2015-01-25
Open Source / Crowd Source Stream Gauge
Inspired by the work of Steve Hicks over at EnviroDIY, specifically his Ultrasonic Water Depth Sensor, and the need for an automated flood monitor at the farm in the Lower Snoqualmie Valley flood plain where I live, I've decided that I will start working on an Open Source Stream Gauge. What I have in mind is something like the following.
2015-01-24
Re-Launching Blog
After nearly 5 years, I am returning to Blogger to relaunch my Soot-n-Smoke.com blog.
This is mostly a test post as I get everything set back up.
2010-02-23
Does the Internet now belong to China?
I hadn't realized that there are now more people in China on the Internet then there are people (on or off-line) in the US.
China toughens Internet rules - Yahoo! News
It makes you wonder about where the bulk of the Internet will be in a few years with most of the Internet users and some of the best hackers being in China.
Google attack puts spotlight on China's "red" hackers - Reuters
China toughens Internet rules - Yahoo! News
It makes you wonder about where the bulk of the Internet will be in a few years with most of the Internet users and some of the best hackers being in China.
Google attack puts spotlight on China's "red" hackers - Reuters
2010-01-10
QOD: Plagiarism is the 2nd best form of flattery ...
... however direct quoting is better.
-- Tom Sayles
-- Tom Sayles
2010-01-04
Nothing to celebrate on Public Domain Day 2010 in the US
It's sad but true that there was "Nothing to celebrate on Public Domain Day 2010 in the US".
While most music use for vaulting probably comes under Fair Use because we are fundamentally educating kids, the licensing issues are probably one of our sport's biggest obstacles to long term growth.
Think about all the wonderful computer software and video games from the 80s that would start passing into the public domain this decade it it were not for relatively copyright extensions. As the laws stand now much of that software will likely be lost forever because the copyright holders have gone out of business and the cost of "clearing" the works economically impossible to republish. The only solution is for groups of enthusiasts to quietly pirate copies and hope that no one complains.
While most music use for vaulting probably comes under Fair Use because we are fundamentally educating kids, the licensing issues are probably one of our sport's biggest obstacles to long term growth.
Think about all the wonderful computer software and video games from the 80s that would start passing into the public domain this decade it it were not for relatively copyright extensions. As the laws stand now much of that software will likely be lost forever because the copyright holders have gone out of business and the cost of "clearing" the works economically impossible to republish. The only solution is for groups of enthusiasts to quietly pirate copies and hope that no one complains.
2009-12-20
Injury Update 12/20
It's now been four weeks since Lena crunched me up and rolled me out a stall door. My sprained neck continues to improve a little bit every day. On Friday afternoon I had my first ever chiropractic treatment. After the treatment I went out to my Jeep and when I went to back out of the parking spot, I found that I could turn my neck significantly further then when I had arrived for the appointment. I'm also going longer and longer periods without any pain meds, including the over the counter acetaminophen.
Today I did my first full workout with Lena since the accident. We both worked hard and both have some strength / conditioning to rebuild.
Today I did my first full workout with Lena since the accident. We both worked hard and both have some strength / conditioning to rebuild.
2009-12-15
Neck x-ray & Injury Update
This is one of the x-rays of my neck taken on Nov. 22, 2009. The yellow circle shows where my neck bones have been displaced by a few millimeters.
I saw my primary care physician just after Thanksgiving weekend. Diagnosis was a sprained neck with a four to six week expected recovery time. Since then my recovery has progressed though it has plateaued over the last week or so. Early this week I made my first visit to a chiropractor, Dr. Brown, in Issaquah. But before he can do much for me he needs to see the x-rays. So that's how I ended up with a CD-ROM with my x-rays. I hope to get back in to see him again before I head down to Glendale for x-mass.
I saw my primary care physician just after Thanksgiving weekend. Diagnosis was a sprained neck with a four to six week expected recovery time. Since then my recovery has progressed though it has plateaued over the last week or so. Early this week I made my first visit to a chiropractor, Dr. Brown, in Issaquah. But before he can do much for me he needs to see the x-rays. So that's how I ended up with a CD-ROM with my x-rays. I hope to get back in to see him again before I head down to Glendale for x-mass.
2009-12-02
Hot fresh cookies
I wanted something sweet, so I made cookie dough. First six cookies fresh out of the oven. Rest of dough is in freezer.
2009-11-29
Injury Update, Sunday 11/29
I spent Thursday, Friday and most of Saturday, intensely resting and trying to heal from last Sunday's accident. This meant no horse activities, no-computer, no cooking Turkey, very little phone and very little texting. Progress has been slow with a few setbacks along the way. I did make a second trip in to the Group Health urgent care on Saturday morning to get some new pains checked out and meds refilled. But this afternoon I finally felt improved enough to resume an almost normal activity level again. I still have some limits to range of motion in my neck and two or three specific muscles that complain, loudly, when overused. Still have a black eye. While the muscles for driving have recovered, sitting in a low-backed chair and/or typing is very tiring. Walking around is also fine, as long as my right arm/shoulder isn't too tired. I'm hoping to resume a full work schedule tomorrow, though with limits on a number of activities. I have an appointment late Tuesday morning with my Primary Care Physician, Dr. Zeidman at Group Health in Redmond, after which I hope to have a more detailed recovery plan / time-line.
