By the way, don't ever stick cinnamon roll dough from a can in the microwave...
I did this once, though not with cinnamon roll dough. I did it with biscuit dough. I knew what would happen, and it wasn't because I was stupid - just wanted to see what would happen (ah, mispent youth).
It started going, then a hole openned on the top and a jet of blue flame erupted (looked like a torch lighter, now that I think about it) - filled the oven with smoke, and after the dough cooled off, it was pretty solid.
My friend and I were always doing funky things with the microwave - we once nuked a hot dog for 10 minutes, to see what would happen. You would not believe the amount of grease and fat in it. Later, we threw it in the middle of the road, where a car came by and crushed it - it was like "hotdog powder"...
They used to have a DOS/Windows program that had a 2D editor to build the rooms, drop the furniture in, etc - then would shell out to a version of REND386 to display the 3D version for a "walk-through". It was limited to a single floor, but the models it used (.PLG) and the 3D world files it created (.WRL) conformed to standard REND386 formats - and so could be used in that package as well - a cheap and easy to use virtual reality world building package, in effect.
Something similar to this might be able to be done in Linux - seems that a few people have the "scratch" - someone is bound to itch it sooner or later.
I also seem to remember an article back a couple of years on/. about a company or university in Europe (UK?) using the Quake or Quake2 engine to develop walkthroughs of large architectural structures - seeing as how both engines are now open source, it wouldn't take too much (ok, it would take a bit - but less than from scratch) to create an "easy-to-use" application to interface with them for floor-planning and walk-throughs...
Wow! I love those pictures of the laser - I wish I had the cash (and a good reason, other than "play") to bid on it - the pictures of the beam in an unsmoked and lighted room - a rod of blue light! Cool! I love it! Talk about a powerful laser - damn! (guess I will just have to play with my cheapo HeNe).
Either you have an old box or your cable company loads it down with a lot of crap. You might check and see if you can trade your old box for a newer box. I had a problem with my cable, and they traded out the box (didn't solve the problem - had to solve it myself) - the new box had more memory and a faster processor - channel changes were quicker, the menu was quicker - everything was quicker (I have two boxes, and the other one is the old model, so I know that it is quicker, and not just me). The only thing I don't like about the new box is that it looks ugly. Also, check your cable lines - if you are getting garbage, etc on a digital box (ie, mpeg redraw crap) - your cable line may be crap - you want RG6 cable from the point where it comes from the cable company to your TV all the way - use 2.4GHz splitters only (some boxes have a "fall-back" mode to 900MHz that sucks - you don't want the fall back). If you cable is older RG59 (or worse), get it replaced if you can (in a house it is easiest - but if you are in an apartment, you are screwed). I am not saying the signal is causing snow, but if you have a slow older box, the processor is having to do a lot of extra work for error correction, etc on the signal that is getting through - causing the mpeg glitches, etc you see.
My brother-in-law and his wife live in a new, slap-together home. Yeah, the home looks good, but it does have an HOA, and we recently got to find out how much of a "deal" it was...
One night, he was out hitting golfballs into the riverbed (yeah, the clue that the development is built in a riverbed in the Phoenix area, where flashfloods are a rarity during monsoon season - no clues here) from his backyard - when he hit one and it hit a fence post...
Bounced off the fencepost (and missed him) and hit the house! Went THROUGH the wall, clean through - leaving a golf-ball sized hole, damage on the inside of the house (golf ball bouncing around). There was nothing in between the stucco on the outside and the drywall on the inside - just insulation and some styrofoam board!
My wife and I, well - we bought a home made from block, in an established neighborhood. Our house is much older (going on 30 years), but it has better construction, looks nice, great neighborhood, and best of all...
I know/. ran a story regarding something similar to this in the past - and though I looked, I didn't see any mention of it in this thread - but I wonder how much attention is being paid to Millennium Cell as a viable method of hydrogen storage, transport and usage (in fuel cells)?
I don't understand the chemistry (count me as one geek who never really understood stochiometry/balancing of chemical reactions), but it utilises something called "sodium borohydride" which is made from borax, which is supposedly abundant. Now, one thing I haven't managed to figure out from the site is whether the hydrogen exist naturally in the borax derivative (and released by the reaction with water), or if the hydrogen has to be put there (ie, chemical reaction to create it, then water releases it). If someone could tell me, that would be great.
Let's suppose it needs to be put there (or you need a way to get hydrogen cheaply). You need a source of borax, but you also want hydrogen. One method of obtaining hydrogen from water (though I don't quite understand the process - though I know a version of it is used in commercial production of hydrogen) is to pass superheated steam over hot iron (red hot? dunno). This method was used back in the early 1800's to produce hydrogen (called at the time "combustible air") for gas ballooning - it is what caused gas ballooning to win out over hot air balloons (well, that and coal gas). Prior to that, hydrogen could only be made with iron and dilute sulferic acid mixes, that didn't produce hydrogen quickly enough (had to wait days to fill a balloon).
