I really don't know what to say to this, so I'll let the article do the talking: Bengals wide receiver changes last name to Ocho Cinco.
I checked the calendar. Today is not April 1st.
Friday, August 29, 2008
That's Mr. Ocho Cinco to you
I really don't know what to say to this, so I'll let the article do the talking: Bengals wide receiver changes last name to Ocho Cinco.
I checked the calendar. Today is not April 1st.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
DIY: Valentine One hardwire install
This post outlines hardwiring of my Valentine One radar detector. The same instructions can be used to wire almost any aftermarket electronic device. If I can do it, anyone can do it. Seriously. The toughest part is probably removing the (sometimes stubborn) plastic fuse panel trim piece.
Skill Level: 3/10
This is the idea behind the wiring:
Parts:
Tools:
Step 2: Open fuse panel trim piece it is held by four clips. Prying with a flathead screwdriver is the easiest way to remove the trim piece. Wrapping a paper towel around the flathead to avoid scratching the plastic piece. It should "pop" out of place if you apply the right amount of force.
Step 3: Run power cable around uphostry, a-pillar, behind trim piece, and into the fuse box area. Credit card is handy for tucking the cable behind the a-pillar piece.
Step 4: Attach ground wire from the V1 hardwire adapter to body. Pick a bolt that's attached to the metal body frame.
Step 5: Connect cable to port labeled "main unit". Use provided velcro to attach V1 hardwire adapter to fuse box. Use zip ties as necessary to keep things tidy.
Step 6: Add-a-circuit kit is the easiest way to power an aftermarket accessories - just plug into any fuse slot .
Remove a fuse that turns on/off with ignition. Replace with add-a-circuit. Place original fuse in lower slot. Add a low amp fuse (3 or 5 amps) in the top slot.
It looks like this after the add-a-circuit kit is installed:
Step 7: Last step is to connect the add-a-circuit to red cable from V1 hardwire kit using the supplied wiring harness connector. Wrap the harness around the add-a-circuit red cable, crimp, and connect to red cable from V1 hard wire kit.
Wiring after everything is connected.
Step 8: turn on V1 to make sure everything is good to go BEFORE reinstalling the fuse panel trim piece!
Step 9: Reinstall trim piece. Done.
Skill Level: 3/10
This is the idea behind the wiring:
Parts:
- Add-a-circuit kit (left)
- Valentine 1 hardwire kit (right)
- Zip ties
Tools:- Flathead screwdriver
- T20 torx screwdriver
- Credit card
Step 2: Open fuse panel trim piece it is held by four clips. Prying with a flathead screwdriver is the easiest way to remove the trim piece. Wrapping a paper towel around the flathead to avoid scratching the plastic piece. It should "pop" out of place if you apply the right amount of force.
Step 3: Run power cable around uphostry, a-pillar, behind trim piece, and into the fuse box area. Credit card is handy for tucking the cable behind the a-pillar piece.
Step 4: Attach ground wire from the V1 hardwire adapter to body. Pick a bolt that's attached to the metal body frame.
Step 5: Connect cable to port labeled "main unit". Use provided velcro to attach V1 hardwire adapter to fuse box. Use zip ties as necessary to keep things tidy.
Step 6: Add-a-circuit kit is the easiest way to power an aftermarket accessories - just plug into any fuse slot .
Remove a fuse that turns on/off with ignition. Replace with add-a-circuit. Place original fuse in lower slot. Add a low amp fuse (3 or 5 amps) in the top slot.
It looks like this after the add-a-circuit kit is installed:
Step 7: Last step is to connect the add-a-circuit to red cable from V1 hardwire kit using the supplied wiring harness connector. Wrap the harness around the add-a-circuit red cable, crimp, and connect to red cable from V1 hard wire kit.
Wiring after everything is connected.
Step 8: turn on V1 to make sure everything is good to go BEFORE reinstalling the fuse panel trim piece!
Step 9: Reinstall trim piece. Done.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
A Map of Olympic Medals
New York Times put together an interactive Olympic Medal Count Map for games dating back to 1896. The number of medals per country is morphed into a medal map -- larger circles = more medals, of course. You can drag the timeline slider on top to see how medals distribution has changed during the last century+.
Count is still tentative for this year's Beijing games (below), of course.
Credit: Strange Maps Blog
Count is still tentative for this year's Beijing games (below), of course.
Credit: Strange Maps Blog
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Road Trip Essentials: from the IT department
T-Minus 10 Days
Besides the usual packing, I've also been preparing some gadgets for the trip. The farthest I've driven thus far is ~460 miles from San Jose to San Diego; this trip is over 6 times farther than my previous "best". Here are some gadgets that should make things go little smoother and the trip more bearable:
Cell phone:
An obvious must-have even when you're not on a road trip. How many people doesn't carry a cell phone nowadays?
