Monday, July 6, 2009
Dear Amazon.com
If you do this you will lose my business. I am paying for content from you not advertisements. The content is not in the least bit subsidized so if you think that I am going to pay for another Kindle with advertising on it you are beyond high.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
At last....
Light (ok no) blogging the last couple of weeks. I have been working on upgrading to Master 1600GT (O) from 2nd Mate AGT and finally completed testing on Friday. Got Coast Guard approval last year and actually took the the 2 required modules right before thanksgiving which only proved how woefully unprepared I was for the tests. Spent the last few months Studying up both at LAMPI in Houma, Louisiana with Capt. Bruce (money very well spent and quite cheap) also used Lapware to drill Rules of the Road.
The tests weren't that difficult but you definitely need to brush up on the basics. For myself my license was issued in 2002 and there was quite a bit of stuff that I just hadn't used. I used a couple of great books to prepare the best of which was: The Master's Handbook on Ship's Business by Tuuli Anna Messer for stability I started working with Stability & Trim for the Ship's Officer ed. by William E. George unfortunately the current edition is the 4th edition and it has been changed and for the worse in the new (2005) edition.
We will discuss "Ships Business" momentarily but first let's address "Stability". The 4th edition is in my opinion flawed as a text for the self taught mariner. The 4th edition has doubled in price but is much less useful. The new editions approach has omitted all the end of chapter exercises in favor of a chapter of Coast Guard questions in the back half of the book To the casual observer this may seem a good idea but the problems with this approach are many: 1) There is no review or reinforcement of each chapters material nor any way for the students to work key concepts before moving on to the next chapter; 2) there does not seem to be a directed approach to applying the material in the book to the CG test bank questions; and 3) useful as they are as examples given the long intervals between editions the CG questions will soon become obsolete as the Coast Guard adds and deletes questions from the test bank. "Stability" is a well written and prepared book but outside the context of a formal classroom setting it is no longer suitable for the independent student. Cornell Maritime Press produces excellent books and I generally recommend them highly but 4 ed "Stability" is not a book I can suggest. If Cornell wishes to improve the text restoration of the end of chapter exercises and better integration of the CG test bank would be useful to the student.
"Ships Business" was a well written and and put together book. I am still reading it now but having read the previous edition sometime ago can heartily recommend it.
I also used Lapware to drill Rules of the Road. I found the responses from Richard Plant to my questions to be timely and informative. In my particular case I run Vista 64 and was concerned that I would pay for the service an but be unable to use it due to software incompatibility. This was the case for disc based software I tried earlier in the year who's demo worked great but the software didn't run at all (because the copy protection wouldn't work with Vista 64). For me Lapware was perfect I was able to study Rules and then have reports that identified areas of weakness. As a result I managed to get a perfect score on Rules (on the 3rd try mind you). While I only experimented with the other modules they seemed to work well and had worked solutions for everything I tried that needed a solution. Highly recommended.
That's enough for tonight. Goodnight.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
True Blood
While I was at work started watching the True Blood series. Very good stuff: sex and violence, lust and fear, love and bravery. The human condition in a sexy and unpretentious package. Plus lots and lots of scantily dressed and sexy babes.
Highly recommended.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Dear Microsoft
You fucking morons. Here I was all ready to drop $30-40 on downloadable content from Games for Windows Live. Instead I walk away shaking my head in disgust and irritation.
As a stockholder I am appalled and as a customer I am infuriated. When I am ready I reach in my pocket and get my credit card out and buy the things I want and can afford. I don't care about "facilitating micropayments" or being "rewarded." I want to buy stuff and only spend money for that stuff I get right now. If you put in place a system suitable for 8 year olds then you are going to get that level of spending. As for me I will keep my money in my pocket and think twice about buying any of your shoddy and poorly designed products.
Sincerely,
Takezo
Note: edited for profanity 6/11, 2009. Still PO'ed but what was removed was just juvenile.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Congratulations you may have already won....