Big thanks to Alison for keeping tabs on me and being a knowledgeable resource. Also thanks to everyone who has offered to help out.
Big thanks to Alison for keeping tabs on me and being a knowledgeable resource. Also thanks to everyone who has offered to help out.
QoD: Healing takes courage...
Norval Rhodes (NorvalRhodes) on Twitter:
Healing takes courage, and we all have courage, even if we have to dig a little to find it. -Tori Amos
2009-11-22
Lame horse can be a real pain in the neck
Lena stone bruise continues to improve. She's putting more weight on her right front hoof today.
However we did have a bit of an accident this morning as I was taking the soaking bag off her foot. While I was hunched over unbuckling the bag, the stall cleaner asked if, when I was done, he could move Lena across the aisle so he could clean her stall. Unfortunately Lena took this an an invitation, proceeded to exit her stall and I got caught in a tuck position between her and the stall wall. While this could have resulted in a catastrophic injury, I was able to tuck and roll enough to not hit my head or break my neck.
After a quick self assessment, it was clear that I injured my neck, but that it was not life threating. However it was painful and that a trip to urgent care to get checked out was in order.
Big thanks to Alison for coming out to PCF, giving me a ride to the Group Health urgent care at the new Bellevue Medical Center and for hanging out in Bellevue until I was discharged. After checking in the triage nurse gave me a hard collar to hold my neck still until they could fully examine it. While I'm sure that this was the safest thing to do, my injured neck mussels really didn't like being immobilized. It took a few hours to progress through the system, get two rounds of x-rays taken, get some pain meds and be discharged with a soft collar and instructions like no lifting, bending or playing tug-a-war with horses. The best moments were when the x-ray tech let me take the hard collar off for the second round of x-rays.
Not sure yet if I'm going to go into work in the morning. Will likely depend on if I still need to that the prescription pain meds which are incompatible with driving.
This evening Becky came out and helped soak Lena's hoof, after which I took her out to the recently renovated Fall City Roadhouse for some dinner. Since I'm out of commission as far as horse care goes for the next week to ten days, we need to reassess how to give Lena her treatment and who will longe for the Tammy Clinics. Please, call or text if you can help out with either of these.
However we did have a bit of an accident this morning as I was taking the soaking bag off her foot. While I was hunched over unbuckling the bag, the stall cleaner asked if, when I was done, he could move Lena across the aisle so he could clean her stall. Unfortunately Lena took this an an invitation, proceeded to exit her stall and I got caught in a tuck position between her and the stall wall. While this could have resulted in a catastrophic injury, I was able to tuck and roll enough to not hit my head or break my neck.
After a quick self assessment, it was clear that I injured my neck, but that it was not life threating. However it was painful and that a trip to urgent care to get checked out was in order.
Big thanks to Alison for coming out to PCF, giving me a ride to the Group Health urgent care at the new Bellevue Medical Center and for hanging out in Bellevue until I was discharged. After checking in the triage nurse gave me a hard collar to hold my neck still until they could fully examine it. While I'm sure that this was the safest thing to do, my injured neck mussels really didn't like being immobilized. It took a few hours to progress through the system, get two rounds of x-rays taken, get some pain meds and be discharged with a soft collar and instructions like no lifting, bending or playing tug-a-war with horses. The best moments were when the x-ray tech let me take the hard collar off for the second round of x-rays.
Not sure yet if I'm going to go into work in the morning. Will likely depend on if I still need to that the prescription pain meds which are incompatible with driving.
This evening Becky came out and helped soak Lena's hoof, after which I took her out to the recently renovated Fall City Roadhouse for some dinner. Since I'm out of commission as far as horse care goes for the next week to ten days, we need to reassess how to give Lena her treatment and who will longe for the Tammy Clinics. Please, call or text if you can help out with either of these.
2009-11-20
Lena Update Friday 8:30PM
Vet visit:
1.5 hr, $211 (including meds)
Update e-mails, phone calls, text messages:
1 hr
Shopping for treatment supplies:
2 hr, $60 (including .5 hr timeout $20 for iSushi dinner)
Setting up treatment supplies and soaking hoof:
1 hr
Setting up stall at front barn for a week and shuffling horses around:
1.5 hr, $42
Knowing that the horse is resting well and will be okay:
Priceless!
1.5 hr, $211 (including meds)
Update e-mails, phone calls, text messages:
1 hr
Shopping for treatment supplies:
2 hr, $60 (including .5 hr timeout $20 for iSushi dinner)
Setting up treatment supplies and soaking hoof:
1 hr
Setting up stall at front barn for a week and shuffling horses around:
1.5 hr, $42
Knowing that the horse is resting well and will be okay:
Priceless!
