japanese sword fighter vs shadows
- [ VIDEO ] Space shuttle launch viewed from a passing airplane
  - Locus Online 2010 Recommended Reading List [Lots of great book and author recommendations]
    - How to build a bullet shell casing pan flute
      - [ VIDEO ] Hillary Rodham Clinton reads The Makers by Howard Nemerov
        
        2010 Bram Stoker Award Nominations [lots of great book and author recommendations]
        
        Farm Animals Get 80 Percent of Antibiotics Sold in U.S. [ Hey FDA, you’re doing it wrong ]
        
        Charlie Sheen quotes as New Yorker cartoons
        
        The US does seem to love its entitlement programs

Daffodils and weekend reading links

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 11:10:33 +0000

The temperatures this week here in Virginia dipped down into the 20s (F), but around us signs of spring poke through the cold.

This week we’ve got a full selection of reading and viewing links, including a podcast with Elizabeth Hand, a lost Bruce Lee interview, lost Thomas Jefferson books, financial and culinary information, and, last but not least, the venerable Philosophers’ Drinking Song.

Stained glass and weekend reading links

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 10:40:40 +0000

Above: a beautiful stained glass window in Freeport, Maine.

Below: Reading links! Topics include an informative piece on home heating, some cultural items, and five things you should make time for in your life.

Never Knew Another, by J. M. McDermott

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 09:50:29 +0000

Just arrived!

Never Knew Another, by J. M. McDermott, looks absolutely fantastic.

I can’t wait to read it!

Snow on the windowpane and weekend reading links

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 08:23:28 +0000

I hear there’s a warming spell on the way, so maybe all the snow will melt.

Just a few links this week: Poe’s Baltimore house is in danger, a cautionary tale about not irritating your web designer, tips on getting cheap airline flights, and a video about knowing your rights when stopped by the police.

This is why you should think twice about not paying your web designer
- Poe’s Baltimore house is in danger
  - Getting cheaper airline flights
    - [ VIDEO ] How to deal with cops: Q&A with Steve Silverman of Flex Your Rights

Possum in da house and weekend reading links 5 February 2011

Sat, 05 Feb 2011 14:56:22 +0000

So evidently word has spread on the critter social network about the afternoon tea and crumpets for our kitties, because yesterday this strange looking cat invited himself over.

Below are a few links to keep most anyone entertained for at least a few minutes. This week’s topics include education, manly ways to use an Altoids tin, a homeopathy investigation, a call to save the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus, and a cute Volkswagen commercial, among others.

Keep calm and weekend reading links 28 January 2011

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 10:43:47 +0000

Here’s a picture of a British Goods store in Freeport, Maine. The sign in the window: “Keep Calm and Carry On.” Why aren’t there more British Goods stores around?

Anyway, below are this week’s reading links. Education, bird kills, unemployment, security, and science fiction — something for everyone!

How much do you actually learn in college?
- Oops — US gov admits responsible for one of the mass bird kills
  - Want to improve college education? Here’s a good summary of the new book Academically Adrift
    - Rethinking those 99 weeks of unemployment
      - Want an mba? Online mba programs enter the mainstream
        
        Online piracy and authors — an opinion
        
        An end to the Stoplight of Terror
        
        New science fiction magazine “Sci Fi Short Story” — legitimate?

A Big Boot and weekend reading links 21 January 2011

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 11:46:50 +0000

I’m back from my tangent to Freeport, Maine, home to the above L.L.Bean flagship store. Actually it’s more than just one store – it’s rather like a campus, with entire buildings just for camping and hiking gear, apparel, footwear, outerwear, canoeing, etc.

During the 11″ snowfall that hit when I was in Freeport, the L.L.Bean store was open. In fact, they are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Cause you just never know when you’re going to need snowshoes.

Snow in Maine and weekend reading links 13 January 2011

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 19:04:58 +0000

So I got off schedule a little with my reading links due to travel and bad weather. But until things are back on track, below is a dump of links you may find of interest.

Speaking of weather, last night we got 11 inches of snow in Maine. This morning – everything was plowed. Businesses were open on time. Everyone had plowed their driveways. School buses were running at 7:45AM. Snow? What snow? I was impressed!

Happy New Year and weekend reading links 31 December 2010

Fri, 31 Dec 2010 09:32:35 +0000

I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year! And I hope 2011 is your best year yet.

While you are recovering from ringing in the new year, here are some news and stories and just cool things that made the rounds this past week.

Cheers!

Civil War secret message finally decoded
- On Cyber Monday Amazon sold 158 items per second
  - Amazon’s fix for unwanted gifts – return the gifts before you even receive them!
    - [ FICTION ] “The Lifecycle of Software Objects,” by Ted Chiang
      - A Napoleon-proof house of your very own: how to convert a Martello tower
        
        Quidditch: a game that’s a cross between rugby, dodgeball, tag and basketball, but with brooms
        
        Get ready for New Years – How to open a champagne bottle with a saber
        
        You can now lend your Kindle books

Free ebooks for your Kindle

Sun, 26 Dec 2010 11:02:26 +0000

If you have a Kindle (here’s a review of the graphite Kindle 3), or even if you don’t have a Kindle but have one of the free Kindle reading apps for your PC, Mac, BlackBerry, iPad/iPhone, Android, or Windows Phone 7 device, you may be interested in locating free books to read.

Of course Amazon sells a large selection of ebooks, and you can also gift ebooks to other people or even give someone an Amazon.com Gift Card to let them buy what they want.

Review: the best protein powder: whey protein from trueprotein

Fri, 24 Dec 2010 11:47:04 +0000

Those who exercise regularly know how difficult it is to eat enough high-quality protein. As for how much protein you are supposed to eat per day, the rule of thumb is one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. Speaking from experience, this can be a hard target, especially if you are on the go a lot.

Also, we are surrounded by fast food joints and pre-packaged junk food options – our society is structured against healthy eating choices!

Santa, the Yule Goat, and weekend reading links 24 December 2010

Fri, 24 Dec 2010 09:12:18 +0000

This time of year is for family, giving thanks, feasting, gift giving, and reflecting on the coming new year. And, of course, this time of year would not be complete without Santa riding the Yule Goat.

Here’s a webcam of the Yule Goat in Sweden who, as of this writing, is still standing.

While you are sipping your eggnog, here are a few weekend reading links. We’ve a full house this time, so better get comfortable.

Review: Miele vacuum cleaner

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 04:35:03 +0000

Okay, some might think it a little strange to get excited about a vacuum cleaner. Perhaps. Nevertheless, I have to admit that this Miele Polaris Canister Vacuum Cleaner has won me over.

Up until now, I’ve always hated vacuum cleaners. You know, the ones you buy at the local mall-mart. I’ve had to buy a lot of those clunkers over the years because they never worked very well and typically broke in some way or another after just a few years of service. The mall-mart vacuums also made a lot of noise, were heavy, and were a torment to use. And then their rubber belts would break, string would get wound around the beater, and dirt would get spread around again when removing the bag. Even our pets would scurry for cover whenever the mall-mart vacuums were turned on.

Cat yoga and weekend reading links 17 December 2010

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 09:41:07 +0000

If humans do the “Down Dog” yoga pose, what do cats do?

Below are some weekend reading links for your enjoyment, perhaps while you warm up from shoveling all that snow.

One take on why unemployment is so high yet many startups can’t find enough qualified people to hire
- Easy riders: State troopers, caught with suspect diplomas, sue state for “emotional distress”
  - Travelers seem not to mind: Airline baggage fees top $2.5 billion
    - Sir Terry Pratchett writes about having Alzheimer’s
      - [ WATCH ] The Gods have spoken: Thor, the movie trailer
        
        [ WATCH ] The best explanation so far of Ireland’s financial crisis [ WARNING: this is the unvarnished truth, and an unvarnished Irishman, so there’s a LOT of swearing! NSFW ]
        
        [ WATCH ] Around 100 BCE the ancient Greeks built a mechanical computer, but the device was lost. Recently the device was found and rebuilt, out of LEGOs

First Virginia Snow and Weekend Reading Links 10 December 2010

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 08:42:57 +0000

Okay, for those in the South — we got our first snow of the season in Virginia this past week!

For those in the North, please stop snickering.

For everyone: please enjoy this week’s list-o-links.

Cheers.

Oops – I guess printing money isn’t that easy for the US government after all
Ouch – US students still behind, rather far, the students of other nations
The Salvation Army won’t accept Harry Potter and Twilight toys?! That doesn’t seem very charitable.
[ WATCH ] What are the values we stand for? What are the values you stand for?
[ WATCH/LISTEN ] James Bond theme on the eigenharp

Toward Daniel Island and weekend reading links 3 December 2010

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 08:46:39 +0000

Above is a bit of an action shot: the camera is pointing approximately south-east while going over the Mark Clark Expressway (I526) from North Charleston, South Carolina onto Daniel Island.

And speaking of action, we’ve really had it this week, no? Wikileaks, TSA, Gwyneth Paltrow — we overfloweth with reading links this week. So, here they are — enjoy!

A sane call to close the Washington Monument
- [ WATCH ] Cute owl hunts invisible prey
  - Gwyneth Paltrow — a warning to all against following fad diets
    - A biochemist takes a look at the safety of the TSA X-ray backscatter body scanner — “hide your kids, hide your wife”
      - [ WATCH ] Two cats playing patty-cake and you can even hear their thoughts!
        
        [ WATCH ] Movie trailer for The 4-Hour Body, by Tim Ferris
        
        Wikileaks: a symptom of lax US security policy?
        
        Medical doctors and drug reps: should you, the patient, be worried?

Turkey day and weekend reading links 26 November 2010

Fri, 26 Nov 2010 10:13:20 +0000

As my fine feathered friend above laments, yesterday was Thanksgiving, a day when families reunite and give thanks for a bountiful harvest.

Today is Black Friday, a day when families break apart again and rush into the early morning hours in search of treasures and gifts.

But for those couple of you not currently shopping, or for those wanting something to read while resting your aching feet upon returning from the malls, below are a few reading links.

Great Gift Ideas 2010

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 15:59:09 +0000

It’s that time of year again–time to start thinking about giving gifts to your friends and relatives.

Just in case you’d like a few gift ideas, below I’ve pulled together a few items that I think you might enjoy giving (or receiving!).

1. MIR Weighted Vest

Since I travel a lot and can’t easily carry around my kettlebells (see #5 below), I’ve been doing a lot of bodyweight exercises. After working through a pullup routine, I wanted to increase the resistance in order to help build more strength. This MIR Weighted Vest was the perfect solution.

Morning pasture and weekend reading links, 19 November 2010

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 07:47:37 +0000

Above: a view of one of our pastures in the early morning light.

Below: this week has been quite juicy, with the debacle over the TSA’s new security procedures, a neat new tool you can use to balance the budget yourself (since, evidently, no one else is willing), a few insights into why the government is bad at their attempts at helping us be healthy, and a really awesome-looking new movie coming not soon enough. So you’ve got a few reading links to choose from.

Fall morning and weekend reading links, 12 November 2010

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 08:07:11 +0000

Above is a look down my driveway on a crisp fall morning.

Below are some weekend reading links. Not sure why so many of my links this week include Hobbits–perhaps it’s because my subconscious relates to this time of year, when there’s nothing better than talking a long walk through the woods, listening to the crunch of leaves under foot, smelling hints of mushroom and roasted chestnut in the air, and sitting, after dinner, with a book by the fire.

Longacre and a few weekend reading links 5 November 2010

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 09:32:23 +0000

The image above was taken at the Longacre Bed and Breakfast, Halloween 2010. A spooky time was had by all.

