In Defense Of My Junk Box: Married to An Engineer

Just about every electrical or mechanical engineer I know has some kind of junk box—a treasure trove of parts accumulated over the years, all saved with the hope they might come in handy someday. My own junk box started at a very early age. Too young to work a...

Justifying My AI Hobby By Finding Blaze A Forever Home

From my early teenage years, technology has always played a significant part in my life. Though I was late to the party, I joined the technology revolution as the world transitioned from vacuum tubes to transistors in 1963. By 1975, I found myself in the midst of the...

Maximizing Profit: Reliable Designs Or Frequent Repairs?

When I retired, my wife strongly suggested I put some of that newfound free time into cleaning rather than gaining another level in my current game. My trusty old vacuum cleaner, however, decided it wasn’t up to the increased workload and promptly broke a belt. Of...

From the Doghouse

A look at dogs having fun

Poser Gallery

My gallery of pictures I’ve created in Poser

Nature by Carol

A look at the less technical side of life

Shelby, We Miss You

Shelby, We Miss You

Our first and oldest Australian Shepherd, Shelby, died early Monday morning. Her death was a natural one brought about by old age. We knew it was coming but the knowledge did little to soften the loss. She spent fifteen too short years with us, having joined our...

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Patent Reform, We Should Demand It

Patent Reform, We Should Demand It

There is no easier way to get me to jump on a soapbox than to start a discussion on patents. While I fully support the concept of patents and I feel that the inventor should be rewarded for his efforts, I just don’t think that’s the way our system is working. Nor do I...

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Where Have All The Mentors Gone?

Where Have All The Mentors Gone?

It's easy to forget there was a time before the Internet, before YouTube and before Facebook. Nowadays if you want to know how to change the power window motor on your 1994 Ford pickup, you pull up Google and do a search. Odds are good that someone has made a video...

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Sundae Explains Why Fashion Changes

Sundae Explains Why Fashion Changes

While engineers are far more challenged by fashion than most of our species, I don’t believe a lack of fashion sense is limited to engineers. I have the basic rules down, well as long as I’m wearing nothing more than business casual. Throw a tie into the mix and I...

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Half Full or Half Empty, An Engineer’s Viewpoint

Half Full or Half Empty, An Engineer’s Viewpoint

My wife will confirm that living with an engineer is different. It’s not just that we tend to be socially inept or even standoffish. We see the world differently and until you spend time with one of us you can't comprehend how differently. All my life I’ve listened to...

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Random Posts

  • Time Travel, We All Do ItTime Travel, We All Do It
    Read enough science fiction and sooner or later the subject of time travel will come up. I think we all agree that time travel is not only possible, it’s inevitable. We are always traveling forward in time at a more or less fixed rate. I say more or less because our rate of time travel […]
  • Death By Productivity ImprovementDeath By Productivity Improvement
    Have you ever screamed in frustration when your favorite software company announced that they had come up with new methods of productivity improvement? Personally I’m tired of all the help I’m getting. Windows 8 serves as a perfect example of a productivity improvement that nobody wants. Unless your job consists of checking Facebook, the market […]
  • A Mother’s Day Post On Political ChangeA Mother’s Day Post On Political Change
    I should explain why I’m doing a political post for Mother’s Day. Last year I explained that I have to consider both my Mother and my Mother-in-law. When it comes to this blog both of them have given me strong encouragement to continue writing. They’ve only expressed one minor disappointment, both of them would like […]

Random Posts

  • Who Supports Ending Net Neutrality? Texas Senator John Cornyn, But Why?Who Supports Ending Net Neutrality? Texas Senator John Cornyn, But Why?
    I’ve always believed you shouldn’t get involved in a fight you have no hope of winning. I find it unfortunate that I’m not heeding that advice with regard to net neutrality. Still, I can’t help but wonder why Texas Senator John Cornyn supports an organization using fake comments to support its decision to eliminate net […]
  • A Look Back at Some of My Favorite PostsA Look Back at Some of My Favorite Posts
    Each post I write is a snapshot in time. Sometimes I go back to correct them or add a little more information but I’ve learned that I always need to continue looking forward. Rewriting my old posts, as much as they might need it, doesn’t give me time to write new posts.  I added the […]
  • A Look At Class Action Suits Using the Google+ SettlementA Look At Class Action Suits Using the Google+ Settlement
    When my sister asked me to write a post on class action suits, I greeted it with all the enthusiasm shown to managers showing up at the last minute asking for a white paper, before close of business. Never mind that the need has been languishing on their desk for the last two weeks. Still, […]

Random Posts

  • Who Supports Ending Net Neutrality? Texas Senator John Cornyn, But Why?Who Supports Ending Net Neutrality? Texas Senator John Cornyn, But Why?
    I’ve always believed you shouldn’t get involved in a fight you have no hope of winning. I find it unfortunate that I’m not heeding that advice with regard to net neutrality. Still, I can’t help but wonder why Texas Senator John Cornyn supports an organization using fake comments to support its decision to eliminate net […]
  • In Search of an EditorIn Search of an Editor
    I’m afraid that my mental picture of a newspaper editor is largely limited to movie characters. Perry White and J. Jonah Jameson are two that come to mind. I also assumed that they had something to do with the big picture for a newspaper but I never gave it much thought. When it came to […]
  • Hubris, An Engineering Malady?Hubris, An Engineering Malady?
    Hubris, excessive pride or self-confidence. Last year I barely understood what it meant, today I recognize it for the deadly threat it is. Speaking as an engineer, we all know how fun it is to impress our non-engineering friends and family with our near mystical understanding of all things mechanical and electrical. To be sure, […]

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From the Doghouse -It’s all about them

A look at dogs having fun!

Short Stories

With posts like these, ever wonder what kind of fiction I would write?

Random Posts

  • Reviewing My Blog MistakesReviewing My Blog Mistakes
    My nature causes me to review all my actions. This can be formally, as I do at work, or very informally, as when I review my actions of the day just before going to sleep. When I do these reviews, I try to be honest about my successes and failures. …
  • Married To An Engineer, The New CarMarried To An Engineer, The New Car
    Before you start reading, I should warn you that this post has a lot of math. It’s not complicated, it’s not difficult and you really don’t need to follow the math to get the point I’m trying to make but the math is there. I only want you to see that I …
  • Language and CultureLanguage and Culture
    I read a lot of Science Fiction and Fantasy. I enjoy the way it gives the author the freedom to explore different concepts, different rules of physics, different societies. I also don’t have to look for a deeper meaning. One of the books that really made me think was “The …
  • First Thoughts on Flying a Phantom DJ3 Advanced QuadcopterFirst Thoughts on Flying a Phantom DJ3 Advanced Quadcopter
    Several years ago, I found myself admiring a friend’s F16 RC model. It was almost five feet from nose to tail and although it had single ducted fan motor in the body to replicate the jet engine of the F16, it was supposed to be one of the fastest models out there. It …
  • Style, What It Means To An EngineerStyle, What It Means To An Engineer
    If you have an engineer within your close circle of friends, save yourself some trouble. Go to YouTube and watch “Dilbert – The Knack”. As the doctor is explaining young Dilbert’s condition he characterizes an engineer with  two statements, “extreme intuition about all things mechanical and electrical” and “utter social …
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