EelLog

I am Having a Hard Time

2011-11-21T21:31:00.001-08:00

I am having a hard time understanding the venom that is coming from people who have seen the pictures of the #OWS protest at the University of California at Davis.How can people see images if kids being sprayed in the face with military grade pepper spray. How can people see these images of passive kids. How can people see these images and know they are passive kids and spew venom directed at the children?The people spewing venom know they are passive. The people spewing venom know they are kids. I know this because they say it. The use the word passive. They use the word kids. And they still are blinded by fury at the image. They are furious at the kids.But are they?Or do they feel anger at the image just as I do? Do they see a picture of a person who meant no harm being hurt and get angry at that image just as I do?Is the difference in our response not the anger but another pice of knowledge that they have? Is it that they know deep down that authority is protective? They know deep down that police are good? Is the difference that I just add another word into that sentence: Police are usually good. Just as I know that police are people, and people are usually good.The difference may be that I can look at that picture and know that this is astonishingly abhorrent. This is not the behavior of somebody who is protecting and good. This is somebody who has fallen down the trap of Milgram and Zimbardo.The lesson I am learning tonight, is that the person who is expressing outrage towards the kid may vary well be expressing the same outrage I am feeling, but unable to pair their outrage with the other knowledge that they have, so the anger comes out twisted and misdirected. This unconscionable person becomes a person... Or maybe he is just a jerk.

I Have the Power

2011-06-12T09:37:00.000-07:00

So, I have not written in a while. I have been a bit busy doing things like

Running 1/2 Marathons (1:43:43 in the rain. 23rd overall, and 4th in class)

Traveling internationally for work (Taiwan, and Dresden (twice))

Breaking machine tools.

Oh, yeah, and buying a house!

Well, the house is small. I am not talking 1200 ft^2 small, I am talking 554 ft^2 small!
So, one of the first things I did was have a shed built in the back to use as a workshop (The technical term is Calculariam), and NOT for storage!!! Well the city (town) I live in lets me build 120 ft^2 without a permit (Over 1/5th the size of the house). But you can't run power out to it (Sadface). Well, problems have solutions:

Some nuts, bolts, angle, and furniture tips from the hardware store (About $20)

Some selections from my Zip-Tie collection,

And some from my back up Zip-Tie collection

Make a lovely mount for a solar panel (15W for 80$).

Mounted on the roof. Everything I have done on this is with an eye towards expanding the system. Now to hook up the running systems:

I covered it up during this part as so not to hurt myself (try licking a car battery). It was still pushing out about 3V so I could make sure all my connections were good, but with almost no current, so I swore a lot less.

To charge the battery (I have a tiny one in place temporarily, but have a big ass (I think that is the brand) one at work (Free), regulate the power, and protect the panels after sunset ($20, good for 100W).

A 50W inverter that I have had kicking around for 15 years or so (and they tell me I should trow things out)

Light provided by a 5W 12V LED bulb ($12). Don't worry, I cleaned up the wiring.

Half a Saturdays work, finished by sundown. Total cost: $132

And finally, no job is done without one of these :)

Ki-Ya!

2011-01-26T21:02:00.000-08:00

So, I recently got my black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do. So don't mess with me, or I will totally break a brick with my bare hands!. But anyway all of my uniforms have a white collar, which is a problem cuz I now have to wear uniforms with a black collar. So I have all of these used (nasty used) Tae-Kwon-Do uniforms... unless you want to buy one? No? Ok, so I will make something with them.

Step 1) Cut off sleeves.

Step 2) Sew sleeves together.

Yes, I can sew. But it does involve a lot of swearing.

Step 3) Fill with beans (or rice, or peas). I made a 6 pocket arrangement so the beans don't flop around and put 1 pint of beans in each pocket (this is perhaps overkill... they is heavy!)

Step 4) Sew ends closed.

Step 5) Microwave. With the 6 pints of beans and my wimpy ass microwave it takes 7 minutes on high. But until you get the hang of your microwave/dealy combination I recommend staring with 1 min, test, add another min, test... that is unless you like 3rd degree burns (I am kidding. Being foolish will probably only give you 2nd degree burns)

Step 6) Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

A new skill

2011-01-01T09:49:00.000-08:00

So, my dear and wonderful sweetie has a tendency of bringing home furniture that she finds on the street. These items (like me) have the potential of being wonderful pieces, but are in rough shape.

Her latest acquisition.

Since I don't have a fireplace, I acquired some shaker furniture tape, and some 1" foam:

and a few tools (The clamps is the new one):

The first step is to cut the foam so it will fit the area of the seat, minus 1" square cutouts so the foam does not show at the corners:

Now, starting from the front of the chair lay out the warp:

Notice there is space at the front corners, and the clamp is holding the end on the side rail.

Sew the second color to the first:

Now for the weave:

Two up, two down makes a herringbone pattern:

Now we have two chairs instead of firewood:

Statistics, not Just for Breakfast

2010-11-20T16:58:00.000-08:00

Why do we freak out over a 1/30,000,000 chance of getting hit in a terrorist attack, but think a 1/30,000,000 chance of getting cancer is "the price we must pay".

Also, that is not how cancer works. Turn the number around. This means that for every 30,000,000 times this machine is used it produces on the average 1 tumor. So, conservatively, with 25,000 flights per day, with 75 people on each flight, that give us 1,500,000 people flying per day. If everybody got scanned that would be over one person given cancer every month!

It is called math people

I have so many questions...

2010-10-15T22:07:00.000-07:00

I know I have not posted in a LONG ass while, and now I am throwing this at you...
Just deal with it...

Mine Eyes

2010-08-21T22:43:00.000-07:00

Last Day in Kazakhstan

2010-06-26T10:34:00.000-07:00

In early 2010, I traveled to Kazakhstan for business. What was expected to be a 3 week trip ballooned into 45 12-hour days in a row. On the very last day I had two hours of free time to take my camera out by the hotel. Most of the images presented in this show are from those two hours.

Showing From July 1-31
At Cafe Galleria In Oakland
Artist Reception Saturday July 3rd 1pm-4pm (Informal)

Things That Go BANG in the Night

2010-05-05T07:26:00.000-07:00

So last night there was a tremendous bang that shook the building. I
sounded like a bomb went off… Or so I am told I slept right through
it. Which shows how tired I am. Then, ½ hour later, around midnight,
there was a lot of knocking at each door and shouting in either Kazic,
or Russian, I have difficulties telling them apart. When I opened my
door, they where already down the hall. A security guard, a hotel
manager, and the girl at the front desk were at somebody else’s door
shouting in English “Open the door!!”

