Monday, December 30, 2013

Thursday, December 26, 2013

I need to start to play with asynchronous code. In fact, I really do that all the time with JavaScript...

I need to start to play with asynchronous code. In fact, I really do that all the time with JavaScript.



There's a dispatch table I wrote last week that might be better done with this idea.




Sunday, December 22, 2013

FYI, I'm hiring.

FYI, I'm hiring.




There's a high-quality scan of this sculpture. First thought: great way to back-up history. Second: ...

There's a high-quality scan of this sculpture. First thought: great way to back-up history. Second: wonder how well the Solidoodle can print it. Third thought: are you licenced to be able to remix it? Pull it into AutoDesk and put the missing posts back on?




Saturday, December 21, 2013

Snacking doesn't actually increase your metabolism. But most "diet experts" still tell you to graze ...

Snacking doesn't actually increase your metabolism. But most "diet experts" still tell you to graze on several small meals per day to keep that metabolic fire stoked.



I've got another 'diet myth news flash' for you: eating less does not cause fat loss.



Yes, you heard me right.




With Jelly Bean, my HIIT timer doesn't block the audio, so I can listen to podcasts when I exercise.

With Jelly Bean, my HIIT timer doesn't block the audio, so I can listen to podcasts when I exercise.




If this doesn't unite the star trek and star wars fans in peace and harmony...nothing will

If this doesn't unite the star trek and star wars fans in peace and harmony...nothing will




Thursday, December 19, 2013

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Down to 206 lbs. Being sick is great for weight loss.

Down to 206 lbs. Being sick is great for weight loss.




I should be able to have a thing that runs on Windows that, when run, tweets "A Print Is Done" as @l...

I should be able to have a thing that runs on Windows that, when run, tweets "A Print Is Done" as @lafayettech_labs. Will test it, then let's place it after "shut down bed and extruder heater" in the GCode.




Monday, December 16, 2013

Thursday, December 12, 2013

My Galaxy S3 was hard locked. Did a three-finger salute to get it back again, then did a hard reset...

My Galaxy S3 was hard locked. Did a three-finger salute to get it back again, then did a hard reset. We'll see if it behaves better.




Monday, December 9, 2013

Hitting long line at McDonald's. Will open up LTL soon.

Hitting long line at McDonald's. Will open up LTL soon. 




Our fearless leader, +Randy Herban, will soon be a parent to a new child. In fact, it is entirely possible...

Our fearless leader, +Randy Herban , will soon be a parent to a new child. In fact, it is entirely possible that he's holding the baby right now. Therefore, he will not be attending tonight's meeting.



We wish him and his the best.




Something That Makes Me Sad, But Probably Shouldn't Saturday was a good and incredibly geeky day for...

Something That Makes Me Sad, But Probably Shouldn't

Saturday was a good and incredibly geeky day for me. I went to the Indy Quantified Self Meetup , held in one coworking space , spent much of the afternoon in Fry's , where I met someone and talked about a startup idea (planned meeting, not happenstance), th...




There's an xkcd comic where he mentions organizing his bookshelf by how long it will be before the contents...

There's an xkcd comic where he mentions organizing his bookshelf by how long it will be before the contents of the book will be out of date, with things like math and physics on the far left and "Learn $LANG in $N days" on the far right.



I can't find it. Link? Please?




Friday, December 6, 2013

Picture of MilkRap (Milk Crate RepRap) This instructable describes how and why I made a RepRap Prusa...

Picture of MilkRap (Milk Crate RepRap)

This instructable describes how and why I made a RepRap Prusa Mendel V2 integrated into a Milk Crate (Dairy Crate)




Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

I like cheap hacks. Got new headphones for work, but the cord was too short. So I found a 5' 1/8" extender...

I like cheap hacks.



Got new headphones for work, but the cord was too short. So I found a 5' 1/8" extender cable in my drawers, and then the cable was too long, and too heavy. So, I started putting the point where one jacked into the other into my pocket, and more than once, I would walk away with it still in the pocket and pull my headphones off my desk.



So, I took this magnet clip which I received from Purdue's College of Liberal Arts at TEDx, clipped it to the cable and connected it to my oldest tool, a hook I made in shop class in middle school (as seen in the Make email newsletter). The hold between the magnet and metal hook is light enough that it fails before the cable fails, but it holds most of the weight of my headphones.



I like cheap hacks.




I need to make this

I need to make this




Monday, December 2, 2013

The most photographed sightseeing spots in the world http://www.sightsmap.com/ Sightsmap is an interactive...

The most photographed sightseeing spots in the world

http://www.sightsmap.com/



Sightsmap is an interactive heatmap made by Estonian computer science professor Tanel Tammet. It is powered by data from Panoramio, a location-based photo sharing site.



taneltammet

http://www.panoramio.com/




Just had a thought. Print a chess set with the neon green and the dayglo orange. ::Jumps to Thingiverse...

Just had a thought.



Print a chess set with the neon green and the dayglo orange.



::Jumps to Thingiverse for a chess set::



+Matthew Stonebraker , we could use that for our "how to print on our Solidoodle" video.




Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Why Yahoo is Sad for me In a perfect world, I would be able to wrap up my tools in a little bundle. ...

Why Yahoo is Sad for me

In a perfect world, I would be able to wrap up my tools in a little bundle. I can't. We've made a decision to have one lib directory and put everything in it. So, we have our blessed jQuery, jQuery-UI, Mustache.js, etc. And, we don't use every library in ev...




It does hang together, doesn't it?

It does hang together, doesn't it?




A few recommendations on improving a perl script or module.

A few recommendations on improving a perl script or module.




