tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85752652423604317812024-02-19T07:44:54.759-08:00The unique thing about today. . .My life is almost devoid of routine. This is my attempt to capture the strangeness of my days.Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.comBlogger460125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575265242360431781.post-7700779090642862752017-10-21T16:41:00.003-07:002017-11-22T08:37:24.394-08:00Music Technology & EDM tools - Bookmark dumpThe recent flood of formulaic, recycled, and repetitive EDM is making me want to make my own. Why is house and big room coming back? I'm hearing the same crappy hardcore gabber sounds come back. Why? Is there really money in that? I bought the software years ago with lifetime updates, and the tools are increasingly more available for cheap or free. And I'm a quick study. I think I'll make a whole bunch of IDM and see if any of it catches on. I get that there's a new generation that didn't hear electronica evolve over the years, so they don't realize that it's seemingly going backwards.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;">
“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.”<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">― </span><a class="authorOrTitle" href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/113989.Ira_Glass" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;">Ira Glass</a></blockquote>
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I think with a nice sampler / sequencer and some mix automation, I can outdo the tripe I'm hearing on the radio. Especially so, having the massive amount of free sounds from Cymatics and Splice. It's like drinking from a firehose! I'll have to buy more storage. But I realize it's a process of learning to crawl, then walk, then run.</div>
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This post is really just a bookmark dump for my own reference, so I have them in a central location for digging in and setting up and filling up my studio computer. </div>
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This is a lot of bookmarks. I wish they were better organized. Maybe next time.<br />
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Free digital audio workstation software (DAWs):</div>
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<a href="http://www.avid.com/pro-tools-first">http://www.avid.com/pro-tools-first</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.mutools.com/mulab-downloads.html">http://www.mutools.com/mulab-downloads.html</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.tracktion.com/products/t6-daw">https://www.tracktion.com/products/t6-daw</a></div>
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<a href="https://shop.presonus.com/products/studio-one-prods/Studio-One-3-Prime">https://shop.presonus.com/products/studio-one-prods/Studio-One-3-Prime</a></div>
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<a href="http://ardour.org/">http://ardour.org/</a></div>
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<a href="http://psycle.pastnotecut.org/portal.php">http://psycle.pastnotecut.org/portal.php</a></div>
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<a href="https://zynewave.com/podium-free/">https://zynewave.com/podium-free/</a></div>
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<a href="https://lmms.io/">https://lmms.io/</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.reaper.fm/download.php">https://www.reaper.fm/download.php</a></div>
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$$ DAW software (many have 14 or 30 day free trials):</div>
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<a href="http://www.avid.com/pro-tools">http://www.avid.com/pro-tools</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.image-line.com/flstudio/">https://www.image-line.com/flstudio/</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.steinberg.net/en/products/cubase/start.html">https://www.steinberg.net/en/products/cubase/start.html</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.ableton.com/en/trial/">https://www.ableton.com/en/trial/</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/SONAR/">http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/SONAR/</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.presonus.com/products/studio-one/">https://www.presonus.com/products/studio-one/</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.propellerheads.se/en/reason">https://www.propellerheads.se/en/reason</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.magix.com/us/acid/">http://www.magix.com/us/acid/</a><br />
<a href="https://www.bitwig.com/en/home.html">https://www.bitwig.com/en/home.html</a></div>
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Free software / VST plug-ins links:</div>
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<a href="https://splice.com/plugins/free_plugins">https://splice.com/plugins/free_plugins</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.vst4free.com/">http://www.vst4free.com/</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/free/">https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/free/</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.alanvista.com/">http://www.alanvista.com/</a></div>
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<a href="https://blog.landr.com/best-free-vst-plugins-2016/">https://blog.landr.com/best-free-vst-plugins-2016/</a></div>
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<a href="https://cymatics.fm/blog/best-vst-plugins/">https://cymatics.fm/blog/best-vst-plugins/</a></div>
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<a href="https://us.focusrite.com/plug-ins">https://us.focusrite.com/plug-ins</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazona.de/amazona-de-freeware-synthesizer-tyrell-n6-v3/">https://www.amazona.de/amazona-de-freeware-synthesizer-tyrell-n6-v3/</a><br />
<a href="https://producer.musicradiocreative.com/audio-plugins/">https://producer.musicradiocreative.com/audio-plugins/</a></div>
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$$ Plug-ins / VSTs:</div>
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<a href="https://www.fabfilter.com/products/">https://www.fabfilter.com/products/</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.kvraudio.com/plugins/newest">https://www.kvraudio.com/plugins/newest</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.image-line.com/plugins/category/all/">https://www.image-line.com/plugins/category/all/</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.steinberg.net/en/shop/vst.html">https://www.steinberg.net/en/shop/vst.html</a></div>
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<a href="https://splice.com/plugins">https://splice.com/plugins</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.xferrecords.com/">https://www.xferrecords.com/</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.tone2.com/index.html">https://www.tone2.com/index.html</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.sweetwater.com/shop/software-plugins/virtual-instruments">https://www.sweetwater.com/shop/software-plugins/virtual-instruments</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.guitarcenter.com/Music-Software.gc">http://www.guitarcenter.com/Music-Software.gc</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.thelooploft.com/">https://www.thelooploft.com/</a><br />