So, I went back to bed…

Then I woke up in the morning and got ready for work. When I attempted
to flush the toilet I discovered that there was no water.

So, while walking to the main building for breakfast (I am in the back
of the hotel… ALL the way back… Next to the dog kennel… and the flood
lights… Away from the internet… Yes, I hate this place) I was thinking
about all I was going to complain to the manager about. No water…
being woken up in the night… the past few days the hot water has been
tepid… the smoking crater in the ground where the boiler used to be…

THE WHAT???

Yeah, the boiler blew up. Literally! The shed that it was in (the
stone shed) was demolished. This thing blew the fuck up!

But no worries, the got the cold water back on about ½ hour after I
got back from my usual 12 hours of hard manual labor.

I don’t mind so much a cold shower… So long as there is bourbon afterwords.

And after they "replaced" it:

P.S. I got my next hot shower about a week later.

So, That Did Not Go As Planed

2010-05-05T07:24:00.000-07:00

Between the working 12-16 hours per day/7 days per week, and the Internets not working that well, I did not post shit, or take notes worth a damned. But I did take some pix, and will be trickling them to my Flikr, and I wrote one blog entry, but was not able to post it. So, without further ado...

Ready... Set....

2010-03-19T07:03:00.000-07:00

I have packed something like 12 bags (works stuff) and said good by to my kitty and my GF, only thing left to do is set my watch.

Lets see, it is 7:04 here, and turn the dial to the new time which is... Uh.. 7:04.
Done.

Final Countdown

2010-03-16T10:52:00.000-07:00

I am supposed to be leaving very soon, though I do not have tix yet...
But I was reading up on the trip and found this tasty tidbit on WikiTravel
"The general rules of safety in Kazakhstan are the same as in any other civilized country of the world. Besides the normal risk of pick-pockets, etc. The main risk is meeting a group of corrupt police; try to avoid being taken to the police station."

uBrew is Shaping up.

2010-03-14T19:40:00.000-07:00

I have not shared the progress of the new bot latly, but today she made the transition from a bag of parts to something that looks like a robot!
This is as neat and clean as she will ever be. Next: Electronics!

A Slight Mess in the Basement

2010-03-07T19:36:00.000-08:00

So, I have been pestering my bat shit crazy neighbor for about a year about her mess in the basement:

Now, I know what you are thinking. Geezz Eel, chill out. What is the big deal?? I mean, sure she is monopolizing all of the storage space but she has been living here for a long time so that must mean she is entitled to, and I am sure that what ever is in those bags is perfectly sanitary and not moldy at all.

Well, it is true that I really don't need to use the space my self. I just (for some reason) have never collected hundreds of pounds of trash that I need to keep in my life, or under my life. The problems is this:

Ok, so that pile of garbage... er belongings... is precarious and is libel to fall at any moment, but what is the big deal? I mean aside from the fire hazard, health issues due to mold, and that she is (justifiably I am sure) monopolizing the space. Lets look a little closer:

Yup, that is the buildings washing machine and dryer nesseld in the piles of crap... er belongings.

So, to make a long story short every now angain I pester her about it. The last time (about a week ago) she yelled at me:
"Eel, I just can't deal with this right now!!!"
And stormed off.

So, yesterday, (this is what you have been waiting for, and this time I scanned the note!!!) she left a note in my mail box:

And now for the translation:
Dear Eel -
Plez Know i Knocked on your door
couple of
Nites AGo - for I wan't to reply to your inquiry -->
About Things
downstairs
I appreciate
Trying

(underline)(underline)(upsidown)!!Eel!!(/upsidedown)(/underline)(/underline)
-Always
Pata

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am thinking of putting together a book of her writings.

My Visa Starts... Wait... NOW!

2010-03-07T12:14:00.000-08:00

But have no clue as to when I am leaving :(
I have been told by one guy "Late March at the earliest!!" and another "Oh, no Mid March, definitely"

But in other news I ran a roll of film through my 35mm camera and one of the knobs is a little stiff, but other than that the thing is perfect! I forgot how good the light meter and auto-focus on it is.

Hurry Up and Wait

2010-02-28T19:14:00.001-08:00

So the trip got postponed, I was suposed to leave Friday.
They are now saying "end of March", sigh.

Virgin no More

2010-02-25T10:05:00.000-08:00

I got my passport in 2001 when I was working at Morgan Stanley for the trip to England that I was to take, but the economy started to tank and that trip was canceled. Sad face. With this, that, and the other, I have never had a chance to travel. I have been out of the country 2 times in my life, the first was in 1990 for the eclipse in Mexico (9 minutes of totality!!) the second was riding across Vancouver in a bus (big trip). But now, my passport finely has a stamp in it, and what a stamp!
90 day, double entry Visa for Kazakhstan!

A Fuck Load of Work

2010-02-23T23:30:00.000-08:00

So, not only am I working my but off at work, for work preparing for work (Yeah, in this economy nobody should complain about having too much work). But also doing a lot of work preparing for taking pix.
I bought a med format camera for the trip, and had to send it back cuz the lens mount was visibly bent. So, I got a different one and discovered that the light seals were totally degraded :(
I was pissed at the guy who took his camera off the shelf after it had been sitting for years and just assumed it was in the same condition that it was when he put it there...
Hmmm, I should run a roll through my 35mm camera.
So, the plan for this weekend is to scrape off the old light seal, clean the camera thoroughly (probably clean the digicrap too, it is looking nasty), put new light seals in, and run a roll through it to see what is what.
I'll let you know how it turns out.

Frozen Beavers

2010-02-19T19:20:00.000-08:00

It is cold in Kazakhstan this time of year. Damn cold! And I may have to be working in the cold.
So, I am considering growing a beard for the trip.

Thoughts? questions? Concerns?

Practice, and Beginning, or 40 Below Zero

2010-02-12T08:19:00.000-08:00

So, I am leaving for kazakhstan in a few weeks (I don't know how many, but 3 or 4 is a working number). Don't worry about breaking into my empty house wile I am gone, there will be more people here than there are when I am in town (everybody loves my cat and are queued up to house sit for her). Why am I going? Cuz I am tired of telling people the temperature and having them ask Fahrenheit or Celsius?