So, if you need to put the hydrogen in the borax - what do you do? Build a production plant near Barstow, California! This area is very near to the town of Boron - a major borax producer, and Barstow hosts a major solar generating plant (solar tower using steam and focused mirrors). Now, use two such plants or systems - one superheating water to steam, then pass the steam over the other heating iron very hot, thus obtaining hydrogen from water using the sun's energy.
I am NOT saying you will get more energy - that isn't my claim. I am saying that this would be a method to get a large hydrogen production plant going, that would be non-poluting in production (the industrial processes I was speaking of that do a similar job utilise petroleum systems and some kind of water mix to produce the hydrogen), and using the energy of the sun - it would be a method of storing solar energy in the production of hydrogen (which could be stored in the borax, or if that isn't what happens, used in some other manner).
Is this thinking flawed - ie, the method of producing hydrogen using solar energy? If so, why? If not - then WHY ARE WE NOT DOING THIS (outside of startup costs, etc)?
I actually bought my toolkit (which, heh, I hardly ever have handy when I need it) at Fry's Electronics - it was a cheap, tri-fold gray case item ($9.99 or something close) - has a screwdriver with various bits (I think it even includes a couple torx), small wire dikes and needle nose, tweezers, small sockets, a complete set of small screwdrivers, and a few other bits and pieces. No soldering iron - not really needed nowadays (though I seem to always be using my soldering iron for something - but if I was doing repair for work, I probably wouldn't).
Most of the posts about needing a #2 phillips are dead-on, though. I keep one in my desk at work for those times when I need to tear apart a junked computer (my work throws out a lot of stuff) and get the goodies they leave behind (dead PSU - keep the fan, most likely good - if not, the fan is toast and the PSU is good - rarely are both toast, unless the dead fan led to a dead psu). That is typically the only tool I need - anything else I either use my multi-tool (aka Leatherman) or rig something to work.
A semi-reflective mirror placed at 45 degree angle to the viewing plane, between the camera and the person. On one side or the other (perpendicular to the viewing plane), is the monitor (image on monitor from other phone needs to be reversed).
It would make the system more bulky, and the images might be dimmer (could be software corrected, though) because of the beam splitter being in the way, but it could be done.
For those of you old enough, remember when it seemed like every town (even the small ones) had at least one BBS to dial into, and inter-node email through FIDOnet at night (long distance rates being cheaper)? Couldn't something similar to this be done with WiFi? Hear me out:
Imagine if every individual set up a WiFi hub node, with some kind of high-gain omni, and kept it open. This hub is connected to a web server - and NOTHING ELSE. It isn't connected to broadband, or even to the individuals home network (or only through a good firewall). Basically, it is a lone machine.
Others set up similar machines, people in the immediate neighborhood (both fixed and mobile stumblers) could "connect" at leisure, just like the old BBS's - except without needing major numbers of phone lines, etc. Maybe the website on the server could show how to build such a system cheaply, where other nodes are, and where intermediate nodes are needed to bridge gaps in an area. These nodes could then form a more "permanent" mesh.
Ok, perhaps this is what is basically happenning already - but what many of them do is have broadband connections that aren't legally allowed to share. I guess what I am aiming for is more of a return to the grassroots local scene, and perhaps certain nodes could be "volunteers" to "FIDOnet" (just the term - not actual protocols, of course) packages of emails, etc, across the internet via broadband/etc connections in bursts, to other nodes that could disseminate the contents of the package. IE, make it as legal as possible - but still "open/free"?
Commercial vehicle retreads are available because on a truck with 6, 10, up to 18 wheels on it, all that is needed is 'dumb rubber', a tire that is roughly the same dimension as the other tires on the vehicle.
I understand this - my brother-in-law is a dump-truck driver (10 wheeler), and has used retreads, used tires, as well as new tires all the time. I can see the logic of why they allow it on commercial vehicles vs. passenger cars.
Contrast that with the 4-wheeled passenger car, which is moving ever faster and growing ever heavier. Would you really want retreads on that Lincoln Navigator that you're trailing down the highway at 75 MPH?
Considering that even new tires (like I mentioned the Firstone tires - other companies have had similar tire problems) aren't that safe, could a retread, when properly done using today's technology (I am sure retreads done today could be done so they were much safer and better bonded), be any worse? We really won't ever know. Maybe today's cars would be too dangerous with retreads - but it makes you wonder why yesterday's cars were considered OK, considering they weighed as much if not more than today's behemoths, and could go just as fast.
You know, I wondered if such a thing was available, and was almost certain it was (just like 10Base2 thin coax ethernet) - but I was in a hurry and needed the solution "now", and couldn't afford the time to do it any other way. I might look into finding the terminators, though - for when I go back up into my attic when it cools down here (Phoenix, AZ - don't want to go up into the attic when it is 95+ at night, let alone 100+ during the day).
ARE, Inc - Apache Reclamation and Electronic - Apache Street and 3rd Ave (roughly), north of the I-10/I-17 truck bypass.