Just a few reading links this week. Enjoy!

theft, copyright infringement, and Cooks Source magazine
- some thoughts on word processors
  - Neil Gaiman reviews Stephen King’s new book Full Dark, No Stars
    - [WATCH/READ] Zen, Tea, and the Art of Life Management
      - In search of the ultimate travel coffee setup

Halloween special: scary pic and weekend reading links 29 October 2010

Fri, 29 Oct 2010 08:04:21 +0000

WARNING: This is a special Halloween edition of my “weekend reading links”. If the Halloween season keeps you cowering safe inside your home, away from the dark and the scary, then it’s probably best to read no more of this page and please come back next week. You have been warned.

We don’t really need to travel far to find the horrible and the scary. Just one step from my front door, the morning after a storm that brought drenching rains and even a nearby tornado, I found a gangly and harmless Grandaddy Longlegs having breakfast on the head of a wasp.

How to set up an Instapaper newsfeed on your Kindle

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 09:20:21 +0000

Here are just a few tips on how I set up an Instapaper newsfeed to download to my Kindle. There are a lot of customizations you can make, but the steps below should get you pointed in the right direction.

But first, what is Instapaper?

Instapaper is a service used to save for later web pages we find interesting in our browsing throughout the day that we don’t have time to read at the moment. Think of it as a productivity enhancer–rather than interrupt your workflow to read this interesting article or that webpage you found, you simply save it for later using Instapaper. Then, at the end of the day or whenever you have time, you can easily read that interesting article or webpage, stored conveniently in your Instapaper account.

Retrospective Writing Contest Prize Pack

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 18:52:47 +0000

In a previous post I mentioned that my story “A Delicate Touch” won the Raw Dog Screaming Press 100 Jolts Retrospective Writing Contest, judged by Dr. Michael Arnzen.

Today my prize pack arrived, and I’ll be in a state of spooky bliss surely through Halloween, if not longer into the dark of winter.

Boris Karloff’s Thriller

Sat, 23 Oct 2010 20:27:27 +0000

Just in time for Halloween, tonight we’re opening the crypt, so to speak, to start into Thriller, the acclaimed horror series from 1962, hosted by Boris Karloff.

Says Sara Karloff, Boris Karloff’s daughter:

Thriller was well written, beautifully directed, and had some of the finest actors performing these great shows. As if that were not enough, the episodes were not gory. They were suspenseful and intelligent. They invited the audience along on the adventure; they included the audience in the experience; they did not insult the audience’s intelligence as some of today’s viewing trash does.

I watch a lizard and weekend reading links: October 22, 2010

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 08:25:21 +0000

On a recent trip to South Carolina, where it’s warm in October, I spied a small lizard creeping around on the second floor of an apartment building. The lizard watched something from his perch behind a rafter, though I’m not sure what had captured his attention. His gaze was so intent that I don’t think he knew he himself was being watched. But I’m sure someone, somewhere, was watching me.

Story wins Raw Dog Screaming Press Retrospective Writing Contest

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 14:06:59 +0000

You took the lessons of “Stabbing for Dummies” to a new level in your winning entry.

— Dr. Michael Arnzen

Thanks to Raw Dog Screaming Press and Dr. Michael Arnzen, my short story “A Delicate Touch” won the 100 Jolts Retrospective Writing Contest!

The rules of the contest were that we had to take one of the lines from Arnzen’s “Stabbing for Dummies” story in his excellent book 100 Jolts: Shockingly Short Stories and use it as the opening sentence of a new story. Also, it was stipulated that “the tale must build to an outrageous conclusion, and fall under 1000 words.”

Review of Kindle ebook reader — graphite version

Sat, 16 Oct 2010 18:33:18 +0000

UPDATE 25 November 2011: The Kindle Fire and new Kindles are out.

Here is an unboxing video of the new Kindle Fire
Here is an overview of the latest Kindles available
Here is a guide for understanding what is an ereader and what is a Kindle

UPDATE 28 September 2011

New Kindles and a Kindle tablet called the Kindle Fire have been announced. Here is a quick overview of the new Kindle products.

A mushroom and weekend reading links: 15 October 2010

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 07:49:34 +0000

A little something for everyone this time–happy reading!

“Big Bang Theory” meets “Green Acres”: the trend of IT onshoring
- US electrical grid too crappy to be vulnerable to terrorist attack, say physicists
  - the music business is perhaps healthier than you thought
    - Oops she did it again: A few comments about the new Jillian Michaels DVD on kettlebells
      - the amazing grass roofs of Norway
        
        “The Dungeon Master,” by Sam Lipsyte
        
        Why students are fleeing the humanities

A brain in my driveway and weekend reading links: October 8, 2010

Fri, 08 Oct 2010 13:16:22 +0000

Last night when I pulled into my driveway it was dark out, but I could dimly see by the light of the stars and moon. So I was startled when I thought I saw someone’s brain in the middle of my driveway.

After a brief investigation, with the reassurance of this morning’s light, I’m not sure if I should be happy at discovering the object was not, after all, someone’s brain in my driveway, or if I should feel unnerved at finding a large mushroom growing in the middle of my driveway that looks like someone’s brain.

A Gaggle of Geeks and Weekend Reading Links: October 2, 2010

Sat, 02 Oct 2010 16:36:19 +0000

Above: a gaggle of geese grounded in the late September rains, Richmond, Virginia, 2010.

Below, for your weekend reading pleasure:

Interview with Thomas Ligotti
- Janette Hospital: News from a different MFA planet
  - Seth Abramson’s response to Janette Hospital
    - About the new Gourmet Magazine iPad app
      - Tim Ferriss has a new book out: The 4-Hour Body

Workout haiku, with kettlebells

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 11:56:06 +0000

Workout Haiku

by Kendall Giles

Exercise is freedom,

Distilled into a bludgeon,

An azure kettlebell.

Self Defense with an Umbrella and Other Weekend Reading Links

Sat, 25 Sep 2010 13:33:46 +0000

Here are some links for your weekend reading pleasure.

how to do (almost) everything with a Kindle 3
self defense with an umbrella
short stories for a good cause–unicorn pegasus kitten–with Wil Wheaton!
some security topics

Norton Island Writers Workshop: Departure

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 14:41:19 +0000

Saturday was departure day for most of us. One group left *way* early in the morning to catch early flights, while the other group left mid-morning, once Rob returned from dropping off the early group. I was in the second group–the others in my group were driving back to their homes, so they hopped into their cars once we got to Jonesport, while Rob carried me to the Bangor International Airport for my afternoon flight.

Norton Island Writers Workshop: Day 5

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 22:38:43 +0000

Although all the preceding days of the workshop were great, today was a day of big events.

It was our last workshop, and I think everyone submitted some of their best work so far. Besides workshopping everyone’s manuscripts, we also had a lively discussion about publishing, discussing the current state of the industry, the outlook for authors, and how technology is impacting publishers, authors, and readers.

Norton Island Writers Workshop: Day 4

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 23:02:52 +0000

As I mentioned in the last post, most of us spent yesterday taking a break to explore the island. Well, today saw us return to form as we dove back into our writing. The lecture part of the day focused on how to handle verb tense changes (e.g., narrative present versus the present tense of the verbs) as well as “framing” as a story construction technique. We reverted back to our normal routines of eating, writing, printing, and reading for the rest of the day.

Norton Island Writers Workshop: Day 3

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:56:42 +0000

So in my last post I mentioned what a great group we had at the workshop. Everyone took the assignments seriously and strove to write at their best for their fellow attendees.

In fact, everyone was so serious that Tom had to call a timeout. Folks were working really hard–staying up late, even working past midnight to complete the assignments. We were spending all our time in our cabins, in lecture, or eating–we were missing out on the delights the island offered.

Norton Island Writers Workshop: Day 2

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 22:18:21 +0000

The weather today was not so rainy, so we met for lecture (after a hasty breakfast + last minute reading of everyone’s manuscripts + sneaking in a shower) in West Camp, which is also the home of the island owner.

Here’s a pic of the beautiful porch at West Camp–lots of space if you want to sit in the shade or in the sun:

Norton Island Writers Workshop: Day 1

Sun, 04 Jul 2010 18:06:05 +0000

For our first full day on the island (for most of us), we were welcomed to Maine with a day of rain, and were welcomed to living off-the-grid when Internet for the island went down.

In this pic you can see how an off-the-grid island gets its power–a windmill. You can also see the mist and clouds that sometimes pervade *everything*. And note: waking up to the sound of a windmill’s whoosh-whoosh-whoosh in the middle of the night when you aren’t expecting it can be a little disorienting.

Norton Island Writers Workshop: Stephen King’s house and island arrival

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 16:07:36 +0000

It turned out that several workshop attendees were arriving to Bangor International Airport at around the same time, so once everyone had collected the baggage, we all jumped into Rob’s van (the island caretaker, who came to pick us up) to head to Jonesport to then take the boat to the island.

Of course, since we were in Bangor, we had to drive by Stephen King’s house.

Norton Island Writers Workshop: pre-arrival

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 20:19:55 +0000

What’s it like going to a writers workshop? Are these things worth the expense, time, and effort? What’s it like traveling by boat to a tiny uninhabited, off-the-grid island, to be secluded with ten other attendees off the coast of Maine for a week? Will this end up like Lost or Survivor?

Tune in to find out, as I am en route to the Norton Island Writers Workshop, moderated by the novelist Tom De Haven. There are some very talented writers who will be attending, so I am really looking forward to the immersion in a week of nothing but the craft of writing with other similarly motivated folks.

My encounter with a farmer

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 12:39:28 +0000

I chatted with a farmer today. He’s probably around 80 years old, has a grip like iron, wears a hat and overalls, and has a bad back that aches him in the mornings, around noon, in the afternoon, and before going to bed. But every day he’s up before dawn (“I got up this morning before breakfast,” he said with a wink), tending the cows and chickens, then working the fields, then getting everything ready for the next day. One of his eyes don’t see too good no more, and he can’t really hear unless you holler at him. And his old tractor–always breaking down, always something to fix on it. He drives up and down the roads in an old beat-up truck that emits a little too much exhaust, but the engine keeps on going with a steady thumpa-thumpa-thumpa. You know when he’s coming because no one else drives that slowly, but the dogs bark and wag their tails when they see him.

Blogging using the iPad

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:57:17 +0000

So here’s a quick test to see how easy it is to blog using the iPad.

As an example, this blog post was written using the iPad and the WordPress app for the iPad.

The WordPress app allows for basic text entry, the addition of images, templates for posts and pages, and previews. One thing I am noticing is that, since my site theme is custom, the preview only displays the basic post text and not how it will look on my site.

Version 2.5 Software Update for Amazon Kindle reader

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 15:49:03 +0000

Amazon has just released a new software update for your Kindle reader that brings a lot of great new features to the platform.

New features in the version 2.5 software update include:

collections: the ability to create folders for organizing your books and audio files
PDF pan and zoom: ability to zoom into PDFs and move the viewing window around
password protection: allows you to password protect your Kindle
better fonts: the fonts are now sharper and two larger font size options are included
social media: highlights from your readings can be shared using Facebook and Twitter

If you want to get your software update and new features now, here’s the link to download the 2.5 update for your Kindle.

Mushrooms grow where elves danced

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:12:30 +0000

They say that mushrooms grow where elves danced the night before.

I thought about this as I walked around our yard today. There were mushrooms everywhere–big ones, flat ones, brown ones, white ones, red ones, spotted ones, puffy ones. So I grabbed my camera and below are some pics, just so you can get a sense of what I saw.

But then I thought, wow, those elves must have had a really great party last night.

Good Things come in Threes, Even Turtles

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 12:23:03 +0000

Didn’t you know?