Monday, November 25, 2013

Not saying that we should get one. I am saying that, rather than scavenging Oscilloscope #3 to get #...

Not saying that we should get one. I am saying that, rather than scavenging Oscilloscope #3 to get #2 working, we consider collecting money for this, if our Tektronic 442 is insufficient for anything, which I don't think will be true.




Saturday, November 23, 2013

Cleaned some gunk off the DocuMate 510 flatbed scanner. Found the power supply. Won't work off Linux...

Cleaned some gunk off the DocuMate 510 flatbed scanner. Found the power supply. Won't work off Linux and don't see a need for it in Windows, so I think we have a stepper motor and power supply waiting to be used for another project.



The first oscilloscope has had some pots and switches cleaned, but we need smaller allen wrenches to remove the knobs.



The donated machine that was dropped as a child has been set up with Eagle CAD. What's good and Linux-based for creating STL files?




Love this because it is so true !

Love this because it is so true ! 




Wednesday, November 20, 2013

+Chuck Schwarz upstairs

Would've thought that Brad Paisley or James Burton licks would be appropriate for this. Maybe Sue Foley...

Would've thought that Brad Paisley or James Burton licks would be appropriate for this. Maybe Sue Foley blues. VU&Nico songs were not what I was expecting.



I still want one.




Will have to watch these over the next 2 months.

Will have to watch these over the next 2 months.




I know this more as "Cold Thermogenesis" rather than "Cryolipolysis", thanks to +Ben Greenfield Fitness...

I know this more as "Cold Thermogenesis" rather than "Cryolipolysis", thanks to +Ben Greenfield Fitness , but this does connect my Maker interest and my Quantified Self side.



Too bad I've gone entirely to a standing desk....




I like wearable tech like watches and clothes that blink, but it's also things like UnderArmor wicking...

I like wearable tech like watches and clothes that blink, but it's also things like UnderArmor wicking clothes. It's interesting where this is leading.




For those in the Purdue University area, check out this weekend's hackathon hosted by Purdue Hackers...

For those in the Purdue University area, check out this weekend's hackathon hosted by Purdue Hackers and The Anvil. SendTree will be providing cash prizes.




Saturday, November 16, 2013

There is a game called Star Wars: Tiny Death Star. You run busineses and attract "bitizens" to further...

There is a game called Star Wars: Tiny Death Star.



You run busineses and attract "bitizens" to further the Emperor's plans in building a new Death Star. Upon which time, you'll destroy bitizens planet by planet until X-Wing-flying bitizens destroy your handiwork. Commit war crimes on your phone!



And it looks so cute!




Might need to borrow a Dremel next time. But wouldn't that make a great pickguard?

Might need to borrow a Dremel next time. But wouldn't that make a great pickguard?




"Take the most pedantic people in the world, put them in a room, and you have a developer conference...

"Take the most pedantic people in the world, put them in a room, and you have a developer conference."




Friday, November 15, 2013

I see nobody lives on Google Plus like I do....

I see nobody lives on Google Plus like I do....




Looking ahead, I see 3 LTL Mondays for the rest of the year: Nov 24, Dec 9 and Dec 23. Nov 24 is the...

Looking ahead, I see 3 LTL Mondays for the rest of the year: Nov 24, Dec 9 and Dec 23.



Nov 24 is the Monday of Thanksgiving week. I see no reason why we wouldn't meet then.



Dec 9, similarly, should be perfectly fine.



Dec 23 is a no-go for me. It strikes me as a time most people will have off for Christmas or whatever excuse for not working they wish to give. It strikes me that having us meet at that time is not conductive to happy families. If Randy wants to have the place open, I'll be miles from caring, but I think we can just say "cancel".



Agreed?




I would like to set up something for tomorrow, either in person or as a Hangout, where we can discuss...

I would like to set up something for tomorrow, either in person or as a Hangout, where we can discuss and plan what we want to do with LTL. We meet every other Monday, and I enjoy that, but it's so unstructured, so we never have group topics (like Lockpicking Day, or Arduino-Making Day, or whatever) and we rarely have people bringing in personal projects.



So, would there be interest? Hangout? Open the space like an Open Hack Day? K. Dees? People's Brewing Co? And when?




I have set up a Twitter feed for us. Right now, I personally post when we're having meetings, and have...

I have set up a Twitter feed for us. Right now, I personally post when we're having meetings, and have a Feedly -> IFTTT -> Buffer -> Twitter chain to post interesting Maker-related links.



What I can't do, right now, is take anything put here and push it to Twitter. I so much want to, but alas. I might hack something, but so far, nay.



So, enjoy the linkbait.




Thursday, November 14, 2013

Monday, November 11, 2013

JSONx. Convert JSON to XML. Let THAT boggle your mind.

JSONx. Convert JSON to XML.



Let THAT boggle your mind.




I'm all for taking out anonymity. Re: "Unsavoury elements of the [YouTube] commenting community...real...

I'm all for taking out anonymity. Re: "Unsavoury elements of the [YouTube] commenting community...real names." http://buff.ly/1eCWhlf




Ultrasonic Range Finding Yesterday I got a Sainsmart HC-SR04 Ultrasonic Distance Sensor . This is a ...

Ultrasonic Range Finding

Yesterday I got a Sainsmart HC-SR04 Ultrasonic Distance Sensor . This is a very simple to use and very inexpensive sensor that gives accurate range readings up to 400cm or so. There are 4 wires to connect: Gnd Vcc (5vdc) Trig (any digital pin) Echo (any dig...




Biked a fair lot in the cold on Saturday, then fell sick. Ate some granola bars in bed rather than get...

