Tomorrow night I'll enjoy a night at the Shaw Festival in Niagara on the Lake. It is going to be a special night for a couple of reasons. First, It has been nearly half a decade since the last time I got to attend live theatre. Also, it will be the first time that Alie will have a chance to see real live theatre, and in turn the first time we see live theatre together.
Short post.
I'm going to preface this with a notice that I do understand that some bugs are an essential part of the ecosystem, I also understand that other bugs are evil and carry diseases. In order to go after these 'bad bugs' I've used the standard technologies. Nets and citronella are great avoidance tools. Sticky traps and bug zappers are the real eliminators. This past winter we made the mistake of bringing some of the plants with the local organic soil back into the house. Bugs everywhere, and we didn't fret, after having two litters of kittens and the fleas they attract the sticky traps were deployed and the pest problem is gone.
I'd like to take the indoor solution outside. I'd also like for it to run on less than 30 watts. unfortunately there are no LED based bug zappers. There are LED lights that can go into sticky traps - but the largest bugs pose a problem for the sticky traps. I need a foot long double sided led strip with a sticky semi-transparent tube, and have it protected from the biggest bugs by a zapper tube. This LED Bug eliminator will get rid of large, small, and everything in between. Unfortunately I can only find ineffective solar LED mini zappers, over-powered fluorescent zappers, and unshielded sticky traps.
If anyone can find a complete and certified full power LED zapper please contact me through my contact page.
I'm going to preface this with a notice that I do understand that some bugs are an essential part of the ecosystem, I also understand that other bugs are evil and carry diseases. In order to go after these 'bad bugs' I've used the standard technologies. Nets and citronella are great avoidance tools. Sticky traps and bug zappers are the real eliminators. This past winter we made the mistake of bringing some of the plants with the local organic soil back into the house. Bugs everywhere, and we didn't fret, after having two litters of kittens and the fleas they attract the sticky traps were deployed and the pest problem is gone.
I'd like to take the indoor solution outside. I'd also like for it to run on less than 30 watts. unfortunately there are no LED based bug zappers. There are LED lights that can go into sticky traps - but the largest bugs pose a problem for the sticky traps. I need a foot long double sided led strip with a sticky semi-transparent tube, and have it protected from the biggest bugs by a zapper tube. This LED Bug eliminator will get rid of large, small, and everything in between. Unfortunately I can only find ineffective solar LED mini zappers, over-powered fluorescent zappers, and unshielded sticky traps.
If anyone can find a complete and certified full power LED zapper please contact me through my contact page.
Somebody probably has a better name for this but the idea was to combine a rain barrel, drip hose, and battery operated water timer so that no grid power or municipal water would be used on the vegetables.
This system is going to be tested throughout the summer, but I'm convinced that the rain barrel and drip hose are already a success. I was eating toasted tomato sandwiches for a month last year we had such a good harvest. The year prior we did mini pumpkins, and they are the perfect 'meal on the go' if you can grab some butter and find a microwave then you can eeat that mini pumpkin. Mini pumpkins are their own bowl. Back on topic; The timer is the addition that will leave more time for summer fun, allow users to water at night without having to be awake late at night, and control exposure. With enough information I can plan the number of barrels needed against the average rainfall. From there I can shout 'science' and promptly forget everything I've learnt when I do the same experiments on a new garden in a couple years.
I'm awaiting the results, but even if you cannot automate I'd recommend planting some simple vegetables.
Somebody probably has a better name for this but the idea was to combine a rain barrel, drip hose, and battery operated water timer so that no grid power or municipal water would be used on the vegetables.
This system is going to be tested throughout the summer, but I'm convinced that the rain barrel and drip hose are already a success. I was eating toasted tomato sandwiches for a month last year we had such a good harvest. The year prior we did mini pumpkins, and they are the perfect 'meal on the go' if you can grab some butter and find a microwave then you can eeat that mini pumpkin. Mini pumpkins are their own bowl. Back on topic; The timer is the addition that will leave more time for summer fun, allow users to water at night without having to be awake late at night, and control exposure. With enough information I can plan the number of barrels needed against the average rainfall. From there I can shout 'science' and promptly forget everything I've learnt when I do the same experiments on a new garden in a couple years.
