Randy's Winding Road BLOGtag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-13315602012-01-24T16:09:22-08:00Practical Technology - current affairs, my expierence being a "flood victim", my travels in Asia, China and Hawaii, Life in Seattle, tools for the Internet etc. TypePadPractical Technology - Potpourritag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e0097ff4868833014e89d1b31b970d2012-01-24T16:09:22-08:002012-01-24T16:07:53-08:00... Thoreau "Men have become the tools of their tools." January 2012 A TED presentation: "Lisa Harouni: A primer on 3D printing" From Nano Patents and Innovations - "Wonder Material Graphene Reveals Its Magnetic Personality" From A Z Nano -...Randy LaVignehttp://roadhouse.typepad.com/randys_mostly_harmless_bl/2012/01/practical-technology-potpourri.htmlSTOP SOPA - SAVE THE INTERNETtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e0097ff48688330162ff6bde96970d2012-01-11T19:00:57-08:002012-01-11T19:00:08-08:00INTERNET BLACKOUT 1/18/2012Randy LaVignehttp://roadhouse.typepad.com/randys_mostly_harmless_bl/2012/01/stop-sopa-save-the-internet.htmlWearable AR Guidance System #DigInfotag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e0097ff48688330154389936c7970c2011-12-20T14:22:55-08:002011-12-20T14:22:55-08:00via www.youtube.com Hmmm... part of a new interface.Randy LaVignehttp://roadhouse.typepad.com/randys_mostly_harmless_bl/2011/12/wearable-ar-guidance-system-diginfo.htmlBipedal Cycling Robot Can Balance, Steer and Correct Itself #DigInfotag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e0097ff48688330162fe1a91ef970d2011-12-20T14:17:55-08:002011-12-20T14:17:55-08:00via www.youtube.com I need you to go to Safeway and pick up a dozen eggs and a pound of butter.Randy LaVignehttp://roadhouse.typepad.com/randys_mostly_harmless_bl/2011/12/bipedal-cycling-robot-can-balance-steer-and-correct-itself-diginfo.htmlWOH! - Must Read: Move over graphene? Erbium will boost fiber optics, solar cells, computer chips… | ExtremeTechtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e0097ff486883301543747d4d2970c2011-11-23T10:57:07-08:002011-11-23T10:55:20-08:00It seems graphene, the single layer of carbon atoms that can supercharge computer chips, optical circuits, lithium-ion batteries, and solar power generation, might have a competitor: a rare earth element called erbium. Erbium salts, like graphene, have very desirable optical...Randy LaVignehttp://roadhouse.typepad.com/randys_mostly_harmless_bl/2011/11/move-over-graphene-erbium-will-boost-fiber-optics-solar-cells-computer-chips-extremetech.htmlCongressional supercommittee set to admit failure in deficit-reduction talks - NYPOST.comtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e0097ff4868833015393588c79970b2011-11-20T23:23:18-08:002011-11-20T23:23:02-08:00via www.nypost.com Surprise - Surprise :) Note to the Committee: Our Government or the lack there of has become extremely frustrating. How many incumbents can we throw out in 2012?Randy LaVignehttp://roadhouse.typepad.com/randys_mostly_harmless_bl/2011/11/congressional-supercommittee-set-to-admit-failure-in-deficit-reduction-talks-nypostcom.htmlPractical Technology - The Robots are Coming tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e0097ff4868833015390756a29970b2011-11-12T11:39:46-08:002011-11-12T11:39:34-08:00When people discuss technology and the exploitation of technology, they frequently use descriptive terms like disruptive, and revolutionary. Our technology based revolution continues with revolutionary new materials, advances in computing, and our knowledg of robotics. Technical change is moving fast,...Randy LaVignehttp://roadhouse.typepad.com/randys_mostly_harmless_bl/2011/11/practical-technology-the-robots-are-coming-.htmltag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e0097ff486883301539126916c970b2011-08-30T13:35:45-07:002011-08-30T13:35:45-07:00Stuck in my head today... one scene from a classic movie, with a 2011 twist... "I just want to say one word to you. Just one word. ... Are you listening?" - GRAPHENE! (ala "The Graduate" 1967) Disruptive Technology...Randy