Biked a fair lot in the cold on Saturday, then fell sick. Ate some granola bars in bed rather than get out and eat something else. And I've dropped two pounds off my weight.min(). Must eat more fiber.




Saturday, November 9, 2013

Biked 5 miles to Greenbush Payless, then six miles, carrying food, to Food Finders, then to Arni's. ...

Biked 5 miles to Greenbush Payless, then six miles, carrying food, to Food Finders, then to Arni's. I've felt child since then.




Thursday, November 7, 2013

Researchers at The University of Queensland have found that the influence of genes on body mass index...

Researchers at The University of Queensland have found that the influence of genes on body mass index scores is substantially lower than previously thought. The research, conducted in Professor Peter Visscher's laboratory at the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) and Diamantina Institute (DI), provides new insight into the genetic causes underlying a person's score on the body mass index (BMI). Read more: http://ow.ly/qwADw



#science #genetics #BMI #health




Any interest in opening up Sunday for an Open Hack Day?

Any interest in opening up Sunday for an Open Hack Day?




On the left, me in June 2012 at 252 lbs. On the right, me today at 216. I know nobody really wants to...

On the left, me in June 2012 at 252 lbs. On the right, me today at 216. I know nobody really wants to see this, but it's motivational. Someday, there will be a good shirtless picture of me.




Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Alien Abduction desk lamp

Alien Abduction desk lamp




GLOSSY is having another session of Lightning-is Tech Talks. We're looking at 3pm on November 23. Location...

GLOSSY is having another session of Lightning-is Tech Talks. We're looking at 3pm on November 23. Location TBA. For more information (and to RSVP) go to http://opensourcelafayette.org/.




Beginning to think that, for all I use my phone for, I'm getting more computer than I need. That, and...

Beginning to think that, for all I use my phone for, I'm getting more computer than I need. That, and the manufacturer and provider are taking a lot back with bundled crap. (Yeah, I could root the thing, take some of it back.) So, I think there's something to think through here. So, I'll keep an eye out.




Beginning to think that, for all I use my phone for, I'm getting more computer than I need. That, and...

Beginning to think that, for all I use my phone for, I'm getting more computer than I need. That, and the manufacturer and provider are taking a lot back with bundled crap. (Yeah, I could root the thing, take some of it back.) So, I think there's something to think through here. So, I'll keep an eye out.




Is the Tesla Nod douchey?

Is the Tesla Nod douchey?




Sunday, October 27, 2013

Friday, October 25, 2013

Am entirely happy with my Borderless Electronics board. Am entirely with the Borderless Electronics ...

Am entirely happy with my Borderless Electronics board. Am entirely with the Borderless Electronics ideals. Really want the BE Kit and Shield.




Tuesday, October 22, 2013

I get it. I like it. I'd proudly wear it. I just wonder when Nike's going to bring in the law hammer...

I get it. I like it. I'd proudly wear it. I just wonder when Nike's going to bring in the law hammer.




Not sure to what extent I believe this. iOS derives from OSX derives from Darwin which is essentially...

Not sure to what extent I believe this. iOS derives from OSX derives from Darwin which is essentially BSD, and that's a huge market. Then again Android == Linux.



But then, neither are really classically what one would call a Unix box, and this article is about the server room stuff that really is classical Unix stuff.




Saturday, October 19, 2013

This shows the capabilities and problems with depth cameras and 3D. There are two kinds of beings: ...

This shows the capabilities and problems with depth cameras and 3D.



There are two kinds of beings: There's those who can extrapolate from incomplete data, and, well, a class containing Kinects.




Adobe Flash Player Installer just reminded me to uninstall Flash.

Adobe Flash Player Installer just reminded me to uninstall Flash.




http://katiavega.com/?page-portfolio=blinklifier-3 Conductive false eyelashes and makeup in a a circuit...

http://katiavega.com/?page-portfolio=blinklifier-3



Conductive false eyelashes and makeup in a a circuit. When the eyes close, the lashes touch, the circuit completes, telling the Arduino in the headpiece to stop blinking.



I never would have thought of that.




I've found a YouTube video with no down votes. Mr. B doing a singalong of Kraftwerk's The Model. If...

I've found a YouTube video with no down votes. Mr. B doing a singalong of Kraftwerk's The Model.



If it starts to get down votes, I'll know who to blame.




Thursday, October 17, 2013

“(I)t’s time we realized that Netflix is the new standard in premium channels.”

“(I)t’s time we realized that Netflix is the new standard in premium channels.”




Help Fund Perl Nerd Merit Badges brian's CrowdTilt campaign to make Perl Nerd Merit Badges has entered...

Help Fund Perl Nerd Merit Badges

brian's CrowdTilt campaign to make Perl Nerd Merit Badges has entered its final week. Having never done anything related to scouting when I was growing up, the idea of finally having a merit badge of my own has some appeal ;-) Here is the campaign's descrip...




Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Fancy a free Pi? Remy van Elst is giving away two Raspberry Pi's per month, for free, to anybody which...

Fancy a free Pi? Remy van Elst is giving away two Raspberry Pi's per month, for free, to anybody which has a good use for it. The giveaway includes a case, an SD card and a USB cable. Shipping included to anywhere in the world.You just have to have a good use for it!



Check out Remy's page here for more information: http://ow.ly/pPmcz




Greater Lafayette Open Source Symposium (GLOSSY) is "A casual, welcoming group for open source software...

Greater Lafayette Open Source Symposium (GLOSSY) is "A casual, welcoming group for open source software developers, users, and other interested folks to learn and share. All experience levels welcome!"



