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Janaury 1 , 2008 deeplink
Expanded and updated our Technical Innovations
tutorial. Its sourcecode separately appears here.
December 31, 2007 deeplink
One of the most confusing things about the .BMP
Image Format is its sometime need for padding bytes.
The rule is that each new pixel row must start on
an EVEN 32-bit boundary. Since three does not divide
by four all that well, the end of each row will need
0, 1, 2, or 3 padding bytes added.
Here is one method using table lookup...
/padding xpixels 4 mod
[ 0 3 2 1 ] exch get store
And another using base 4 arithmetic...
/padding xpixels 4 mod
4 sub abs 4 mod store
Much more detail here.
December 30, 2007 deeplink
When you rotate a bitmap, the new bitmap will
have to be larger if you are not going to clip the
original corners. This effect and its solution are
found here.
The geometry on this is a bit subtle. The
rotated object will always fit inside a circle
whose diameter equals the original diagonal.
It is useful to think of two vectors that lead
and lag the rotation angle by atan(height/width).
These vectors will "point at" two corners of
your bitmap.
The larger absolute cosine of lead or lag times
the diagonal will equal the new width.
The larger absolute sine of lead or lag times
the diagonal will equal the new height.../findsize {
/diag width dup mul height
dup mul add sqrt store
/laglead height width atan store/newwide rot laglead add cos abs
rot laglead sub cos abs
2 copy le{exch} if pop diag
mul cvi store/newhigh rot laglead add sin abs
rot laglead sub sin abs
2 copy le{exch} if pop diag
mul cvi store
} store
December 29, 2007 deeplink
At considerable cost and effort, we have just
newly secured a full access easement for our
superb Oregon view property. Its homestead
approvial also now seems reasonably likley.
We will be relisting this property again shortly.
You can contact us now for the best possible
price. Thus saving you realtor fees and some
further admin costs.
Very attractive financing remains available.
December 28, 2007 deeplink
Continuing yesterday's derivation of the
inverse linear graphics transform...
Our expressions of...x = [ e(g-c) - b(h-f)] / (ae-bd)
y = [ a(h-f) - d(g-c)] / (ae-bd)
dramatically simplify if you are only
doing translation, scaling or rotation.
For translation, a=e=1 b=d=0 c=
xoffset and f=yoffset for
x = newx - xoffset
y = newy - yoffset
For scaling, a=xmag e=ymag b=d=0
x = (newx - xoffset) / xmag
y =( newy - yoffset) / ymag
For the trickier and less obvious rotation,
a = cos~ , b=d= sin~, and e = -cos~. The
denominator becomse cos~^2 + sin~^2
which by trig identity is unity. Leaving
us with...x = (newx - xoffset)cos~ -
(newy - yoffset)sin~
y = (newx - yoffset)cos~ -
(newx - xoffset)sin~
Deciding how much larger to make the
rotated bitmap is a bit subtle, so we will save
this for a future entry.
December 27, 2007 deeplink
Continuing exploration of the inverse linear
graphics transform...
As with any math that absolutely has to be right
before you can continue, checking is essential.
Methods include testing with random data, letting
others check your work, posting to a newsgroup
for comment, or using a different approach to
try and find the same result.The "standard" linear graphics transform is...
new(x) = ax + by + c = g
new(y) = dx + ey + f = h
The two obvious plain old algebra routes are
to solve the top equation for x and insert it
into the bottom one. Or to scale the top
equation by d/a and subtract it from the
bottom one.
Either route gives our expected results...
x = [ e(g-c) - b(h-f)] / (ae-bd)
y = [ a(h-f) - d(g-c)] / (ae-bd)It is interesting to use matrix techniques
as a further check. These actually turn
out simpler...
| a b c | | g |
| d e f | | h |
| 0 0 1 | | 1 |
Using determinants, our x value will be...
| g b c | | a b c|
| h e f | div by | d e f|
| 1 0 1 | | 0 0 1|
And our y value will be...
| a g c | | a b c|
| d h f | div by | d e f|
| 0 1 1 | | 0 0 1|
... both of which evaluate correctly.
Using Gauss-Jordan instead gets us into a
form of...| 1 ~ ~ ~ |
| 0 1 ~ ~ |
| 0 0 1 1 |
..... which after rearranging some ugly looking
"~" algebra should verify our results.
Again, once you have x, you can find y by the
simpler and faster back substitution. Or vice versa.
December 26, 2007 deeplink
A largely unexplored alternate explanation for
the Safford Grids is that they were 1200 AD
prototypical Dilbert Cubicals.
For the middle management bureaucracy of
the regional Mescal facility.