<a href="http://mcdsp.com/plug-ins/">http://mcdsp.com/plug-ins/</a><br />
<a href="https://www.sonnox.com/products">https://www.sonnox.com/products</a><br />
<a href="https://valhalladsp.com/">https://valhalladsp.com/</a><br />
<a href="http://www.soundtoys.com/product/">http://www.soundtoys.com/product/</a></div>
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Producer info/education:</div>
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<a href="https://bedroomproducersblog.com/">https://bedroomproducersblog.com/</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.udemy.com/millionaire-dj/">https://www.udemy.com/millionaire-dj/</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.masterclass.com/classes/deadmau5-teaches-electronic-music-production">https://www.masterclass.com/classes/deadmau5-teaches-electronic-music-production</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.myproducerdj.club/">https://www.myproducerdj.club/</a></div>
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<a href="https://splice.com/lessons-of-kshmr/writing-melodies">https://splice.com/lessons-of-kshmr/writing-melodies</a></div>
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<a href="https://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/">https://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.musictech.net/">http://www.musictech.net/</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.soundonsound.com/">https://www.soundonsound.com/</a></div>
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Samples and synth/generator presets:</div>
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<a href="https://cymatics.fm/">https://cymatics.fm/</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.adsrsounds.com/">https://www.adsrsounds.com/</a></div>
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<a href="http://sounds.beatport.com/">http://sounds.beatport.com/</a></div>
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<a href="https://splice.com/features/sounds">https://splice.com/features/sounds</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.loopmasters.com/">https://www.loopmasters.com/</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.thelooploft.com/collections/wav-aiff-rex2">https://www.thelooploft.com/collections/wav-aiff-rex2</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.toontrack.com/ezkeys-line/">https://www.toontrack.com/ezkeys-line/</a></div>
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Classic synth emulations:</div>
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<a href="https://www.arturia.com/products">https://www.arturia.com/products</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.korg.com/us/products/software/korg_legacy_collection/">http://www.korg.com/us/products/software/korg_legacy_collection/</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.xils-lab.com/products/synthesizers-c-60.html">https://www.xils-lab.com/products/synthesizers-c-60.html</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.roland.com/global/products/sound_canvas_va/downloads/">https://www.roland.com/global/products/sound_canvas_va/downloads/</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.synapse-audio.com/products.html">http://www.synapse-audio.com/products.html</a></div>
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Synth presets:</div>
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<a href="https://cymatics.fm/blog/ultimate-list-of-free-massive-presets/">https://cymatics.fm/blog/ultimate-list-of-free-massive-presets/</a></div>
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<a href="https://cymatics.fm/blog/ultimate-list-of-free-sylenth1-presets/">https://cymatics.fm/blog/ultimate-list-of-free-sylenth1-presets/</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.ohmlabmusic.com/">http://www.ohmlabmusic.com/</a></div>
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Free sound editing:</div>
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<a href="http://www.audacityteam.org/">http://www.audacityteam.org/</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.ocenaudio.com/">http://www.ocenaudio.com/</a></div>
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$$ Sound editing:</div>
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<a href="http://www.magix.com/us/sound-forge/">http://www.magix.com/us/sound-forge/</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.image-line.com/plugins/Tools/Edison/">https://www.image-line.com/plugins/Tools/Edison/</a></div>
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Effects:</div>
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<a href="https://www.izotope.com/en/products/master-and-deliver/ozone/ozone-imager.html">https://www.izotope.com/en/products/master-and-deliver/ozone/ozone-imager.html</a></div>
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<a href="https://klanghelm.com/contents/products/IVGI/IVGI.php">https://klanghelm.com/contents/products/IVGI/IVGI.php</a></div>
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<a href="https://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/downloads/">https://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/downloads/</a></div>
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Mastering:</div>
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<a href="http://lvcaudio.com/plugins/clipshifter/">http://lvcaudio.com/plugins/clipshifter/</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.korg.com/us/products/audio/audiogate4/download.php">http://www.korg.com/us/products/audio/audiogate4/download.php</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.alexhilton.net/A1AUDIO/index.php/a1stereocontrol">http://www.alexhilton.net/A1AUDIO/index.php/a1stereocontrol</a></div>
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$$ Mastering:</div>
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<a href="https://www.izotope.com/en/products/master-and-deliver/ozone.html">https://www.izotope.com/en/products/master-and-deliver/ozone.html</a></div>
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More good software:</div>
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<a href="http://www.nch.com.au/software/audio.html">http://www.nch.com.au/software/audio.html</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.singlecellsoftware.com/">http://www.singlecellsoftware.com/</a></div>
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Android:</div>
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<a href="http://www.korg.com/us/products/software/korg_kaossilator_for_android/">http://www.korg.com/us/products/software/korg_kaossilator_for_android/</a></div>
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<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.imageline.FLM&hl=en">https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.imageline.FLM&hl=en</a></div>
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Apple only? Port that ish:</div>
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<a href="https://www.apple.com/mac/garageband/">https://www.apple.com/mac/garageband/</a></div>