As many suspect, it’s turtles all the way down.

Things in Trees

Wed, 26 May 2010 17:14:24 +0000

It just so happened that within two days I saw some cute critters in some trees nearby.

The first pic shows two cats in the tree–not too unusual except they were pretty high up. One is facing away, but you should be able to spot both of them.

The second pic shows a baby possum. The photo is not that good because the little guy could really climb, and the closer I got, the higher in the tree he got. Also, it was in the woods, so I had to play with the brightness and contrast so you would actually see him due to the dim/weird lighting. Really just a little fluff ball on the side of a tree. But I think you can make out his face. I think he’s saying, “I’m scared. Go away, please.”

Cat Yoga

Mon, 24 May 2010 10:16:26 +0000

No Down-Dog here. This is how we roll…

What Happens when a White Cat takes a Dirt Bath

Sat, 08 May 2010 21:13:14 +0000

Our white cat took a dirt bath today–you can see the result.

Oh, but look at those eyes!

Review: Bose QuietComfort 15 Noise Canceling Headphones — your own personal cone of silence

Sat, 01 May 2010 18:38:54 +0000

Some of you may remember the infamous Cone of Silence from the Get Smart comedy series made in the 1960s. In the show, the cone of silence was meant to provide a, well, cone of silence around two people who wanted to have a private conversation, like when discussing top secret information, so that no one outside the cone could hear them. The cone never worked correctly in the show, which is part of why it was a funny prop.

Review: The Road, by Cormac McCarthy

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 16:44:33 +0000

I started reading The Road soon after I picked it up at Fountain Bookstore while waiting for some cousins to arrive for dinner at a local restaurant, and I really had a hard time putting it down.

Cormac McCarthy has a real skill at describing nature, especially desolate nature. And so this book, which is set in the US after some horrible armageddon, an apocalypse, is full of rich, but bleak, details on what life and nature might be like if some horrible catastrophe wipes out the entire country.

My story: “A Healing Place,” The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 07:24:41 +0000

My story, “A Healing Place,” is out in the April 2010 edition of The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature.

You didn’t know I was Southern? Well, I guess my Southern Legitimacy Statement proves it.

By the way, the April edition of The Dead Mule has one of their biggest fiction issues ever, along with their poetry, essays, and a book review.

So pull up a chair, sit a spell, and start reading!

Review: In the Land of Believers, by Gina Welch

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 20:38:21 +0000

The recent health care “debate” had both the blue team AND the red team stooping to lows of hysteria and vitriol, getting Americans riled up rather than taking advantage of an opportunity for understanding and education. So it is refreshing to see someone take the latter path, rather than the former, for a change.

Gina Welch, raised in a secular household in California, moved to Virginia to attend graduate school. Once here, she found herself in a rather different culture than what she was used to in California. She got interested in investigating the core of the differences in these belief/cultural/spiritual systems, and committed years of her life to this effort.

Review: Grendel, by John Gardner

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 12:50:03 +0000

Though you should be familiar with Beowulf, the 8th century Anglo-Saxon heroic epic that has influenced Western thought and storytelling for centuries, you’ve probably never read John Gardner’s Grendel–it’s Beowulf from Grendel’s perspective.

This version is wonderful, not only because of the characterizations of Beowulf and the Dragon, but also because we view the Scyldings, Hrothgar’s Mead Hall, their wars, and even Beowulf himself, from an outsider’s perspective. Grendel struggles to find his place in the universe, and ultimately realizes that his only friends, really, are the men of the Mead Hall he torments and eats.

Review: Age of Innocence, by Edith Wharton

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:35:29 +0000

The Age of Innocence, by Edith Wharton, is a book that modern readers will perhaps find hard to appreciate. Not so much from the writing itself — Wharton is one of the masters of literary craft and this book won her the Pulitzer Prize for literature in 1921. Rather, modern readers, raised in an age of independence and the anti-hero, where cultural standards are routinely smacked down with a hammer, may just not understand or have patience for the conflicts and dilemmas raised in the book. In exquisite detail, Wharton brings the cultural boundaries, customs, and mores of upper class New York in the 1870s to life, primarily through the relationships between Newland Archer, May Welland, and Ellen Olenska. The characters are conflicted by having to balance restrictions and customs of their class, and their feelings of duty and honor, against human emotions of love and passion. I think modern readers should really give this book a chance, as it offers a rare insight into a world long forgotten, and if only for that, it deserves to be read.

Publication of a short story!

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:15:22 +0000

I just got word that a short story I wrote got accepted to The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature Journal.

I’ll let everyone know when it comes out!

Woop!

Review: All the Pretty Horses, by Cormac McCarthy

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 11:56:31 +0000

All the Pretty Horses is the second book by Cormac McCarthy book I’ve read, and this author’s prose is like poetry. He really has a way with describing scenes of the countryside, the love of horses, and the tragedy of a man’s destiny within a blind, or indifferent, universe.

The story focuses on the young John Grady Cole, who sets off on an adventure, on horseback, into Mexico with his childhood friend Lacey Rawlins. Along the way the encounter this kid, Jimmy Blevins, riding a beautiful horse. The resulting incidents lead the trio into deeper trials of their character and courage as they face the worst in humanity, love, and the land itself.

Review: Blood Meridian, by Cormac McCarthy

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:31:20 +0000

Blood Meridian: Or the Evening Redness in the West, by Cormac McCarthy, is worth your time, but is probably not a book for the faint of heart. I really enjoyed the story, though I have to feel a little guilty for saying so. The scenery itself is like another of the characters, and all characters are harsh, brutal, and real. The pace of the narration does not drag, and though you try not to flinch at the descriptions of horror and blood, flinch you do, and then you can’t resist turning the page to see what happens next.

Review: The Green Man, by Kingsley Amis

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:27:45 +0000

I really enjoyed The Green Man, by Kingsley Amis. It starts out as some sort of English comedy — a guy who owns a pub has a drinking problem, has health problems, has a marriage problem, has a mistress problem, and has children problems, then suddenly starts seeing ghosts.

Of course no one believes him, since he’s probably drunk, under stress, or on medication, and it seems the more he tries to get people to believe him, the worse his predicament gets. But as he comes closer to discovering the origins of the name of his pub, The Green Man, the horror starts to take charge over comedy.

Review: The Haunting of Hill House, by Shirley Jackson

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:37:35 +0000

The Haunting of Hill House, by Shirley Jackson, is one of the classics of the horror genre. Whereas some writers rely on explicit blood, gore, and violence to get across their message, Shirley Jackson evokes horror and supernatural suspense exactly by not being explicit. She creates terrifying moods and images without being hamhanded about the descriptions.

The story centers around a particular house, Hill House, that has a reputation for being haunted. A professor of paranormal psychology wants to conduct an experiment there, and so invites three other people to spend some time there with him so they can record their experiences. Though they all seem to experience strange events that cannot really be explained, one of the party, Eleanor, seems to attract the supernatural manifestations more than the others, eventually leading to a horrible disaster.

A Possum Who Thinks He is a Cat

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 10:40:47 +0000

Something made me suspicious, so I looked outside to see what the cats were up to, and found that the critter eating all the cat food was not a cat!

Here’s a short video of what I saw on the porch:

Ya, that’s a hungry possum. What I think is funny is the audio of him eating — crunching away.

I guess now I shouldn’t make the cats feel so guilty for eating so much food…

Trip to Daniel Island, South Carolina

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 21:45:35 +0000

Over New Years, we had the opportunity to visit friends on Daniel Island, South Carolina. The island itself, winner of lots of livability awards, is great—water views, temperate climate, palm trees, and close proximity to Charleston, South Carolina. Charleston itself has won best-places-to-live, world’s smartest cities, Top 10 Worldwide Cities to Visit in 2010, Best Cities in the U.S. and Canada, Best Cities for Technology Jobs, and lots of other livability, friendliness, shopping, and travel destination accolades.

At the End of the 00s, A Personal Lookback

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:23:36 +0000

Traditionally, the end of the year is a time for reflection about what you’ve accomplished during the past year and a chance to set goals for the coming year. I don’t often post end-of-year reviews, but since today, December 31, 2009, marks the end of not only the year 2009, but also the end of the first 10 years of the 2000s — the end of the 00s — I wanted to at least say something.

Preview of new documentary: “Bartitsu: the Lost Martial Art of Sherlock Holmes”

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 22:04:42 +0000

Here’s a preview of an upcoming documentary on Bartitsu, the art highlighted by Sherlock Holmes and one of the first mixed martial arts:

This documentary is sponsored by Tony Wolf and the Bartitsu Society, and includes lots of great footage, including the earliest footage of jujutsu.

Bartitsu was one of the first martial arts to combine Asian and Western fighting styles (70 years before Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do) and predated modern MMA fighting by about 100 years. This art also provided self-defense skills to the Suffragette movement.

Twin Peaks, a DVD set review, and a Cherry Pie Recipe

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:10:17 +0000

OK, it’s time for a cup of joe and a donut.

One of the most original and interesting tv shows was the 1990s series Twin Peaks, and it has developed a bit of a cult following. The show was created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, and initially centered on solving the murder of a teenage girl, Laura Palmer, in a quiet Northwestern logging town called Twin Peaks. But though the series focused on Laura’s death, the show was compelling because it highlighted the interactions between the interesting and eccentric characters, exposed seedy events infusing the town and environs — complete with paranormal undertones. Basically the series explored the mystery of life, the mystery of death, and the mystery of the woods surrounding Twin Peaks.

Review: Manduka PRO 85-inch yoga and pilates mat

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 18:10:22 +0000

A good exercise mat seems hard to find.

I wanted an exercise mat that was relatively portable and that would provide a stable exercise surface when exercising in various indoor locations, such as on wood flooring, carpet, or tile. Sometimes I do just body-weight exercises, sometimes I work with the TRX, and most often I use the kettlebell, but I do these exercises in various locations while on travel.

Review: Noodler’s Heart of Darkness Bulletproof Black Fountain Pen Ink

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:49:43 +0000

I’ve always been fascinated with fountain pens. I mean, it takes skill to write with one, so there is an air of seriousness and intent surrounding them. After all, technicalities aside, you don’t tweet with a fountain pen.

Also, the pen itself is an engineering marvel — an aestetically pleasing outer shell enclosing a carefully designed system to enhance a controlled leak of the contained ink via capillary action through the nib. I mean, really, when they wrote “the pen is mightier than the sword”, I don’t think they were referring to the cheap plastic pen attached to a chain at the post office.

Review: Mantis Tiller and Cultivator

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 08:59:27 +0000

For years I’ve used a Troy-Bilt tiller to till our garden. But I am the only one in the family who can use it. And since there are tilling needs throughout the year, and I am often on travel, we tried, and were disappointed by, those cheap tiny tillers at home improvement stores. But we are very happy with our Mantis tiller (we got the Mantis 7262-15-02 4-Cycle Honda Gas Powered Tiller/Cultivator with Border Edger and Kickstand), and here’s why:

Review: Rode Podcaster USB Microphone

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:52:44 +0000

I had a few audio projects coming up and I didn’t want to rely just on my built-in laptop microphone. But I am not an audio engineer and didn’t want to have to buy racks of equipment just so I could record high-quality audio. I also wanted my setup to be portable and durable.

So after shopping around I decided on the Rode Podcaster USB Microphone.

How to Get Started with Kettlebells

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 09:37:26 +0000

Even if you haven’t visited this site before, if you are at all fitness-inclined then you’ve probably heard of kettlebells.

These cannonballs with handles have developed quite a following here in the US. Used for years by the Russian Military, folks have realized that this simple tool provides for one of the best overall strength, stamina, endurance, core stability, and body conditioning workouts around.