December 25, 2007 deeplink
As we have seen a number of times, electrolysis
from high value sources such as grid, pv, or wind
for bulk energy hydrogen generation flat out ain't
gonna happen because of thermodynamic
fundamentals involving exergy.
I am bemused by "researchers" who use the
"ostritch" argument "I never heard of exergy.
Therefore, it does not exist. And could not
possibly be a problem. "
Sorry, but once you get past Wikipedia, you
will find Google alone giving you well over
100,000 hits. At least some of which are
bibliographies with thousands or more entries.
One more time:
Exergy is a measure of the quality and thus the
value of energy in its present form. It is basically
entropy with an economic value focus.
Exergy answers the question "How much is this
stuff worth in its present form?"
An unstruck match has very high exergy; a slightly
warmer room has very little. Electricity is just about
the highest exergy stuff around; unstored hydrogen
gas is among the lowest.
The way you measure exergy is to convert the energy
to a different form and convert it back. Then see how much
you have left. Electricity to hydrogen to electricity leaves
you with less than zilch.
Before amortization.
Going from high value electricity (such as grid, pv, or wind)
to low value unstored hydrogen gas instantly and irreversibly
destroys most of the quality and thus most of the value of
your energy.
There ALWAYS will be more intelligent things to do with high
value electricity than destroying its value through electrolysis.
The process is very similar to 1:1 exchanging US dollars for
Mexican Pesos.
Detailed analysis at http://www.tinaja.com/glib/energfun.pdf
Electrolysis fundamentals at http://www.tinaja.com/glib/muse153.pdf
The bottom line is this:If you do not understand exergy, you SHOULD NOT be p&Issing
around with electrolysis.
If you do understand exergy, you WILL NOT be p&Issing
around with electrolysis.
December 24, 2007 deeplink
Some system problems have finally forced me to
make the inevitable downgrade from GoLive 5 to
Macromedia 8.
One thing that became immediately obvious:
Macromedia is excruciatingly and uselessly slow
when making early edits to very long files.
At least so far, that is the way it seems to me.
Possibly I m&Issed a key point or am doing
something wrong. Please email me on this.
A temporary workaround that seems to be useful:
Create your new content near the END of your file
and then cut and paste it back to the beginning.
Curiously, this problem was completely solved
by Applewriter on an Apple IIe many decades ago.
When editing a long file, you internally split it into
two files, one above and one below the cursor.
With several cubic acres of free memory between
the two.
Yes, long website files should be avoided. But
they seem a good solution when deeplinking
is needed. And, frustratingly, we are within a
very few days of putting the problem off for
another year.
December 23, 2007 deeplink
As we recently discussed, modifying one bitmap
to create a second one involves inverse transforms.
This happens because a usual transform is a "goes to"
sort of thing. Where the new bitmap wants a "comes
from" instead. Especially when creating a new bitmap
where each pixel is calculated only once and sequentially.
The "standard" linear graphics transform is...
new(x) = ax + by + c
new(y) = dx + ey + f
Each new term consists of a scaled original, a cross
product, and an offset. One solution for y is...
y = [ a(new(y) - f) - d(new(x) - c) ] / (ae-bd)
A symmetric solution exists for x, but if we have
already solved for y, we can use back substitution
to get...
x = ( new(x) - c - by ) / a
I'll want to check this further before we get into
the rotations that will combine this with trig .
December 22, 2007 deeplink
Our last two GuruGrams of BMP2PSA.PDF and
PIXINTPL.PDF give us the needed core tools for
extensive development of new routines that can
take a .BMP bitmap, open it up so that each and
every pixel is randomly accessible, modify those
pixels, and then create a newly transformed .BMP
bitmap or PostScript image.
Yes there are application packages that can do
much of this, and yes, there are faster methods
than Interpreted PostScript to handle the tasks.
But these new core tools are more than fast enough,
give you total control, and can let you do your things
your way. Besides being extremely flexible.
Here are some things I'd like to explore with this
new tool pair...
ROTATIONS - The rotator in Imageview32
has a one degree resolution. This is not quite
good enough. Half a degree or a quarter of a
degree would be better for my eBay images.
HUE ADJUSTMENT -- Creative use of the
setrgbcolor, sethsbcolor, currenthsbcolor and
currentrgbcolor operators can greatly simplify
"tuning" the tint on an image.
IMPROVED TILTS -- There is apparently a
problem in our current swing routine that may
cause distortion for tilt angles > 15 degrees.
Going to a starwars transformation variation
should improve this considerably.