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Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575265242360431781.post-7566463374809357452017-07-12T11:26:00.001-07:002017-07-12T11:27:27.407-07:00The food. OMG, the food!To my ancient ancestors who probably scraped and toiled for every morsel they ever ate, I apologize for choosing the seasonal greens with quinoa instead of the pork cutlet and 50 other choices for lunch. We have arrived, have we not? There's a lot for which to be thankful.Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575265242360431781.post-40451208111608574882017-06-14T17:04:00.000-07:002017-06-14T17:04:11.924-07:00Modern banking = credit swapping OR fiat money = debtI was taught a misconception in school, and the truth was more than hinted at by my college Macroeconomics teacher. I wish I had been exposed to this explanation of modern banking earlier in my career.<br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
"The fundamental proposition which I first wish to establish in regard to all commercial banking, is that the business of the modern bank is almost solely the e<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">xchange of credit, to use a clear but homely phrase, the swapping of credits.The business of a bank is not in the main the reception of money and its safekeeping, nor is it the loaning of money. The money transactions of a bank are, under ordinary conditions, comparatively insignificant: almost its entire business consists of receiving from its customers their evidences of indebtedness, which have a narrow currency, and giving to those customers in ex-change the bank's evidences of indebtedness, which have a wide currency. These evidences of a bank's indebtedness are then transferred from one individual to another and from one bank to another, and in that way the credits created serve the purpose of the medium of exchange by which perhaps ninety-five percent of the exchange transactions of commerce take place.</span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">
<div style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
It is a misconception to suppose that a bank first accumulates deposits and then loans them out to borrowers.The operation is the reverse. The bank first makes a loan to the borrower and in so doing creates a deposit. The borrower exchanges his credit, his evidence of indebtedness, for the bank's credit, a deposit balance. The creation of these credits has relation to production; their liquidation is related to consumption. If production increases, the demand for this exchange of individual credit for bank credit increases; and the indebtedness incurred is liquidated as the articles upon which the financial credit was based enter into consumption."</div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
- FRANK A. VANDERLIP, President of the National City<br />Bank of New York aka CITYBANK (1864 – 1937)</div>
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Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575265242360431781.post-37617617962503291812017-06-13T13:02:00.001-07:002017-06-13T13:02:51.952-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-lrs64_VERcz2ssKk8jKmG1Wa3grJs8muQsHiBn53lip2wxMPkgKTuvSFyGheFcgbbPhsttjR53MF4QEaMMXIeq16Iv2yqmtMj0pS1Em58KDHW5XkA-Ip9B6DU1d5xsEYpfuMsQfHCIR/s1600/20170609_210509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-lrs64_VERcz2ssKk8jKmG1Wa3grJs8muQsHiBn53lip2wxMPkgKTuvSFyGheFcgbbPhsttjR53MF4QEaMMXIeq16Iv2yqmtMj0pS1Em58KDHW5XkA-Ip9B6DU1d5xsEYpfuMsQfHCIR/s320/20170609_210509.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This was the "strawberry moon" from June 9th, 2017 as seen from Texas Motor Speedway. Digital zoom made the picture grainy, but you can get an idea about how red it appeared. This is as small as the moon will appear all year.<br />
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http://www.foxnews.com/science/2017/06/12/strawberry-moon-delights-stargazers.html<br />
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<br />Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575265242360431781.post-67689182050016656572016-02-11T17:36:00.001-08:002016-02-11T17:36:29.296-08:00Wikipedia on a thumb drive.I saw an <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2499177,00.asp" target="_blank">article</a> today about an organization in Seoul (and Palo Alto) called <a href="http://www.flashdrivesforfreedom.org/" target="_blank">Flash Drives for Freedom</a>. The gist is that they smuggle donated flash drives into North Korea loaded with information that is censored by Dear Leader. One of the content items they mentioned was a Korean version of Wikipedia. I thought, that fits on a flash drive? Turns out, the English version, just the articles without the pictures, clocks in at 15 gigabytes compressed. Text compresses well, so that's feasible. I assumed that Wikipedia had grown much larger than that, or I just never really thought about it.<br />
<br />
Anyway, you can get your own copy of Wikipedia here: <a href="https://archive.org/details/Xowa_enwiki_latest">https://archive.org/details/Xowa_enwiki_latest</a><br />
<br />
I haven't decided if it's useful to actually have a copy on my hard drive, but I did find the possibility interesting.Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575265242360431781.post-43362275397681351852015-10-06T15:54:00.001-07:002015-10-06T15:54:04.061-07:00Unlimited breadsticks since 1982I gotta give it to Olive Garden. I've been back lately a few times, and I like it. I praise them for turning things around and simultaneously <a href="http://www.today.com/video/today/56051116" target="_blank">defending their bottomless breadsticks policy to shareholders</a>.<br />
<br />
That said, I'm off for some all you can eat soup, salad, and Italian generosity.Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575265242360431781.post-46481118579887937562015-06-02T09:02:00.000-07:002015-06-02T09:02:22.319-07:00Transition time: The next 10 weeks.My Aunt Gail mentioned recently that I have always been good at reinventing myself. Well, I am good at adding to my skill set. I completed a year of night classes on massage therapy and got licensed by the State of Texas to be a professional massage therapist. The reason I did it is because I have friends who need massage and can't or won't pay for it. I have a few paying clients, but haven't formalized it into a real business. . . yet. My long term goal is to open a practice with a scientific bent to quantify the benefits of certain types of massage therapy for conditions like PTSD.<br />
<br />