The elite of the fitness world are using them, from the Secret Service, to mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters, to professional athletes (e.g., Lance Armstrong, below, from the NY Daily News article).

Kendall Giles Blog on Amazon Kindle

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:52:53 +0000

Now you can have Kendall on your Kindle!

With my new site design, I’ve updated the Amazon Kindle blog subscription. Now you can subscribe to my blog for a minimal fee (which Amazon set) — blog postings will automatically be sent to your Kindle.

Below is a sample screenshot and you can find the Kindle edition of my blog on Amazon via this link.

Note that blog subscriptions come with a 14-day free trial. So just give it a try. Thanks!

12 Great Gift Ideas for 2009

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:04:55 +0000

Let’s face it. We want to pick out gifts that are meaningful, cool, intelligent, and interesting, yet there is only so much time in which to shop and choose. So below is a list of 12 gifts from which you should be able to pick that awesome gift for your significant other, family member, friend, or self. These are items that I have tested during the last year, so when I make these recommendations it is based on my happiness with the quality, value, and experience with each product.

New website: migrating from MovableType to WordPress

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:08:04 +0000

I’ve had my previous website design for several years and it was getting a little unwieldy and inflexible. So over the recent holiday I ported my custom + MovableType installation to WordPress.

The port itself was not too bad—I exported my old blog files and imported them rather painlessly into WordPress. And some custom webpages I ported into WordPress as well. For the look, I hacked a WordPress theme I found (Mystique). So thanks to MovableType and to WordPress for making website design and blogging a (relatively, all things considered) easy process.

Four writerly books

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:19:12 +0000

Here are four books on writing I just finished reading that you may find of interest. These books give insight into the nuts and bolts of the writing life, fill in the backstory of how writers craft their ideas, show how to read critically, and discuss why books and writing are important.

How to be a writer in an internet world

This book, Booklife: Strategies and Survival Tips for the 21st Century Writer, by Jeff Vandermeer, is probably the best, single-volume source for how to be a writer today. It contains strategies, tips, plans, advice, guidance, and motivation for almost all phases of life as a writer, from setting up a healthy and productive work schedule to networking to using social media platforms like Facebook to working with editors to dealing with fame and publicity.

What happened when I found a bird in my basement

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:34:45 +0000

A month or so ago I found a little bird in my basement. I wasn’t sure how he got in there — maybe he came in when I had the outside door opened for a couple hours? I am not a biologist, so I don’t know what type of bird it was, but if I had to make a guess, I would say some sort of nuthatch? He had brown stripes, and seemed just as happy sitting on the basement floor as he did hanging upside down on the cinder block wall. Very quick movements — I couldn’t see him in flight, but would just see him appear in a new location, much like the X-man Nightcrawler, teleporting from place to place. Oh, there he is. Oh, now he’s gone.

Virginia Wine and Garlic Festival at Rebec Vineyard and Winery

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 06:28:44 +0000

Rebec Vineyard and Winery, in Amherst, Virginia, recently hosted the 18th Annual Virginia Wine and Garlic Festival. Six area wineries, lots of garlicky foods, music, and entertainers made this a really fun time for all.

The short video below captures a few of the sights and sounds there, in case you missed it or are curious.

culture, living, travel, virginia

Catching up on Fitness: New Kettlebell and Right of Passage Progress

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 21:58:51 +0000

I’ve been on the road quite a bit lately, plus am in the middle of the fall semester, so postings have been not as frequent as I would like. However, I’ve been progressing through the RKC Right of Passage, and today I tried out my new 28KG kettlebell.

This was a move up in weight for me, and today I did 5 sets of hard-style press ladders with 3 rungs with the 28KG kettlebell. I then did 7 minutes of swings with the 28KG kettlebell, 20 swings per minute, or 8642 pounds lifted in 7 minutes. Finally, I finished with 5 sets of 3 hard-style pullups.

Kendall book reader: Amazon Kindle DX review

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 14:06:24 +0000

UPDATE September 2012:

See this post for the latest round of Amazon Kindles, including the Amazon Kindle Fire HD and the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite.

Original older post below.

—————————-

UPDATE 25 November 2011: The Kindle Fire and new Kindles are out.

Here is an unboxing video of the new Kindle Fire
Here is an overview of the latest Kindles available
Here is a guide for understanding what is an ereader and what is a Kindle

UPDATE 9 October 2010: The Kindle 3 is out, and there are three models to choose from:

End of TRX FORCE Program, and Where from Here

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:49:21 +0000

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. This is a wrap-up of the FORCE program (84 days).

I finished the TRX FORCE program last Sunday, but I’ve been on travel and so haven’t had a chance to post.

Overall, I was happy with the TRX FORCE program. I felt it gave me a jump-start at developing overall body functional fitness, and the final week 11-12 routines are ones that I will come back to now and then during my alternate training days. The program takes a bit of dedication to get through, since it is 12 weeks-worth of exercises, but if you can stick it out, then you *will* see results.

Update on TRX Suspension Training, why The Smiths aren’t Motivational, Video on Anchoring the TRX, and Kettlebells

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 23:26:34 +0000

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was a summary of Days 57-59.

I’ve been doing some crazy work and travel over the past few days, so I just now have a chance to post a summary of what I’ve been up to, fitness-wise.

Two days ago was TRX Day 57, the start of the TRX FORCE program Week 9.

Kettlebells, TRX FORCE Program: Day 54

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 22:09:35 +0000

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 54.

For a warmup, I led off with 8 sets of 5,5 snatches with the 24KG kettlebell, on the minute. Thus, in 8 minutes I snatched the 24KG kettlebell 80 times, which means I lifted 4,232.875 pounds in 8 minutes. While this is good for me, currently, since I am just starting out in kettlebells and the 24KG kettlebell is a new weight for me, that’s no where near where I need to be. My goal is to snatch the 24KG kettlebell 200 times in 10 minutes, so I have a long way to go.

Kettlebells, TRX 12-week FORCE Program: Day 51

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:18:04 +0000

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 51.

Some days are about pushing that boulder up the hill. Some days are about not letting it slip and crush you. Some days are just about holding your own.

Today was the latter. I started out with 4 Turkish Getups with the 24 KG kettlebell, then did 7 minutes of 5,5 snatches with the 24 KG kettlebell, on the minute.

Kettlebells, TRX 12-week FORCE Program: Day 50

Sun, 26 Jul 2009 20:48:22 +0000

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 50.

I was happy to note that the 24 KG kettlebell is now my standard Turkish Getup weight — I did 4 TGU’s, 2 per side with this kettlebell and, while I can always improve my form, I did not feel as though I was going to drop the kettlebell and crush my skull at any point during the exercises. This is a definite gain!

Kettlebells, TRX 12-week FORCE Program: Day 47 + Squishy Shoes

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 23:11:11 +0000

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 47.

No running today, and thankfully the calf muscle soreness seems to be dissolving.

I started out with 7 sets of 5,5 snatches with the 24 KG kettlebell, on the minute. I am slowly trying to build up my endurance with the 24KG kettlebell, since that is the kettlebell used for RKC and SSST testing.

More Running, Kettlebells, TRX 12-week FORCE Program: Day 46 + We Know How to Hobble

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 21:44:24 +0000

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 46.

Yesterday was a rest day, but my calves didn’t get the memo.

People at work are amused at me hobbling along as I try to walk with *really* sore calf muscles from starting my running program. I would chase after them for calling me old man if it weren’t for the fact that I would probably fall over.

Kettlebells, TRX 12-week FORCE Program: Day 44, and How to Run

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 22:00:13 +0000

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 44.

The day started with me really feeling the effects of yesterday’s run. My calves were really sore. Why were they sore? Well, I ran 2 miles and am not a runner. Also, I am using a natural running technique — running on the forefoot, rather than the heel-striking method promoted by the squishy running shoe industry.

Kettlebells, TRX 12-week FORCE Program: Day 43, and a Run Around Druid Hill Lake

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 20:35:16 +0000

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 43.

I started the workout with a general warmup, then 4 Turkish Getups — 2 with the 40# kettlebell, and 2 with the 24 KG kettlebell. Then I did a 2 x 5 ladders of kettlebell cleans with the 32 KG kettlebell. From that, I moved on to the TRX strength component.

Kettlebells + TRX 12-week FORCE Program: Day 39-40 + TRX Video

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 21:35:30 +0000

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today is a summary of Day 39 and 40.

On Day 39 I felt really crappy — no energy and splitting headache. Headaches especially do not mix with lifting heavy weights, especially kettlebells. So rather than risk injury, I managed a set of 5 x 3 cleans with Big Red, the 32KG kettlebell, and then moved on to a TRX strength set – day 1 of week 6. Nothing spectacular — just tried to get through the sets.

Kettlebell Snatches + TRX 12-week FORCE Program: Day 37

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:19:34 +0000

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 37.

I started off today with kettlebell snatches. From meeting with RKC Sandy Sommer yesterday, I received several kettlebell corrections that I needed to work on, he moved me up in kettlebell weight, and he gave me a customized snatch workout so that I can make progress towards my kettlebell goals.

TRX 12-week FORCE program: Day 36 + kettlebells

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 22:45:53 +0000

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 36.

In fact, today was to special that I broke today’s fitness summary into two postings. The first is to summarize my meeting with RKC Sandy Sommer, of Charm City Kettlebells. The second is contained in this post: what I did afterwards.

Once I got home I was so energized about trying out the corrections and advice on my kettlebell technique. Since I had tried kettlebells on my own, Sandy had provided a few suggestions over four different kettlebell exercises.

Kettlebells: Why You Should Meet with an RKC

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 22:32:03 +0000

I have to make it really clear: if you train with kettlebells, and you aren’t regularly meeting with an RKC — a certified professional kettlebell trainer — then you are doing it wrong.

OK, that sounds a little strong. I mean, it’s just a kettlebell, right? It doesn’t seem like a complicated piece of fitness equipment — afterall, a kettlebell seems like just a cannonball with a handle. Other than the fact that we can get superior workouts in shorter amounts of time and we to get in these workouts we don’t have to waste a lot of time and money going to overcrowded, noisy gyms, there’s doesn’t seem to be anything special about using one, so why bother asking? And some of us might not live near anyone else who does kettlebells, so why bother?

TRX 12-week FORCE Program: Day 33 + Kettlebells + Is it Worth it?

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:17:23 +0000

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 33.

I led things off with 24 sets of 7 snatches in a 15:15 interval (168 snatches) with a 40# kettlebell. This is 4 more sets than I did on Tuesday. Not a big increase, but I’ll take it.

I then did a TRX strength workout — workout 2 in week 5 in the FORCE program. This exercise set leads off with 20 suspended incline presses, which tends to take the wind out of you, and the 30 suspended rows just about finishes off the upper body, but it’s a really good set to balance the lower-body emphasis set of workout 1.

TRX 12-week FORCE Program: Day 32 + Kettlebells

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:52:16 +0000

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 32.

Yesterday was a rest day. Today I started things off with a brief warmup (the usual quick round of jump rope), then launched into 3×4 clean ladders, 5×10 rounds of swings, and a few front squats, all with Big Red. I want to keep pushing the envelope, but don’t want to go too fast too soon until I meet up with an RKC — scheduled soon to meet with RKC Sandy Sommer — to tweak my form. My kettlebell training to-date has been all intuitive. I think I am not as bad as Jillian Michaels, since I think it important to actually work with a RKC to make sure technique is solid, especially as you move up in weight.

TRX 12-week FORCE Program: Day 31 + Kettlebells

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 23:27:53 +0000

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 31.