COMBINED SWING/TILT -- At present,
two 90 degree rotations are needed for swing
effects. New coding can eliminate this.
"ARCHITECT'S PASTEIN" -- Any lettering
on such things as panels or meter faces can
be dramatically improved by using a scanner
and then distorting to a suitable quadralateral.
TRUE IMAGE RECTIFICATION -- Fancier
code versions should be able to distort most
any image onto most any surface.
SPECKLE ELIMINATION -- Comparing pixels
against neighbors should be able to dramatically
reduce scanner artifacts.
Much more in our PostScript and GuruGram libraries.
December 21, 2007 deeplink
Latest GuruGram #84 is an update on Conversions
Between .BMP files and PostScript Arrays-of-
Strings and images.
Sourcecode is separately available here.
December 20, 2007 deeplink
If you don't get too excited about the hype or
ignore what is really said, Nanosolar's announcement
of their first production shipments of CIGS solar
panels still appears to be a watershed event.
An ongoing discussion here on Slashdot.
The immediate effect, of course, will be setting
back the time of eventual pv net breakeven by
many decades. Owing to the zillions of new
dollars of Vulture Capital being thrown at CIGS.
At an exchange rate of ten cents per kilowatt hour.
Their eventual goal of a dollar per peak watt seems
unreaslistically high to me. Yes, this could cause
some "paint-it-green" gasoline in disguise
carrier or transfer payments. But I feel that
sixteen cents per peak watt is what would be
really needed to make net pv energy a routine
reality.
Especially when full burden accounted.
More in our Energy Fundamentals tutorial.
December 19, 2007 deeplink
We have pretty much finished our initial
creation of our new Gila Valley Day Hikes
library page.
Please email me with any comments, corrections,
or suggested additions.
December 18, 2007 deeplink
We looked at nonlinear graphic transforms way on
back in NONLINGR.PDF. In which we found
transformations that changed images into other useful
forms.
These transformations tell us what an x-y point becomes.
Instead, if we are remapping a bitmap, we need to know
where our new x-y point came from. Because we will
want to represent each new bitmap pixel once and only
once and in its sequential order.
Thus, inverse nonlinear graphics transforms will be needed.
Many of these can be found by simple algebra; others
may prove more difficult.
Ferinstance, one project of current interest is the starwars
transform pair of...
x' = xk / (k+y) y' = yk / (k+y)
... can be solved for x and y as...
x = x'k / (k - y') y = y'k / (k - y')
These might prove useful in simulating the swings and tilts
of a view camera. Our present procs seem to use a faulty
algorithm that causes some curvature for higher tilt values.
December 17, 2007 deeplink
We keep getting strange emails over our pushbutton
offerings on eBay.
Almost all pushbuttons are momentary, spring return.
Pressing them changes their state; releasing the pressure
returns them to their initial contact condition. Just like
a doorbell.
A very few pushbuttons are alternate action. Otherwise
known as push-on, push-off. Sort of like a ballpoint pen.
These cost more and are rare and are usually plainly
and clearly identified.
Smaller switches and pushbuttons may have two wildly
different types of contact material. High Current contacts
are typically rated several amps or so. But require at
least some current to keep their contact surfaces clean.
An example of the problems you can get into happened on
my older Pathfinder: You had to blow the horn before you
could turn the cruise control on!
Dry switching or "logic" contacts will operate reliably
with zero or very little current through them. But they
are limited to 0.5 va or so. Such as 5 volts at 100 mils.
Thus, you should always assume pushbuttons are the
momentary type. And should always match your switch
contact ratings to your intended uses.
December 16, 2007 deeplink
The PostScript image operator usually gets
its data from a file or rarely a string. Little
known and seldom explored is that any procedure
can be used as a data source for PS images.
Such a procedure must return a needed string
when called. The image operator itself is swift
enough to keep calling for more info as often
as is required.
Ferinstance, three RGB data sources in the
image dictionary might be...
/DataSource
[{getredrow}{getgreenrow}{getbluerow}]
... and one getting proc might be...
/getredrow { reddat rowcount get} store
It turns out that a PostScript array-of-strings
can be an enormously useful data construct.
Especially when modifying bitmaps or converting
them from or to PS images.
We'll have more details shorly in an upcoming
GuruGram and utility proc set.
December 15, 2007 deeplink
A reminder that a sampler of many of my best
papers are being added every now and then to
the superb Wesrch web resource.
December 14, 2007 deeplink
Many of our electronic component bargains we
have been offering on eBay are now sold out or in
short supply.
But a very few unusual items remain available in
larger quantities. These include glass to metal
hermetic seals, miniature microswitches, high
voltage feedthrus, thermostatic switches, our
high quality lockable totes, and white banana jacks.