My favorite place for old junk - where else can you find old computers, industrial waste, and biowaste (I am NOT kidding on that last one) all in one stop?
Not sure if I could agree with you or not - somewhere I heard that there was some kind of link between cancer and inflammation - basically, something like cancer is known to cause inflammation - but that "they" (doctors? scientists?) were finding where it seemed like if there was inflammation, the risk of cancer went up.
If you think about it, it does SEEM this way - think about how many types of cancers there are where it is stated "If you have 'x' inflammatory disease, you are at greater risk of 'y' cancer".
Asbestos and inhaled particles from toner would cause irritation and inflammation of the lungs - so would dirty, polluted air. So would cigarette smoke. What about ovarian cancer? Inflammation caused by cysts on the ovaries is cited as one possible risk factor.
Of course, this doesn't explain all cancers - but maybe we don't know what is causing the inflammation? Also, we don't hear about those with sore backs (muscle or spinal inflammation) getting cancer in those areas - but maybe it has to be long term "minor" inflammation (ie, minor in that it is long-term and unnoticeable)?
Can anyone back me up, or am I hallucinating again...?
From what I understand, tires that we consider "bald" (by our safety standards and whatnot) are considered nearly new in most 2nd and 3rd world countries. Also, most of those countries have no issues with the retreading of passenger car tires (and I am sure that a lot of retreading equipment that existed here in America before such things were banned on passenger cars here got shipped over there as well) - a good retread (hell, even a bad one) - and the tire will be great for a few years.
Ever wonder why you can't get passenger car retreads here in the States (commercial vehicle retreads ARE available, though)? Why such a practice was made illegal? You will hear stories about the retreads causing accidents, flying apart at speed, etc. While I am sure these stories are true, I sincerely doubt each and every tire did this (just as all Firestone tires didn't explode, either). If you look through older "tech" magazines (think old 1940-50-60's Pop Sci and Pop Mech magazines), you would find articles on properly choosing retreads, what to look for, and what to avoid. The business was a legitimate business, and while there were most certainly shady deals done, I am as equally certain that the majority of retreaders could do a good job, that would retread a tire to last a while longer.
I think, but have no proof, that the retread business was eating into tire manufacturer's business, and, well - you know the rest of the story - lobbiests, campaign contributions, etc (of course, there may be merit also in the idea of steel-belted radials being unable to retread because the new rubber couldn't bond properly to the old - but it makes you also wonder if these weren't invented to fight AGAINST retreads)...
You are correct - such a system was done in Japan - I remember seeing a demonstration of it on "That's Incredible" or "Beyond 2000" back in the 1980's - I remember that the rooftop device was really large (or at least it looked that way to me as a kid) - a couple of meters across - and I don't think it concentrated the sun as much as this surgery device.
Which brings me to a question - just how "hot" would the temperature be at the focus of the device? I would think you would need an active water cooling system to keep from melting the glass of the fiber optic (unless the temp is below that of melting glass) - not enough technical details in the article to know for sure.
Also, as far as this device is concerned, could such concentrated sunlight be used to optically pump a dye (or similar) laser?
Normally I would. However, the only thing that allows you to even get the item is either the homepage or the iFrame of the homepage. The only link that allows that is something called "Install RadialContext 1.0b1 (08/18/2002)" - there isn't a link anywhere I can see to download a.tar.gz file or similar file.
They don't post the README anywhere, and there is nothing on the site to indicate that you should backup your chrome directory - you don't get to see the README until after the fact.
I admit that I was stupid for trusting that it wasn't going to change things much - my mistake, and I will be extra careful in the future. Fortunately they provided a way to disable it (and it made me finally get my three button mouse working properly last night as well). Still, I don't consider myself a moron in these affairs - last week I got that Linux kernel driver for the PowerGlove compiled and working properly with my modded glove (yes, I soldered it myself back in 1993/94 and had it working with Rend386 under DOS on my 486 box) - I didn't blindly trust the source on that one, I read through it (it was only 5K or so), checked it out, verified that it wasn't doing anything hinky, then compiled and installed it - worked great. However, for that code I _could_ download it before install - I wasn't able to with this code.
If you know of a way I could have, that was referenced off the homepage or site somewhere, for a tar install or something, please point out my true idiocy - please!!!
Thank you! I could have sworn there wasn't anything there before, but I am glad you posted this - still, I would love to remove it completely - the crazy thing is I just read the "about.txt" file in the chrome install area - and it says there to "please make a backup of your chrome subdir" - gee, thanks for telling me after the fact (not griping at you, but the developer). I am wondering if I am going to have to rename my install area, then "fakie" install moz again, extract the chrome dir (for a virgin one), then delete the dir and rename the old one back, and put the new chrome over the old... Think this would work?
I have this installed currently on my Moz 1.0 install - and I want to uninstall it - does anyone have ANY idea how? I don't care if I have to edit some files - I just want to go back to the old method (I actually like this new system, but for some reason it has a bug that annoys me - you select an option on the ring, like "new tab", and when you return to the original tab, you are in "hightlight mode" where your mouse is highlighting everything - annoying).