Today I managed 140 kettlebell snatches with my 40# kettlebell (ya, I know real kettlebells are in KG, but this was before I knew to buy DragonDoor kettlebells and I bought one of the lower-quality ones). I had wanted to try for a few more reps, but a phone call came that I had to take, and kettlebelling is something that requires your full attention, especially when swinging a 40# ball of iron between your legs at high velocity. So, my self-preservation instinct said I should stop, and live for another day.

Bartitsu Society – Earliest Jujutsu Motion Picture Footage

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:40:32 +0000

In an earlier post I mentioned movie footage of jujutsu moves from a Bartitsu instructor, perhaps some of the earliest motion picture footage of jujutsu in the world.

Tony Wolf of the Bartitsu Society has created a very nice video of several of Sadakazu Uyenishi’s jujutsu moves from the book Textbook of Ju-jutsu, showing movie footage from actual techniques.

culture, defense, fitness, martial arts

TRX 12-week FORCE Program: Day 30 + Why Kettlebells and TRX are preferred fitness systems

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:16:48 +0000

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 30.

I spent most of my day driving on travel, and so it felt good to actually be able to get out of the car and hit the TRX. Today was the start of week 5, and, as expected, I saw an increase in the number of sets per exercise and a reduction in the time between each exercise — the number of sets per exercise, for all 11 exercises, jumped to 2 sets and the rest between each set and between each exercise is now 45 seconds. The reduction in time is just enough to grab a quick drink of water, towel the face, and re-configure the straps to get setup for the next exercise.

TRX 12-week FORCE Program: Day 29 + Health vs GDP

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:57:28 +0000

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 29.

Today I led off with 140 snatches in 10 minutes, which counted as my intense cardio, then jumped into suspended incline presses and the other strength exercises of the week 3 and 4 program. Next week the exercise sets change again — I suspect there will be more sets, more repetitions per set, and less rest between sets. I.e., no rest for the weary.

TRX 12-week FORCE Program: Day 28

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:37:46 +0000

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 28.

Day 27 was a rest day.

For Day 28, I led off with 180 kettlebell swings in 10 minutes. This satisfied the call for an intense cardio component.

For the strength component, I did a repeat of Day 21. While I am not looking forward to the ramp-up in intensity that next week will bring, I recognized that I actually getting used to the workouts in these two weeks, and so see how it will be best to move on to new TRX challenges.

TRX 12-week FORCE Program: Day 26

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:51:25 +0000

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 26.

With the same idea in mind as yesterday’s workout, today I started out with the cardio component of 140 snatches in almost 15 minutes, which got my heart rate going (ave > 160 bpm for 15 minutes). Then I launched into the same strength program as in Day 16.

TRX 12-week FORCE Program: Day 25

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 17:30:43 +0000

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 25.

I decided to try something new today. Previously I had been doing the TRX strength component, then followed by the cardio component. But today I first did ten sets of ten kettlebell swings. Then I followed this by the TRX strength component (which is a repeat of Day 15, then five sets of ten goblet squats with the kettlebell.

TRX 12-week FORCE Program: Day 24

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 22:31:10 +0000

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 24.

It really boggles the mind sometimes — I often feel guilty on days like today when I don’t workout. TRX Day 24 calls for a rest day in the strength component and a stretching/alternate cardio day for the cardio component. But really, the body needs these rest days in order to recover from heavy stress days. When the body is broken down, it needs time to recover in order to come back even stronger than before. Keeping up the intensity day after day leads to injury and poor progress, since the body never has a chance to heal.

TRX 12-week FORCE Program: Day 23

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:48:33 +0000

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 23.

I started out strong, plowing through the first set of suspended inclined presses, but mis-read the instructions and did two sets instead of one. Not usually too much of a big deal, but this stress on my shoulders had implications later on. I do like the suspended inclined presses, but like the atomic pushups more.

TRX 12-week FORCE Program: Day 22

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:53:52 +0000

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 22.

Today was another brutal day at work, but I managed to get through TRX Day 22. Today’s strength component was a repeat of Day 15. So far, the TRX FORCE program has you work on the same sets of exercises, rest intervals, and numbers of sets, for two weeks each time before changing things up. So this week will be a repeat of last week, for the most part. But the fact that this week seemed almost “normal” means that my body much be growing and adapting to the new stresses, which resulted in concern and struggle last week.

TRX 12-week FORCE Program: Day 21

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:02:35 +0000

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 21.

Three weeks completed! That’s three weeks further into my fitness goals than I was, well, three weeks ago. So, onwards for the remaining nine weeks.

But really, I can see and feel improvements, so I think the TRX FORCE program is definitely working. I was skeptical at first, but results trump skepticism any day.

TRX 12-week Intensive Fitness FORCE Program Starts Today

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:44:06 +0000

OK — summer’s here and school’s out — time to get serious and get back into shape. My plan of attack is to use the TRX Force Kit, a suspension training system by Fitness Anywhere, and attempt their infamous 12-week training program.

I am assessing this system because I have a crazy travel and work schedule, which prevent me from typical gym usage. The TRX system is light and can be taken with you almost anywhere. I think this system will be a key part of the perfect mobile gym/program I am putting together — thus the assessment.

The Search for the Best Fitness Shoe: Vibram

Thu, 07 May 2009 16:36:20 +0000

“The human foot is a work of art and a masterpiece of engineering.” — Leonardo Da Vinci

The above quote is from a study on the natural form of the foot and proper running form based on the natural biomechanics of the human form. So it’s too bad people shove those works of art and engineering into cramped shoes with thick, padded inserts, leading to bad running form, back and leg pains, and poor posture!

Gymboss Interval Timer

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:32:02 +0000

I never thought I would be impressed by a timer — usually they feel flimsy, cost too much, are tedious to use, or don’t have the features I need. So I was surprised when I started using this Gymboss timer and found that it has all the features I need, it is very easy to use, it seems quite rugged, and it is inexpensive.

Review of the Kindle 2 eBook Reader

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 05:56:45 +0000

UPDATE 25 November 2011: The Kindle Fire and new Kindles are out.

Here is an unboxing video of the new Kindle Fire
Here is an overview of the latest Kindles available
Here is a guide for understanding what is an ereader and what is a Kindle

UPDATE 28 September 2011

New Kindles and a Kindle tablet called the Kindle Fire have been announced. Here is a quick overview of the new Kindle products.

Kindle 2 Review Roundup

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 22:12:37 +0000

UPDATE 28 September 2011

New Kindles and a Kindle tablet called the Kindle Fire have been announced. Here is a quick overview of the new Kindle products.

Original post

UPDATE [ November 24, 2010]: The graphite kindles are out — read my review of the graphite kindles here

UPDATE [November 25, 2009]: There have been a lot of improvements to the Kindle 2 since this post was written: the Kindle 2 now has support for viewing PDF files, allows for manual screen rotation, and provides for *global* wireless access.

Review: Children of Hurin

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 23:24:11 +0000

The coming holiday season, especially Yule, is a very appropriate time to enjoy The Children of Hurin, by J.R.R. Tolkien—the first complete book by Tolkien since The Silmarillion in 1977.

Tolkien had started the story before 1920 and made several revisions after, but did not finish it before his death in 1973. His son Christopher edited the manuscripts and was able to complete the tale.

Review: Quantum of Solace

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 10:41:09 +0000

Quantum of Solace: The Complete James Bond Short Stories is the new collection of James Bond short stories, written by Ian Fleming, and Quantum of Solace is the name of one of the short stories contained therein. This collection is the first time all nine of Ian Fleming’s James Bond short stories have appeared in one volume together. Also, their publication coincides with the upcoming new James Bond film, Quantum of Solace, starring Daniel Craig.

Review: Live and Let Die

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 12:59:50 +0000

Live and Let Die is the second James Bond novel by Ian Fleming, and it wasn’t until my first trip to New York that I really appreciated and understood some parts of the book.

Here, James must uncover a gold-smuggling ring, sponsored by the Communist SMERSH government agency. The leader of the smuggling ring is Mr. Big, who wields control of his crime network, stretching from Harlem to Jamaica, through fear from the practice of Voodoo.

Review: Fretlight Guitar

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 13:03:58 +0000

So I’ve long had “learn to play the guitar” on my list of goals. However, despite several attempts at learning such, life, travel, work, and other higher-priority items have jumped ahead in the queue. I know a couple of chords, and can probably pick my way through some simple tablature, but I can in no way say I know how to play the guitar.

Of course, the ideal way to learn is probably to find a professional instructor and take classes on a regular basis. Alas, the major difficulties of frequent, weekly travel and intense work schedules remain a constant in my life, so the luxury of finding an instructor is out.

Review: Goldfinger

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 23:45:58 +0000

Auric Goldfinger is one of the more memorable villains to cross paths and wits with James Bond. Ian Fleming, in Goldfinger, even makes a game of golf between Goldfinger and Bond a very suspenseful and memorable read.

But there are many more memorable scenes and characters in this James Bond novel, such as the high-stakes card game, the lethal character named Oddjob, tracking Goldfinger on a drive through scenic Europe, and watching James try his hand at being Goldfinger’s secretary.

Upcoming talk: “Knowledge Discovery with Iterative Denoising”

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:23:13 +0000

I’ll be giving a talk this Wednesday titled “Knowledge Discovery with Iterative Denoising”.

Abstract:

The tasks of proper data analysis and knowledge extraction in data are beset by multiple difficulties when the datasets are large and in high dimension. From a performance perspective, it can be prohibitively expensive to search in a high dimensional space. Also, complex datasets often have local relationships of interest, findings that might be missed with global searches. While some progress has been made with addressing Curse of Dimensionality issues, traditional data mining algorithms largely take a static approach to the data mining process—simply tabulating the outputs of a particular algorithm from a given input, leaving the user to start the process over again with new inputs if another run is desired. With this static approach, the user is prevented from interacting with the data mining algorithm as well as with the data.

A Monticello Wine Tasting

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 12:10:08 +0000

As noted in The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 27, Thomas Jefferson writes, after touring through the vineyards of France:

There are four crops of them more famous than all the rest. These are Chateau-Margau, Tour de Segur, Haut-brion, and de la Fite. They cost 3 livres bottle, old: But are so engaged before hand that it is impossible to get them.

Jefferson brought back his knowledge and love of wine to America to try to “elevate the tastes” of America by instilling in them a love of fine wine.

Review: Thunderball

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 22:51:55 +0000

Some say that Thunderball, by Ian Fleming, was the book that really started James Bond on his path of world-wide fame and recognition as a literary icon. For Thunderball was the first of the Blofeld trilogy – that iconic villain Ernest Stavro Blofeld.

Here, we are introduced to SPECTRE via their plot to steal two nuclear warheads and explode them at key locations in a ransom plot for money. James gets involved, accidentally, when a chance encounter with someone involved in the SPECTRE plot sets off a series of unfortunate incidents, resulting in James being sent to the Bahamas as a scout for the missing nuclear warheads. James teams up with CIA agent friend Felix Leiter, falls in love with the beautiful Domino, and winds up in the clutches of Blofeld’s number one agent, Emilio Largo. That Domino seems to be Emilio’s lover only adds to the spice, and trouble for Bond.

Review: You Only Live Twice

Sat, 13 Sep 2008 21:09:00 +0000

At the end of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, James Bond loses the love of his life. Falling into a downward spiral of depression and loneliness, James loses his fire, his will to live, and perhaps, his job.