Garmin Nuvi 200W GPS Navigator (available at Amazon):
Handy when driving in unfamiliar areas. A quality GPS with good logic/software is important, though. You don't want it to give you funky directions -- one GPS I no longer own used to give the following direction when you're not supposed to take an exit on the freeway "bear right, then bear left". On every single exit. That got old pretty fast.
Midland LXT340 two-way radio (available at Amazon):
Walkie-talkies are great with multiple cars. Contact with the other car is (almost) instantaneous without wasting cell phone minutes, waiting for the phone to connect or worrying about reception. Supposedly these things have a 16+ mile range but I'm not that optimistic. Besides, you probably don't want to be more than a mile or two apart at the most when caravaning, so range is not that much of an issue.
Cameras - Nikon D70 & Canon PowerShot SD870 (available at Amazon):
To share with my two loyal readers where we are / where we've been on the trip!
iPod Nano (available at Amazon):
8 days is a long time to spend in a car. Besides music, iPods are great for podcasts. I saved a month's worth of material just for this occasion.
Valentine One Radar Detector (www.valentine1.com):
I'm not planning on blasting across the Great Plains in triple-digit speed, but it's good to have that peace of mind. Just in case. Yes.
Macbook Pro Laptop (available at Amazon):
For blogging, keeping my 2 readers up to date during the trip and keeping up with the happenings in the world. They have internet access in Wyoming... right?
Besides the usual packing, I've also been preparing some gadgets for the trip. The farthest I've driven thus far is ~460 miles from San Jose to San Diego; this trip is over 6 times farther than my previous "best". Here are some gadgets that should make things go little smoother and the trip more bearable:
Cell phone:
An obvious must-have even when you're not on a road trip. How many people doesn't carry a cell phone nowadays?
Garmin Nuvi 200W GPS Navigator (available at Amazon):
Handy when driving in unfamiliar areas. A quality GPS with good logic/software is important, though. You don't want it to give you funky directions -- one GPS I no longer own used to give the following direction when you're not supposed to take an exit on the freeway "bear right, then bear left". On every single exit. That got old pretty fast.
Midland LXT340 two-way radio (available at Amazon):
Walkie-talkies are great with multiple cars. Contact with the other car is (almost) instantaneous without wasting cell phone minutes, waiting for the phone to connect or worrying about reception. Supposedly these things have a 16+ mile range but I'm not that optimistic. Besides, you probably don't want to be more than a mile or two apart at the most when caravaning, so range is not that much of an issue.
Cameras - Nikon D70 & Canon PowerShot SD870 (available at Amazon):
To share with my two loyal readers where we are / where we've been on the trip!
iPod Nano (available at Amazon):
8 days is a long time to spend in a car. Besides music, iPods are great for podcasts. I saved a month's worth of material just for this occasion.
Valentine One Radar Detector (www.valentine1.com):
I'm not planning on blasting across the Great Plains in triple-digit speed, but it's good to have that peace of mind. Just in case. Yes.
Macbook Pro Laptop (available at Amazon):
For blogging, keeping my 2 readers up to date during the trip and keeping up with the happenings in the world. They have internet access in Wyoming... right?
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Road Trip Preperations: Tetris
T-Minus 15 Days
Packing sucks. That's why I haven't started yet.
The last thing I want to happen is finish packing, only to find out not everything will fit in my car the night before and spend the entire night scrambling and repacking. Before I start packing, I'm setting the following guidelines/rules for myself:
1. Since I will only be in Ohio for a year, I want to bring as little as possible - meaning only the essentials. Everything else I will either buy there or just have to live without.
a. I'm planning on only bringing back my computer + clothes
b. What i bring must be easily disposable; and/or
c. Don't mind getting rid of
2. I'll try to buy most of my things when I get there
3. I must be able to see out of my rear window
With that in mind, I did a little test fitting with my car to see what I have to work with. When the rear seats folded down, my hatchback essentially becomes a mini pickup truck.
I can fit my monitor, a large suitcase, a smaller suitcase and 7 "Iron Mountain" boxes:
I'm too lazy to lug more than 4 boxes outside. Imagine the photo above (3 boxes) combined with the one below (4 boxes) when fully packed for a total of 7 boxes.
There's still room for a duffel bag for the trip, a backpack, a small box of miscellaneous car junk, plus a garment bag laid flat on top of the stuff, with room to spare.
Here's a look at everything next to car. Well, not everything. You'll have to use your imagination and add 3 more Iron Mountain boxes:
Ta-da. Hatchbacks rock.
Packing sucks. That's why I haven't started yet.