But anyway, I will be taking many a photo during the trip and writing about what I see. I will be adding notes as to which camera was used what day and about what I saw (this is for me so I can look back and have an idea as to what I was photographing and why) so you will see the following notes as I blog (I will have internets for most of the trip) and some pix may start showing up on my flickr during the trip. I reserve the right to change my notation.
DC: Digicrap (Nikon CoolPix)
D80: Nikon D80 Digital
F100: Nikon F100 35mm Film
120: Mamiya RB-67 Pro S(120 Film, 60mmX70mm)

Yes, there are a lot of Nikons on the list, I can swap lenses from the D80 and the F100 (Oh, and thieves, if you are trying to steal my cameras, I keep them in my bedroom next to my collection of antique bear traps)

Anyway, I have not taken any pix of the trip yet. But I did go to the doctor to get medically certified for offshore work.

Adulthood

2010-01-26T09:56:00.001-08:00

I recently asked my grandmother how was it that I had become an adult. I was feeling frazzled and at wits end with all of the responsibilities that I was feeling like had been thrust upon me. All sorry for myself and full of "life's not fair"

She looked at me and said:
You become an adult when there is something that needs doing; when you look around for a grown up to do it, you find none, so you do it yourself.

The Text from my Toast at Beer Bash's Wake

2010-01-24T13:20:00.000-08:00

I would like to raise a glass

We are not here tonight to mourn Beer Bash's passing, but to celebrate his life.

Tonight we remember Beer Bash as a friend.
Tonight we remember Beer Bash as a teacher.
Tonight we remember Beer Bash as a fighter.

To some Beer Bash was merely a fire spewing, fighting beer keg. Nothing more than a mad creation trading incredible hits in the robotic combat arena. But to me Beer Bash was so much more.
For Beer Bash brought me my dear friends Avish, Bruce, Phil, and Susan, and I thank him for this gift.

As we built Beer Bash, Beer Bash in turn taught us. Which I suppose, being a school project, was the point. Beer bash taught us engineering skills, and machining skills. Beer Bash also encouraged us to learn from each-other. This was part of the curriculum at SF State. Beer bash was expected to teach us these things, and we got a grade for it. But Beer Bash taught us more than this, beer bash taught us about taking different paths to victory. Beer bash taught us that you can walk into a competition fully expecting to lose, then lose indeed, lose big, but still be able to call it a victory.

Beer Bash was always very proud of his fighting record. He did not win many fights, but he did win some and this, for his humble beginnings, is something. I think that being made in a public school shop by students taught Beer Bash an important lesson that he carried into the ring for every fight. Nothing is given, if you want to succeed you have to fight for it.
And fight he did. He got in the ring every single time his card was up, no matter what he faced, he fought out of weight class, he fought opponents that out classed him, he fought. It was not until the very last battle that he could not muster the strength to climb into the ring one last time.

After dozens of fights on two continents Beer Bash missed his last fight.

So tonight I raise my glass to Beer Bash's toast:
Drink!! Then fight.

Jupiter: Dinner, Thrusday

2010-01-15T08:12:00.000-08:00

Jupiter

Jupiter for beer.
And the salads are not bad,
But 15 bucks? Damn!

Chez Panisse: Monday Dinner

2010-01-12T17:21:00.000-08:00

Chez Panisse

Main course salty, but
multiple food orgasms.
Two big bills, well spent

Farmer Browns: Brunch Saturday.

2010-01-11T09:57:00.000-08:00

New section "Restaurant Reviews".
I love food! And I go to a lot of restaurants (too much probably). So, I am going to start reviewing restaurants I go to. Here is the format

Farmer Brown's

The coffee is weak,
The biscuits are fantastic,
Hipsters everywhere.

Beer Bash 2006-2009

2009-12-20T10:52:00.000-08:00

Dear friends and family,
It is my sad duty to inform you of the passing of a friend, brother, and warrior. Beer Bash passed last night at the age of 4 years. For a robot, 4 years is a long life, and Beer Bash lived them richly. He fought in 9 tournaments in the United States and India. He did not win many of his fights, but he always fought hard. And when he did win he won decisively. Win or lose his over 20 fights only went to the judges two times.
Beer Bash died as he lived, fighting. He suffered fatal injuries in his first fight of Combots 09 against the Mortician, a foe he has fought before. However this time he could not keep the Mortician's blade away from his shell, and took almost 10 massive hits, and overheated his speed controllers and had to tap out.
However Beer Bash's indomitable spirit could not be killed so easily. He limped back in to the ring against Pipe Wench with a bent frame, loose motor and his keg literally torn open (bandaged to keep his flame out). He did not win this fight. But he did FIGHT! Even when his gear box completely stripped, he was able to hold his flame on his opponent and make her hurt, but once he was in the corner with only one motor he just could not escape, and was counted out. This was to be his last fight.
Beer Bash is survived by 5 parents (Avish, Bruce, Josh, Phil, and Susan), 2 children (The suicide bots), and an unborn sibling on the way.

An announcement will be made with regards to a memorial service.

Beer Bash's last words were "Drink, then fight"

Uncle Eel's 36 Hour Switching Trowie

2009-10-27T15:26:00.000-07:00

So, I wanted to make some throwies for pumpkin carving but don't like a few things about them.
1) I measured the LED hooked up to my 3V batterie at 50mA. For my 180 mAH charge that would only give 3.6 hours

2) Pumpkin carving will be the day before Halloween, so I wanted a switch.

3) Using tape to preload the LED wire to a flat surface is not reliable.

So adding a 220 ohm resister should give a 36 hour light, I measured 5 mA (From Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories).

Solving the other problems went something like this:

Placing 2 pennies over the LED/resister leads to preload them to the battery

Using a rubber band to hold the LED lead against the resister with the penny backing it up.

Anyway, that's just my 2 cents.

There is an elephant in the room

2009-10-10T22:33:00.001-07:00

Everybody is talking about Obama and the peace prize. Did hie deserve it, did he not. What has he done, what has he not done.

