Links to stuff you probably don't care about

Ever find yourself in need of Graphing paper, or Cornell Notes paper? No, well you're boring graphing paper is where all the cool work get's done. It would be handy from time to time to be able to print some of that stuff out for my occasional (frequent) larks into science land. Now thanks to the power and awesomeness that is the internet I can! Generated Paper has a bunch of templates, but to be honest it's all about the graphing paper.

Related and also crazy in it's own right One Thing Well is a collection of single purpose scripts and applications (web or otherwise) for that nerd in your life that doesn't care for Swiss army knife programs that suck at most if not all of their functions. (It's okay Busybox, someone out there loves you).

So Generated Paper via One thing Well via Lifehacker (duh)

Make yourself dumber

There are days I might be willing to consider this.

We're playing a game right now

You what you loose.




You lost didn't you?

Budgeting for Hobbies

I've got a couple of hobbies, and finding time and money to pursue them is something that takes a lot of effort.  Lifehacker's post on the matter offered some thoughts on how to get your hobby's under control and moving towards completion.  The tips are straight forward, make a list and organize it according to importance, then use that list to budget time and money to them as is appropriate.  It's very ecumenical but also predictable.

I have some vague hobbies, that are explored with whimsy.  Cooking in particular is one that is taken by seasonality of ingredients and sales on equipment so while I have nebulous goals with regards to cooking projects to complete I don't much plan my undertakings of cooking.  The concrete planning and prioritizing doesn't leave room for that so I tend to let money accumulate so that if something comes up I can pounce.  The beer barrel was an instance of this.  I've wanted to do some oak aging, and thought of buying a barrel but the relatively cheap barrel and my having a glut of cash on hand all made this come together.

Another thing that the "always make time everyday" mentality misses is the random association benefit.  Sometimes letting a problem stew in your mind will let you draw inspiration from other things that you encounter while you are not working on your project.  For me, having the Rise of the Meritocracy in the back of my mind for so long really helped me see how the notion has been absorbed en masse by the United States as I read other unrelated articles.  Had I completed the reading and note taking in a week or two I may not have been as mindful of the examples that I encountered during the more drawn out reading.   I also don't know that I would have spent as much time talking about it with people.  By dragging it out I experienced the book from many different mindsets and benefited from the diverse perspectives that I encountered by talking about it with others.

In any event how do you budget time and money for your hobbies?

ITU and the internet

Okay so I watched the video below, and am not so sure if I agree with them or not.  Thus far the US hasn't really bungled the management of the Internet, but that is not to say that they can't and the ITU itself isn't the trouble per se but rather the people that get to vote on and submit resolutions.  I do broadly agree that there are more countries that want to censor the internet then do not, and the openness of the governance has thus far helped users insure that those urges are not the consensus.  I signed the petition, but I'm sort of iffy on how if this is the catastrophe SOPA and PIPA where.

Nail meet Hammer

So Gizmodo shared this article from Medical Express in April that postulates that analyzing happy memories makes them less special.  This was an interesting article when I read it back in April, and upon re-reading it I still find it an interesting concept.  Now it could be confirmation bias since the article is all anecdotal evidence, but it does mirror a sensation that I have about memory and emotions.  I tend to be analytical about interactions (whatever I'm a sociopath that way) and recall trying to explain to myself why I felt a certain way about someone.  Names withheld for my own sanity, but at the end of the process I was less satisfied with how I felt about them than when I began.  It all really boiled down to I added weight in my mind to the negative factors and downplayed the positive ones.

It's an interesting concept, and I would like to see more research in this area.  Tangentially related would be the habit of recording everything as it's happening, I'm often offended by the photography bug of everyone and their mother whenever people get together.  No I do appreciate a few photos from an event just as keep sakes, but every 5 minutes the damn cameras do not need to come out and even more so if there are 12 people in the photo you don't need all 12 cameras to get the same fucking shot!  Take a few and share them, use flickr or facebook or whatever, but I hate being trapped in a pose while several cameras take the same photo over and over again.

Trying to not hyperventillate

So yeah, I just bought a 5 gallon oak barrel for beer.  I've been looking at it for the last month, and finally pulled the trigger.

Isn't she a beauty?  For those that might be interested in such a crazy thing they can be purchased here for $89+shipping.  I didn't want to post anything here before I got a chance to buy one, but oh my goodness I excited and scared.  I just put myself on the hook to always have a beer in it for the foreseeable forever, because the barrel can never be dry (or you risk infection).  I'm going to have to keep it filled with only non-soured beers so that I can tap "guest" brewers to help keep it full.