Because working full time in a stressful day job during school was causing me to be exhausted and struggle both at work AND school, I took a contract with lower pay and flexible hours to complete school, and now that contract has ended and I'm starting to get back to consulting with clients of Veritable Networks Inc., a firm I own 50%. I can commit more time and make more money. Also, during the past year I have been also working as a mentor / caregiver for a disabled veteran who struggles with the effects of combat in Iraq and helping him navigate life as a civilian. Even after I met all of the requirements, including Easter Seals training, the VA rejected my request for pay for doing that work, but I continued it out of a sense of actually caring. I'm going to file another appeal, because the burden of that has been a test of patience, fortitude, will power, and compassion beyond my previous capabilities, and apparently beyond my financial capabilities. If it weren't for the self-care regime that the Easter Seals taught me at the beginning, and the things I learned in massage school, or the gratitude from his immediate and extended family, or the mental clarity I get from my Buddhist-style meditation practice. (Om mane padme um, y'all!) I would have given up a long time ago. He's turned the corner and I'm starting to ask him to take care of himself. He's in the gym more and taking more responsibility and handling his own stresses in healthy ways. He's ready for school and a job now, and ready to get on with his life.<br />
<br />
So, now is a time for transformation: Really reinventing myself to improve my income, lifestyle, and personal relationships! I'm going to blog about it for 10 weeks, and see if, by the end of 70 days, I'm not way better off by focusing on doing things differently. And, I'm asking for advice, because I'm sure I have a lot of blind spots, so I'm going to need the help of anyone who will help. I wish health, wealth, and happiness on everyone.<br />
<br />
Now, I need an accountant.Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575265242360431781.post-21085557348160614842015-01-26T13:22:00.001-08:002015-01-26T13:22:13.498-08:00The glove phone.Hacking a Burg smartphone watch into a snazzy, futuristic glove is one of the coolest things I've seen on the web this week. While I'm not ready to don one of these just yet, since I might prefer the watch form factor to fit the "business casual" mold. Plus, I'm pretty sure I'd miss the nice touch screen of my existing Moto X phone.<br />
<br />
http://3dprint.com/39192/glove-one-smartphone/<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ROJZEADO4eo" width="420"></iframe>Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575265242360431781.post-45282097163247784972014-09-30T07:38:00.000-07:002014-09-30T07:38:01.652-07:00Massage TherapyI have started my clinical internship on the weekends to become a Licensed Massage Therapist. That means that people come to the school and get an hour massage for $25 and then fill out a form to rate my performance. I have to do about 5 massages each shift until I have done 100 massages. I'll be done by March. Here's a 2-fer coupon. It's a super amazing bargain, and if you live in the DFW area, you should try it out. The students who are nearing graduation are masters.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJe8UhHYMBA0TyZG8_W6a6t7gKnRvWjGuGbcmI0aRvmsxl4Q8bh9OogEYCVjD-JS93wjBThLc_b9hTMWam3do_o9RhkHz708pLdrVN74ISjaBTQUsyjCdgYzuGSym2uXmwwyz3vPvtxSwE/s1600/massage-coupon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJe8UhHYMBA0TyZG8_W6a6t7gKnRvWjGuGbcmI0aRvmsxl4Q8bh9OogEYCVjD-JS93wjBThLc_b9hTMWam3do_o9RhkHz708pLdrVN74ISjaBTQUsyjCdgYzuGSym2uXmwwyz3vPvtxSwE/s1600/massage-coupon.jpg" height="172" width="320" /></a></div>
Massage Therapy school, at least the one I'm attending, is nowhere near as easy as I had thought. Human Anatomy and Kinesiology courses are no joke. Plus, there is a lot to learn about Hydrotherapy. I have already learned Swedish, Shiatsu, Russian sports massage, Reflexology, and some variations. I like being challenged, and this undertaking is definitely a challenge. I have already put in over 400 clock hours of classroom and hands-on time. The goal is 815.5, so I'm halfway there!<br />
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My goal is to open a clinic or high end spa in a year or so to really help people with their body aches and stress. I know that it has been greatly beneficial to me in my career. Right after graduation, I can start a private massage practice and make extra scratch on evenings and weekends to get the money together. Using my hands and working on people is the perfect complement to sitting at a desk working on computers during the work day. I have a calm demeanor that allows me to work well with high strung people, and I would love nothing more than to help veterans with PTSD, because I know that massage therapy can settle the nerves and provide a sense of well being.Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575265242360431781.post-64579408264608953342014-06-21T21:22:00.001-07:002014-06-21T21:22:34.213-07:00Blog powers, REACTIVATE.I have relegated my posting activity to social media for a year or so, and I kind of miss the old blog format in nostalgic ways.<br />
<br />
I feel like social media limits you to a picture and/or a paragraph or two and it feels like you'll get a lot of TL;DR comments if you go on too long. In reality, blogging may be the same way, but at least *I* don't feel constrained from filling a ton of white space with some free form writing. . . whether I post it or not.<br />
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I'm compelled to review the last year, because I haven't posted in so long. Plus, it's therapeutic to reflect.<br />
<br />
I have worked a few different contracts as a network engineer and repeated one old gig, but have been contracting my own labor through the company I started with my brother for all the benefits surrounding entrepreneurship. The IRS tax code for businesses has over 40,000 pages of tax deductions. You can take them, if you document everything. It's a different mindset, and I have high hopes for the business. I hope to transition from being "self-employed" to really running a thriving company over the next months and years. For now the current business is in a slow time with challenges ahead in the near term, but nothing that can't be overcome by cutting back expenditures and generating new revenue, which is starting to happen.<br />
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I moved from Irving to Dallas. Living in Uptown is not much different except that there's a lot more going on within a few miles of the house than I can possibly keep up with. And the traffic! Since all roads lead to The Mixmaster, and I've learned which surface streets to use at which times of day when the freeways are jammed. Dallas traffic has added some stress, but it really is a matter of timing and knowledge of routes to avoid it. In all, I'm closer to things.<br />
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The reason I moved to Dallas is that I've latched on to a new friend in October. He's an Iraq veteran who has been through a couple of IED explosions and some hellish consequences through his recovery. I completed Easter Seals training for family caregivers and I try to do my best to counsel and mentor him and understand how to help someone with his condition. Three was a crowd where I was living, so we became roommates and moved. In mentoring him, I find that he is the one actually mentoring me and giving some additional meaning to my life. His perspective is so different than mine was at his age. I was not so cynical, but I was spiritually out of touch and a little out of touch with who I was. I know that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy really helps people who have been through trauma, and some who haven't. I also am reassured that massage is the best cure for stress and anxiety. The most beneficial thing I do for him, though, is just listen. <br />