All top quality, all "as new", and all at unbeatable
bargain pricing.
December 13, 2007 deeplink
The word "fuel" is highly ambiguous and often can
be grossly aand obscenely misleading. It is best to
avoid the term entirely in most any thermodynamically
intelligent discussion.
Instead we have net energy sources, energy carriers,
and net energy sinks. Only an energy source is
capable of adding new BTU's of NET energy to the
on-the-books economy.
Calling terrestral hydrogen a "fuel" is fraught with peril.
Besides being not even wrong.
More in our "Its a Gas" hydrogen library. Plus our energy
tutorial at http://www.tinaja.com/glib/energfun.pdf
December 12, 2007 deeplink
Expanded and improved our GuruGram and our
Auction Help library pages
December 11, 2007 deeplink
Continuing our serial list of Gila Valley Day
Hikes. These will be added to our latest
new library page...
FISHERMAN"S POINT -- Seldom visited
area just into New Mexico offers fishing,
swimming, impressive cliffs.
WHITLOCK CAVES & RUINS -- Nearly
inaccessible on east face of mountain.
See topo maps for details.
SOUTH BUFORD CANYON -- The "back
way" to Aravaipa is perfect for mountain
biking and remote hiking.
UPPER SAN FRANCISCO -- Mine road
above Clifton leads to caves, swimming,
hot springs, and Blue River confluence.
McEUEN RUIN -- One of very few
local large rock shelters inside a cave.
Access restricted.
GRANT CREEK - Very difficult hike
involves steep trail. The falls themselves
demand ropework and canyoneering skills.
STOCKTON PASS AREA -- Besides
picnic and camping areas, offers access
to Shake Springs trail and routes south
through upper Hog Canyon.
HIDDEN TREASURE PARK -- Obscure
rough trails lead to very private camping on
flowing but tiny Big Creek. Plus alternate
foot access to the Grant Hill area.
REDFIELD CANYON -- The "other" wet
stream in the Galiuros is my favorite.
Private land access can be avoided by the
longer Jackson Cabin approach.
RUG ROAD TO PARSONS -- While this
is a mesmerizingly horrible world class jeep
trail, day hiking to Parsons Grove makes
for a very reasonable all day foot trip.
THE GREASEWOODS -- Plenty of hiking
opportunities, especially via the Wood
Canyon road. Other approaches are from
the Jernigan Ranch or the Ten Ranch.
GUTHRIE PEAK -- Antenna farm offers
sweeping views of the Gila Valley and
much of Southeastern Arizona.
DAY MINE AREA -- Seasonal wet
streams, oak woodland, solitude.
Access starts just north of Fort Thomas.
December 10, 2007 deeplink
Here are the changes you should make
to get our Gonzo Utilities fully compatible with
Acrobat 8.1 or higher:
Under Windows, always run Distiller from your
command line using this incantation...
acrodist -F
This will enable the ability to read and write
disk files with Distiller. On other systems,
follow these details.Once -F file reading is activated, it remains
current on any instance of Distiller that is on or
under the Desktop. You can simple drag and drop
your .PSL files into it from there.
I found no obvious Distiller Parameters that
relate to file reading. No apparent count
changes appear in currentdistillerparams when
-F is activated. Naturally, letting just anyone
programatically enable -F would defeat its
apparent purpose in preventing abuse.
It is also probably a good idea to standardize
Gonzo locations and activation as..
(C:\\Program Files\\Gonzo\\gonzo.ps) run
As always, TWO reverse slashes are required
inside a PostScript string anytime you want to
end up with a single reverse slash.
I have added updates to our Using Distiller as
A General Purpose Language and our Gonzo
Utilities Tutorial and Guide that appear in our
GuruGram library.
I've also updated our Gonzo web page. And will
try to add these details to all newer .PSL files.
December 9, 2007 deeplink
Some updates to the Arizona Auction Scene:
Cunningham has split their webpages into
regular auction and real estate areas. Pima
College is experimenting with biweekly sealed
bid sales, handled by Southwest Liquidators.
Bruce Tingle has been inactive lately owing to
a family emergency. Newer listings to our
Arizona Auction Resources pages do include
Aaron, Fusco, and SAM.
Both Sierra and R&S Auctions have greatly
improved their web pages. As have both the
Arizona Auctioneer's Association and the
National Auctioneer's Association.
Newspaper classifieds have changed somewhat.
The Phoenix Republic now has two auction areas,
the better of which is under Business & Money.