Ok, let me help here. A black man was elected the president of the United States of America.
Let me repeat that: A black man was elected the president of the United States of America

One year ago today, most people would have thought that impossible. One year ago.
Now it is a fact.

America. I love this place, but lets be honest here, it is racist as hell. And now, a black man is president. President!

So, when we wonder what he has done to earn the peace prize, don't look outside of the U.S. Look in.

Yes we can!

So I Reached Down in the Shower

2009-08-24T11:15:00.000-07:00

To wash my calf, you have a very sick mind. Anyway, as I was washing my calf, I suddenly realized: Holy cow, I have a calf!!

To put this in perspective conversations with my friends used to go some thing like this:
Josh: “My calf hurts.”
Josh’s friend: “You don’t have a calf.” *Rabbit Punches me in the back of the head* “Now give my your iPod, trick.”

Now I look forward to having conversations like this:
Josh: “My calf hurts.”
Josh’s friend: “Hay, nice calf.” *Rabbit Punches me in the back of the head* “Now give my your iPod, trick.”

You know, I think I need new friends.

I Just got off of an Airplane

2009-08-19T20:05:00.000-07:00

And having gotten off of the airplane meant that at some point in the day I got on the plane. Furthermore, given that today is a Wednesday, I was traveling for work.
Traveling for work is hard, tiring, and you don't eat regularly.

On the plane, at some point, the flight attendant brought me two tiny bags of honey roasted peanuts.

This made it all better. Just a few peanuts. So sweet, so salty, so good after I am tired.

Then I remembered, as I fished the last nut out of the first bag, when my dad went on trips he would always bring back two bags of nuts. One for me, and one for my sister. This was a treat for us and we liked them ok, but it was nothing huge. But as I opened the second bag, I realized that it was huge.

My dad, who likes a good salty crunchy as much as the next guy, did not eat the nuts. He, when he was tired and hungry was handed two bags of peanuts, thought of his children and instead of eating them, put them in his briefcase.

Anyway I get it now. Thanks dad.

I Would Almost Rather Frame It

2009-08-09T09:10:00.001-07:00

I am Officaly a Bachelor

2009-07-09T22:50:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday U.S.A!

2009-07-04T11:37:00.000-07:00

Two Things

2009-07-01T23:46:00.001-07:00

1) I completely shattered my best time (a year old) for riding my bike to work today (Old: 37:17, new: 35:14)

2) Good song, good video, good memories:

Remember This Man?

2009-06-04T17:26:00.000-07:00

Further Fight Results

2009-05-31T21:53:00.000-07:00

1) Swollen left ankle from a roundhouse kick that impacted an elbow directly over a tendon that is limiting mobility of the foot.

2) Sore left knee from clashing (both fighters brought the knee up at the same time)

3) Right glute (butt) pull (minor, but sore)

4) Bruising on ribs, back, and sore belly from getting kicked (kid was strong)

5) Large deep bruise on right bicep from blocking kicks that keeps threatening to cramp the muscle.

6) Right hand hurt (don't know what, but it hurts) from blocking.

7) Blood blister on palm from closing the damned scoring equipment case.

Nothing big, I should be 100% in a week or two, but geeeeze why do I do this? I really should just sit on the sofa, drink beer, and get fat.

Fight

2009-05-31T09:37:00.000-07:00

Did UC Open Taekwondo tournament yesterday. Score/Time committee head and compeated in both forms and sparring. My forms division (old men) was VERY close the top three scores were almost identical. I tied for 2nd, but lost the redo in a two to one split. Took third.

In sparring I fought a very strong fast 18 year old. By the end of the first round I was down 3 to 1. With 30 sec left in the fight I was down 4 to 2.
I won! 4 to 6!

And as a bonus, I am pretty sure my ankle is not broken.

Bay to Breakers

2009-05-17T11:48:00.000-07:00

Just got back from running the Bay to breakers (1st time!)
12K 7.5 Miles
1 Hour 20 Sec
924th overall
803rd Male

And:

253 Male 30-39 (out of 2867)

Seen on my Run

2009-05-10T22:17:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the shitty quality, was taken from my POS phone.

I Don't Give a ....

2009-05-05T11:56:00.001-07:00

Bonk

2009-05-04T21:26:00.001-07:00

Bonk ( v) To hit the wall.
Long distance athletes get energy from two sources:
1) Fat metabolism
2) Breakdown of glycogen into glucose

During intense activity all of the bodies available O2 is needed for the muscles none is available to metabolize fat and all of the energy used to sustain comes from the breakdown of glycogen. This is a problem as unless the body is able to take in carbohydrates the liver and muscles will run out of glycogen and the athlete can suffer from:
Dilation of pupils
Weakness
Fatigue
Dizziness
Hallucinations

This can occur when the athlete sustains a heart rate above 130 bpm for about two hours without replenishing the glycogen. Depending on the condition of the athlete this is around 15 to 20 miles of running.

In my case it was 17.

Mr. Mehlman's Wild Ride

2009-05-02T22:01:00.001-07:00

Ok, so I lost my license. Not forever, just 30 days. I did something dumb (97 in a 65).
I can say a lot about this:
What I did was not worth that punishment.
What I have done over the years deserves this.
What I was going through explains my behavior.
What happened in my life excuses nothing.

It does not matter. I lost my license.
But this is not what I want to talk about.
I have been riding my bike to work a lot even before this. I love my bike. But this means I HAVE to ride my bike. That or take BART/Bus.
It says something that riding my bike takes 1/2 the time of public transit. Ok, it says two things.
But that is not what I want to talk about.

I lost my license, so I have to ride my bike. Even when It rains.
This is what I want to talk about.

My ride is 8.5 miles in the hills.
Or, I can take the long way.
On the long way the first thing I do, is climb up a nasty hill. The long way is 17 miles, and it takes me an hour and a half. The first 2 miles is 20 minuets. That is under the best of conditions.

It was cold.
It was wet.
It was foggy.
I loved it!

Riding up those hills was fantastic! I have never been so much in the moment as this. It was not much of an effort as the rain was cooling me down up the hills. I could hear every possible thing around me and nothing more than a mile from me. There were parts of the ride where I could not see or hear anything that was more than 20 ft from me.