Cardboard robotic arm

This was a pretty neat Kickstarter that ran over the summer, at the end of the day it's about a $200 computer controlled robotic arm made of cardboard.  The usefulness is somewhat limited, but the materials and relatively low cost ($200 for a 4 axis control board and 3 stepper motors is pretty decent) would make it a fun electronics project for learning with children.  Best part is that you could turn them loose with it when they are done, I don't see them killing themselves with cardboard.





Via engadget

Science or something like it

This is the type of thing that is on the top of my mind of late, so I've got some video's on things that are going on in my world.  First up Science of Weight Loss


Via Geeks are Sexy

And we'll follow that up with Some info on Over eating.

Via Geeks are Sexy

Cloud Atlas Trailer

Well it has the acting talent, and some really great directors.  Here's hoping for the best on this one.

what the what?

Alright so I'm sure I must have seen this on Jezebel or something, but anyone got the stones to give My Secret Concierge a go?

Never heard of it?  You apparently use your time on the internet for more "appropriate" activities than I choose to and I refuse to be judged for it!  Any how, seems like an interesting thing if you have several things going for you.

1. Cash you are totally excited to part with
2. Some kind of fantasy that you don't have a particular interest in arranging yourself but would totally do
3. no shame

Is my list missing anything?  I mean really as adults how hard is it to google Boudoir photography in x town (where x is the town you live in), and proceed from there.  I randomly (or not that randomly I suppose) even know a photographer that specifically markets that he does these type of shoots, friend of a friend type of situation but none the less I'm sure that there are plenty of photographers that would totally be happy to help your Significant other get gussied up and take photo's of them while partially or fully nude.  Feel free to totally be comfortable with that, some dude taking neeked or semi-neeked pictures of your wife or girlfriend.  Because let's not kid ourselves here percentage of proprietors of this type of business that are dudes is approaching 100%.  Nuff said, then they offer to arrange your own 50 Shades fantasy, oh how kind of you to make me a billionare, with stalker tendencies and strange affliction with contracts as a prerequisite to sticking hard members into your inner goddess. (I realize this article is turning a little blue as it where if it makes you uncomfortable, well do something else more "appropriate" with your time.)

But what this boils down to for me is have you ever used the concierge desk?  They can be really useful and get you free appetizers at fancy restaurants (well assuming you didn't stay at the best western, which probably doesn't even know how to spell concierge), but for your naughty bits?  I feel like you should probably grow a set of stones and make those arrangements yourself. 

Cheap ethernet connection for microcontrollers

This probably belongs on my other blog, but whatever.  I've been ever so patiently waiting for my twine to arrive, but that doesn't keep me from eyeballing other network connected embedded projects left right and center.  Hackaday posted this little gem of a project, for connecting arduino's to your network on the cheap. It used to be the network connection for these embedded projects can be more expensive than the microcontroller itself! So it's good to see projects working to tackle that.  My self I have TI Launchpad that I keep meaning to cook up something meaningful with, but the best I've come up with is motion activated stair lights.  I'm not sure the wife would approve of my cutting up the house, but I would be nice to not fear falling down the stairs at night.

More Saveur Recipies

Just flushing out old drafts not much to see here, it's sort of a follow on from this post if you will.

Greek Mac and Cheese. So I think the title says all that you need to know about the recipe, but the reason I was a huge fan of it was the picture on Saveur's site, I want that cast iron thing the mac and cheese is in.

Cheesy Corn Casserole looks like a pretty sweet side dish for some BBQ and well I'm a sucker for corn recipes.

Chilling retro indie

Via ElectricMustach as pretty much always

Crème fraîche

So I'm going to imagine my fellow American haven't had much exposure to Crème fraîche , but how about you international fellows?  I've been working on pulling sugar out of my diet, but I still want rich food from time to time.  I was thinking an unsweetened fruit desert with Crème fraîche for a treat.  I've also got a few soups that I'm eyeing that you can place a dollop as a garnish.

I don't remember what the genesis of this idea was, but here is the Joy of Baking how to video that got me interested in making some crème fraîche and using it in cooking.  I also thought I'd throw around some recipes for the fun of it

Crème fraîche Mousse with strawberries - I'd play with the sugar here, as 1/4 cup seems like a lot for a small desert.  Also for those wondering caster sugar is the half step between white sugar and powdered sugar.  You can just pulse some white sugar in you food processor to make it.

Milk Chocolate Mousse with Port Ganache and Whipped Crème Fraîche - I'd just go with this one.  The port is sweet, but only 2 tablespoons of sugar are added so it's really not over the top sweet.

I need to use my sourdough starter again so I could just use the crème fraîche as a topping for crumpets.

Any idea's?  How would you use the crème fraîche?

50 shades of Twilight

So if you know someone that is considering reading 50 Shades of whatever, you should totally point them in the direction of this blog.  It's monolithic, and a chapter by chapter take down of the book that can hopefully make the people in your life aware of the absolutely appalling nature of how Mr. Grey behaves towards the very unsympathetic protagonist Ana.