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He takes a lot of my energy sometimes, but I find that I'm growing stronger in character in many ways. Sometimes he annoys me to the point that I wonder why I continue, but then he does something exceedingly nice or lets me know how much he appreciates my friendship. Plus, I continue for the same reason I started: Guys like him are heroes to me. Like my father, he was involved in an explosion in a war. Whatever I can do within reason to lessen the consequences of those kinds of sacrifices is not a burden to me. I've crossed the line to unreasonable on occasion only to quickly dial back to keep from becoming an enabler and to make sure everything I'm doing is from a place of loving kindness. This weekend, I'm writing an appeal to Veterans Affairs to get some assistance for myself as a caregiver. Since I've taken on the task, I've been a relief to his family and really had a positive effect, according to them, but I can't deny the drag on my energy, career focus, and social life is palpable. Consequences are appearing and making me face some dilemmas with regards to my priorities. Change is good if it aligns with my goals. I suppose in retrospect I had not realized that my goals were out of whack with my spirituality and my true values. My perspective keeps changing as I gain knowledge and experience. I just keep meditating and praying that he finds happiness and normalcy at the end of the long road he's on and that what I'm doing is ultimately good, wise, and rewarding to all involved.<br />
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I have been playing less hockey, because of the aforementioned efforts and I have started going to night school, which takes a lot of time and energy and extra commuting. In fact, besides a bit of chillaxing watching streaming movies or playing some Ingress, I haven't been doing much as far as recreation. Ingress forces you to get out and walking around, since that's how you collect energy in the game. I've walked 17000 steps this weekend according to the Samsung S Health app, and the weekend isn't over. I'll probably return to hockey as my primary physical activity after I graduate. I really need to get back into the gym. Wow, I've lost weight. I'm at about 195, which is about 10 pounds less than where I would normally be, if I were doing more athletic things. It may be time to start forcing myself to go to the gym, which I know has benefits I could use right now.Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575265242360431781.post-27346132200395062002013-03-10T03:00:00.000-07:002013-03-10T03:00:15.561-07:00My Favorite Android AppsI'm going to upgrade my phone ROM to an "experimental" version of Android 5.0, aka Key Lime Pie. Every time I try a new ROM, I end up re-installing the apps I like/love/need and simply not installing the ones I've stopped using or use too infrequently. Consequently, there aren't very many apps on my phone. If the new Android doesn't play well with my apps, I'll go back to Jelly Bean and repeat this culling process.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=factory.widgets.ThreeDDigitalWeatherClock" target="_blank">3D Digital Weather</a></b> - It's not rated as the best clock/weather widget, but it's my favorite.<br />
<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.adw.launcher" target="_blank">ADW Launcher</a></b> - I'm hooked on this interface. 5 column app drawer. Cool themes, fades, and effects.<br />
<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alarmclock.xtreme.free" target="_blank">Alarm Clock Xtreme</a></b> - It takes extreme measures to roust me in the morning, and this thing cranks up the volume and blasts me out of bed if I don't respond to the preceding gentle alarm. I run the same thing on my tablet, and I can see the next alarm on the lock screen, so I know when it's set.<br />
<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.timsu.astrid" target="_blank">Astrid</a></b> - It's a great task manager, especially if you need to assign/accept tasks to/from others.<br />
<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.android.chrome" target="_blank">Chrome</a></b> - I use Chrome for some browsing, and. . .<br />
<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=mobi.mgeek.TunnyBrowser" target="_blank">Dolphin</a></b> - . . . for certain sites I use Dolphin. I have a right to be ambivalent.<br />
<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nianticproject.scout" target="_blank">Field Trip</a></b> - This uses your GPS to alerts you of nearby points of interest. Sometimes it really is interesting, sometimes I feel like it's preparing me for Final Jeopardy.<br />
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.gm" target="_blank"><b>Gmail</b> </a>- Of course.<br />
<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.docs" target="_blank">Google Drive</a> </b>- A great way to back up files on my phone or move files between my computer, phone, and tablet.<br />
<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox" target="_blank">Google Search</a></b> - Google Now and Voice Search are moving from nicety to necessity very quickly.<br />
<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.googlevoice" target="_blank">Google Voice</a></b> - I use this for voice mail and texting sometimes. The voice mail transcriptions are both aggravating and useful. I haven't seen much progress lately.<br />
<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.plus" target="_blank">Google+/Messenger+</a></b> - I follow interest groups and communities which interest me, and it's becoming my primary place for sharing things.<br />
<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.eclipsim.gpsstatus2" target="_blank">GPS Status</a></b> - the GPS signal locks on faster and seems to be more accurate and reliable since I installed this. It is a very functional compass, altimeter, speedometer, and generally cool app to look at.<br />
<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nianticproject.ingress" target="_blank">Ingress</a></b> - This is a GPS based game involving team play in the physical world. The concept is great, and during the current closed beta test the rules change from time to time. There should be more games like this, however. You literally can't sit at home and play it, you have to hit the streets to play. I like a majority of the places this game has taken me and the team play aspect has made it very interesting.<br />
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.ub0r.android.portaltimer" target="_blank"><b>Ingress Portal Timer</b> </a>- This little utility is for Ingress players.<br />
<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=je.fit.pro" target="_blank">JEFIT</a></b> - This paces my workout, keeps track of my routines, tracks progress. . . because I don't remember from week to week my constantly changing one rep max on seated leg curls, rear delt extensions, or side lateral raises. I can also easily tell which body parts are due for a workout and it nags me when it's time to hit the gym. I bought this one, but there's a <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=je.fit" target="_blank">free version</a>.<br />