On one last assignment to see if he has anything left, in You Only Live Twice, by Ian Fleming, James must go to Japan to recover secret spy technology and intercepts by the Japanese. While there, James soon finds himself on the trail of a mysterious and sinister foreigner who has created an island of death, filled with macabre poison plants, piranhas-filled lakes, and scalding lava pits. But James is rejuvenated through the mentor relationship with Tiger Tanaka and the chance for revenge when James discovers something important about the mysterious creator of the island of death. The love of an island fisher girl saves him though, in a very touching side to the typical action-oriented James Bond thriller.

Poplar Forest: Summer Home of Thomas Jefferson

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 18:14:14 +0000

It is clear to most that the politicians of today are no where near the caliber of our Founding Fathers, and we have been reminded of this fact quite frequently during this campaign season. For example, even John F. Kennedy knew where to tip his hat: in 1962 the former President was entertaining forty-nine Nobel Prize winners at the White House, where he said,

“I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent and of human knowledge that has ever been gathered together at the White House—with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.”

Review: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 23:38:29 +0000

Of the Bond books I’ve read so far, I would have to say that On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, by Ian Fleming, is one of his best.

This book encompasses a lot for changes for Bond. Picking up Bond’s life after Thunderball, Bond is about ready to quit his job as a 00 after becoming discouraged tracking down Ernst Blofeld, the leader of SPECTRE, and is just ready to hand in his resignation letter. But a series of events involving money and a woman at a casino soon leads Bond into the depths of the French mafia. From there, he receives a tip on the whereabouts of Blofeld, and Bond goes undercover to investigate Blofeld’s operation. But before he leaves, he finds that he has fallen in love with the woman from the casino, Tracy—true love, perhaps for the first time in his life.

Learning How to Run

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:43:57 +0000

So, I had a plan for the last free month of the summer before school starts: exercise four hours per week for four straight weeks. I accomplished this, but along the way I found that I didn’t know how to run.

Especially in light of the Olympics, four hours of exercise per week is nothing compared to what real athletes do. For me, however, with my middle-age lifestyle and Type A work and travel schedule, getting four hours of exercise time per week, for four straight weeks, was a bit of a challenge. I finally accomplished this goal this week.

Review: Dr. No

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:12:52 +0000

Doctor No, by Ian Fleming, picks up immediately after where From Russia with Love left off.

After recovering from the poisoning at the end of the previous novel, James Bond is sent to Jamaica to investigate the disappearance of a section chief on the island. Once there, Bond starts to uncover clues around many secret and strange activities of a certain Dr. No on Crab Key Island. Investigating further, Bond finds himself in the middle of a large, diabolical plot by Dr. No to gain power and wealth.

Review: From Russia with Love

Sat, 09 Aug 2008 19:10:16 +0000

It was from a different time, a somehow more refined time that bred James Bond. It was a time before fancy gadgets, suicide bombers, and the Internet. It was a time of heroes, when the clack of the train as it runs along the rails promised a certain romance, and when the trace of a hidden door in a wall panel brought danger. A double-edged throwing knife, bullets smuggled through airport security, vodka martinis.

Review: Your Government Failed You: Breaking the Cycle of National Security Disasters

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:44:20 +0000

If one were to pause for a moment and consider what “good government” would be like, we might think of one that would serve the people, upholding the Constitution, working to help the citizens in time of need, offering services to enrich the quality of life, promoting science, innovation, and education, defending the country in time of crisis, and serving as a shining example to other nations.

Now, if you were to reflect on the government you’ve seen in action recently, then your two visions might not exactly match.

Assessing Quality of Life, Neighborhood Walkability, and other Population Factors and Statistics

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:20:02 +0000

There are a number of tools that have become available recently that overlay population features on top of geographic maps (thanks NumbersGuy). The data is from government surveys, crime logs, census logs, etc., and have been available for a very long time. However, by adding the geographic component and a web interface, the data is suddenly much more accessible and useful, especially to the individual.

For example, are you going to buy a new home and want to check out neighborhoods for various factors, such as crime, income, education opportunities, neighborhood walkability, etc.? Or are you interested in checking out your current neighborhood? Do you want to open a business and so want to target specific markets?

University Degrees, Where the Jobs are, and Where the Jobs are not

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 18:45:01 +0000

You might be interested in checking out a post I made on my university blog, where I discuss a table showing numbers of degrees being produced versus projected job demand in several disciplines. The results may surprise you (and may give insight into why the U.S. keeps outsourcing high-tech jobs).

Hint: where are the students?

Virginia Safari Park

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:52:01 +0000

If you want a fun day trip, don’t mind being overwhelmed by cute, and want to get up close and personal with a camel or perhaps an ostrich, then you should consider a visit to the Virginia Safari Park, located off Interstate 81, just south of Lexington and northwest of Lynchburg — right beside Natural Bridge.

They have a variety of land mammals and birds, such as llamas, giraffes, pot-bellied pigs, bison, emus, elk, zebras, camels, and some endangered African animals.

Review of I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:05:46 +0000

I Am Legend, by Richard Matheson, is a classic of the horror genre, and is a disturbing take on vampires, society, and personal struggles. A plague has set upon the entire world and the governments enacted draconian laws and procedures to try to contain the outbreak. But these efforts failed, society collapsed, and people died. Those who remained struggled to survive against a fast-moving, unknown infection, and those who died started returning at night, looking for blood.

It’s Turtles All the Way Down

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:06:09 +0000

Stephen Hawking in A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes recounts the following exchange:

A well-known scientist (some say it was Bertrand Russell) once gave a public lecture on astronomy. He described how the earth orbits around the sun and how the sun, in turn, orbits around the center of a vast collection of stars called our galaxy. At the end of the lecture, a little old lady at the back of the room got up and said: “What you have told us is rubbish. The world is really a flat plate supported on the back of a giant tortoise.” The scientist gave a superior smile before replying, “What is the tortoise standing on?” “You’re very clever, young man, very clever,” said the old lady. “But it’s turtles all the way down!”

Review of Predictably Irrational, by Dan Ariely

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 23:44:09 +0000

If you think that you make rational, reasoned decisions, or that you are the master of your domain, etc., then you might consider reading Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions by Dan Ariely.

This book provides a very interesting glimpse into just how humans make decisions in real life—it turns out that in a variety of situations, humans are not the masters of rationality that we assume them to be.

101 Goals in 1001 Days

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 22:05:57 +0000

I just created a set of 101 resolutions/goals/things-to-do that should keep me occupied for the next 1001 days.

I first read about the project, called 101 Things To Do in 1001 Days, on Robert Talbert’s blog, and then visited the triplux site for more information. It seems like an interesting way to structure getting things done, so I figured it is worth a shot.

Remember, 1001 days is equivalent to about 2.75 years, so I’ll be (hopefully) ticking off tasks as I accomplish them for some time to come, but if I go too long without accomplishing anything, feel free to ping me.

The Numbers Behind Numb3rs

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 18:00:04 +0000

If you are interested in quality, intelligent entertainment, then you might want to check out the series Numb3rs, available on DVD or by individual episode download.

The series depicts an FBI agent who is helped by his mathematics whiz brother in solving crimes – kind of like CSI with equations rather than microscopes. But don’t let the equations scare you off – the conflict caused by the two different methods of problem solving, characterized by the FBI agent brother and the mathematics brother, along with the various crimes and bad guys, actually provides for exciting drama.

Save a Turtle Too

Mon, 05 May 2008 21:30:23 +0000

Actually, a terrapin. Undertook a massive relocation effort to save this little guy from a subdivision of cars, lawn mowers, and dogs. He seemed to like his new country digs.

Save a Turtle

Thu, 01 May 2008 18:48:21 +0000

So, there was this turtle, going the wrong way on a busy street. Naturally, having swerved to miss him, I pulled off the road, ran through traffic, and rescued him.

I put him in the floorboard of the car and drove home. We have a small pond, so he was quite happy to get out of the car and into the water!

Review of Zojirushi Coffee Maker

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 09:40:29 +0000

When I started my new job, I found myself getting into a routine – on my way in to the office I would stop by one of those coffee shops on the corner to grab a large cup of wake-up. This would last me until early afternoon, whereupon I would go again to get more coffee to see me through the rest of the day. Now, these coffee shops tend to serve good coffee, but you pay for the ambience, and after a while my routine started to lighten my wallet a bit too much.

Exercise while on travel: chin-up / pull-up bar

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 22:29:41 +0000

For some time now I have been on frequent travel. You know what this means – quick meals from the drive-through window, not enough “good for you” foods and drinks, exposure to lots of other people on the run and sometimes sick with a cold or flu, lack of a good night’s sleep, and a difficulty in getting enough exercise. While pushups are great, and can be done anywhere, I also wanted a little something more than a pushup or situp.

Human Language Technology

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:12:16 +0000

I’ve just been appointed to a research position with the Human Language Technology Center for Excellence (HTLCOE) at Johns Hopkins University.

The purpose of the Center is to:

focus on advanced technology for automatically analyzing a wide range of speech, text and document image data in multiple languages.

I am looking forward to this!

Nokia N810 Star Trek Theme

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 19:51:59 +0000

The wonderful folks at Synthesize.us have made a Star Trek theme for the Nokia N810, so now it has an LCARS display just like those PADD tablets they use on Enterprise:

Energize!

Research Talk and Visit to Johns Hopkins

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:47:26 +0000

Yesterday was a little busier than normal. In the morning I gave a research talk, “Text analysis with Iterative Denoising,” at the spring meeting of the International Biometric Society, Eastern North American Region.

The conference was in Arlington, Virginia and my hotel was overlooking the Reagan National Airport. In the photo below (taken on a cloudy morning), you can see some of the airport structures, and just above the horizon you can see a plane taking off.

A Toast to Gary Gygax, co-creator of Dungeons and Dragons

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:21:32 +0000

Image credit: Alan De Smet

Gary Gygax, co-creator of Dungeons and Dragons, has died:

Gygax always enjoyed hearing from the game’s legion of devoted fans, many of whom would stop by the family’s home in Lake Geneva, about 55 miles southwest of Milwaukee, his wife said. Despite his declining health, he hosted weekly games of Dungeons & Dragons as recently as January, she said.

“It really meant a lot to him to hear from people from over the years about how he helped them become a doctor, a lawyer, a policeman, what he gave them,” Gygax said. “He really enjoyed that.”

Review of Nokia N810

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 13:33:01 +0000

Due to the heavy marketing by Apple and Amazon, you are surely by now familiar with the iPhone and Kindle. Those are very interesting devices, but I recently made a comparison between them and the new Nokia N810 and, in the end, went with the N810.

The iPhone is slick, but I did not want to be hobbled with a long AT&T cell-phone contract — monthly voice and data charges and fees really was not appealing. I have a cell phone for voice calls, but more and more I find myself using VOIP, especially Skype, for my voice calls. With an Internet connection this means I can make voice calls for free. Currently, making simple, free Skype or other VOIP calls is not possible with the iPhone. In addition, I live in a region with no cell phone service, so the thought of monthly cell phone charges is doubly discouraging. Also, the iPhone currently is a “closed” environment, meaning that the applications you can use on the phone are limited by Apple. Finally, I wanted a device that I could use to read documents, and doing so on a cell phone was really not practical.

The Kindle is a $399 waffle maker

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 21:21:57 +0000

UPDATE 28 September 2011

New Kindles and a Kindle tablet called the Kindle Fire have been announced. Here is a quick overview of the new Kindle products.

Original post

NOTE: The Kindle 2 book reader is out now! Here’s my review of the kindle book reader.

THE COMMENTARY BELOW IS FOR THE ORIGINAL KINDLE.

Andy Ihnatko has a very interesting article on the Amazon Kindle:

Amazon Kindle ebook reader

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 17:19:04 +0000

UPDATE September 2012:

See this post for the latest round of Amazon Kindles, including the Amazon Kindle Fire HD and the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite.