I'm awaiting the results, but even if you cannot automate I'd recommend planting some simple vegetables.
As a joke I began to eliminate paper from my life shortly after having all of my printer hardware fail in less than a month. More than three years later I've managed to eliminate copy paper, lined paper, tissue paper, and paper places from my home life. One thing that was still sticking around was the toilet paper. I'm not about to skip on hygiene, so there was a real problem, until I discovered the Washlet.
The washlet is essentially a bidet affixed to a standard sitting toilet. Some Japanese models are heated, play music, and wash 'your business', but most of the Korean models are simple ant to the point. So I sent an order out to Bizwin, and I hope that they appreciate my business.
I discovered the idea of a washlet shortly after a fire burnt down the main paper processing facility in Cuba, but it took a couple years for the idea to grow on me. It has and I'd personally recommend it to anyone, although if you have kids, make sure they don't try to use it as a fountain.
These are my three major technological inspirations for the spring of 2012. I'll probably have the next batch of inspiration cooked up in early June.
More Information - http://www.bizwinkorea.com/bidet/eureka-bidet.html
.Going into early spring I've come up with some improvements that I will be using in 2012. Some of them are already in use, others are about to be tested and some are the optimal solutions that I have yet to complete.
Working Recommendation - The Washlet
As a joke I began to eliminate paper from my life shortly after having all of my printer hardware fail in less than a month. More than three years later I've managed to eliminate copy paper, lined paper, tissue paper, and paper places from my home life. One thing that was still sticking around was the toilet paper. I'm not about to skip on hygiene, so there was a real problem, until I discovered the Washlet.
The washlet is essentially a bidet affixed to a standard sitting toilet. Some Japanese models are heated, play music, and wash 'your business', but most of the Korean models are simple ant to the point. So I sent an order out to Bizwin, and I hope that they appreciate my business.
I discovered the idea of a washlet shortly after a fire burnt down the main paper processing facility in Cuba, but it took a couple years for the idea to grow on me. It has and I'd personally recommend it to anyone, although if you have kids, make sure they don't try to use it as a fountain.
Automated Water for Garden
Somebody probably has a better name for this but the idea was to combine a rain barrel, drip hose, and battery operated water timer so that no grid power or municipal water would be used on the vegetables.
This system is going to be tested throughout the summer, but I'm convinced that the rain barrel and drip hose are already a success. I was eating toasted tomato sandwiches for a month last year we had such a good harvest. The year prior we did mini pumpkins, and they are the perfect 'meal on the go' if you can grab some butter and find a microwave then you can eeat that mini pumpkin. Mini pumpkins are their own bowl. Back on topic; The timer is the addition that will leave more time for summer fun, allow users to water at night without having to be awake late at night, and control exposure. With enough information I can plan the number of barrels needed against the average rainfall. From there I can shout 'science' and promptly forget everything I've learnt when I do the same experiments on a new garden in a couple years.
I'm awaiting the results, but even if you cannot automate I'd recommend planting some simple vegetables.
LED Bug Eliminator
I'm going to preface this with a notice that I do understand that some bugs are an essential part of the ecosystem, I also understand that other bugs are evil and carry diseases. In order to go after these 'bad bugs' I've used the standard technologies. Nets and citronella are great avoidance tools. Sticky traps and bug zappers are the real eliminators. THis past winter we made the mistake of bringing some of the plants with the local organic soil back into the house. Bugs everywhere, and we didn't fret, after having two litters of kittens and the fleas they attract the sticky traps were deployed and the pest problem is gone.
I'd like to take the indoor solution outside. I'd also like for it to run on less than 30 watts. unfortunately there are no LED based bug zappers. There are LED lights that can go into sticky traps - but the largest bugs pose a problem for the sticky traps. I need a foot long double sided led strip with a sticky semi-transparent tube, and have it protected from the biggest bugs by a zapper tube. This LED Bug eliminator will get rid of large, small, and everything in between. Unfortunately I can only find ineffective solar LED mini zappers, over-powered fluorescent zappers, and unshielded sticky traps.
If anyone can find a complete and certified full power LED zapper please contact me through my contact page.