...nor am I saying JV is wrong either - in fact, you and he may be completely right!
Yeah, it is legal to copy those DVDs as backups, etc...
But then again, where are those DVD copying machines? When is GoVideo going to release a dual deck? I have yet to see even the dual DVD/VCR decks work to allow you to record the DVD playing (I wonder how many people have fallen for that one so far) - if they do allow it, it isn't prominently displayed on the packaging. You can't cobble up your own copier legally with DeCSS.
So, Jack, where are these DVD copier machines for consumers to make backups/archives with, again?
I got tired of this as well - my solution didn't replace all of my wall warts, but it did replace most of them.
First off, realize that most electronic equipment that uses a wall wart typically has a regulator in it anyway - ie, it may use a 9 volt wall-wart, but it has a 5V regulator in the device. So, basically if you can get a power supply with a 12 VDC line, and a 5VDC line, you are set. You then would have your pick of three voltages - the two already mentioned, plus 7VDC by using the 5VDC line as "ground" with the 12VDC line (this really isn't a great thing, not electrically sound, but I have yet to see anything fail because of it - but if you know of any problems using this kind of system, let me know). So, what power supply to use?
You want a PSU with the two voltage lines and ground. The power supply should provide relatively high current capacity on the lines. As a bonus, it would be nice to have extra lines for minor low-amperage things like fans and an LED indicator light. So, what did I use?
I used a switching powersupply I found used at a local electronics junk yard - it was a Sun power supply (not sure for what model, maybe and IPX/IPC). I mounted the PSU on the bottom of my desk (a cheap folding table), and ran wires (12 or 14 gauge auto wire, I think) from the power output lines to several "bus" terminal strips on the underside, in parallel. From the bus terminal strips I could tap into the power where I needed it. The power supply also had a couple of smaller connectors - one provided 12VDC and the other 5VDC. I hooked the 12VDC one to a fan I have mounted on my monitor (it gets hella hot without it), and the 5VDC went to an LED I have mounted in a hole in metal edge of the folding table, to show that the PSU is on.
While this isn't as clean as what you are proposing, it was all mostly off the shelf, and was easy to set up. The terminal strips used screws, so it is easy to hook into, plus the switching PSU should have a cleaner output than most wall warts...
I learned this the "hard" way earlier this year when I had to re-wire my "new" (new for me - pre-owned, but no HOA!) house for digital cable.
To make a long story short (and believe me, it is a long, convoluted story, mostly involving the cable guys trying to get me to shell out $40.00 a piece for three cable drops, of their own cable, after I had already spent $60.00 on new RG6), use digital splitters (ie - 2.4 GHz "sattelite" splitters) with ONLY the number of drops you need - don't try to get a splitter with more drops than you need because that open connector WILL cause signal loss, "ring"-ing in the circuit (think of coax as a capacitor in an LC tank circuit - oscillation becomes an issue). You need the digital splitter because the standard runs at that frequency - some boxes can drop down to an analog mode to get the info, but it is sketchy, and sometimes fails. Also, use RG6, not RG59 (anybody want to buy a 200 foot spool, cheap?) cable. I would also recommend AGAINST crimping your own connectors unless you know absolutely what you are doing, or you have done it before.
The gist of the matter is digital is very picky when it comes to signals - too much db loss, excess noise, wrong or marginal cable/connectors - it just doesn't work. It also won't work if you have too many splitters (each splitter introduces a drop in db). Also realize there are splitters which pass power from the cable company (something like 12-15 VDC), and some splitters don't take this into account, or have legs of the splitter which pass power, and others that don't! The power is typically provided for inline signal amplifiers, so if you have or think you may need such devices in the future, be sure to get the proper splitter. Also be aware that splitters may be "asymetrical" in their electrical characteristics/ratings (ie, db loss may be less in one direction than the other) when it comes to the inputs and the outputs - this can be important for digital setups, especially cable broadband - so keep it in mind and do some research.
My advice if you are splitting or installing new for digital cable: 2.4 GHz digital splitters only, 100 foot runs, RG6 cabling (preferably with pre-attached factory molded connectors) - believe me, this will save money and time in the end.
...lenticular lens plastic overlays - and yes, the stuff is still available (Home Depot has some "NASCAR branded" credit cards that animate when you tilt them). What is neat is that not only can you use the material for animation, but you can also achieve various "3D"-like effects.
On a similar note, I recently bought a complete set of Popular Mechanics Do-it-Yourself encyclopedias (published in 1968), and one project that was detailed was a picture done in a similar manner, except instead of lenticular lens plastic being used, three pictures were used. Two of the pictures were cut into strips that were glued back-to-back and in order. Then a third picture was placed in the frame, and via grooves sawed in the top and bottom of the frame edge, the strips were placed perpendicular to the main picture. This basically allowed three different "views" in one picture frame as you looked at it from the left, the right, and "head-on". The project was described as using portraits: A left portrait, a right portrait, and a frontal face portrait.