<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.leinardi.kitchentimer" target="_blank">Kitchen Timer</a></b> - Best little egg timer app.<br />
<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.linkedin.android" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></b> - This is a new one for me, and it's growing on me. The app far surpassed my expectations.<br />
<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.maps" target="_blank">Maps / Navigation</a></b> - This app keeps getting better and the integration with Google Now is one of the top reasons I have an Android phone.<br />
<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samr.notificationWallpaper" target="_blank">Notifications Widget</a></b> - This puts notifications on the lock screen. With this I can glance at my phone and decide if I want to respond now or later. I'm also a fan of turning on voice notifications in the accessibility settings when I'm home, so text-to-speech lady reads it to me and I don't even have to look. Turning this on is automated with Tasker. Tasker knows when I'm home, because it can see my home WiFi router.<br />
<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/search?q=online+banking&c=apps" target="_blank">Online Banking</a></b> - This saves me from the "Would you like to check your balance?" prompt on the ATM, which sometimes costs money if you accept.<br />
<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.com.shiftyjelly.pocketcasts" target="_blank">Pocket Casts</a></b> - I'm warming up to this alternative to Google Listen, which seems to have been surpassed here.<br />
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ghvandoorn.Raindar" target="_blank">Raindar</a> - Animated weather radar, because in the southern plains in the Spring, weather can be a dangerous, full contact sport.<br />
<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.dinglisch.android.taskerm" target="_blank">Tasker</a></b> - Oh so wonderful tool of automation for doing obvious and nice things to my phone, like launching apps at a certain time or place or changing my phone settings on my behalf based on time, location, and other triggers.<br />
<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.waze" target="_blank">Waze</a></b> - Maps has no idea about traffic and will steer you right into the thick of it. I'm in DFW, ya'll. Traffic is a factor in my every day. This app knows all the shortcuts, traffic alerts, red light camera locations, speed traps, etc.<br />
<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nullsoft.prostub" target="_blank">Winamp</a></b> - My favorite MP3 player still whips the llama's ass. Shoutcast, people. It's better than Pandora if you have a good data connection.<br />
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Did not make the cut:<br />
<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ApolloBeta">Apollo Music Player</a></b> - I'm not re-installing this since I discovered Winamp for Android, which actually syncs with my PC and has superior playlist management.<br />
<b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.united.mobile.android&feature=search_result" target="_blank">United Airlines</a></b> - I'm not keeping it, because it's useless unless you're traveling. However,real time flight status kept me better informed than the other folks in the gate area. I was also able to ask proactively to be booked on an earlier flight when I noticed a few hours ahead of time that a storm had delayed the plane, which saved me from being stranded on that occasion.<br />
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.facebook.katana" target="_blank"><b>Facebook</b> </a>- deleting the app. If I want to go there, I use Dolphin.<br />
<br />Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575265242360431781.post-63423855533127960522012-11-08T20:07:00.001-08:002012-11-08T20:07:13.845-08:00Obama bad for stock prices?I was thinking about why the stock market would take a dive on the day after Obama's re-election, then I started thinking about some of the things he has promised, and some of the consequences of the upcoming "fiscal cliff".
Obama believes in raising corporate tax rates. That affects stock prices directly, by definition.
stock value = discounted future cash flows of a company's after tax earnings.
If corporate taxes go up, stocks get marked down because taxes are part of the earnings formula. As investors pull their money out, companies with less capital will eliminate jobs and cannot fund as much (any?) growth.
I think that means it's time to get out of US stocks and invest somewhere else until the threat of higher corporate tax rates subsides.Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575265242360431781.post-8791884327477861882012-09-12T23:18:00.001-07:002012-09-12T23:21:24.829-07:00The height of technological advancementI got a <a href="http://www.frys.com/product/6817906">hot, new, tiny, 64GB HD video camera</a>, which is disguised as a working iPod Nano. I was reading the instructions to set the time and date, expecting to have to press one of the five buttons 2,012 times to set the year or somesuch nonsense, but I was surprised. Attach it to the PC USB port. Create a text file in its root directory named TIME containing the YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss and press the record button once. Voila. I set the clock on my video camera using Notepad. Freaking Notepad! Of all the wonderful technology I use each day, this impresses me. It's probably because over the years I've set the clocks on the most obtuse of embedded systems in VCRs, alarm clocks, answering machines, point and shoot cameras, ovens, and the dreaded programmable thermostat. This one was actually easy. I call that progress.Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575265242360431781.post-85509840412527314042012-06-01T21:54:00.001-07:002012-06-01T21:54:52.573-07:00A fun little PSA.This public service announcement brought to you by the Centers for Disease Control... because I like this one.
<!-- BUTTON EMBED CODE STARTS HERE --><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/phpr/zombies.htm" title="If you're ready for a zombie apocalypse, then you're ready for any emergency. emergency.cdc.gov"><img src="http://www.cdc.gov/images/campaigns/emergency/zombies2_300x250.jpg" style="width:300px; height:250px; border:0px;" alt="If you're ready for a zombie apocalypse, then you're ready for any emergency. emergency.cdc.gov" /></a><!-- BUTTON EMBED CODE ENDS HERE -->Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575265242360431781.post-69378982347722403222012-04-24T11:33:00.000-07:002012-04-24T11:33:01.358-07:00Via Twitter:
Brian Koppelman @briankoppelman : People keep asking David Levien and me to do Rounders 2. We want to. So do Matt and Edward. If you want it, RT with hashtag #rounders2.
<a href="https://twitter.com/#!/briankoppelman/status/194806605336948736">https://twitter.com/#!/briankoppelman/status/194806605336948736</a>
I'd watch it... probably more than once.Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575265242360431781.post-50073263549858947112012-02-18T09:57:00.000-08:002012-02-18T09:57:01.414-08:00MySQL gets a 70x optimization from Oracle devs.The performance jump from MySQL Cluster 7.1 to 7.2 is phenomenal. No joke.