LaVignehttp://roadhouse.typepad.com/randys_mostly_harmless_bl/2011/08/stuck-in-my-head-today-one-scene-from-a-classic-movie-with-a-2011-twist-i-just-want-to-say-one-word-to-you-just-one.htmlPractical Technology - RockMelt Social Web Browsertag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e0097ff48688330147e2a09921970b2011-08-02T13:16:28-07:002011-08-02T13:16:13-07:00I made RockMelt my default browser this week, so I thought I would share one of the features I have come to like. (RockMelt) One feature I really like is the ability to translate foreign language web pages. I have...Randy LaVignehttp://roadhouse.typepad.com/randys_mostly_harmless_bl/2011/08/practical-technology-rockmelt-social-web-browser.htmlMust Read - Air China's Zhihang Chi at a Town Hall in LAtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e0097ff4868833014e8a45c70b970d2011-07-31T13:56:40-07:002011-07-31T14:19:33-07:00"Air China Zhihang Chi Opines on Future of U.S.-China Relationship" - The Planning Report The relationship between the United States and China has many faces - many dimensions. With the current political turmoil in Washington D.C., and our increasing co-depencencies...Randy LaVignehttp://roadhouse.typepad.com/randys_mostly_harmless_bl/2011/07/must-read-air-chinas-zhihang-chi-at-a-town-hall-in-la.htmlPractical Technology - Down the Road a Piece tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e0097ff4868833014e89d1759e970d2011-07-21T13:17:51-07:002011-07-21T13:17:38-07:00Graphene - Miracle Material - A global race is now underway to understand and exploit the incredible possibilities associated with graphene. A recent Business Insider article mentioned research in India on solar power, Texas research aimed at developing an "active,...Randy LaVignehttp://roadhouse.typepad.com/randys_mostly_harmless_bl/2011/07/practical-technology-down-the-road-a-piece-.html'Don't Look Down' - Theme for Our Economic Destiny this Summer: The Obama/Boehner/Ryan/ Scripttag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e0097ff486883301538eeceb47970b2011-06-04T10:14:02-07:002011-06-04T10:11:42-07:00It's early June, 2011, and the 'market' is looking like 2008. Yesterday, it was reported that there were "No net new jobs" created on Main Street in May (CNBC - Dunkelberg), and today our President made some comments on jobs...Randy LaVignehttp://roadhouse.typepad.com/randys_mostly_harmless_bl/2011/06/dont-look-down-theme-for-economic-destiny-with-obamaboehnerryan-leadership.htmlNo Truth to Rumor - Wall Street Regulationtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e0097ff486883301538df30612970b2011-04-18T09:01:52-07:002011-04-18T09:01:52-07:00There is no truth to the rumor that US Government regulators will require new uniforms on Wall Street: Rumored New Wall Street Uniforms :)Randy LaVignehttp://roadhouse.typepad.com/randys_mostly_harmless_bl/2011/04/no-truth-to-rumor-wall-street-regulation.html"Mad as Hell" Mr. Beale - Government Shutdown and other 2011 Political Obscenities tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e0097ff4868833014e874bea5d970d2011-04-06T22:36:49-07:002011-04-06T23:42:40-07:00Reading about the disgusting political posturing over US budget issues today, and watching the media circus on cable news shows this evening, I was reminded of a couple of scenes from one of my favorite films, Network (1976 MGM). My...Randy LaVignehttp://roadhouse.typepad.com/randys_mostly_harmless_bl/2011/04/mad-as-hell-mr-beale-government-shutdown-and-other-2011-political-obscenities-.htmlPractical Technology - $500 Telepresence Robottag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e0097ff4868833014e861faba1970d2011-02-16T19:03:48-08:002011-02-16T19:03:48-08:00Take a look at Johnny Lee's YouTube video, and visit his blog for detail on his innovative project. ... more information here: http://procrastineering.blogspot.com/2011/02/low-cost-video-chat-robot.html There's also an interesting Google site for iRobot Create Projects. iRobot Create ProjectsRandy LaVignehttp://roadhouse.typepad.com/randys_mostly_harmless_bl/2011/02/practical-technology-500-telepresence-robot.html