I wanted to post that I was able to successfully compile and install this kernel module on my SuSE 7.2/6.3 box (kernel version 2.4.4 - note this). It ran just fine, though I had an issue on compiling (which I have let the author know about):
Under 2.4, when compiling a kernel module, you aren't allowed to do a "-I/usr/src/linux/include" to include the sources - you need to have the 2.4 sources installed properly and change the Makefile to read "-I/lib/modules/`uname -r`/build/include" - then it will work OK (provided everything else is set up properly in regard to the sources) - plus, I had a problem with the last line in the pglove.c source (MODULE_LICENCE("GPL");), which was causing some kind of error - I just commented it out, not wanting to track it down, and knowing that it wasn't a crit piece for the source.
Once that was done, the rest went OK - I fired up the module, plugged in PG interface (that I had put together YEARS ago, and it was last used on a 486 back in 1994 with Rend386 in DOS), and started the raw reader (a.out - default gcc output bin).
It worked just great, as expected (well, I was actually expecting smoke - glad I didn't get any).
Anyhow, my kudos to the job this guy did - while I doubt it is going to "change the world" - it is a good hack, and I am glad to see it pulled off (as a homebrew VR part-time experimentor).
This module makes use of an "undocumented" mode of the PG called "high-res" mode, which basically send back all the data from the glove (ie, yaw, pitch, roll, X/Y/Z, and finger bend) - whereas the normal "low-res" mode essentially acts as a controller. The driver has to enable the high-res mode of the glove in order for the data to come back in the format. So while the drivers you speak of will probably work, it will only be in low-res standard controller mode, which isn't enough for VR apps (and even in high-res mode, it isn't that great)...
Slashdot Mirror
Yeah, my jaw dropped when I saw this - and even further when it ran OK under NT (ie no security protection "messages/errors")...
I did this once, though not with cinnamon roll dough. I did it with biscuit dough. I knew what would happen, and it wasn't because I was stupid - just wanted to see what would happen (ah, mispent youth).
It started going, then a hole openned on the top and a jet of blue flame erupted (looked like a torch lighter, now that I think about it) - filled the oven with smoke, and after the dough cooled off, it was pretty solid.
My friend and I were always doing funky things with the microwave - we once nuked a hot dog for 10 minutes, to see what would happen. You would not believe the amount of grease and fat in it. Later, we threw it in the middle of the road, where a car came by and crushed it - it was like "hotdog powder"...
They used to have a DOS/Windows program that had a 2D editor to build the rooms, drop the furniture in, etc - then would shell out to a version of REND386 to display the 3D version for a "walk-through". It was limited to a single floor, but the models it used (.PLG) and the 3D world files it created (.WRL) conformed to standard REND386 formats - and so could be used in that package as well - a cheap and easy to use virtual reality world building package, in effect.
Something similar to this might be able to be done in Linux - seems that a few people have the "scratch" - someone is bound to itch it sooner or later.
I also seem to remember an article back a couple of years on /. about a company or university in Europe (UK?) using the Quake or Quake2 engine to develop walkthroughs of large architectural structures - seeing as how both engines are now open source, it wouldn't take too much (ok, it would take a bit - but less than from scratch) to create an "easy-to-use" application to interface with them for floor-planning and walk-throughs...
Wow! I love those pictures of the laser - I wish I had the cash (and a good reason, other than "play") to bid on it - the pictures of the beam in an unsmoked and lighted room - a rod of blue light! Cool! I love it! Talk about a powerful laser - damn! (guess I will just have to play with my cheapo HeNe).
Either you have an old box or your cable company loads it down with a lot of crap. You might check and see if you can trade your old box for a newer box. I had a problem with my cable, and they traded out the box (didn't solve the problem - had to solve it myself) - the new box had more memory and a faster processor - channel changes were quicker, the menu was quicker - everything was quicker (I have two boxes, and the other one is the old model, so I know that it is quicker, and not just me). The only thing I don't like about the new box is that it looks ugly. Also, check your cable lines - if you are getting garbage, etc on a digital box (ie, mpeg redraw crap) - your cable line may be crap - you want RG6 cable from the point where it comes from the cable company to your TV all the way - use 2.4GHz splitters only (some boxes have a "fall-back" mode to 900MHz that sucks - you don't want the fall back). If you cable is older RG59 (or worse), get it replaced if you can (in a house it is easiest - but if you are in an apartment, you are screwed). I am not saying the signal is causing snow, but if you have a slow older box, the processor is having to do a lot of extra work for error correction, etc on the signal that is getting through - causing the mpeg glitches, etc you see.
One night, he was out hitting golfballs into the riverbed (yeah, the clue that the development is built in a riverbed in the Phoenix area, where flashfloods are a rarity during monsoon season - no clues here) from his backyard - when he hit one and it hit a fence post...