<a href="http://www.mysql.com/why-mysql/white-papers/mysql-cluster-7.2-ga.html">http://www.mysql.com/why-mysql/white-papers/mysql-cluster-7.2-ga.html</a>
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<a href="http://www.mysql.com/why-mysql/white-papers/mysql-cluster-7.2-ga/MySQL_Cluster_AQL.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="326" width="701" src="http://www.mysql.com/why-mysql/white-papers/mysql-cluster-7.2-ga/MySQL_Cluster_AQL.png" /></a></div>Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575265242360431781.post-35848609631261437312012-01-31T15:28:00.000-08:002012-01-31T15:28:16.343-08:00A first for me. Hard boiled egg molds?These <a href="http://www.allthingsforsale.com/bento-cup-mold/1469-hard-boiled-egg-mold-rabbit-bear-for-bento-decoration-0843495007402.html">hard boiled egg molds</a> are right up there with the <a href="http://www.curiosite.com/post/rubber-ducky-tea-infuser.html">rubber ducky tea infuser</a>.
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<a href="http://www.allthingsforsale.com/catalog/images/gallerys/bento/accessories/eggmoldrabbitpig1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="396" width="500" src="http://www.allthingsforsale.com/catalog/images/gallerys/bento/accessories/eggmoldrabbitpig1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.allthingsforsale.com/catalog/images/gallerys/bento/accessories/eggmoldrabbitpig3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="313" width="292" src="http://www.allthingsforsale.com/catalog/images/gallerys/bento/accessories/eggmoldrabbitpig3.jpg" /></a></div>Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575265242360431781.post-84919488144616580122012-01-26T06:30:00.000-08:002012-01-26T06:30:48.061-08:00Measure twice, cut once.I'm working with an on-site IT guy in another state. We did some troubleshooting and determined that the optics on the switch were bad. I took him at his word that the fibers were tested. The new optics arrived yesterday. This morning, we're back at square one. When he ordered the new SFP, I told him to also get an optical power meter so we can ensure that the loss budget of the optics match the characteristics the fiber. A light meter isn't the kind of item you buy from CDW for quadruple the price you can find elsewhere. Here's a good one for less than $150 shipped. <a href="http://www.computercablestore.com/Silicon_ZOOM_2_Optical_Po_PID48433.aspx">http://www.computercablestore.com/Silicon_ZOOM_2_Optical_Po_PID48433.aspx</a> I know the value of the time I've wasted on this effort is worth way more than this thing. He needs to measure the optical loss (dBmv) before I can help him further. Instead of taking a measurement, he is ordering new fiber which might match the optical characteristics of the optics he ordered before without knowing the loss levels on the fibers he already has. My sympathy levels are waning.Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575265242360431781.post-63135010925080900532012-01-25T17:35:00.000-08:002012-01-25T17:35:17.100-08:00Blogging, cardio fun, and PhyloThere was a recent spike in traffic to my blog, so I decided to start paying more attention to it. The items getting the most clicks are technical. I generally forget that it's useful to others when I post odd technical tricks I learn, so others may stumble upon them.
I did absolutely nothing technical today. I played drop-in hockey for the most fun possible morning cardio. I had a cheese omelet with chili on it for brunch. I relaxed and read email. Ooh, and I played some Phylo.
Phylo is a pattern matching game, but the patterns are actually genome fragments of different mammal species. I'll tell ya, you have more in common with a bat than you do a horse or a dog. I would rather look for similarities among humans and mice than horses and dogs. http://phylo.cs.mcgill.ca/Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575265242360431781.post-42018526343333140772011-11-13T13:09:00.001-08:002011-11-13T13:11:24.029-08:00Striking timelapse of Earth from orbit.There are absolutely amazing views of our planet in this video. I am awestruck.
http://vimeo.com/michaelkoenig/earth-timelapse-iss
<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/32001208?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/32001208">Earth | Time Lapse View from Space | Fly Over | Nasa, ISS</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/michaelkoenig">Michael König</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575265242360431781.post-8217867878201664962011-11-09T10:19:00.000-08:002011-11-09T10:30:01.821-08:00Share button fail!I guess I should take a lesson from this and never use a share button to post directly to my blog.Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575265242360431781.post-7636008713700547052011-10-09T12:13:00.000-07:002011-10-09T12:13:46.597-07:00Update . . and a favor to ask.It’s always a wake-up call when Christmas decorations start showing up in department stores, but it happening. . . already. It makes me start thinking about the end of the year.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRRGb8I-tOi5VT1aNMAW1PV5irQx5pXR1sd2aPA2qNTubq193RZO-5_iUzSjHo-VAArZbI4ZGOOHyrcMyt7_7FP8cDHmsqanXV1ag4Rfka85BWnHTbinyhyphenhyphen9SFlmi_SjGyetdTo5EG4wy/s1600/Christmas-in-September.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="239" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRRGb8I-tOi5VT1aNMAW1PV5irQx5pXR1sd2aPA2qNTubq193RZO-5_iUzSjHo-VAArZbI4ZGOOHyrcMyt7_7FP8cDHmsqanXV1ag4Rfka85BWnHTbinyhyphenhyphen9SFlmi_SjGyetdTo5EG4wy/s400/Christmas-in-September.jpg" /></a></div><br />
So, 2011 is wrapping up and it’s time to gear up for 2012. As you know I’ve been a network engineer for 17 years, and have been happily working at Tetra Pak for the past two years doing global network operations. Also, for about 10 years, I have been getting experience as a real estate investor, renting homes in Kansas City. I invested near the top of the market, had some good years, and then rode it all the way down. Now the banks are holding the bag and now that the time is right to invest at the bottom, I can lend some valuable knowledge. I’ve made some career moves, eliminated all of my debt, and now I live in the Dallas market and I’m shifting my real estate strategy to something more lucrative that anyone with investment money languishing in stocks, or a 401k that’s barely treading water can participate in.<br />
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A lot of people find that interesting with all the doom and gloom that the media and talking heads portray in the real estate, mortgage, and stock markets. Surprisingly, there is no better time than RIGHT NOW to be buying real estate and taking advantage of the huge discounts and sales that you can find, especially here in the major markets, including Dallas/Fort Worth.<br />