Original older post below.

—————————-

UPDATE 28 September 2011

New Kindles and a Kindle tablet called the Kindle Fire have been announced. Here is a quick overview of the new Kindle products.

UPDATE 9 October 2010

The Kindle 3 is out, and there are three models to choose from:

The Arboretum in Arcadia, California

Sun, 04 Nov 2007 20:30:50 +0000

Some friends took me to visit The Arboretum, in Arcadia, California. Located on 127 acres, The Arboretum is a tranquil botanical garden and historical site.

We saw lots of birds there too, including geese, ducks, and peacocks. This one bird was perched on a branch above the water and sat there for minutes with its wings spread out, looking at you with one eye – kind of creepy. An informed source tells me that this was a double-crested cormorant. Here’s a pic of him (the bird, not the informed source):

Trip to the Hammer Museum

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 21:05:15 +0000

Before you get too excited, no, it is not a museum of hammers. When I first saw the museum in Los Angeles’ Westwood area, I thought how great to have a museum on hammers – battle hammers or maybe even Thor’s Hammers!

Alas, that was not the case, but you should visit it anyway if you are in the area. The Hammer Museum houses some of the art collected by the late Armand Hammer, who was an American industrialist (no, Armand Hammer did not create the Arm and Hammer baking soda). He collected art his entire life, and amassed a very large collection. This museum displays some works from his collection and rotates through other exhibitions. On Thursdays there is free admission, so this is a prime time to visit.

The Halloween Tradition

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 00:35:34 +0000

Snap-Apple Night, was painted by Irish artist Daniel Maclise in 1833. Supposedly he painted this after attending a Halloween party in Blarney, Ireland, in 1832. The group on the left are playing divination games. The group in the middle are playing “Snap Apple”, a game where an apple dangles from a string and people, with their arms tied behind their back, try to bite the apple. The first person who bites the coin in the apple wins. The group on the right are bobbing for apples.

Scan Statistics on Enron Graphs talk

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 22:26:15 +0000

I have put my slides online for a talk I was asked to give at IPAM today. The talk was titled “Scan Statistics on Enron Graphs“, work done by Carey Priebe, John Conroy, David Marchette, and Youngser Park.

Knowledge and Search Engines Workshop at UCLA

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 15:58:14 +0000

I am attending a research workshop on knowledge and search engines at UCLA’s IPAM this week (and the next several). The image below is a panoramic shot of the UCLA property (May’s Landing in Malibu) where we had the kickoff retreat.

Yesterday I gave two tutorial talks. The first was on the basics of Google’s PageRank algorithm, and the second was on the basics of knowledge discovery systems. Yesterday Petros Drineas from RPI also gave a talk, on a linear algebra perspective on information retrieval and data mining.

Educational Resources for Everyone

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 23:06:43 +0000

It is easier than ever for anyone in the world to get a good education. Many top universities are placing their course content online, for free. There are also other educational resources put online by universities and organizations (like podcasts from NASA).

For many of the courses, not only do you get the syllabus for the course, but lecture notes, assignments, and sometimes even audio and video of the lectures!

Pell’s Bells: How to Make a Pell

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 17:53:55 +0000

A Pell is essentially a striking dummy that is used for weapons training. Pells have been used for hundreds of years both in Western Arts as well as Eastern Arts. They can be used indoors or outdoors, can be mounted or left free-swinging, and used with a variety of weapons. The purpose is not to swing as hard as you can, but to refine your technique and control – developing a solid foundation of basics is very important if you want to progress in your abilities.

UCLA: Knowledge and Search Engines Workshops

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 16:57:33 +0000

I have been asked to give two tutorial lectures at this fall’s Mathematics of Knowledge and Search Engines workshop series at the Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics, which is a part of UCLA.

I just found out about this (me presenting), so it looks like I’ll be busy preparing the talks from now until then. When I find out more information I will post it here.

Trail Riding at the Marriott Ranch in Virginia

Sat, 11 Aug 2007 20:09:50 +0000

If you are filled with the D.C. Beltway Blues, or are tired of all the big-city grime, crime, and lack-of-time, then a trip to the Marriott Ranch might be just the escape you need.

About 45 miles outside the beltway, Marriott Ranch is a working cattle ranch in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in Hume, Virginia. The ranch has about 4,200 acres, and, in addition to cattle, has a bed and breakfast called the Inn at Fairfield Farm. You can also go horseback riding, hiking, off-road jeeping, and fishing. In addition to people wanting to get back to nature, the site is also a popular destination for company retreats and weddings. Around the ranch there are vineyards and wineries, fishing, rafting, canoeing, Civil War Trails, the Shenandoah National Park, and the Skyline Drive.

Trip Report: Mount Baldy, San Gabriel Mountains, California

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 20:18:39 +0000

Officially called Mount San Antonio, but known as Mount Baldy because of the absence of trees at the summit, this mountain has the highest peak in the San Gabriel mountain range. This mountain range is located in northern Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California. If you are on the Los Angeles side of the mountain, on the other side is the Mojave Desert.

There is plenty of hiking available, which affords wonderful views.

What is Your Erdös Number?

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 14:52:07 +0000

Paul Erdös was (1913-1996) a Hungarian-born mathematician known for being prolific (about 1,500 papers with about 510 co-authors) and eccentric. As to the latter, he spent most of his life traveling from place to place, staying in the homes of colleagues. Most of his possessions fit into his suitcase, and after staying a few days he would move on to the next colleague, for another few days of collaboration.

Around Los Angeles: Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 19:05:08 +0000

On the southeast corner of the UCLA campus lies the Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden. On seven acres, this oasis contains tropical and sub-tropical plants from all over the world.

I took a pleasant walk through the garden over the weekend, and plan to return, since it is a restive spot that calls for quiet meditation and attention to nature amid the city jungle of Los Angeles.

Around Los Angeles: OpAmp Bookstore

Sat, 14 Jul 2007 22:51:54 +0000

If you are in need of a technical book or magazine, or several, you can probably do no better than to visit Opamp Technical Books, near Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles.

Inside are a number of aisles stacked floor to ceiling with used and new scientific and technical books of all topics, including software development, security, electronics, building codes, medicine, operating systems, CAM, writing, leadership, programming, business, and a whole lot more.

Around Los Angeles: The Getty Museum

Mon, 09 Jul 2007 21:44:48 +0000

Without a doubt, the Getty Museum is one of the places every visitor to Los Angeles should see.

Jean Paul Getty (1892 – 1976) was an American who made his money by founding the Getty Oil Company. A collector of art and other antiquities, when he died his money went into the J. Paul Getty Trust, which funds and operates the Getty Museum. The museum is a part of the larger Getty Center, which operates a research institute, conservation institute, grant program, and leadership institute.

Review: Timbuk2 Commute Messenger Bag

Sat, 07 Jul 2007 01:34:34 +0000

It’s tough being a bag in Los Angeles. Or at least my backpack thinks so.

Every day that I have been in Los Angeles so far I have been out walking or riding my bike. Usually I have my backpack with me, to hold my laptop, some books, and other items. My backpack is one of those padded computer backpacks—in specific, the Dell C8882 Inspiron 17″ Laptop Backpack. I don’t have a Dell computer though—I use the backpack to carry my Apple Powerbook 17″ laptop.

Around Los Angeles: UCLA

Wed, 04 Jul 2007 18:46:20 +0000

So today I decided to make a tour around the UCLA campus.

The University of California, Los Angeles, or UCLA, has the largest enrollment of any university in the state and consistently ranks as one of the top universities in the world.

The campus is large (about 419 acres) and the buildings have a detailed, solid architectural style (Romanesque Revival?). As an example, the building below is the Powell Libary, which is the main undergraduate library. Interestingly, it was one of the original four buildings on campus.

Shakedown Trip with the Downtube: Santa Monica

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 13:53:55 +0000

I took my first real ride on my Downtube Mini folding bike over the weekend. I mentioned earlier that I had brought the folding bike with me to Los Angeles, since I wouldn’t have a car while I was here.

Someone at work had mentioned that San Vincente Boulevard was a nice road to take to the beach, so I thought that would be a nice way to test out the new bike and to see some of the sights. The route I ended up taking is highlighted in purple (UCLA is in the upper right corner; Santa Monica pier is in the lower left corner).

Traveling with the Folding Bike – It Works!

Sun, 24 Jun 2007 20:05:36 +0000

Well, at least using my experience with one trip, it works.

In my previous post, “In theory: how to survive when on travel without a car – the folding bike”, I discussed this idea for staying in a city without a car. I showed a picture of the bike and a picture of the bike folded in a suitcase.

Here is a photo of the bike, unpacked from the suitcase, after a trip of 2,329 miles via airplane:

In Theory: How to Survive When on Travel Without a Car – the Folding Bike

Sat, 23 Jun 2007 10:49:32 +0000

So for a period of time in the near future I will be working and doing research in a place where I will not have a car. This might not be so bad if it were not for the commute back and forth to the office.

So my solution, perhaps with my engineering background showing a bit too much, was to buy a folding bike.

The bike I chose: a Downtube Mini.

In theory:

Viking Age Iceland: Review

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 10:38:32 +0000

Jesse Byock: Viking Age Iceland

I read this book prior to my trip to Iceland, and it really served to give me a good sense of the country, how it was settled, who settled it, and how the population grew over time. It also explained the desolation of the countryside – when you travel from the airport to Reykjavik, the land is like much like on the moon – treeless crags abound. The book explains how this came to be. In addition, the book gives a good background to the sagas and other adventures of the people of Iceland, and those who came to its shores.

What is a Tanjo?

Thu, 31 May 2007 07:54:09 +0000

This is a tanjo.

Review: Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Tue, 29 May 2007 00:19:31 +0000

OK, so maybe I made a mistake.

Maybe I totally missed out on one of the best TV shows to come along in, well, forever.

I mean, who ever heard of a vampire slayer named Buffy?! After all, I was in the middle of watching The X-Files and Babylon 5 when Buffy aired on TV – who had time for a high-school girl in red leather pants with a vampire problem?

Birth of a Nation: A Visit by Queen Elizabeth

Sat, 12 May 2007 14:51:34 +0000

This year marks the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown. Though Europeans had visited this land long before, Jamestown, settled in 1607, was the first permanent English settlement in the Americas.
Many festivities and events are taking place this year. This weekend, for example, sees a replica of the boat that settler John Smith used to explore the Chesapeake Bay set sail on a 121-day journey to retrace his voyage.
This past Friday saw Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II return to Virginia, revisiting Richmond, Jamestown, and William & Mary.

Just in case you are wondering, that’s the Queen, on the right, and Former Supreme Court Justice and current W&M Chancellor Sandra Day O’Connor on the left, at W&M.

Review: Perilous Realms and Runic Myths

Fri, 14 Jul 2006 00:45:13 +0000

There are are a couple of new books out or coming out that seem worth investigating.

The first is a book by Majorie Burns titled Perilous Realms: Celtic And Norse in Tolkien’s Middle-Earth. From a review in the Rutland Herald:

There’s a new book out on the “Lord of the Rings” and its accompanying volumes that says J. R. R. Tolkien’s writing is much more subtle and nuanced than most people have realized. Marjorie Burns, a professor in the Department of English at Portland State University, says Tolkien blended Norse and Celtic factors in a delicate, abstruse manner that makes the works as scholarly as they are entertaining.

Where are the heroes?

Wed, 18 Jan 2006 08:17:34 +0000

This year marks the 300th birthday for a great American Hero, Benjamin Franklin, who was born January 17, 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Considering his life and accomplishments, he seems to me to be a template towards which we all can aspire. Ben was one of the Founders of the United States, was a prominent political figure, statesman, newspaper editor, printer, merchant, diplomat, writer, philanthropist, and scientist.