2009-11-08
Co-worker's Team wins $900k from NASA
Seattle team wins $900,000 in Space Elevator Games - Yahoo! News:
David Bashford is one of my co-workers at the toothbrush lab. In is off hours he's been building a climber(s) and support systems for LaserMotive LLC to compete in one of NASA's Centennial Challenges.
This past week they were the only team who's laser beam powered climber made it to the top of a kilometer long cable suspended from a helicopter. Their climber went fast enough to earn $900k out of the $2 million prize money.
David Bashford is one of my co-workers at the toothbrush lab. In is off hours he's been building a climber(s) and support systems for LaserMotive LLC to compete in one of NASA's Centennial Challenges.
This past week they were the only team who's laser beam powered climber made it to the top of a kilometer long cable suspended from a helicopter. Their climber went fast enough to earn $900k out of the $2 million prize money.
2009-11-07
My lake front view is back
With the return of the winter rains, the low lying areas around the farm have filled back up with water. This particular patch of water will probably grow and shrink but never really go away until next May or June.
I really like being able to post pictures directly from my phone to Flickr and then a link to Twitter. It makes catching and sharing these kinds of images really easy. All I need now is an app for my phone that will allow me to edit (rotate, crop, tag, etc.) my Flickr photos without having to hit my PC.
I see that my brother, is posting similar photos from his phone too.
I really like being able to post pictures directly from my phone to Flickr and then a link to Twitter. It makes catching and sharing these kinds of images really easy. All I need now is an app for my phone that will allow me to edit (rotate, crop, tag, etc.) my Flickr photos without having to hit my PC.
I see that my brother, is posting similar photos from his phone too.
2009-10-15
2009-09-29
Prophecy, Wisdom & Ambition
Prophecy is the ability to foretell the future.
Wisdom is knowing how to influence the future.
Ambition is acting to influence the future in your own self interest.
Altruism is acting to influence the future in the interest of others.
True leadership is equal parts of the above.
-- Tom Sayles
Wisdom is knowing how to influence the future.
Ambition is acting to influence the future in your own self interest.
Altruism is acting to influence the future in the interest of others.
True leadership is equal parts of the above.
-- Tom Sayles
2009-09-15
Enough is enough...
I'm getting really tired of the extremist propaganda, religious and otherwise, being circulated mostly by e-mail, but also in other media.
It's time that vast majority of moderate Americans stand-up to say that closed minded extremists (on both ends of the spectrum) are wrong and that we want a moderate, rational, inclusive government with progressive values that works toward liberty, freedom and long term prosperity for all humanity.
It's time that vast majority of moderate Americans stand-up to say that closed minded extremists (on both ends of the spectrum) are wrong and that we want a moderate, rational, inclusive government with progressive values that works toward liberty, freedom and long term prosperity for all humanity.
2009-06-20
2009-06-19
Safe Trailering
As Fran pointed out, safe trailering is important skill for all horse owners and horses. And Tammy Denault (of Dreamswept Farm) is, IMHO, one of the best. Together we have hauled horses thousands of miles, and I have learned much from her. And this photo is a good example of doing things right.
The importance of good trailering skills, especially in an emergency, can't be under estimated. The farm, where I live, experienced this first hand last January, when our vaulting horse was evacuated during the flood. The last thing you want to do an emergency is spend an hour or more trying to get a horse into a trailer.
The importance of good trailering skills, especially in an emergency, can't be under estimated. The farm, where I live, experienced this first hand last January, when our vaulting horse was evacuated during the flood. The last thing you want to do an emergency is spend an hour or more trying to get a horse into a trailer.
Sorry Hoof Blog, ...
Fran --
Sorry, but your Hoof Blog, is not copyleft compatible. So you may not use my Happy Horses photo or any of my images, until you open up your licensing practices. [I not a big supporter the whole uptight permission based culture.]
If you got with the future and supported the creative commons, you wouldn't have to ask permission.
-- Tom Sayles
Sorry, but your Hoof Blog, is not copyleft compatible. So you may not use my Happy Horses photo or any of my images, until you open up your licensing practices. [I not a big supporter the whole uptight permission based culture.]
If you got with the future and supported the creative commons, you wouldn't have to ask permission.
-- Tom Sayles
Hello, Tom,
I wondered if I could ask permission to download and use your photo called "Happy Horses"...because it is just that!
I am a blogger who specializes in horse health and I need to show some well-cared for horses being transported. One need is for an educational series of articles on how to evacuate horses safely and sanely if a hurricane or forest fire is a threat. The other is what to do if you are already on the road and there is a disease problem, as happened this week to any horse that traveled through Texas or originated there.
You'd think such photos would be easy to find, but they're not. There is usually some little safety glitch or another in the photo, but yours passes all the tests.
We would be so grateful if you'd allow me to use it. It's ok to say no. I don't have a budget for paying for photos but you can know that your image maybe made people stop and read an article that they might have skipped over, otherwise.
And it might just save their horses' lives.
Thanks very much. I have never seen candid photos of vaulters before. Very interesting!
All the best,
Fran Jurga
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