See these guys? They work harder than you ever thought of for about a dollar an hour.When people ask me about working overseas I get the impression that they think that this some Dickensian horror where the employees are grossly abused and we are reduced to working with sharp stones and Swiss army knives. This is simply not true -at least in the countries of the far east. That doesn't mean there aren't substantial differences. And to be frank there are a lot of folks out there that don't treat their employees well. For the most part the most egregious abuses are to be found in Africa and the middle east. These are places where slavery is not far below the surface. In the second world nations where I work the rule of law is for the most part functional in the small ways that make working less hellish and more livable. The employees here are contract workers from India. They work here 7 days a week up to 12 hours a day for 2 years at a time. It sounds tough but at the end of 2 years they have gained valuable skills and made about 50% more money than they would have at home plus soon there after they will have made their 10,000 hours. For young men from India this is a hot house for experience and job training. Most likely it will be the making of them.
Safety gear who needs safety gear! (oh yeah he's from the states)
Safety posters
No horror here
The same stuff is available everywhere. But the quantity and quality is can be considerably less than that of the US or even Japan or Korea. In the states you might go to a job and find 4 or 5 of a tool in good working order. Except for the most expensive and unusual stuff it is typically owned by the workmen themselves. Here it is common to find no more than one or two of a tool and no one owns their own gear -not even a flashlight or pocket knife. And if a man can get the money together for a few simple tools it will very likely be the making of his fortune. The young fellows here make only about $500 a month (still better than India where they would be making about $350/mo.) So it is understandable that they have almost nothing. So be happy Dear Reader because if you are reading this you won the freakin' lottery.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Mt solemn pledge to You, Dear Reader
You may have heard that there has been some small controversy over a desired quid pro quo on the part of bloggers who who cover certain political ideologies. I pledge to you that I will never sacrifice my personal integrity or the integrity of this My Great Experiment in civil liberties for crass commercialism. We will not cheapen our selves like that. If you want good press you need to pay for it just like everybody else. Sacks of cash, $50's and $100's non-consequetive bills only.
Greetings Faithful Reader
Actually that's utter bullshit. Not even my Mom reads this thing but on the off chance somebody is reading this that isn't showing up on sitemeter well I'm not dead just busy.
I'm in a small far eastern country working right now.
What am I doing? Well I can't say as I am on the run from my regular employer (at least until I get done here). But here are some curious photos from the job site.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Music for the masses
I vaguely remember these guys from the 80's. Based on the other videos they were a pretty cool bunch.
First use of a nuclear weapon against the US...
Short extract:
Translated by the naval affairs blog Information Dissemination, a recent report provides a description of an anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) that can strike carriers and other U.S. vessels at a range of 2000km.
The range of the modified Dong Feng 21 missile is significant in that it covers the areas that are likely hot zones for future confrontations between U.S. and Chinese surface forces.
The size of the missile enables it to carry a warhead big enough to inflict significant damage on a large vessel, providing the Chinese the capability of destroying a U.S. supercarrier in one strike.
Because the missile employs a complex guidance system, low radar signature and a maneuverability that makes its flight path unpredictable, the odds that it can evade tracking systems to reach its target are increased. It is estimated that the missile can travel at mach 10 and reach its maximum range of 2000km in less than 12 minutes.
The US Carrier task force is an unparalleled tool of state power. It can go virtually anywhere on very short notice and deliver a serious blow to any modern state. US air superiority is such that almost no nation can stand against even a single attack by our aircraft and standing against sustained attack is nigh impossible. If you take out the carrier then you can by and large negate that advantage. This makes a carrier battle group a high value target in a war against a great power like China or Russia. First of all they are incredibly expensive to build and operate (can't find the link now but something on the order of $1.5 Billion a year for the whole Battle Group). This is an enormous sum of money. Not only that it takes a long time to build capital ships of any sort and a carrier even more so, since we have limited number of ships available (12 or so) they are incredibly tempting targets. Since a nuclear strike can take out the whole group fast, with little chance of civilian casualties in a distant location with little or no physical evidence of the misdeed it is essentially a no lose situation for someone in a major war. In the atmosphere these days what President is going to risk a general nuclear exchange? This guy? Doubtful. So there you have it. This is why a nuclear first strike against US naval assets is inevitable when we get into the next major war.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
And how long will it be before Congress interferes here?
Monday, March 23, 2009
10 rights you don't have
My favorite point:
3. You do not have a right to a retirement account provided by your children. You know that at some point in your life you will be old and won’t want, or be able, to work. Plan accordingly. The government does not have the right to steal from your children so that you can vacation in Florida every winter.Thanks Monique
Created new site header
Little tricky getting the imagery just right. Really wanted a picture of this, (specifically an aerial shot) but wasn't able to find a creative commons image. I then wlooked around and found this picture by bitter girl. Which then became the basis of the image in the header.