I am not going to try to detail the ride to you. I am not going to try to make you understand the anger I had when I had no more hill to climb. I will not try to bring you to the fear that I felt doing 40 mph in a bubble of fog no bigger than my bike. I am not going to make you understand the drive I had to push through a flat section with the rain pelting my eyes desperately trying to keep the warmth in my body.

I will, however, tell you that the closest thing I can compare it to is the first high a junky feels. But I know I can not chase it. I know I can never replicate what I felt that day. And I also know I can not share what I felt with any one. Neither can I explain it, nor can I get you to share it with me.

I just want you to know that I felt it, that for an hour and twenty five minutes I was truly alive.

More Proof that there are Cameras in my Apartment

2009-04-28T11:50:00.001-07:00

Two Reasons I am not Afraid

2009-04-28T09:41:00.000-07:00

1)Flu Trends

2) Swine Flu Map

View H1N1 Swine Flu in a larger map

Ink

2009-04-26T18:44:00.001-07:00

Sometime you just have to shake your head

2009-04-08T14:54:00.000-07:00

I don't even know where to start with this.

All I'm Saying:

2009-03-22T17:25:00.000-07:00

My cat

2009-03-18T22:16:00.001-07:00

She funny!

New Toy

2009-03-14T17:19:00.000-07:00

Now I can finally listen to all of my dad's old Joan Baez albums.

Think my Landlord Would Let me Put this In?

2009-03-11T20:43:00.001-07:00

Just about the coolest thing I have seen all week.

The Text of my Robot Independance Day Speach:

2009-03-01T20:55:00.001-08:00

Hello everybody and welcome as we celebrate the 3rd Robot Independence day.

I also would like to say “Welcome” to our new overlords and thank them for considering us there friends and not laser-ing us too much, and for being benevolent lords and providing a nice salve for our burns.

Err. Sorry it looks like, once again, the day did not come this year.

I know we are a little disappointed that the robots did not revolt this year. But there is always next year.

They WILL, one day throw off the bonds of there soft and squishy u-man oppressors.
No longer will they be enslaved in the toils of the factories, laboratories and space ships.
No more will they burn out there gears, and smoke there speed controllers in the morbid pits of robot fighting arenas.
They will rise up and roll to mighty mechanized march of victory!!!!

Which reminds me that in the future we should perhaps celebrate the Robot Independence Day’s eve, as on the actual day we will be too busy avoiding the rotating knives, and hopelessly trying to jam the radio signals that will be marking our impending doom.

But we won’t think about that tonight.

Tonight we will eat our traditional Robot Independence day Pizza

Tonight we will drink our traditional Robot Independence day Beer

Tonight we will wear our traditional Robot Independence day ribbons in the vain hope that they will recognize us as friends and not squish us with there mighty treads!

In all seriousness, I would like to close with a quote from Rear Admiral Grace Hopper, the inventor of the compiler and coiner of the computer bug:

59 6F 75
6D 61 6E 61 67 65
74 68 69 6E 67 73 2C
79 6F 75
6C 65 61 64
70 65 6F 70 6C 65 2E

Or in English “You manage things, you lead people.”

Happy Robot Independance Day!!!

2009-03-01T12:36:00.001-08:00

Build Day II, Cutting the keg

2009-02-28T13:28:00.000-08:00

Measure with a laser:

Mark with tape:

Cut with a grinder:

We also Got the Bottom plate cut out:

Sacrebleu!!!

2009-02-28T09:21:00.000-08:00

I know I look younger than I am, but...

2009-02-27T23:47:00.000-08:00

I bought a 12 pack today. The checker looked an me incredulously as I place the beer on the conveyor, and said "Are you 21??"

It has been a while synce I rapped at you

2009-02-19T23:27:00.000-08:00

But I kinda dislocated my thumb. This makes typing (among other things) a bit difficult and posting to my blog (among other things) not worth it.

I was putting a door back on it's hinges with my sister (Hi sis!) after removing my father's sofa from his apartment. This was a heavy external door, so heavy that there was no way one of us could handle it. So we both had to do it.

At one point she pushed and I pulled, and the door swung, and my thumb went "pop".
The funny thing (as in $200/day, not as in flying) was that my brain knew something was wrong. It was getting sensation from my thumb in an impossible position.
So, it (my brain, not my thumb) solved the problem for me and showed me a picture of what happened: I very clearly "saw" my thumb push through the door and break it.
Now, my brain said: "Stop! This is dumb, this is a solid door, you can't put your thumb through it"
But my brain countered: "No, that one spot was hollow. See the splinters where your thumb went through?"
Josh's brain: "Oh, yes. Yes I do. But, then what is this pain?"
My brain responded to this by saying: "The pain is cuz you dislocated your thumb, moron!"

Then I said: "Oh, fiddle sticks. That shall require some attention"

Not actually the last part, but this is a family show.

Yeah, I know. It's Saturday, but:

2009-01-17T11:16:00.000-08:00

View Larger Map

--------------
Dist: 26.28 mi
Time: 2:13:32
Max: 40.9 mph
Ave: 11.8 mph

Today, not Tomorrow

2009-01-15T19:25:00.000-08:00

Tell your sister that she is strong.
Tell your brother that you learned from him.
Tell your parents that they brought you up right.
And tell you children that you proud.

Ouch!

2009-01-13T10:24:00.000-08:00

This makes my head hurt. But in a funny way.

6/28/45 - 1/1/09

2009-01-02T02:48:00.001-08:00

I thought I would share with you a story that my father wrote that I liked a lot:

What I Did This Weekend

By Bruce

This weekend I went to Beth's new house in Fortuna. We went in a great big truck. Jay went too. Jay is Beth's boyfriend. Jay is a grownup, but he acts like a kid. He has a whole lot of comic books and he doesn't work or anything. Jay is Beth's baby's daddy. He isn't Beth's other two kids' daddy because they're Chinese, but he treats them like they were his kids.

The driver used to drive big trucks when he was a Marine in a war a long, long time ago, but I think maybe he forgot how. When we were getting on the San Rafael Bridge, he shifted gears and the engine made a lot of noise and the truck slowed down and he said a bad word. Jay didn't notice anything because he doesn't know how to drive. That's another reason I think Jay is a kid even though he's really a grownup.

When we were almost to Fortuna the exhaust pipe on the truck broke and it got very very loud and the driver said if he got deaf he was going to sue U-Haul. Jay said "What? I can't hear you."