They're opening up GLC this Sunday for a series of short, accessable talks on Open Source topics, aimed at beginners.



Ed Finkler will talk about using Vagrant to easily create virtual machines.



TJ McGrew will give a short intro to the Go programming language



Dave Jacoby will present on getting started with Arduino



Food will be provided by Mozilla, probablly pizza, so please RSVP so they know how much to get.



http://www.meetup.com/Greater-Lafayette-Open-Source-Symposium/events/145539742/




Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Greater Lafayette Open Source Symposium (GLOSSY) is "A casual, welcoming group for open source software...

Greater Lafayette Open Source Symposium (GLOSSY) is "A casual, welcoming group for open source software developers, users, and other interested folks to learn and share. All experience levels welcome!"



They're opening up GLC this Sunday for a series of short, accessable talks on Open Source topics, aimed at beginners.



Ed Finkler will talk about using Vagrant to easily create virtual machines.



TJ McGrew will give a short intro to the Go programming language



Dave Jacoby will present on getting started with Arduino



Food will be provided by Mozilla, probablly pizza, so please RSVP so they know how much to get.



http://www.meetup.com/Greater-Lafayette-Open-Source-Symposium/events/145539742/




Thursday, October 10, 2013

"If I seem a little strange, well, that's because I am."

"If I seem a little strange, well, that's because I am."




THIS is so much the idea that Nehemiah and I had been discussing for some time, which is a way to move...

THIS is so much the idea that Nehemiah and I had been discussing for some time, which is a way to move QS from endurance training (running, etc) to strength training. WANT.




Wonder how they're distinct from, on the one hand, groups like Purdue Makers, and on the other hand,...

Wonder how they're distinct from, on the one hand, groups like Purdue Makers, and on the other hand, PLUG and IEEE and CSociety and ACM.



Still, glad to know hacking (in the proper sense) is alive and well at Purdue.



They have a hack day today. Anyone wanna go and fly the flag for LTL?




Tuesday, October 8, 2013

"Love ... is a ... miserable lie." That is so much the sad core of Charles Schultz.

"Love ... is a ... miserable lie."



That is so much the sad core of Charles Schultz.




If we go into exercise mentally exhausted, we're more likely to give up even when our body's still got...

If we go into exercise mentally exhausted, we're more likely to give up even when our body's still got something to give. Makes sense to me.



Found via Greatist.




Not a speed BUMP, rather a HUMP. Pismo Beach, CA.

Not a speed BUMP, rather a HUMP. Pismo Beach, CA.




To all who say "I have short little stubby fingers; I couldn't play guitar", this is Redd Volkaert. ...

To all who say "I have short little stubby fingers; I couldn't play guitar", this is Redd Volkaert. He looks like he walked straight out of a Popeye cartoon and is a great great player. #noexcuses




Monday, October 7, 2013

There was a time before Kinkos. Then there was Kinkos, when Word, etc, made it easy to generate content...

There was a time before Kinkos. Then there was Kinkos, when Word, etc, made it easy to generate content but decent printers were still pricy and difficult. Now, Kinkos is a FedEx mailbox with printers and copiers as a sideline.



Clearly, we are currently in the time before 3D-Kinkos. CAD-CAM software is still in the $1000 range for most purposes. But I think we're only just pre-3D-Kinkos, which makes me wonder if renting a storefront and buying a 3D printer or three makes sense today. Thoughts?




Friday, October 4, 2013

The problem is, old music has been through a decade-long winnowing process, so the songs that are still...

The problem is, old music has been through a decade-long winnowing process, so the songs that are still remembered from the 1950s or 1960s have something to them. When I say "I want to listen to more music released since my youngest son was born, and stop listening to music from before I was born", I inevitably end up having to be part of that winnowing process, not just the beneficiary.



http://open.spotify.com/track/4erIrODaoV04TQrgFFaTbm




I need a Sad Keanu.

I need a Sad Keanu.




Yeah, Randall gets it right again.

Yeah, Randall gets it right again.




Both of these Arduino's on steroids are interesting. Prices, please? ;)

Both of these Arduino's on steroids are interesting. Prices, please? ;)




OH: "I want this web site to be user-friendly." Is there ever a call for user-hostile web sites? They...

OH: "I want this web site to be user-friendly."



Is there ever a call for user-hostile web sites? They just end up that way.




Thursday, October 3, 2013

Just so I remember the current state of things: We think that configuring the print server to talk to...

Just so I remember the current state of things: We think that configuring the print server to talk to the Solidoodle would be easier if it was Windows of some sort, so we want to install XP. Is this right?




Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Sub-Saharan Africa is sorely bereft of metal.

Sub-Saharan Africa is sorely bereft of metal.




New to the lab's library. We're doing loads more R these days, so it is a good thing to have a docset...

New to the lab's library. We're doing loads more R these days, so it is a good thing to have a docset.




Reminds me of the bit from the intro to Futurama: "Bachelor Chow: Now with FLAVOR!" I think we'll get...

Reminds me of the bit from the intro to Futurama: "Bachelor Chow: Now with FLAVOR!"



I think we'll get rid of food when we get rid of sex. Which is never.




Woke up (late) and checked my phone. Saw Hulu on app updates. Tested it. Testing this was literally ...

Woke up (late) and checked my phone. Saw Hulu on app updates. Tested it. Testing this was literally the first thing I did today.




I'm beginning to put together a plan for a Steam box.

I'm beginning to put together a plan for a Steam box.




Hulu now talks to Chromecast.

Hulu now talks to Chromecast.




Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Pebble in my friendly neighborhood Best Buy. (The more I actually interact with BB sales people, the...