Bounced off the fencepost (and missed him) and hit the house! Went THROUGH the wall, clean through - leaving a golf-ball sized hole, damage on the inside of the house (golf ball bouncing around). There was nothing in between the stucco on the outside and the drywall on the inside - just insulation and some styrofoam board!
My wife and I, well - we bought a home made from block, in an established neighborhood. Our house is much older (going on 30 years), but it has better construction, looks nice, great neighborhood, and best of all...
NO DAMN HOA!
I don't understand the chemistry (count me as one geek who never really understood stochiometry/balancing of chemical reactions), but it utilises something called "sodium borohydride" which is made from borax, which is supposedly abundant. Now, one thing I haven't managed to figure out from the site is whether the hydrogen exist naturally in the borax derivative (and released by the reaction with water), or if the hydrogen has to be put there (ie, chemical reaction to create it, then water releases it). If someone could tell me, that would be great.
Let's suppose it needs to be put there (or you need a way to get hydrogen cheaply). You need a source of borax, but you also want hydrogen. One method of obtaining hydrogen from water (though I don't quite understand the process - though I know a version of it is used in commercial production of hydrogen) is to pass superheated steam over hot iron (red hot? dunno). This method was used back in the early 1800's to produce hydrogen (called at the time "combustible air") for gas ballooning - it is what caused gas ballooning to win out over hot air balloons (well, that and coal gas). Prior to that, hydrogen could only be made with iron and dilute sulferic acid mixes, that didn't produce hydrogen quickly enough (had to wait days to fill a balloon).
So, if you need to put the hydrogen in the borax - what do you do? Build a production plant near Barstow, California! This area is very near to the town of Boron - a major borax producer, and Barstow hosts a major solar generating plant (solar tower using steam and focused mirrors). Now, use two such plants or systems - one superheating water to steam, then pass the steam over the other heating iron very hot, thus obtaining hydrogen from water using the sun's energy.
I am NOT saying you will get more energy - that isn't my claim. I am saying that this would be a method to get a large hydrogen production plant going, that would be non-poluting in production (the industrial processes I was speaking of that do a similar job utilise petroleum systems and some kind of water mix to produce the hydrogen), and using the energy of the sun - it would be a method of storing solar energy in the production of hydrogen (which could be stored in the borax, or if that isn't what happens, used in some other manner).
Is this thinking flawed - ie, the method of producing hydrogen using solar energy? If so, why? If not - then WHY ARE WE NOT DOING THIS (outside of startup costs, etc)?
We are talk 100 year old technology...
Most of the posts about needing a #2 phillips are dead-on, though. I keep one in my desk at work for those times when I need to tear apart a junked computer (my work throws out a lot of stuff) and get the goodies they leave behind (dead PSU - keep the fan, most likely good - if not, the fan is toast and the PSU is good - rarely are both toast, unless the dead fan led to a dead psu). That is typically the only tool I need - anything else I either use my multi-tool (aka Leatherman) or rig something to work.
It would make the system more bulky, and the images might be dimmer (could be software corrected, though) because of the beam splitter being in the way, but it could be done.
For those of you old enough, remember when it seemed like every town (even the small ones) had at least one BBS to dial into, and inter-node email through FIDOnet at night (long distance rates being cheaper)? Couldn't something similar to this be done with WiFi? Hear me out:
Imagine if every individual set up a WiFi hub node, with some kind of high-gain omni, and kept it open. This hub is connected to a web server - and NOTHING ELSE. It isn't connected to broadband, or even to the individuals home network (or only through a good firewall). Basically, it is a lone machine.
Others set up similar machines, people in the immediate neighborhood (both fixed and mobile stumblers) could "connect" at leisure, just like the old BBS's - except without needing major numbers of phone lines, etc. Maybe the website on the server could show how to build such a system cheaply, where other nodes are, and where intermediate nodes are needed to bridge gaps in an area. These nodes could then form a more "permanent" mesh.
Ok, perhaps this is what is basically happenning already - but what many of them do is have broadband connections that aren't legally allowed to share. I guess what I am aiming for is more of a return to the grassroots local scene, and perhaps certain nodes could be "volunteers" to "FIDOnet" (just the term - not actual protocols, of course) packages of emails, etc, across the internet via broadband/etc connections in bursts, to other nodes that could disseminate the contents of the package. IE, make it as legal as possible - but still "open/free"?
I understand this - my brother-in-law is a dump-truck driver (10 wheeler), and has used retreads, used tires, as well as new tires all the time. I can see the logic of why they allow it on commercial vehicles vs. passenger cars.
Contrast that with the 4-wheeled passenger car, which is moving ever faster and growing ever heavier. Would you really want retreads on that Lincoln Navigator that you're trailing down the highway at 75 MPH?Considering that even new tires (like I mentioned the Firstone tires - other companies have had similar tire problems) aren't that safe, could a retread, when properly done using today's technology (I am sure retreads done today could be done so they were much safer and better bonded), be any worse? We really won't ever know. Maybe today's cars would be too dangerous with retreads - but it makes you wonder why yesterday's cars were considered OK, considering they weighed as much if not more than today's behemoths, and could go just as fast.