Physics Today has a nice article about Ben and his work with lightning rods. The also have an article about Ben’s research into oil and water.

SpaceX Presentation

Wed, 18 Jan 2006 08:12:11 +0000

What:
The second presentation in the
Engineering Excellence in the 21st Century
Distinguished Lecture Series
Elon Musk, founder and CEO of SpaceX
Space Exploration Technologies
When:
Tuesday, February 21, 2006, 7:30 p.m.
Where:
Burruss Hall Auditorium on the Virginia Tech
campus
Cost:
Free
SpaceX is developing a family of launch vehicles intended to reduce the cost and
increase the reliability of access to space. With its Falcon 1, Falcon 5 and Falcon 9
launch vehicles, SpaceX is able to offer light, medium and heavy lift capabilities to
deliver spacecraft into any inclination and altitude, from low Earth orbit to
geosynchronous orbit to planetary missions. The first Falcon 1 rocket is scheduled for
liftoff in February. The customer for the mission is the Defense Advanced Research
Project Agency (DARPA) and the U.S. Air Force. The payload will be the FalconSat-2, part of
the Air Force Academy's satellite program to measure space plasma phenomena, which can
adversely affect space-based communications, including GPS and other civil and military
communication.
SpaceX is the 3rd company founded by Elon Musk. Prior to SpaceX, he co-founded PayPal,
the world's leading electronic payment system. Mr. Musk was the largest shareholder of PayPal
until the company was acquired by eBay for $1.5 billion in 2002. Before PayPal, Mr. Musk
co-founded Zip2 Corporation in 1995, a leading provider of enterprise software and services
to the media industry. In 1999 he sold Zip2 to Compaq for $307 million in an all-cash
transaction.
Mr. Musk's early experience extends across a spectrum of advanced technology industries,
from high energy density ultra-capacitors at Pinnacle Research to software development at
Rocket Science and Microsoft. He holds a degree in physics from the University of
Pennsylvania, a business degree from Wharton and originally went to California to pursue
graduate studies in energy physics at Stanford.
Presentation is free and open to the public.
Doors open at 7:00 p.m.

High Dimensional Space

Thu, 20 Oct 2005 18:19:13 +0000

When I dreamed of experiencing high dimensionality, I never thought it would be like this.

Of late, that is just what I have been doing, mostly studying this figure:

IPAM, UCLA workshop

Sun, 17 Jul 2005 11:23:53 +0000

I’m out in Los Angeles at UCLA for a math workshop. Here’s a picture of the dorm where I am staying:

Cherry Blossom Festival Results

Fri, 15 Apr 2005 17:23:07 +0000

Today was a perfect day for the 93rd annual National Cherry Blossom Festival in our nation’s Capital. Our group, the Capital Area Budokai, put on a martial arts demonstration in downtown Washington D.C. for the festival. The skies were blue, the blossoms were at their peak, our stage had a great view of the Capitol, and lots of people came out to see us.

Here are a few photos from the demo. Note that though my wife took lots of great pictures, by the time we went on, the sun had moved us into shadows. Thus, I had to wrangle with the brightness and contrast in the pictures to make them even partially visible.

PhD ABD

Thu, 10 Feb 2005 16:49:37 +0000

I am not sure what was more difficult: studying the material, writing the research proposal, assembling an exam committee, or completing the paperwork. But after (what seemed to me to be) a long oral exam, I was told with a hearty handshake that I had passed my university GBO (Graduate Board Orals) exam at Johns Hopkins University. There were five people in total on my committee: three in my department and two outside my department. The chair had to be outside my department, and of associate or full professor rank.

Motorcycle Safety Foundation

Thu, 02 Sep 2004 14:09:10 +0000

This past weekend my wife and I took the Basic Rider Course, offered by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, which is sponsored by the U.S. manufacturers and distributors of BMW, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Piaggio/Vespa, Suzuki, Vengeance, Victory, and Yamaha motorocyles.

If you are thinking about riding, or currently ride, I would recommend this course. It is over three days, and contains knowledge as well as skills portions. But the emphasis is on skills – especially learning to ride effectively and safely.

Toronto Trip

Mon, 16 Aug 2004 14:07:08 +0000

Just got back from a trip to Toronto where I delivered a security talk at a statistics conference, JSM 2004. The conference was nice and I was amazed that so many people showed up to hear my talk, considering that it was the last session of the conference!

Toronto had lots of nice restaurants, but I found the air a little more polluted than what I was used to – had a headache the entire time I was there: it didn’t clear up until I landed in D.C. By the way, have fun getting _back into_ the country!

Giving Those in Need a Hand

Sat, 14 Aug 2004 14:11:11 +0000

The word must be out around the neighborhood: if you are a down-and-out or hurt little animal, come to our house and you will be saved! Over the last few weeks we’ve saved four little puppies; a few weeks ago a hurt kitten.

Three of the puppies were found barely alive by my mother-in-law. We have a large part of our yard fenced-in so that we can let our dogs have a good run. Behind the fence is a small overgrown field and behind that some woods. We put a small pond on the outside of the fence so that various critters – deer, groundhogs, possums, snakes, rabbits, etc. could come for a drink without coming into the fenced-in area (where the dogs are). We’ve had a wet, rainy summer here in Virginia and the area back there has really become pretty wild.

Make Mine Virginia Wine

Mon, 21 Jun 2004 14:13:38 +0000

Winery in Virginia has come a long way since the early colonists struggled to replicate the wines they produced and loved in Europe. It was much harder here, since the Virginia climate has harsh winters, hot summers, and plentiful rains that cause a host of problems for tender grape vines.

But the struggles of the good people of Virginia paid off, as today Virginia produces world-class wines: they have cultured vine hybrids that are rugged enough to thrive in the climate, have experimented with the soil types and elevations to know which terrains and locations are most suitable for plantings, and through many years of experience and support of fellow Vintners have developed the know-how to produce wines that everyone can love. There are more than 80 wineries scattered across the state, in scenic settings run by good, friendly people.

Hawaii Scenery

Mon, 14 Jun 2004 18:10:00 +0000

Here’s a pic from the East side of Oahu, looking out onto Rabbit Island.

For those who’ve had high-school biology, you can guess what happened to the rabbits humans put on an island with lots of food and no predators.

Cicada Song 2

Mon, 31 May 2004 14:17:54 +0000

Unlike my last cicada song entry, here is a short sample of just one cicada – up close and personal. I tend to pick up wayward ones who have missed the trees and found themselves on the sidewalk or parking lot – not a strategic spot for a cicada. So twixt the sidewalk and the tree, we stopped by the microphone, one cidada and I.

There is a brief period of silence at the beginning – my little friend decided to crawl away from the mic, so it took some time to retrieve him. Little did he know the tape was rolling when he decided to take a break – performers are like that sometimes.

Happy Memorial Day!

Sun, 30 May 2004 09:24:19 +0000

We got to go see some family over the Memorial Day weekend – my sister had a very nice dinner at her house on the lake.

Below is a shot from her dock. As you can see the weather was a little overcast, and just as we moved inside it started to rain. But overall it was a nice day.

Cicada Song

Mon, 24 May 2004 14:19:41 +0000

In the Northern parts of Virginia and in Maryland in general the 17-year cicadas are in full force. While the talking heads on the local tv stations caution people about the cicadas flying into your hair and other hysteria-mongering (as is usual for tv-type news), they are in actuality a miracle to behold.

I’ve taken a simple sound recording of them just to show how awesome they are – I simply opened my window in Falls Church, Virginia (where I work) and held out a microphone (actually I didn’t even clear the window because of the screen, but you get the idea). In the mp3 clip (about 1.2MB) you can hear normal outdoors-in-the-city sounds, such as cars passing on the road or birds chirping. But if you listen closely you will hear a definite background hum, kind of like the sound of an original Star Trek phaser firing constantly. This hum is the sound of thousands of cicadas way up in the trees trying to attract a mate so that they can breed, die, and let the 17-year cycle start anew. The audio might have been better had I actually gone outside the window, perhaps climbing to the top of a tree, but I think from the sample you can get the idea.

New York Times article

Mon, 03 May 2004 18:02:02 +0000

The article about Dr. Rubin and evoting security made the New York Times! It seems that they cut out all the comments from the students and seemed to focus more on the controversy over the electronic voting machines with security problems.

They cut me out of the online photo (?!), but I am in the print edition.

Here’s a link to the online version: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/03/technology/03vote.html

NYT Interview

Thu, 29 Apr 2004 17:59:43 +0000

So today during class, the New York Times article writer came and sat in. He took notes on his laptop, so during the project presentations there was a constant background click-clacking as he typed as fast as he could.

After class he asked me a couple of questions and wanted me to clarify some things I said during my presentation, where I was explaining my voting system backdoor. He also talked with another group that had a very good project.

New York Times photo session

Wed, 28 Apr 2004 17:57:31 +0000

OK, so today a photographer came and took a lot of pictures for the evoting article. It seems that some students, because of their employers’ policies, can’t be photographed, or some just don’t want to be photographed, so the photographer did an after-class session.

So we all gathered around a bunch of computers and tried to look busy. Every once in awhile, Dr. Rubin would point to the screen and we would all look at the screen. The photographer just walked around snapping pics. He had a digital camera, so he must have taken at least 100 snaps.

Seminar: 19th Century Italian Dueling Sabre

Tue, 27 Apr 2004 18:07:00 +0000

Lately, with work, school, research, travel, and family obligations, I have not had as much time as I would like for martial arts training. However, I did jump through quite a few hoops in order to be able to attend a two-day seminar on Italian Dueling Sabre this past weekend in Annapolis, MD. The seminar was taught by Maestro Sean Hayes, master of arms at the Northwest Academy of Arms, and was sponsored by MASHS

Something to Try for American Farmers

Tue, 29 Jan 2002 12:47:25 +0000

Farmers in the US are paid by the government to grow crops that aren’t needed, to use wasteful and harmful farming practices, and to keep afloat a system that should have gone under long ago, in its present form.

The English have a similar agriculture situation, but are actually moving to do something about the sorry state of affairs. In particular, they are hoping to bring about reform, with such example moves as:

A Small Step for a Renewed Planet

Mon, 24 Dec 2001 12:50:12 +0000

Today we planted 4 trees: 2 Blue Spruces, 1 Leland Cypress, and 1 Magnolia (Southern, of course). This comes to 14 trees we have planted this year, along with 60 bushes. At least in the microclimate around our house, we have made changes for a better environment. So while the winter winds blow across the fields, the plants sleep and the earth gets renewed. Come spring, we should see lots of healthy green.

Digging in the Yard

Sun, 06 May 2001 13:33:27 +0000

Today I finished installing a small pond for wildlife in my backyard. It took a while – digging clay soil is never an easy task. But the reward was almost instantaneous – even before it was finished all sorts of creatures discovered it and made use of it. Birds regularly stop by for a fill up. I found some chicken bones in the bottom, likely from a raccoon who dug some chicken out of someone’s garbage and came by to wash it off before having a feast. (And no – the chicken didn’t come from my garbage, since I don’t buy dead animals to cook in my home). I am not sure who left corn in the bottom, since my birdfeeders are a good 60 yards away from the pond. And I’ll have to investigate further, but there are now what appear to be some sort of fresh water mollusk in the bottom. How did they get there? I also expect to see frogs soon – it’s about time for them to do their thing in the water.

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Review: Neewer 16-inch LED Ring Light

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This is an archived project -- the app is no longer available on iTunes!

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Review: AcuRite Atlas Weather Station