Pebble in my friendly neighborhood Best Buy. (The more I actually interact with BB sales people, the less friendly I get, but that might just be me.)



This tells me that the Kickstarter revolution is real, that you are really able to get from idea to physical product nearly as fast as you can get from idea to website or iPhone app.



I don't yet have a Pebble watch, but I know it's a great time to be alive.




Remember, your phone can see into the IR range, so you can use your phone to test your zappers.

Remember, your phone can see into the IR range, so you can use your phone to test your zappers.




supercomputers in a nutshell

supercomputers in a nutshell




Some ideas on setting up your guitar. Especially important if you want it to float.

Some ideas on setting up your guitar. Especially important if you want it to float.




Monday, September 30, 2013

I love the idea of cold thermogenesis. I hate the idea of changing the temperature every 10-20 seconds...

I love the idea of cold thermogenesis.



I hate the idea of changing the temperature every 10-20 seconds in a 5-minute shower. That would just crowd out everything I take a shower for.



In a month or three, taking walks in light jackets or less? That might do.




Don't think I'll get a Halloween themed build in, but this is certainly an interesting idea.

Don't think I'll get a Halloween themed build in, but this is certainly an interesting idea.




Saturday, September 28, 2013

Thursday, September 26, 2013

I had kept track of my coffee intake using Your Flowing Data, but the input interface was Twitter, and...

I had kept track of my coffee intake using Your Flowing Data, but the input interface was Twitter, and he updated YFD to Twitter API 1.1 about two months after Twitter moved. So I started saving my own.



And today, I figured out enough of R's prettiest graphing library, ggplot2, to make a calendar heatmap of it.




Anyone have a pointer to good use cases for the various NoSQL DBs?

Anyone have a pointer to good use cases for the various NoSQL DBs?




As I understand it: $30/bulb, which is good. But needs $130 base unit, which is less so. Am I right?

As I understand it: $30/bulb, which is good. But needs $130 base unit, which is less so. Am I right?




Midway through. I now have a bigger conceptual understanding of NoSQL. My practical understanding is...

Midway through. I now have a bigger conceptual understanding of NoSQL. My practical understanding is still very small.




Monday, September 23, 2013

I need to get a gaggle of AT Tiny chips.

I need to get a gaggle of AT Tiny chips.




It only takes 20 hours to learn any skill. Get started now.

It only takes 20 hours to learn any skill. Get started now.




I received my $9 Arduinos, and have passed one down to Eric.

I received my $9 Arduinos, and have passed one down to Eric.




Another factor in my cola-avoiding weight-loss: Your gut flora adapt to all the Diet Cola I gave it,...

Another factor in my cola-avoiding weight-loss: Your gut flora adapt to all the Diet Cola I gave it, the more short-chain fatty acids it created, which didn't tell me I was sated. Plus it promotes gut-lining inflamation.



Add this to tricking insulin to store and sleep issues, and I think I get more and more that diet cola is bad news.




I mentioned these as well: Sunrise alarm clocks mimic the coming of the dawn, so that you meet with ...

I mentioned these as well: Sunrise alarm clocks mimic the coming of the dawn, so that you meet with gradual light in the morning, so 1) you aren't woken by a stress-educing sudden change and 2) the room isn't dark when you wake up, encouraging you to go back to sleep.



Personally, I have one lamp connected to a vacation timer and another one connected to X10 home automation controlled via crontab, so I don't get the "gradual brightness" but I do wake to a lit room.




This is the smart alarm clock that I use most often. Basic concept: it uses the phone's accelerometer...

This is the smart alarm clock that I use most often. Basic concept: it uses the phone's accelerometer to detect when you're in a light sleep phase and wakes you up then, so you'll be less groggy when you confront your day.



Of course, as mentioned, I schedule it so I awaken up to 2 hours before I actually stand up and prepare for the day.




I mentioned two motion-sensing alarm-clock apps for Android at my presentation on Sunday. This is the...

I mentioned two motion-sensing alarm-clock apps for Android at my presentation on Sunday. This is the one I described as "Pretty but somewhat buggy". You just need one time when your alarm clock fails you before you start looking at other choices, but maybe it will work better for others than for me.




I have code that takes the JSON my G+ public posts and turns them into an RSS feed. I want to do that...

I have code that takes the JSON my G+ public posts and turns them into an RSS feed. I want to do that with a community I created for my local makerspace, but the JSON feed stopped working. Looking in the API docs, I'm not seeing anything Community-specific.



Can anyone give me help or pointers?




+Matthew Stonebraker, Mark said you laid out what type of filament we should get, but for all the wonder...

+Matthew Stonebraker , Mark said you laid out what type of filament we should get, but for all the wonder Google is for search, searching G+ sucks. Can you re-post?




My $9 Arduinos are in town. Should come in the mail today.

My $9 Arduinos are in town. Should come in the mail today.




Now you tell us... is this true?

Now you tell us... is this true?




Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

I've created a new Twitter acct for @LafayettechLabs, so I might return to having it tweet the community...

I've created a new Twitter acct for @LafayettechLabs, so I might return to having it tweet the community posts. Something isn't right at the moment, but be patient....




This is pretty much a sustainable prank. I like it.

This is pretty much a sustainable prank. I like it.




I saw this yesterday -- A Teensy|Jeenode|Trinket-sized Arduino board with onboard wifi with a pretty...

I saw this yesterday -- A Teensy|Jeenode|Trinket-sized Arduino board with onboard wifi with a pretty long range.



For the use discussed, this is a decent sized size, but I'm not sure that wifi overhead is really what we want, and certainly we would want to move onto our own designs before too long. But really, I do like this idea.