While this image may seem thematically linked to the name of the blog nothing could be farther from the truth. One day I'll explain this but not today.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Scenes from the Comfy Chair Counter-Revolution
The Blog Father occasionally mentions the comfy chair revolution but some folks haven't gotten the message.
Ahhh...the Environment
Moe Lane has a great post on a recent Gallup Poll about how Americans feel about the Environment and the Economy.
Key Point:
This fairly elementary observation will no doubt infuriate environmentalists, who have been accustomed to being able to portray their beliefs as having an unimpeachable, universal morality. Again, that is because they have been operating in a society that has thought itselfrich: now that it considers itself not-so-rich, certain priorities will be reconsidered over the next few years. Including the priority of how important it actually is listen to environmentalists.As the man says read the whole thing!
My Lab Assistants
While constructing the Armstrong Twin I had for delightful assistants who were a great help to me during this project.
This is Sailor. Try soldering while there are four of these guys down there doing the snout thing on your elbow and demanding attention right now.
Skeeter, Princess Pink, and the dog who will remain nameless.
Skeeter, Princess Pink, and the dog who will remain nameless.
Completed Armstrong Twin Photos and Final Thoughts
Well there you go. The thing itself completed. This project was for me fairly easy and a good way to get back to nuts and volts electronics after many years away. This not a bad first build for any one just go slow and use some care in assembly. If I could do anything differently it would be pay more attention to compenent position prior to soldering anything and give a little space around the penetrations in the casing to allow for washers and nuts.
The soldering also leaves something to be desired. It could be more cleanly executed and the excess flux needs to be removed. But the ultimate test is does it work and it most certainly did on the first try so what more needs to be said?
Armstrong Twin Construction #3
Per recommendations at BYOC board I prepared the True Bypass Footswitch with jumpers.
Next I prepared the power jack. This was soldered on the vise and then the leads were fed in through the hole in the case. 
A little fuzzy but you can see how the Output jack is connected to the Footswitch.
The completed assembly.Armstrong Twin Construction # 2
This is the board with all components in place (except that busted diode).
A close up of the switch sockets after mounting. Since th eswitch and toggle switch help hold the board in place they are mounted on the back of the board. One note of caution: The holes are large in relation to the leads and if you are in cautious with the solder you'll end up with a bunch of it stuck up underneath the switch shorting out who knows what. It's a major pain in the ass to remove. Also getting all the pins lined up was a little tricky but patience and a pair of needlenose pliers will get it all right.
The completed board assembly with switch in place.
Armstrong Twin Construction
This is the board. The first step in assembly is to populate it with components. The directions aren't 100% clear but seem to indicate soldering components after each component type is placed in the board. This view shows the first step with the diodes in and ready to be soldered.
As I was taught way back when the leads are crossed at about 45 degrees on the back. This helps keep the parts in place before soldering and supposedly makes the joint more reliable. You will also note some darks spots on the board. That is excess flux but care is required lest you burn the board or worse yet cause the pads to lift from the board.
Of course I screwed up the very first joint (the large diode on the right mid board). I had to remove this diode and replace it. Fortunately the 1N24A is very common component and was available at the local Fry's.
Friday, March 20, 2009
A great piece on gay marriage
Cynthia over at A Conservative Lesbian has a great piece on gay marriage.
One of the most disheartening things about the passage of Proposition 8 is the utterly unhinged behavior of gays and their supporters. Creating maps, hounding Prop 8 supporters out of their jobs, and targeting business owners who made contributions to the Prop 8 campaign is foolish and counterproductive. Furthermore, it cuts the legs out from under folks like me who have argued in favor of gay marriage. Let me tell you when someone like me (mid 40's, WM and very conservative) makes a principled stand for gay rights as a civil right people pay attention. They might not agree today (or ever) but at least they can begin to be pursuaded. But not if gay rights advocates act like spoiled children. You lost in one of the most liberal states in the union. That means you need to make better arguments for your position. You need to educate and reach out to to different community groups and reassure them that your right doesn't interfere with their religious freedom. That doesn't mean get on the back of the bus or that gays must be satisfied with scraps from the table of liberty, rather that they should prepare themselves and the field for another try. This means educational outreach, fund raising, and reaching out to friends and finding new allies in unexpected places.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The best thing I've seen all week
Look I don't know what is right with this AIG mess but I do know that the legislative lynching that occurred today was wrong; a danger to the rule of law; and a hazard to us all.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Cool Video of the Moment
I don't know what it is about Tom Jones but he is a very cool cat. Here's is a bit he did with the Cardigans I stumbled on when randomly poking youtube.
