I was sitting at a coffee shop today I was disappointed I forgot to ask for the wifi key. Now I could totally sit here and crack the WEP key, but that takes precious CPU and battery life and well, I just wasn’t that interested in getting the tools to compile for my Mac. This led me to wax poetic about the days I used to have a tether to my iPhone 3G and I thought … “Man, I would sure like to be able to tether again;” but the last time, that didn’t go over so well. The last time I installed the tethering packages from Cydia, I lost access to voicemail for 2 weeks, couldn’t get them to uninstall, yada-yada-yada, annoying experience. But today, I actually had time to think about how to solve this issue and then it hit me: I’m a moron, I should have seen this last year. Five minutes later, I was on the net.
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Archive for the ‘General’ Category
I don’t know why I thought to do this especially since I think taking pictures on a cell phone is relatively stupid; however, I had the parts laying around and figured, “Why don’t I just see what that looks like?”
Supplies
- Disposable Camera: $0.00 (ask your grocery store for an empty one)
- iPhone: $0.00 (fell off truck)
- iPhone Soft-case (mine is an Incipio and it fell off the same truck)
Instructions
- Disassemble the camera and salvage the len(s) without zapping yourself. If you really want, you can zap yourself because some people like that … you freaks.
- Put the lens inside the soft-case
- Put your iPhone in the soft-case
- Take macro pictures at a glorious 2.0 megapixels
Update: After writing this, I actually took the time to see if I was original as I though did a quick search at instructables.com. Turns out, I’m not that creative: Cheap iphone macro lens for barcode scanning
I don’t normally re-link to other blogs unless I really think it’s worth mentioning; however, there is currently a debate between boxee and what I can only assume is a content provider over here.
To me, it’s enlightening to the the other side of the arugument for a change. Generally, the only thing on the Internet is how the people on the Internet are always right and how other media/content providers are crazy.
I’ve read through both sides and, well, I just can’t agree with the content providers. I’m all for a la carte and I personally find the arguments made by the content provider to just be frustrating. One in particular about how “consumers think they want a choice” really got me annoyed. The plays into my hatred of how media really helps control the way the brainless masses think; however, freeing up that thinking and allowing real choice and hopefully removing the brainless from the masses.
Last night we got to check the beer and it’s done!
Pre-bottling taste test seems to show that it has a very smooth amber-styled ale flavor with the essential hoppie notes. I hope it will taste as good if not better after fermented in the bottles for a few weeks!
One style of bottle
Test and Filter
Some of the final product
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That’s it! Success has been had and I’m definitely going to do this again with everything that I’ve learned from this experience (a.k.a., no candy thermometers).
Some how, I got this crazy idea in my head that I should try making my own beer. I’ve just finished sterilizing everything in the kit and now I’m moving on to the fun part … actually trying to brew beer.
1. Steeping the Grains
The hard part about this is trying to get the steel pot up to 170F without making it insanely hot to deal with later when I have to make sure that I don’t over boil the silly thing.
And the waiting…. We finally got to the appropriate steeping temperature so now there’s 20 minutes of waiting before we can bring it to a boil
2. Adding in Malt & Extract
Finally finished steeping. Have to let the grains drain and then add in the malt and extract
Added the ingredients and now we wait till it boils
Boil dammit!!!
Just broke the candy thermometer. It is now officially a fiasco.
Finally got to add the hops. Hope I don’t make it over boil.
My stove is having trouble keeping the heat up…moving to the lid.
Brand frickin new stock pot lid started snapping and developing hairline cracks…moving to a beefier lid and walmart is going to get a nasty-gram.
3. Beginning Fermentation
Starting the rapid cooling of the boiled sticky mess.
Adding in the yeast and the cool little air lock thingy.
And the beer has a new home for the next week
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That’s all for now!!! Tomorrow, we’ll have to see if the yeast is actually working the way that it’s supposed to and that will be the tell-tale sign of whether or not we have a chance at success. Stay tuned!
Well, since the plane trip to Aruba is going to be a long one … anyone have some suggested reading?
Someone has suggested The Art of Computer Virus Research and Defense; however, I was considering something more along the lines of Reversing: Secrets of Reverse Engineering.
I’ve previously gone through The Shellcoder’s Handbook and it was good (minus the code mistakes). So instead of watching Ask a Ninja and other DVD’s any ideas of books?
Sara got a new puppy. She’s a lab/weimaraner mix and we need some good names. Anyone have any suggestions?
Well it’s February and that means that it’s that time of year again. Valentines day is coming and guys all over the are going to buying flowers for their significant others. But what do the girls get their guys (other than the obvious unmentionables 
)? Now, I know that the ladies always treat their men right, but what I’m looking for is the guy equivalent of flowers. It would have to be something simple, enjoyable, and doesn’t have to last for a very long … and I’ve got it 
A aerosol air-horn.
It totally fits the bill … simple, enjoyable, doesn’t last long, and plus it’s awesome. Trust me ladies, buy your guy one for V-day, he’ll love you for it
Nothing really important, just crossed the 600-mile mark on my Yamaha. That’s right, first service and everything is Saturday. I felt the need to change the oil since it’s going to be over 600-miles by the time I get into the service place. As with any freakiod mechanic, I always feel the need to try out my handy work, including oil changes.
It reminded me of working on my old Grand Cherokee and how nice it ran right after a fresh oil change. Needless to say, riding the FZ6 right after an oil change brings the same sort of smile to your face .
Recently, Sara picked up “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Steven Covey. If you’ve never read it, go down to your local used book store and pickup a copy. It’s worth it in ways I can’t begin to touch here; however, it’s reminded me that maybe I need to go back to the 7th habit, “Sharpening the Saw.”
I’ve been looking at my skills set over the few short years that I’ve been working and I’d have to say, I think I’ve done a relatively good job at broadening my skills; however, I don’t really feel that I’ve become anything close to a subject matter expert. Still, remembering Henry Ford’s quote on being an expert:
None of our men are “experts.” We have most unfortunately found it necessary to get rid of a man as soon as he thinks himself an expert–because no one ever considers himself expert if he really knows his job. A man who knows a job sees so much more to be done than he has done, that he is always pressing forward and never gives up an instant of thought to how good and how efficient he is. Thinking always ahead, thinking always of trying to do more, brings a state of mind in which nothing is impossible. The moment one gets into the “expert” state of mind a great number of things become impossible.