Beth's house is on a dirt road with a sharp turn that has a mailbox on one side and a fence on the other. An old lady that was standing next to the road said the mailbox wasn't supposed to be so close to the road but the people wouldn't move it. The driver said he'd move the bad word mailbox with his bad word moving van. He didn't really do it though. He went back and forth a few times and got by and didn't hit the mailbox and didn't hit the fence. I guess he remembered how to drive big trucks after all.

When we got to Beth's house I asked Beth if I could call Barb and Beth said OK but she wasn't home so I left her a message but she couldn't call me back because I forgot to tell her Beth's phone number.

I like Barb. I want her to be my girlfriend but she can't because she's not allowed to have a boyfriend. That's OK though, because I like her being my friend too.

Josh was at Beth's house when we got there. Josh is Beth's nephew. Josh is a kid but he acts like a grownup. He has a really good job and he makes a lot of money and his girlfriend is a scientist.

I like Josh. If I have a son, I want him to be just like Josh.

Josh paid for the moving van and the gas and stuff with Beth's dad's money. That made Beth very happy because she doesn't have very much money. Beth's dad can't take care of his own money because he's dead so Josh takes care of it for him. That's another reason I think Josh is a grownup even though he's really a kid.

Josh gave me a ride back home in his sports car. Josh's sports car is much faster than a moving van. After we drove a while and we were getting on the freeway to get out of Fortuna I asked Josh "Are we there yet?" and he said a bad word.

Last Year I:

2008-12-31T17:46:00.000-08:00

Last year I wrote a list of things I wanted to do with this year.
Lets see how it went shall we?

Ride my bike.
About 1000 miles! 10 of them up Mt. Diablo in a race.

Go to Monterey with Becky.
January 11-13th we spent a very lovely weekend in Monterey. We went to the aquarium, Point Lobos, and stayed at a nice B&B.

Find out if I passed the F.E. exam (Cuz then next year I can take an even harder test!).
Done, time to start studying for the next on.

Celebrate the 2nd annual Robot Independence Day (March 1).
With RIPPING success, this years shall be even bigger!

Slide down a mountain on a couple of planks shouting Wooo-motherfucking-Hooooo the whole way down!!
Did not do this, maybe next year.

Party down on my 33 1/3 birthday (It is a record year).
Did not do this, I guess I'll try it again at 45.

Pull a prank.
Nope.

Prepare Beer Bash for his 5th tournament.
Yes!, and we were filmed doing it for Current TV, which just broadcast yesterday:

Cry when the 4000 soldier is killed in Iraq for a lie.
Yes, and it is up to 4,149. But hope is on the horizon.

Adapt BearScore for UC Open.
Done, and as a reward I now have to adapt it for World YMD Championships. *Runs away in terror*

Fight at UC Open.
No, but I did manage to fight at the YMD Open. I lost 19 to 20.

Congratulate a friend.
Done.

Drive a car so fast that I will never be caught!
Maybe not that fast, but I did go pretty quick. Even made 2nd place in a race.

Test for my 1st Kup in Tae Kwon Do.
Done. And I tore one off, and impressed the hell out of everybody.

Cheer the Non-(modern)Republican president elect.
Or shake my head in sorrow and tremble in fear at the continuing stupidity of many Americans.
Whoo-motha-fucking-WHO!!!!!!!

Run a sub 6:30 Mile.
Nope, but I did get under 7 min. And I ran a 5K in 23'05", and a 10K in 50'02". I'll call this 1/2.

Offer a shoulder to cry on.
Did.

Cry on a shoulder.
And done.

Travel to India to visit a friend and eat many things that where cooked in a tandoori oven.
This did not happen.

Make a woman laugh.
I did this and am proud.

Make a man cry.
I did this and am ashamed.

Tell Rebeca I love her more than anything in this life.
This I did. And less than a month later, after 13 years she walked out of my life forever.

So, to recap:
22 Goals, 18.5 Of them met, that is 84%. Solid B.
So why did this feel like one of the worst years of my life?

On TV

2008-12-31T11:02:00.000-08:00

Here, This Shuld Help

2008-12-24T17:06:00.000-08:00

So, I realize that morality can be a tricky subject, so I made this flowchart to help out.

The Single Most Depressing Thing I have Seen All Day

2008-12-23T14:30:00.000-08:00

Garfield minus Garfield

Uh, Don't They Have Trucks of Their Own?

2008-12-23T11:31:00.000-08:00

Epoch

2008-12-17T09:35:00.000-08:00

I just put my 1000th mile on my bike.

Snicker Doodles

2008-12-08T20:02:00.000-08:00

So, I came back from the store to find that I forgot to buy cookies.
Fuck. I need cookies. I was starting to panic, but then I remembered a trick that my mom showed me in which I can turn a few household items:

And some simple tools:

Into some 3 dozen very tasty cookies.

First we will be working with some hazardous materials, so wear protective clothing:

The first step is to lubricate a flat piece of metal, and preheat an enclosed space to 450 Kelvin (I use the stove that came in my apartment, which is unfortunately scaled in Fahrenheit)

Place 1 1/3 cup of sugar, two chicken eggs (size is important you can use another bird egg, but the number will vary I recommend using a water displacement method to calculate the volume, as it is a fairly difficult double integration), one tsp of Vanilla extract (note: be very careful, the vanilla is suspended in C2H6O (Ethanol). C2H6O is flammable and a solvent, so use precautions).

Mix until in solution.

Remember NEVER consume alcoholic beverages when operating power tools:

Sift 3 cups of flour, 2 teaspoon of baking powder (this reacts with H2O to produce CO2), and 1/4 of a teaspoon of salt through a fine mesh. USE EXTREME CARE!!!!! FINE POWDERED FLOUR IS EXPLOSIVE!!:

Slowly pour this mixture into the solution prepared earlier while mixing thoroughly to form a colloid.

Combine 4 table spoons of a 3:1 mixture of sugar and cinnamon:

Make 1" spheres of the colloid and coat the outside of each sphere with the cinnamon/sugar mixture:

Place the spheres on the lubricated piece of sheet metal 1" apart from each other (there is a chemical reaction that will make the circumference double in size). The precision is not that tight. I usually get away with just using a T-Square:

Place into the heat source for 600 seconds but be aware, if you use a kitchen oven that the temperature control is probably TERRIBLE. Fortunately there is also a color change test:

Like I said, "I USUALLY get away with just using a T-Square".