These are my three major technological inspirations for the spring of 2012. I'll probably have the next batch of inspiration cooked up in early June.
I finished another challenge today, this time it was the "Cleanse Challenge". After hearing about other folks in my office experiencing sickness fatigue and even major liver problems the discussion shifted quickly to how to deal with these problems.
The solution from one point of view was a cleanse, and by that I mean allowing the body to rid itself of contaminants by sticking to good foods and avoiding a list of other ingredients. For one whole week I avoided white sugar, white flour, meat, dairy, caffiene, and alcohol. I was the only one capable of sticking to these guidelines for an entire week. I am not recommending this solution, and here is why.
These rules limit intake, social exposure, and beneficial food and drinks. I missed my green tea on cold days. I missed sandwiches, and soy meat was a poor substitute in any meal. I missed the occasional iced tea. I missed long grain white rice after I added it to the list in good faith. The negatives outweighed the benefits in the short term.
On the plus side I rediscovered my magic bullet and made some banana/soy/ice smoothies. I enjoyed grapefruit, oranges, and apples in a new way. I found satisfaction in almonds. I was more diligent and conscious of my meals. I was a better person, and I knew it wasn't permanent.
Would I do it again? Maybe for a weekend, but it is hard when you do not have the freedom to hunt down the food alternative that satisfies a craving. Because of this hesitation I'm holding back my recommendation.
I finished another challenge today, this time it was the "Cleanse Challenge". After hearing about other folks in my office experiencing sickness fatigue and even major liver problems the discussion shifted quickly to how to deal with these problems.
The solution from one point of view was a cleanse, and by that I mean allowing the body to rid itself of contaminants by sticking to good foods and avoiding a list of other ingredients. For one whole week I avoided white sugar, white flour, meat, dairy, caffiene, and alcohol. I was the only one capable of sticking to these guidelines for an entire week. I am not recommending this solution, and here is why.
These rules limit intake, social exposure, and beneficial food and drinks. I missed my green tea on cold days. I missed sandwiches, and soy meat was a poor substitute in any meal. I missed the occasional iced tea. I missed long grain white rice after I added it to the list in good faith. The negatives outweighed the benefits in the short term.
On the plus side I rediscovered my magic bullet and made some banana/soy/ice smoothies. I enjoyed grapefruit, oranges, and apples in a new way. I found satisfaction in almonds. I was more diligent and conscious of my meals. I was a better person, and I knew it wasn't permanent.
Would I do it again? Maybe for a weekend, but it is hard when you do not have the freedom to hunt down the food alternative that satisfies a craving. Because of this hesitation I'm holding back my recommendation.
It is easy to see in three dimensions - it is a natural part of being a creature with two eyes, although thinking in three dimensions doesn't come naturally to everyone. Of course it is all about translating the three dimensional experience into your 'thinking language'. Artists, matematicians, and biologists are all required to think in three dimensions to understand art equations and protein and chemical structures.
I'm not an artist, mathematician, or biologist and translating the experience into technical or political language is something new. Most people don't even use two dimensions in politics, claiming that someone is 'left or right'. So in order to get myself thinking about how three dimensions work for others I will be experimenting with the third dimension (or a close approximation) on the website.
More late.
It is easy to see in three dimensions - it is a natural part of being a creature with two eyes, although thinking in three dimensions doesn't come naturally to everyone. Of course it is all about translating the three dimensional experience into your 'thinking language'. Artists, matematicians, and biologists are all required to think in three dimensions to understand art equations and protein and chemical structures.
I'm not an artist, mathematician, or biologist and translating the experience into technical or political language is something new. Most people don't even use two dimensions in politics, claiming that someone is 'left or right'. So in order to get myself thinking about how three dimensions work for others I will be experimenting with the third dimension (or a close approximation) on the website.
More late.
SEO is a great tool to improve exposure for an organization - when it is done right. SEO can expose your website to everyone but it may just be making the actual experience better for nobody unless it is done right.
I typically don't focus on SEO, I focus on creating easy to use user interfaces and eliminating repetitive tasks. The true path to a scalable solution.
Scalable solutions don't matter if you don't have an existing user base. This is why it has become increasingly important to perform SEO on some of the sites.