Is some of her critique grounded in feminist ideals? Absolutely, and really regardless of the outcome in the novel Jennifer does point out some very dangerous and controlling behaviors that the protagonist fails to identify as creepy.  In the second novel apparently they get married, but the short list of things that Christian employs on Ana in the first several chapters include withholding affection to manipulate her decisions, tracking her via her cell phone and coming to get her after she specifically told him not to, and finally coming over to her house tying her to the bed and having sex with her in response to her emailing him saying she never wanted to see him again.

As an aside Christian's tracking her via cell phone did ultimately save Ana from some very rapey behavior by someone she had friendzoned that was trending towards, well rape.  The important but here is at the time she told him not to come she was not in any danger, because we are adults here we judge on intentions not outcomes.  Ana, who is constantly infatilizing herself whenever sexuality come up (once Jennifer start's pointing this out, it does appear to happen every time she get's sexually excited or engaged the author gives her strong child references dressing Ana pig tails, or describing her like a little girl ect.)

Ultimately the real takeaway from Jennifer's critique has been that the character Ana is not fully capable of making decisions related to her own best interests, and but for the author playing events out to be in her favor the more likely result of this scenario would be a young woman in an abusive relationship that she had no idea of how to end with a man that she doesn't have the wherewithal to say no to in a meaningful fashion.  The violence would likely escalate because Christian can manipulate her to wanting more and she would likely end up killed or beaten unrecognizable and tied up as a fuck toy, isolated with no support network to help her leave Christian.

Curiosity and being self taught

For the people that where around following forever ago when I did the a-z posting I have a bit of a follow up to that long as hell O post, with another article from lifehacker.  The subject is on self-taught, but really the author was getting at the same things I prattled on about towards the end of my post.  When you want to start learning there is no wrong or right, you are just trying to connect the dots and you start connecting them by collecting the dots.  You can start in the middle or the end or even the beginning, but the important part is that you're open to finding out that what you tried to do doesn't work.

You where just trying something any way, so no harm in finding out that it doesn't work right?  The correct answer is yes, but the practical answer that our society teaches is no.  It's no okay to fail ever, you have to succeed every time at everything you do, and if you cannot you shouldn't try.  At least you would think that is what we teach, it's what most people are trying to do.

Be open to weird, try something dumb who knows it might be fun!

Saveur corn recipies

It's a little late in the corn season, but what the heck.  This has been sitting in drafts for long enough it should get the hell out of here.

So first up, chilies stuffed with corn and cheese then battered and fried.  I actually made these and it was delicious.  I used pepper jack and Emerald City Brewing's Dotty lager for the beer batter.   For whatever reason I didn't take a picture of it, but I thought it was pretty damn delicious.

The next recipe is sure to gross out a few people, but if you've ever had fresh corn (like picked that day) I can see how this would be good.  Sweet Corn and Milk Drink is essentially a corn smoothie with cinnamon for some kick.  I would do it if I was growing corn myself.

I like this recipe because I'm a sucker for the word Succotash.  There's nice place called Palomino restaurant that served succotash as a side, since then whenever I see it somewhere I try it.  This is really just a salad, and corn adds a nice sweetness to this type of a dish.

Next recipe is a corn custard.  This looked appealing because custard is typically a desert, and this takes it as a more savory dish.

The final recipe I took a liking to on Saveur was Corn cakes with a pesto sauce.  Though this isn't the exact thing I want, back home there was a little taco stand that had these corn cakes that where the perfect mix of spicy and sweet.  The stand closed down likely because it was in the worst location, but I'm still looking for something to fill beautiful corn cake itch that have.

Well that lands distinctly in the cool category

J.R.R Tolkien reads a poem in Elvish.

It is crazy the amount of work that he put into creating languages for these books, even if the books themselves where rather dull reads.  The story itself was amazing, the telling was somewhat lackluster in my opinion.  Call it troll bait if you want, I read the books so it's my opinion to have.



Source Geeks are Sexy

Kitty go bye bye

Alright, so the cat has a home lined up so we can see if it really is all retaliation for the child or if the cat has behavioral problems.  It all started pretty recently, and so I think the cat is just acting out because it is jealous of the attention my wife and I give our son.  She was pretty spoiled prior to his birth, as she could sit on my wife's lap and get pet most every night.  Since our son, it's pretty rare that we are sitting down long enough for her to come over to get that attention, coupled with if she get's anywhere near my son he will grab her and pull out hair.  We've been trying to teach him to play nice, but children have no concept of that what they are doing is violent and painful.

Anyhow, my wife was teary but ultimately understood that we needed to get the cat out of the house for the sake of our sanity as well as the cats.