Jeremy asked me about the Chromecast. Here's some screen shots from my phone. From the YouTube app,...

Jeremy asked me about the Chromecast. Here's some screen shots from my phone.



From the YouTube app, you click that square at the top, which connects you. When you click on a video, you can choose "Play" or "Add to TV Queue".



On the right is a full TV Queue. Chromecast works by taking on the videos. It is downloading the videos from YouTube, not your phone. I know you can add to the same queue from two separate phones, but I don't know if two different accounts works the same way.



Later, I will post screen shots from Netflix, which works similarly. At the moment, those are the two video apps that I use that use Chromecast. Google Play Music also works, so I assume Google Play Video does, also, but I never use it.



If anyone has a small HDMI monitor I can demo with, I'm more than willing to bring it in next meeting. Not that it's particularly maker.




Friday, September 13, 2013

This is substantially the same technique as the spooky mirror I mentioned when discussing a Halloween...

This is substantially the same technique as the spooky mirror I mentioned when discussing a Halloween group build.




"Are we really going to accept an Interface Of The Future that is less expressive than a sandwich?"

"Are we really going to accept an Interface Of The Future that is less expressive than a sandwich?"




OK. I'm going to Ft Wayne Maker Faire tomorrow. I have a small car with four seats. So, 2-3 people. ...

OK. I'm going to Ft Wayne Maker Faire tomorrow. I have a small car with four seats. So, 2-3 people. I'm wanting to be on the road about 8am, but that's negotiable if anyone else wants to car-pool.




Just so you know, those papers are available online. Just Google for "bell system technical journal ...

Just so you know, those papers are available online. Just Google for "bell system technical journal July 1960".




Google swaps out MySQL, moves to MariaDB. Much interesting read! http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/...

Google swaps out MySQL, moves to MariaDB. Much interesting read!



http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/09/12/google_mariadb_mysql_migration/




INDOT: leading the nation in stupid highway routing.

INDOT: leading the nation in stupid highway routing.




Thursday, September 12, 2013

"Let the robots take the jobs, and let them help us dream up new work that matters." -- Kevin Kelly

"Let the robots take the jobs, and let them help us dream up new work that matters." -- Kevin Kelly




Red Pitaya enables everyone to start using technologies that were yesterday available only to advanced...

Red Pitaya enables everyone to start using technologies that were yesterday available only to advanced research laboratories and industry. http://kck.st/13xfdee




What I love about this is that I can use my tools written in Perl and using IMAP to keep track of messages...

What I love about this is that I can use my tools written in Perl and using IMAP to keep track of messages I think are important.



Not that I have many of them go to my Outlook account, but still...




Analog Traces. I like that phrase.

Analog Traces. I like that phrase.




Gold is best.

Gold is best.




"Chromecast is solution looking for a problem" -- The Register I like the Register's snark, and there...

"Chromecast is solution looking for a problem" -- The Register



I like the Register's snark, and there is a point. The antenna is a dongle to get local broadcast on your screen. The set-top box is a dongle to get Comcast/Dish/DirecTV/etc content on your screen. The DVD/BR is a dongle ....



You can connect your computer to a TV. I've done it with VGA-to-Composite, with a DVI in on an older TV, and with the VGA in and HDMI in on my newest TV. I've done it with the connector-to-bare-wire BS we used to connect our Atari 2600s with. Compared to every previous solution, HDMI is magic, but you know what's more magic? Wireless HDMI, which Chromecast essentially is. You want to allow your videos on laptops and not the bigger screens, networks? Surprise! The TV is just a second monitor for the laptop.



And, Google is trying to develop networks of content on YouTube. Nerdist, Geek and Sundry, etc. They're trying to get Content on YT/Chromecast. And don't forget that you can stream Netflix (Content!) onto Chromecast.




Give-away: Bus Pirate V3.5c to 1 random share. Does any of your project need a Bus Pirate? Or maybe ...

Give-away: Bus Pirate V3.5c to 1 random share. Does any of your project need a Bus Pirate? Or maybe this Bus Pirate might be able to ignite your creativity to build a cool project. Share to win! Time: Now---15:00, Sept 16, 2013 (Beijing Time, UTC + 8). Good luck!




Damian Conway explains Perl 6. Too great.

Damian Conway explains Perl 6.



Too great.




Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Monday, September 9, 2013

Friday, September 6, 2013

There's a 3D mockup of the floorplan on the MatchBOX site. More than a flat blueprint. Looks good. ...

There's a 3D mockup of the floorplan on the MatchBOX site. More than a flat blueprint. Looks good.



Marking it as "Project Update", even though it isn't strictly a LTL project.




Went to Purdue ICC at the MatchBOX this morning, and found they've opened up the windows, making it ...

Went to Purdue ICC at the MatchBOX this morning, and found they've opened up the windows, making it look much less like a dank pit. The paint on the floor indicates (mostly) where the walls are coming.




Fully annotated Girl Talk. You need this. You don't know it yet, but you do.

Fully annotated Girl Talk. You need this. You don't know it yet, but you do.




Thursday, September 5, 2013

Clearly, the USPS gets a cut of the postage, which limits the amount of spam you get. There is a cost...

Clearly, the USPS gets a cut of the postage, which limits the amount of spam you get. There is a cost to real-world spam. Not so much electronic spam....




I don't get it. Just when you start having a name that means something, you change? And when that starts...

I don't get it. Just when you start having a name that means something, you change? And when that starts to mean something, change it again? That seems like a recipe for alienating interested parties.




Tuesday, September 3, 2013

I saw this guy when he was like twelve or something. Bringing mando to every music he can make it work...