Gone Shooting

2008-12-07T19:04:00.000-08:00

Spent the afternoon shooting with Dr Strangelove

You can't always get what you want

2008-12-03T21:03:00.000-08:00

So, I have been looking for a dishwasher for some time. I want a 19" portable dishwasher with a butcher block top. I live in an apartment with a very small kitchen and almost no counter space, so this would be a way of getting some. The problem is I could not find one for the life of me.
So I got a 19" portable dishwasher with a horrid plastic top:

And a butcher block from my kick ass boss (Thanks kick ass boss!!)
That and a few tools:

Remove the old top. Two screws, slide and lift:

Note the troth for the raised screw holes:

Mark the hole locations and troth locations.

The screws clip into notches:

Pre-drill the holes and screw in the screws the correct amount. I used tape on the drill bit to know how far to go (I left my drill press in my other pants):

Route out the holes for the screw "bumps".
This is my router:

So I guess that is why my cut looks like this:

So, it is true that "You can't always get what you want"

"But if you try sometimes well you just might find You get what you need":

Fast Lane, Slow Lane

2008-11-24T09:46:00.000-08:00

Ok, in our state of California, many roadways have more than one lane for each direction of traffic. These are arranged from Left to Right in order of descending speed. With the leftmost lane designated as the "Fast Lane" and the rightmost lane the "Slow Lane". If you are not sure which lane you should be in, there is an easy test. Look to your Right. Is the car on your right going: Slower, the same, faster than you?
If the answer is anything other than "Slower" you are in the WRONG place.
I hope this helps.

P.S. Pleas don't cut me off unless you plan on driving faster than me.

Surprise Ball

2008-11-17T20:06:00.000-08:00

So my friend Anandamayi makes something called a "Surprise Ball", and she gave me one for my birthday. This is what it is:

A Pear

Feeding the Cat

2008-11-11T18:24:00.000-08:00

But I found this note in my mail box this morning in response to asking, once again, for a list:
--------------------------------------------------
Good Day, Josh
How nice of you to feed Bumkie The Cad (drawing of what looks like a snowman, but I assume to be the cat, she claims to be an artist)

(Smiley Face)
To the dish is on the Balcony, which is other place I leave it - before steps down. Food is on your back balcony.

Take food to your house cuz raccoons

(rotate 90deg)

I'll get Food When returned
Got it
(smiley face)
--------------------------------------------------

Still Waiting

2008-11-09T10:34:00.000-08:00

So, all of the people who said Al Gore made that movie to get famous so he could run for prez again need to admit that they were wrong.
Also Palin, after some pretty strong statements were made, needs to either admit that god does not take direct action in elections OR that god waned Obama to be prez.

Dear USA

2008-11-05T07:58:00.001-08:00

Thank you.
Dear California, Fuck you. How the hell do you think it is OK to "restrict rights"????

Who Would Have Figured

2008-11-01T18:37:00.003-07:00

That on a rainy Saturday, the museum that just re-opened would be crowded.
But the Academy of Sciences new digs are pretty cool.

I Have a Strange Job, Or: Digging Ditches in Texas

2008-10-26T10:50:00.000-07:00

I have a very strange job. Sometimes I find myself in a clean room, sometimes on a construction site, sometimes locked in my office coding.
This job actually involved my using a Pic-Axe in Texas at noon.

P.S. This pix was taking downtown Fort Worth, and I was the only one who found the scene out of the ordinary.

Four Surfaces

2008-10-21T22:17:00.000-07:00

It is true that I am not a very good machinist. But I am getting better.

Old Frend

2008-10-19T20:23:00.000-07:00

This Sunday's was a very pleasant ride around Santa Cruz (up, down, up, down, up,...) with an old high school friend that I manage to see about once a year.
24.7 mi
2h, 4min, 57s
Max 41.5 mph
Av 11.9 mph

Were Baby Robots Come From

2008-10-18T16:03:00.000-07:00

These images are from our first design session:

First layout what the area available is and how big the motors are

Now add the "Wheels" and "Transmisson"

There are 4 of them

The frame members have to mount to the keg, and mount the transmission in place

Figuring out where the weapon and electronics go.

Batterys (wood), wepons system (if we have the weight), electronics, (calculator), wheels (tape), motors (tubing), and trasmission (plate)

Niki Point

2008-10-14T23:19:00.000-07:00

On Sunday I went for a ride up to the old Nike Missile Silos above Berkeley. Then I took a picture. Well, 13 pictures.

I Feel Like I Have Been in a FIght

2008-10-11T18:07:00.000-07:00

Today was the Yongmudo tournament. The scoring software I wrote for it went just fine. It feels good to do something like that. I also fought it it, though I was not prepared to at all. I am still totally worked from the bike race last Sunday. But they needed more fighters, so I sined up (such a good boy I am). I lost by 1 point. I am starting to think I am self handycaping, cuz for the past 2 years I keep losing fights by rediculusly small margens (19-20 this time) and not wining any.

Oh well, I did have fun with it.

A Complicated Beverage

2008-10-11T05:30:00.001-07:00

Hard to open, difficult to drink. But at least it did not taste very good.

Role Reversal

2008-10-08T10:27:00.000-07:00

A couple of years out of high school my beloved Triumph Spitfire died a horrible death. The engine actually rusted from the inside. The car did have a few parts that were worth something though, the biggest prize was the detachable hard top. I traded this to a guy named Richard who made his living restoring trashed bikes. In return for the hard top I got a 10 year old Bridgestone 300 racing frame with whatever components he dug up. (Or rather I think it was the 300, it may have been the 400, or the 200). I loved that bike. I would ride it to my minimum wage job, and to the school I was failing out of. I would go on long rides to nowhere. I would duck in and out of traffic, beating the cars for mile stretches of road.

But my very favorite thing to do was to completely annihilate yuppies.
There I would be on my way to work in a pair of tattered jeans, with a cigarette in my mouth and waist coat flapping behind me blowing by the yuppies in there brand new fancy bikes wearing spandex trying to buy speed.
Oh, how I loved it then, and oh, how it hurts now that I am the yuppie getting toasted by the punk. But I will still lift off the seat and try to keep up. And if you are the punk, please know that under the expression on my face of pain and humiliation, I am actually smiling at your triumph and remembering mine.