The last thing I want to happen is finish packing, only to find out not everything will fit in my car the night before and spend the entire night scrambling and repacking. Before I start packing, I'm setting the following guidelines/rules for myself:
1. Since I will only be in Ohio for a year, I want to bring as little as possible - meaning only the essentials. Everything else I will either buy there or just have to live without.
a. I'm planning on only bringing back my computer + clothes
b. What i bring must be easily disposable; and/or
c. Don't mind getting rid of
2. I'll try to buy most of my things when I get there
3. I must be able to see out of my rear window
With that in mind, I did a little test fitting with my car to see what I have to work with. When the rear seats folded down, my hatchback essentially becomes a mini pickup truck.
I can fit my monitor, a large suitcase, a smaller suitcase and 7 "Iron Mountain" boxes:
I'm too lazy to lug more than 4 boxes outside. Imagine the photo above (3 boxes) combined with the one below (4 boxes) when fully packed for a total of 7 boxes.
There's still room for a duffel bag for the trip, a backpack, a small box of miscellaneous car junk, plus a garment bag laid flat on top of the stuff, with room to spare.
Here's a look at everything next to car. Well, not everything. You'll have to use your imagination and add 3 more Iron Mountain boxes:
Ta-da. Hatchbacks rock.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Beijing Olympics - the funny and the ugly
The Funny:
The Spanish's impression of the Chinese... slanty eyes!
"We felt it was something appropriate, and that it would be interpreted as an affectionate gesture," Jose Calderon, who plays for Toronto Raptors.
teehee!
"We don't think this is an insulting gesture to the Chinese," Frank Zhang, Li Ning's director of government and public affairs, said. "In fact, the gesture shows that the Spanish team is so humorous, relaxing and cute. They sat around a dragon pattern, which we think showed respect to the Chinese.
Note the sarcasm. teehee x2!
---
The Ugly:
Janos Baranyai was trying to snatch 148kg in his third lift in the men's 77kg division, when his elbow popped out of its socket.
The Spanish's impression of the Chinese... slanty eyes!
"We felt it was something appropriate, and that it would be interpreted as an affectionate gesture," Jose Calderon, who plays for Toronto Raptors.
teehee!
"We don't think this is an insulting gesture to the Chinese," Frank Zhang, Li Ning's director of government and public affairs, said. "In fact, the gesture shows that the Spanish team is so humorous, relaxing and cute. They sat around a dragon pattern, which we think showed respect to the Chinese.
Note the sarcasm. teehee x2!
---
The Ugly:
Janos Baranyai was trying to snatch 148kg in his third lift in the men's 77kg division, when his elbow popped out of its socket.
No longer able to support the weight of the barbell, his right forearm bent backward. The 24-year-old Hungarian fell to the floor in shock, shaking and crying out in pain.
(warning! photos below!)
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Road Trip to Ohio: 2 cars, 8 days and 2,900 miles
T-minus-22 days
At the end of the month, I'll be leaving California for Columbus, Ohio, my home for the next year.
From California, we'll motor-on to Nevada and Utah, turn northward to Idaho and Wyoming, then east again across South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, down to Illinois, across Indiana and finally Ohio. We're planning to cover 10 states and ~2,900 miles at a relatively leisurely pace over 8 days, allowing time to check out Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, Mount Rushmore and Chicago and whatever's in between.
As the four of us are all road trip newbies, do you have any tips, recommendations, suggestions you'd like to share? Anything from how to stay awake, how to not die of boredom, what to do in the car, places to see, places to eat, etc. etc. are welcomed!
The travelers (or at least I will) will try to keep everyone up to date through this blog with stories and pictures. Don’t be surprised if updates are not posted daily during the trip -- internet access may not be as available clean air, wide open spaces and magnificent (?) scenery.
At the end of the month, I'll be leaving California for Columbus, Ohio, my home for the next year.
From California, we'll motor-on to Nevada and Utah, turn northward to Idaho and Wyoming, then east again across South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, down to Illinois, across Indiana and finally Ohio. We're planning to cover 10 states and ~2,900 miles at a relatively leisurely pace over 8 days, allowing time to check out Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, Mount Rushmore and Chicago and whatever's in between.
As the four of us are all road trip newbies, do you have any tips, recommendations, suggestions you'd like to share? Anything from how to stay awake, how to not die of boredom, what to do in the car, places to see, places to eat, etc. etc. are welcomed!
The travelers (or at least I will) will try to keep everyone up to date through this blog with stories and pictures. Don’t be surprised if updates are not posted daily during the trip -- internet access may not be as available clean air, wide open spaces and magnificent (?) scenery.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Proper etiqutte during the Birthday Song?
What exactly are you, the birthday boy/girl, supposed to do when "Happy Birthday" is being sung and all eyes are on you? Stand there and smile? Look around? Sing along?
Any ideas?
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