I saw this guy when he was like twelve or something. Bringing mando to every music he can make it work with, and Chris being Chris, he makes it work with everything.




Also for +Graham McCullough, here's that Ted Greene video I told you about, featuring Ted playing absolutely...

Also for +Graham McCullough, here's that Ted Greene video I told you about, featuring Ted playing absolutely gorgeous chord melody music while the people at the wedding reception talk and eat.



Most Beautiful Guitar Playing EVER - Ted Greene 4 Song Medley




Also for +Graham McCullough, here's that Ted Greene video I told you about, featuring Ted playing absolutely...

Also for +Graham McCullough , here's that Ted Greene video I told you about, featuring Ted playing absolutely gorgeous chord melody music while the people at the wedding reception talk and eat.




I think I've identified a problem in Perl. I might have just done something unutterably stupid, though...

I think I've identified a problem in Perl. I might have just done something unutterably stupid, though.




Monday, September 2, 2013

Graham pulled out the oscilloscope to debug his tube amp circuit, with the help of Chuck. And Matt had...

Graham pulled out the oscilloscope to debug his tube amp circuit, with the help of Chuck. And Matt had broken parts on the 3D printer, but he printed better replacement parts, which he and Jeremy installed. A pretty good meeting.



Any interest in a hack day on Saturday?




Sunday, September 1, 2013

As a player, I'm not really an Ibanez S-type guy. I'm much more the Tele right next to it. But really...

As a player, I'm not really an Ibanez S-type guy. I'm much more the Tele right next to it. But really, that body design, especially with that burled poplar top? Isn't that just so pretty?




Wednesday, August 28, 2013

So, my code got changed without my permission. So, I made a copy in a dev directory and started setting...

So, my code got changed without my permission.



So, I made a copy in a dev directory and started setting up tests and version control.



So, I changed the code so it adds dev/Tools/lib into $ENV{ PERL5LIB } rather than use lib 'dev/Tools/lib', so I can just copy the code over without changing that line once done, and I don't have to worry about production/lib/Tools/Foo.pm calling dev/lib/Tools/Bar.pm and vice versa.



Except, right now, dev/lib/Tools/Foo.pm uses my_cool_sub() from dev/lib/Tools/Bar.pm, and dev/Tools/test/foo.t says 'Undefined subroutine &Tools::Foo::my_cool_sub called at Foo.pm line 666' (not actual path and file names) which tells me that it doesn't really use Tools::Bar in Tools/Foo.pm.




Don't do it.

Don't do it.




Hey, +Doug Couch: when you made the order for lock picks, what was your source? We're thinking of doing...

Hey, +Doug Couch : when you made the order for lock picks, what was your source? We're thinking of doing it again and would like to order up.




I'm just getting into writing #tests. It hasn't really been part of any shop I've worked for. It should've...

I'm just getting into writing #tests. It hasn't really been part of any shop I've worked for. It should've, and I feel the worse for it. Because things have randomly started to fall apart in my code, I'm starting.



I have tests for my DB interface code, which I can test by sending "SELECT 2 + 2" and see if 4 is the output. That's fine. But the code that connects to that are CRUD libraries, and while I'm fine with the Read part, asking for the list of tables and seeing if I get a list, etc., it strikes me that Create, Update and Delete are more difficult to test, especially if you don't have an explicit "test" database to point the library at.



This has been a stumbling block for me for a while. Any pointers on that?




Buffer can post to Google+. This means that, by API, something else must be able to post to Google+...

Buffer can post to Google+. This means that, by API, something else must be able to post to Google+. Time to dive back into the docset.



Really, I've thought that the lack of automated posting meant that you get less automated posts here than on Facebook, increasing the interaction, so I'm not 100% happy, but might as well understand it and use it.




How do you protect your Wi-Fi from potential intruders? While password-protecting your WiFi is an obvious...

How do you protect your Wi-Fi from potential intruders? While password-protecting your WiFi is an obvious first step, it’s not a guarantee against hackers getting into your network and, possibly, your data. Metapaper is a new innovation designed to protect your wireless network from intruders… just by changing your wallpaper! Read more here http://www.brit.co/wifi-wallpaper/?utm_source=feedly




Monday, August 26, 2013

I now know that my Teensy cannot be powered over PS/2. Next idea, please.

I now know that my Teensy cannot be powered over PS/2. Next idea, please.




Personally, I mostly Google for API questions, like "how do you get the text out of Mojo::DOM" or the...

Personally, I mostly Google for API questions, like "how do you get the text out of Mojo::DOM" or the like. The problem and solution are my own, but the tools I use are not. But yeah, good question and good answer.




JC Brooks is trying to break your heart.

JC Brooks is trying to break your heart.




Thursday, August 22, 2013

Need this on my keychain. #atom

Need this on my keychain. #atom




I have questions on Heart Rate Ranges. I'm 43. Round up to 45 for easier math. Max is 220 - age, so...

I have questions on Heart Rate Ranges.



I'm 43. Round up to 45 for easier math. Max is 220 - age, so my maximum heart rate is 175.



My resting heart rate is 55. (There's an app for that.) So, my range is 55-175, which is 120, so 10% is 12 bpm.



The ranges, as I understand them, are:

Fat Burning: 50-60% - 115-127 bpm

Aerobic: 60-70% - 127-139 bpm

Steady State: 70-80% - 139-151 bpm

Anaerobic: 80-90% - 151-163 bpm

Maximal: 90-100% - 163-175 bpm



First questions: Is my math right? Is my understanding of the categories right?