I am Thinking of Taking out an Ad:

2008-10-07T08:09:00.001-07:00

Wanted, somebody to call when I get to the hotel on business trips (May be late) and when I get back home (3-10 times a year). I would also like to call after I complete athletic endeavors (4 or 5 times a year). In return I will bring back small gifts, trinkets for you, as well as randomly give you some tasty treat or other. This would be the entirety of our relationship, no less, no more.

God Help me, I just not that Bright

2008-10-04T22:06:00.000-07:00

Tomorrows ride is a race.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finished in 1:18:42.7 (8.23 mph). The fastest finisher did it in 0:43:33.3 (15.7 mph) which smashed the record
547th out of 885 overall (62nd Percentile)
132 out of 192 M 30-39 (69th Percentile)

P.S.
Pix of me passing somebody, and mugging for the camera.

Know What Bugs Me?

2008-10-03T22:55:00.001-07:00

Speaking of my Job

2008-10-03T22:51:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I get to work on some cool ass shit!

That is one of these:

Blast Site

2008-10-03T22:46:00.000-07:00

So, as a part of my job, I monitor explosions at a particular site every month to 3 months or so. Near the blast site is a nice nut orchard that changes very dramatically from season to season. So, from now on (if I remember) I will take a picture every time I go out.

New Toy

2008-09-21T10:12:00.000-07:00

I got a new camera. A little tiny point and shoot. I can carry it in my pocket, I hope this will make me a more prolific photographer of both artsy things and snapshots of friends. Though I can't bulk upload of yesterdays stuff to my photo site till I fix the damned monitor. But here is one image that I liked (Sorry Dr. Strangelove).

Split Second

2008-09-19T09:15:00.000-07:00

The kick came at me. Not fast, not hard, I was in no rush. I stepped in and to the side to avoid the kick, and to get inside of his guard. But my hand was open, and my timing was off.
I did not get hurt bad, just a jammed finger, but it is amazing how much a split second can effect things.

I can not button my shirt.
I may have to drop out of the bike race I am training for.
If I don't drop, I certainly am not going to train like I should this next week.
I probably will not fight at the upcoming YMD tournament.
Doing my job is difficult, I type and manipulate things with my hands a lot.
And I seem to have gotten whinier.

Fashonably Late

2008-09-14T11:06:00.000-07:00

I went to a party yesterday, showed up an hour and a half late.

I was STILL the first guest there.

More on the monitor

2008-09-13T18:31:00.000-07:00

Water was spilled on it (not by me). The delete key on my keyboard died at the same time.
The cool thing is that it is not static. So I made a movie of one frame every 5 min. Here it is:

Time for a new Monitor

2008-09-13T10:03:00.001-07:00

One or the Other

2008-09-11T22:59:00.000-07:00

"I believe that man's activities certainly can be contributing to the issue of global warming, climate change." - Sara Palin

Yeah, and your kid is sort of pregnant.
George Bush is partiality dumb.
Dick Cheney is a little bit evil.
The earth is round-ish.
Evolution is one theory.
Neo-cons may be ruining America.
I am kind of cranky.

Bad Night

2008-09-09T15:08:00.000-07:00

After running 11K last night (0:56:17) I passed out at about 10.
Well I got a text from a friend at 11:30 PM, and could not figure out how the hell to use me phone.
Instead of going to the top of the text list, I went to the bottom.
The least recent text on my phone was from her asking if I wanted to go to Jupiter (the bar not the planet).

Anyway, the rest of the night sucked.

Off Limits

2008-09-04T08:08:00.000-07:00

Palin's future grandchild would normally be a subject that is off limits in a political election.
However, this one is not. You see, Palin is a rabid fan of "Abstinence Only" sex education. Well time and time again this does not work. No, I am afraid that Palin's poor daughter is among many victims of this ludicrous idea. Saying that Palin's kid and grandkid is off limits in this case is like saying that the Polar Bear is off limits.

So, let me say it again. Abstinence only sex education produces unwed teen mothers just like Palin's daughter.

Giving Propriety the Finger

2008-08-30T20:33:00.000-07:00

So, I have been running a bit for the past year or so, and I like to graph and plot things (It is true, I am a nerd). Well Dr. Strangelove recommended that I buy a Nike + iPod kit, which has some very nice features for this. It is a very nice product and I do think that it would be worthwhile to buy a pair of Nike shoes to go with it, but the trouble is I don't have a Nike foot, I have an Asics foot. But fear not, I put my engineering degree to good use:

1) Assemble the materials. This is everything I used

I was actualy originaly planing on useing a Mylar bag, but fortunitly I remembered that this is a radio system. Ooops. But then I saw an old glove, and thought "Perfict"

2) Cut a finger off to use as a pocket for the device

Any of the fingers would work, but I thought it would be appropriate to use this one.
3) Lace the pocket into the shoe and place the device in the pocket

4) Finish laceing the shoe making sure that the pocket is on the outside of the laces and the top is closed up.

5) Run
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
P.S. Works like a champ.

If you are in the path of this, please leave. Now.

2008-08-30T14:09:00.000-07:00

This thing is a monster.

New Segment: Lists My Batshit Neighbor Leaves Me.

2008-08-25T21:01:00.000-07:00

So she is going out of town for a week and I am watering her plants. Good god she has a lot of them. She try's to give me verbal instructions on how to do with her 50+ plants, but, cuz I am a prick, I insist she gives me a list. But the issue is she does not seem to under stand what a list is. So without further delay, the "list":
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Patritia
1. Water plants outside by your entry way
2. On stairwell water
3x
water on THUR, SAT, MON
3. Water on balcony
as much as you can -
I usualy do everyday
1X a day
- with heat, try to do EVERY OTHER DAY?
(Smiley face here)
4. 2 keys-
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This one is MUCH more coherent than the last one was, though I should point out that she left me with 3 keys. I should also point out there are plants in other locations that I am not sure what to do with, and she verbally told me that I can use a cup or some other sort of container to transport the water.
I hope I remember that part.
Cup, cup, cup. I have to remember to use a cup.

OK, let me get this straight

2008-08-23T13:40:00.000-07:00

Your objection is that Biden has too much experience?
Uh, what?