You know, I wondered if such a thing was available, and was almost certain it was (just like 10Base2 thin coax ethernet) - but I was in a hurry and needed the solution "now", and couldn't afford the time to do it any other way. I might look into finding the terminators, though - for when I go back up into my attic when it cools down here (Phoenix, AZ - don't want to go up into the attic when it is 95+ at night, let alone 100+ during the day).
My favorite place for old junk - where else can you find old computers, industrial waste, and biowaste (I am NOT kidding on that last one) all in one stop?
If you think about it, it does SEEM this way - think about how many types of cancers there are where it is stated "If you have 'x' inflammatory disease, you are at greater risk of 'y' cancer".
Asbestos and inhaled particles from toner would cause irritation and inflammation of the lungs - so would dirty, polluted air. So would cigarette smoke. What about ovarian cancer? Inflammation caused by cysts on the ovaries is cited as one possible risk factor.
Of course, this doesn't explain all cancers - but maybe we don't know what is causing the inflammation? Also, we don't hear about those with sore backs (muscle or spinal inflammation) getting cancer in those areas - but maybe it has to be long term "minor" inflammation (ie, minor in that it is long-term and unnoticeable)?
Can anyone back me up, or am I hallucinating again...?
Ever wonder why you can't get passenger car retreads here in the States (commercial vehicle retreads ARE available, though)? Why such a practice was made illegal? You will hear stories about the retreads causing accidents, flying apart at speed, etc. While I am sure these stories are true, I sincerely doubt each and every tire did this (just as all Firestone tires didn't explode, either). If you look through older "tech" magazines (think old 1940-50-60's Pop Sci and Pop Mech magazines), you would find articles on properly choosing retreads, what to look for, and what to avoid. The business was a legitimate business, and while there were most certainly shady deals done, I am as equally certain that the majority of retreaders could do a good job, that would retread a tire to last a while longer.
I think, but have no proof, that the retread business was eating into tire manufacturer's business, and, well - you know the rest of the story - lobbiests, campaign contributions, etc (of course, there may be merit also in the idea of steel-belted radials being unable to retread because the new rubber couldn't bond properly to the old - but it makes you also wonder if these weren't invented to fight AGAINST retreads)...
Which brings me to a question - just how "hot" would the temperature be at the focus of the device? I would think you would need an active water cooling system to keep from melting the glass of the fiber optic (unless the temp is below that of melting glass) - not enough technical details in the article to know for sure.
Also, as far as this device is concerned, could such concentrated sunlight be used to optically pump a dye (or similar) laser?
They don't post the README anywhere, and there is nothing on the site to indicate that you should backup your chrome directory - you don't get to see the README until after the fact.
I admit that I was stupid for trusting that it wasn't going to change things much - my mistake, and I will be extra careful in the future. Fortunately they provided a way to disable it (and it made me finally get my three button mouse working properly last night as well). Still, I don't consider myself a moron in these affairs - last week I got that Linux kernel driver for the PowerGlove compiled and working properly with my modded glove (yes, I soldered it myself back in 1993/94 and had it working with Rend386 under DOS on my 486 box) - I didn't blindly trust the source on that one, I read through it (it was only 5K or so), checked it out, verified that it wasn't doing anything hinky, then compiled and installed it - worked great. However, for that code I _could_ download it before install - I wasn't able to with this code.
If you know of a way I could have, that was referenced off the homepage or site somewhere, for a tar install or something, please point out my true idiocy - please!!!
Thank you! I could have sworn there wasn't anything there before, but I am glad you posted this - still, I would love to remove it completely - the crazy thing is I just read the "about.txt" file in the chrome install area - and it says there to "please make a backup of your chrome subdir" - gee, thanks for telling me after the fact (not griping at you, but the developer). I am wondering if I am going to have to rename my install area, then "fakie" install moz again, extract the chrome dir (for a virgin one), then delete the dir and rename the old one back, and put the new chrome over the old... Think this would work?
Help?
Yeah, it is legal to copy those DVDs as backups, etc...
But then again, where are those DVD copying machines? When is GoVideo going to release a dual deck? I have yet to see even the dual DVD/VCR decks work to allow you to record the DVD playing (I wonder how many people have fallen for that one so far) - if they do allow it, it isn't prominently displayed on the packaging. You can't cobble up your own copier legally with DeCSS.
So, Jack, where are these DVD copier machines for consumers to make backups/archives with, again?
First off, realize that most electronic equipment that uses a wall wart typically has a regulator in it anyway - ie, it may use a 9 volt wall-wart, but it has a 5V regulator in the device. So, basically if you can get a power supply with a 12 VDC line, and a 5VDC line, you are set. You then would have your pick of three voltages - the two already mentioned, plus 7VDC by using the 5VDC line as "ground" with the 12VDC line (this really isn't a great thing, not electrically sound, but I have yet to see anything fail because of it - but if you know of any problems using this kind of system, let me know). So, what power supply to use?