I don't have much to say about this issue. Then again - that isn't good SEO either.
SEO is a great tool to improve exposure for an organization - when it is done right. SEO can expose your website to everyone but it may just be making the actual experience better for nobody unless it is done right.
I typically don't focus on SEO, I focus on creating easy to use user interfaces and eliminating repetitive tasks. The true path to a scalable solution.
Scalable solutions don't matter if you don't have an existing user base. This is why it has become increasingly important to perform SEO on some of the sites.
I don't have much to say about this issue. Then again - that isn't good SEO either.
I'd love to be poetic about how uninspired this Winter has been, unfortunately I don't have any inspiration. In fact the overuse of the word inspired is killing my ability to think about finding inspiration. This is a frustration.
I've decided that the best description for my current situation is that I'm stuck in a rut. Not 'the rut', I'm stuck in 'a rut' although I'd imagine that would stop pretty fast if I started doing what deer do during their rut. I've been looking at a couple of options to end this frustration, and most of them seem awesome. I could be wrong.
Inviting Chaos
I'm looking for a challenge, while I solve technological problems all day and work on political issues at night I'm lacking a true challenge. My intellectual conversations have been stuck in repeat. This leaves only one option - chaos, I need to try something new. I need a new challenge every week. I need to stop getting distracted by day to day life.
Spring Cleaning
After completing most of the winter projects that were budgeted for there isn't much left to do. Optimization is usually very fulfilling after a project is complete. I can't optimize right now since I know there is another batch of projects this summer. Summer too far into the future.
One of the projects I'm really looking forward to is an automated watering system fed by a rain barrel. I can be incredibly forgetful so this technology could help keep the veggies growing all summer long.
New Technology
There is usually something new that I can test by early may, unfortunately the 2012 products are not challenging.
Bringing me back to the point - why do I feel so bored?
I'd love to be poetic about how uninspired this Winter has been, unfortunately I have't found the inspiration. In fact the overuse of the word inspired is killing my ability to think about finding inspiration. This is a frustration.
I've decided that the best description for my current situation is that I'm stuck in a rut. Not 'the rut', I'm stuck in 'a rut' although I'd imagine that would stop pretty fast if I started doing what deer do during their rut. I've been looking at a couple of options to end this frustration, and most of them seem awesome. I could be wrong.
Inviting Chaos
I'm looking for a challenge, while I solve technological problems all day and work on political issues at night I'm lacking a true challenge. My intellectual conversations have been stuck in repeat. This leaves only one option - chaos, I need to try something new. I need a new challenge every week. I need to stop getting distracted by day to day life.
Spring Cleaning
After completing most of the winter projects that were budgeted for there isn't much left to do. Optimization is usually very fulfilling after a project is complete. I can't optimize right now since I know there is another batch of projects this summer. Summer too far into the future.
One of the projects I'm really looking forward to is an automated watering system fed by a rain barrel. I can be incredibly forgetful so this technology could help keep the veggies growing all summer long.
New Technology
There is usually something new that I can test by early may, unfortunately the 2012 products are not challenging.
Bringing me back to the point - why do I feel so bored?
I'm a guy on Pinterest. There are plenty of great ideas on Pinterest. I didn't really notice any difficulty engaging in the Pinterest community. Despite all of these declarations the common feeling is that Pinterest is not manly. Since it isn't manly why would a man use it?
There are two responses. First, Pinterest is good and good doesn't have a demographic. Any girl that took criticisms and continued to play video games, fix their car, and build with raw lumber knows that success is gender neutral. Now we are beginning to create digital products that focus on women - capturing the success of good magazines and tossing it online. It's finally come around for guys, and the response is to participate without changing the experience.
The second response would be to 'man up', which means bringing over all of the garbage avoided by using Pinterest. I've seen magazines for men and they are the reason why magazines are seen as for women - I don't know a single guy that buys or subscribes to a mens magazine (non-pornographic). Don't change Pinterest for men, and don't change men for Pinterest - change the people on both sides that discriminate against good. I'll be adding an image to this so that you can pin in support of men on Pinterest.
I was introduced to Pinterest by Jamie and Jenn in 2011 and my board can be found here: http://pinterest.com/kurtismccartney/