Enjoy!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Armstrong Twin #4
No pictures today, it's late, I'm tired and GIMP is kind of a pain in the ass.
I'm actually a couple of days behind. Yesterday I populated the circuit board, cracking a diode in the process.
So today had to troop down to Fry's to locate a replacement part and some cleaning supplies.
Got the board mounted and about half the wiring harness built. Will complete tomorrow and hopefully finish up.
Edited to correct spelling.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Armstrong Twin #3 -The Workspace
Above is the workspace I am using today.
A lot of folks think that they need a special place to work. In fact this can frequently become an obstacle to attaining some long desired goal. We can can become bogged down believing that if only I have the perfect music room/workshop/study/garage/tools I will be able to write that perfect song/build that doohickey/novel/classic car. This is (mostly) bullshit. Stephen King wrote his first novel in his laundry room, JK Rowling wrote in coffee shops, Piers Anthony does all his first drafts on yellow legal pads, Sargent Pepper was a 4 track album, and some of the most beautiful art and scuplture has been produced without the least access to modern tools and chemistry. Most important is the desire to succeed.
In my case I am living an itinerant lifestyle until summer. My home is rented out and I am waiting until summer to buy a new place. So every tool I own is in a box somewhere. To make this kit I needed to use only tools I could buy inexpensively or could borrow.
The most important item is something to hold the circuit board. This is something I couldn't borrow and was the most expensive item to buy. Since I don't already own one it was not a foolish expense but at $70 was the most expensive single item. It is a Panavise model 324 electronic work center. After having used it I would say that the most useful feature is the parts tray base and the board holder. But they are also expensive enough by themselves that even if you throw away the soldering iron and solder roll holders it would still be cheaper than buying the pieces separately.
The next most important item is the soldering iron. For electronic work you want something in then 25-30 watt range. I chose a Radio Shack 15/30 watt switchable. Would have preferred a Weller Iron but when I went to Fry's the soldering iron section looked like it had just been visited by the Huns the only stock on hand were some very sketchy chinese irons and a few Weller Irons that were simply too large. I bought nothing and left most dissatisfied. Instead I reluctantly went down the street and spent $50-60 at Harbor Freight and another $60 at Radio Shack.
The other items are all fairly basic hand tools that can be pruchased almost anywhere. For the most part they were purchased at Harbor Freight. Although cheap they seem to be ok except for the lighted magnifying glass. It is simply too heavy to be supported by the neck joints of the neck.
Solder and the specialized soldering tools are Radio Shack. I prefer silver solder it creates a better contact and just seems to work better for me. Plus it's just not that much more expensive. The only draw back is that the sizes available were very fine and that makes it a little more difficult to work with.
Finally the space is the kitchen table at my brothers house. (Don't tell his wife) Convenient to the bathroom, refrigerator, and 4 dogs who all like to demand attention when delicacy is required.
Armstrong Twin #2
The first step was fairly simple. Paint the enclosure. Used Krylon Primer (3 coats), Gold (5 coats), and Gloss Clear Coat (3 coats). Plus my primitive Sharpie applied graphics.
Using spray paint is one of the easiest ways to apply paint to metal. But it is easily screwed up as well. The trick is to paint multiple thin coats using 2-3 second bursts as you sweep the piece with the paint.
Optimally the work piece should be suspended on a wire or hook to get the best coverage and prevent sticking. That was not an option for me so I improvised a spray box out of a used cardboard box.
Build your own clone Armstrong Twin Project
Saw an article in Premier Guitar a few months ago about this company that designs and sells guitar stomp box kits. I have been wanting to make my own effects for some time now and was inspired to give it a go. This series of entries will chronicle my efforts in constructing a BYOC Armstrong Twin kit.
The Armstrong Twin is BYOC'c version of the Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer combined with his Green Ringer. The originals were manufactured in the mid-seventies and have been long out of production.
The Orange Squeezer is a basic compressor. The Green Ringer is a ring modulator although it is said (I have no idea personnally) to sound more like an Octavia.
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