I just wanted to drop you a quick line to inform you that I am looking to buy somewhere in between 1-4 homes per month here locally. I am coming across so many deals direct from banks that are so discounted, allowing me to buy them with steep discounts of 40-50% off of CURRENT MARKET VALUES! I've got the deals, but I could use your help! Do you know of anyone who is unhappy with how poorly their CD, Savings, or 401k (or now a 101k? ) is non-performing. I'm looking to add on a select few private lenders who would be interested in making an above average rate of return on their money for a short period of time (12-36 months) or working with me to cash in on the next 24-36 months or while we are still in this phenomenal buyers market.<br />
All of my deals (like the house below) are secured with:<br />
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Title Insurance<br />
Home Owners Insurance<br />
1st Lien<br />
Deed of Trust<br />
Low LTV (70% or less)<br />
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I close all of my transactions with my title company or attorney's office so that everything is recorded properly. I have found several deals on homes that I am currently looking for funding on (like the house below). IF you know of ANYONE who MIGHT be interested, I would appreciate the referral! Please have them either email me with questions or call me directly at 972-827-7693.<br />
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Check out the rate of return of the current deal I’m working on here: <a href="http://bit.ly/gptxnote">http://bit.ly/gptxnote</a> <br />
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Like I said, now is a phenomenal time to be buying real estate! THANKS FOR YOUR HELP OR REFERRAL!Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575265242360431781.post-34333724493359811592011-08-12T21:31:00.000-07:002011-08-12T21:31:16.405-07:00RSS addiction is bad for your blog.I clicked on the "Trends" section in Google Reader and found out how much blog material I read, and it's somewhat significant. <br />
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"From your 150 subscriptions, over the last 30 days you read 1,407 items, clicked 84 items, starred 2 items, shared 7 items, and emailed 0 items.<br />
Since April 19, 2007 you have read a total of <b>21,935</b> items."<br />
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I have added and removed RSS feeds for various reasons and come up with a mix of daily reading that I'm absolutely addicted to. I realize now that having a Google Reader (and Google Listen) app on my phone has changed when/where/how I get my news. Since I switched from Outlook to Google Reader as my RSS feed aggregator, I have racked up some crazy stats. I used to write a lot, now I mostly read. My eyes are drawn to text because I'm wired that way.<br />
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A few of my favorites are Wikinews, Xenophilia, Whiteout Press News Feed, Stephen Kruiser, The New Editor, WizBang, Pat Dollard, Cato Institute, Reason Magazine, etc. <br />
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I have some favorite audio blogs, too. Between The Adam Corolla Show, Mike Church, Packet Pushers Podcast, and Downtown Soulville, I'm getting more audio than I can consume on my commutes.<br />
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And I've found myself (and much of the public debate) ignorant about economics in the past few years, so it's become an avidity of mine. My RSS feed reflects it: Professor Mark J. Perry's Blog for Economics and Finance, Cafe Hayek, Shadow Government Statistics - Commentary, Official Gerald Celente Blog, Mises Institute Daily, The Future of Capitalism, etc. <br />
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It's hard to wade through the boring, basic, or politically hyperbolic items to find the really interesting bits. Nothing beats a good beat down in the letters to the editor which economist Don Boudreaux posts, whether the editors receiving them print them or not. He wars against stupidity and avoids boring, basic, or politically hyperbolic, although he uses some hyperbole for humor's sake. <br />
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I get my tech news via RSS too.<br />
TheInquirer.net Home, Hack A Day, CNet News, Schneier on Security, TechDirt.<br />
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If I want to just ogle the newest electronics, I have a folder full of RSS feeds just for that. Engadget, Gizmodo, Gajitz, The Gadgeteer, TechTree.com, etc.<br />
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The rest of the feeds are terribly specific to my job. StaticNAT, Cisco Security Advisories, Cisco IOS Hints and Tricks, AirWise Community Blog... you get the point.Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575265242360431781.post-37855696925558277112011-07-20T20:29:00.000-07:002011-07-20T20:29:12.038-07:00Andy Masters & Ryan D Howard " Bye Bye Blackbird "I miss the Saturday night jazz jam at the Mutual Musicians Foundation in Kansas City. That place has a way of just melting the stress out of my body. <br /><br /><iframe width="425" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/G9ZSD5K4IGA?fs=1" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen=""></iframe>Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575265242360431781.post-44175319847171374542011-04-25T10:51:00.000-07:002011-04-25T10:51:50.720-07:00I know selfishness when I see it, but who am I to judge? The balance of give and take has to be a win-win, or someone's going to be accused of being the selfish one.<br />
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"Selfishness is the ultimate strawman, since it is by definition impossible to act in any way that is not selfish. If you value an end goal, whatever that goal happens to be, it is selfish because YOU value it. To value altruism is no more or less selfish than to value wealth. Selfishness is not and cannot be the problem (or complaint), rather it is a disagreement on what SHOULD BE valued. The charge that selfishness is evil is more correctly phrased; what you value is evil while what I value is good. The charge of selfishness always comes from someone who believes they know how to run YOUR life." - gleaned from Frank33328 comment on the <a href="http://cafehayek.com/2011/04/or-if-libertarians-are-adolescent-then-non-libertarians-are-downright-childish.html">Cafe Hayek blog</a>.<br />
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I just found it thought provoking lunch hour reading, particularly the Don Boudreaux posts. I had a great macroeconomics teacher in college, but Mr. Boudreaux has a way of boiling things down to the essential and explaining complex economic interactions for mass understanding.Charles Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13800563355397528841noreply@blogger.com