You want a PSU with the two voltage lines and ground. The power supply should provide relatively high current capacity on the lines. As a bonus, it would be nice to have extra lines for minor low-amperage things like fans and an LED indicator light. So, what did I use?
I used a switching powersupply I found used at a local electronics junk yard - it was a Sun power supply (not sure for what model, maybe and IPX/IPC). I mounted the PSU on the bottom of my desk (a cheap folding table), and ran wires (12 or 14 gauge auto wire, I think) from the power output lines to several "bus" terminal strips on the underside, in parallel. From the bus terminal strips I could tap into the power where I needed it. The power supply also had a couple of smaller connectors - one provided 12VDC and the other 5VDC. I hooked the 12VDC one to a fan I have mounted on my monitor (it gets hella hot without it), and the 5VDC went to an LED I have mounted in a hole in metal edge of the folding table, to show that the PSU is on.
While this isn't as clean as what you are proposing, it was all mostly off the shelf, and was easy to set up. The terminal strips used screws, so it is easy to hook into, plus the switching PSU should have a cleaner output than most wall warts...
To make a long story short (and believe me, it is a long, convoluted story, mostly involving the cable guys trying to get me to shell out $40.00 a piece for three cable drops, of their own cable, after I had already spent $60.00 on new RG6), use digital splitters (ie - 2.4 GHz "sattelite" splitters) with ONLY the number of drops you need - don't try to get a splitter with more drops than you need because that open connector WILL cause signal loss, "ring"-ing in the circuit (think of coax as a capacitor in an LC tank circuit - oscillation becomes an issue). You need the digital splitter because the standard runs at that frequency - some boxes can drop down to an analog mode to get the info, but it is sketchy, and sometimes fails. Also, use RG6, not RG59 (anybody want to buy a 200 foot spool, cheap?) cable. I would also recommend AGAINST crimping your own connectors unless you know absolutely what you are doing, or you have done it before.
The gist of the matter is digital is very picky when it comes to signals - too much db loss, excess noise, wrong or marginal cable/connectors - it just doesn't work. It also won't work if you have too many splitters (each splitter introduces a drop in db). Also realize there are splitters which pass power from the cable company (something like 12-15 VDC), and some splitters don't take this into account, or have legs of the splitter which pass power, and others that don't! The power is typically provided for inline signal amplifiers, so if you have or think you may need such devices in the future, be sure to get the proper splitter. Also be aware that splitters may be "asymetrical" in their electrical characteristics/ratings (ie, db loss may be less in one direction than the other) when it comes to the inputs and the outputs - this can be important for digital setups, especially cable broadband - so keep it in mind and do some research.
My advice if you are splitting or installing new for digital cable: 2.4 GHz digital splitters only, 100 foot runs, RG6 cabling (preferably with pre-attached factory molded connectors) - believe me, this will save money and time in the end.
On a similar note, I recently bought a complete set of Popular Mechanics Do-it-Yourself encyclopedias (published in 1968), and one project that was detailed was a picture done in a similar manner, except instead of lenticular lens plastic being used, three pictures were used. Two of the pictures were cut into strips that were glued back-to-back and in order. Then a third picture was placed in the frame, and via grooves sawed in the top and bottom of the frame edge, the strips were placed perpendicular to the main picture. This basically allowed three different "views" in one picture frame as you looked at it from the left, the right, and "head-on". The project was described as using portraits: A left portrait, a right portrait, and a frontal face portrait.
Under 2.4, when compiling a kernel module, you aren't allowed to do a "-I/usr/src/linux/include" to include the sources - you need to have the 2.4 sources installed properly and change the Makefile to read "-I/lib/modules/`uname -r`/build/include" - then it will work OK (provided everything else is set up properly in regard to the sources) - plus, I had a problem with the last line in the pglove.c source (MODULE_LICENCE("GPL");), which was causing some kind of error - I just commented it out, not wanting to track it down, and knowing that it wasn't a crit piece for the source.
Once that was done, the rest went OK - I fired up the module, plugged in PG interface (that I had put together YEARS ago, and it was last used on a 486 back in 1994 with Rend386 in DOS), and started the raw reader (a.out - default gcc output bin).
It worked just great, as expected (well, I was actually expecting smoke - glad I didn't get any).
Anyhow, my kudos to the job this guy did - while I doubt it is going to "change the world" - it is a good hack, and I am glad to see it pulled off (as a homebrew VR part-time experimentor).
This module makes use of an "undocumented" mode of the PG called "high-res" mode, which basically send back all the data from the glove (ie, yaw, pitch, roll, X/Y/Z, and finger bend) - whereas the normal "low-res" mode essentially acts as a controller. The driver has to enable the high-res mode of the glove in order for the data to come back in the format. So while the drivers you speak of will probably work, it will only be in low-res standard controller mode, which isn't enough for VR apps (and even in high-res mode, it isn't that great)...