Second questions: What does this mean? What should I be doing? My first and foremost goal with exercise that a better-working body will lead to a better working mind. My second goal is fat burning; I weighed in at 222lbs today, which is about 22 lbs higher than my goal, but I primarily want less of a gut. My third goal is to run a 5K sometime next year with a time significantly better than the 45min I ran last year.



Yesterday, when I ran treadmill, I consciously kept the speed around 3.1 mph although I prefer to run around 4 (5K =~ 3M, so 4mph is a 5K in 45min), because that kept my bpm in the Fat Burning range. It felt odd to not push myself. (OK, I have Black Crowes' "Go Faster" in my running playlist, and when it came up, I did.) What is "the right thing", given my established priorities?



#running




Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Looks like SOMEONE listened to me about the CS calendar issue, as the old calendar is 404 and this one...

Looks like SOMEONE listened to me about the CS calendar issue, as the old calendar is 404 and this one, a Google Calendar, is in it's place.



Plus other ones for recruiting talks, etc.




This is a documentary, created by the BBC and pointed to me by +Withings. Doubt it tells us anything...

This is a documentary, created by the BBC and pointed to me by +Withings. Doubt it tells us anything we don't know -- I'm watching it as I write -- but it's interesting and on-topic.



(I tweeted Withings, and they say it's "wi-things", but "Withings" sounds like the name of a British butler who keeps track of me. "Withings, keep track of my weight." "Very good, sir." So, there you go.)




1964 - John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz create BASIC, an unstructured programming language for non-computer...

1964 - John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz create BASIC, an unstructured programming language for non-computer scientists.



1965 - Kemeny and Kurtz go to 1964.




I have a problem. Yo, I'll solve it. I got 99 problems but knowing my phone number ain't one. And ...

I have a problem. Yo, I'll solve it.



I got 99 problems but knowing my phone number ain't one.



And other nerdcore ways to connect hip-hop to coding telephony.




Tuesday, August 20, 2013

FitBit says I made my step goal today. Of course, my goal is 6000, up from 5000, which is half the 10000...

FitBit says I made my step goal today. Of course, my goal is 6000, up from 5000, which is half the 10000 steps/day they established as my original goal. My work is standing there, typing, so I don't have much opportunity to get above 6000 on days I don't make it to the gym.




Remember: Hot soldering irons are HOT! But all our sign needs is a $5 Arduino and a battery and it'll...

Remember: Hot soldering irons are HOT! But all our sign needs is a $5 Arduino and a battery and it'll tell everyone we meet downstairs.




Personally, I've dropped my hope-for steps on FitBit to 6000 steps just because I can make in a normal...

Personally, I've dropped my hope-for steps on FitBit to 6000 steps just because I can make in a normal non-gym day. My big drop, 270+ to 235 lbs, came from eating more regularly and avoiding caffeine in general and cola in particular. My current progress seems to be related to more walking over the summer. So certainly, try to walk more.




Hey, +Tekzilla, I'm liking the Raspberry Pi as Cloud Print Server idea. We just got an HP printer, though...

Hey, +Tekzilla , I'm liking the Raspberry Pi as Cloud Print Server idea. We just got an HP printer, though, which uses ePrint, which links to Cloud Print, so I don't need the client.



What I need (well, maybe not need) is a way to print emails from GMail. For most things, you find "Share" and choose "Cloud Print" instead of G+ or Twitter or whatever, and that just doesn't make any sense in an email application. Is it possible? Is it coming and just not here? Am I just missing something?




We had a new face for Purdue Perl Mongers today! Yay! We talked about the coming wave of coworking and...

We had a new face for Purdue Perl Mongers today! Yay! We talked about the coming wave of coworking and making in Greater Lafayette, then I talked about parsing the CS Colloquium calendar site to get the iCal it should be exporting natively, then Rick talked about Ingy döt Net's IO::All library.



Any ideas for next month's meeting?




Today is our regularly-scheduled Purdue Perl Mongers meeting, again in WSLR 116. We're going to try ...

Today is our regularly-scheduled Purdue Perl Mongers meeting, again in WSLR 116. We're going to try to set it up as a Google Hangout, too. We'll see how that goes.




I get the urge. The NYT isn't an email company, so focusing on core competency and sourcing the other...

I get the urge. The NYT isn't an email company, so focusing on core competency and sourcing the other tasks makes sense.c except when it doesn't.




Monday, August 19, 2013

It prints! We just need to make it print better.

It prints! We just need to make it print better.




Nine reasons why Silicon Valley funds Instagrams and not Hyperloops. I can think of a tenth: high speed...

Nine reasons why Silicon Valley funds Instagrams and not Hyperloops.



I can think of a tenth: high speed rail is a solution in search for a problem, that for any given route, there exists existing tenants, including little woodland creatures, and thus any estimate to cost is going to be multiplied to handle legal issues. Putting your money into any high speed rail tech in the US is paramount to setting it on fire.



I have to grant the broader point, however. There are grander ideas coming into play -- the Tesla electric car and the Google self-driving car being two that come to mind in the transportation field -- but if Steve Jobs was looking for an Apple CEO today instead of the 1980s, he'd ask "Do you want to distribute cat pictures or do you want to change the world?"




... the music that he constantly plays says nothing to me about my life.

... the music that he constantly plays says nothing to me about my life.




Sunday, August 18, 2013

That's Learning Python? I'd have thought that Learning Python, like Learning Perl, would be a reasonably...

That's Learning Python? I'd have thought that Learning Python, like Learning Perl, would be a reasonably slim volume while Programming Python, like Programming Perl would be the huge one.



As is, if I was going to want to find something in that, I'd want an online search, and you know, that's what I do for most of my programming questions anyway.