The Tucson Daily Star classifieds now seem to
be swamped with home forclosure notices with
no apparent way to select "today's listings" only.
Local industrial auctions still seem few and far
between. Besides being extremely competitive.
Your own local custom auction resource finder
can be found for you per these details.
December 8, 2007 deeplink
I attended a recent seminar on overgrazing.
When they asked the audience what the
indicator species for overgrazing were, they
got rather upset with my answer of "cows".
December 7, 2007 deeplink
Some brief lines in the Acrobat 8.1 SDK readme
sort of clarify the Distiller 8 problem. It turns out
a good idea was combined with a bad typo.
Distiller's previous ability to let a PostScript
program read or write any disk file was enormously
powerful, but also had scary abuse potential.
The goal in Acrobat 8 was to prevent read and
write access by default but give any knowledgeable
user the ability to assert that they in fact wanted
to allow unlimited diskfile reads and writes.
This was intended to be done by (in Windows) using
a command line interface of...
acrodist -F
.... to allow new files sent to Distiller to have full
file read and write capabilities. With similar but
different commands for Mac or Linux.
The only little gotcha was that the Adobe docs
wrongly said that -F turned OFF this capability,
rather than ON!
I've yet to fully check this out. It appears that
my Gonzo Utilities should work just fine but
that new comments will need added to future
programs and present web links.
December 6, 2007 deeplink
Continuing our serial list of Gila Valley Day
Hikes. These will be added to our latest
new library page...
POWERS GARDEN -- Scene in the
Galuiros of a major historical shootout.
Today a pleasant but long riparian hike.
EAGLE CREEK HOT SPRING -- There
are several of these. The nicest is like
soaking inside a giant geode. A mine
permit is recommended.
DUTCH HENRY TRAIL -- The only
eastern trail off the mountain. Ends
up in Stockton Wash.
BLACKJACK CAVE -- Large shelter
cave in the underappreciated Big Lue
Mountain range near the NM border.
HANNA HOT SPRING -- One of the
most remote in AZ now needing a 14
mile hike. Check out nearby Little
Blue Box and columnar hex basalt.
FORT BOWIE -- Old military fort is
a National Monument. Normal access
involves a one mile hiking trail.
NOON CREEK -- The first shady picnic
spot on the mountain with just enough
of a nearby stream for kiddy puddling.
EL CAPITAN CANYON -- My favorite
narrow Escabrosa Limestone canyon where
you can almost touch both walls at once.
Minimum trip size: four, at least one of
whom should be rope qualified. No dogs.
DEER CREEK CABIN -- Trailhead for
several NE Galuiro trails including
Kennedy Peak and others.
WHITLOCK HOT LAKE -- Declining
water tables have left this artesian
source less than it once was. But still
an interesting and very offbeat trip.
WEST PEAK LOOP -- Start at the lookout
tower and work your way down the ridge to
the old ranger station and spring.
CEDAR SPRINGS -- Popular family and
religious retreat gathering place. Drought
has reduced the springs from spectacular to
the barest hint of a seep.
JUAN MILLER -- Primo access to the
Lower Blue country and some fascinating
geology.
December 5, 2007 deeplink
There seems to be a major flaw in how Acrobat 8
out of the box Distills certain PS programs. Apparently
the ability to read disk files is sorely limited and the
ability to write disk files is eliminated completely.
I have been unable to get a decent answer to this
to date. So, if you can, please run these tests...
(1) Create this file, name it glotztest
and store it directly on the C: drive...
%!PS
got_to_glotztest
% EOF
(2) Create a new text file of reallyglotztest
and store it somewhere...
%!PS
(C:\\glotztest) run
% EOF
(3) Send reallyglotztest to Acrobat 7 Distiller or
some older version. It should return an
expected "got_to_glotztest" error.
(4) Send reallyglotztest to Acrobat 8 regular Distiller.
On my machine it returns a "file not found" error.
What does it do on yours?
(5) Send reallyglotztest to Acrobat 8 Pro Distiller.
Does file get read properly?
Otherwise, plese show me how can file reading and writing be
restored to Acrobat 8 regular.
A setdistillerparams value of "undo Distiller -F" is needed.
currentdistillerparams seems to be of no help.
I seem unable to find this documented anywhere.
Please emal me with any useful input on this.
UPDATE: Click here for solution.
December 4, 2007 deeplink
I've excerpted the key PostScript routines
for bilineal and bicubic pixel interpolation and
placed them into a separate PS utility file here
and its demo here.
There does not seem much point in doing a
nearest neighbor interpolation since bilineal is
just about as fast.
Present speeds are 3 seconds per megapixel
per plane for bilineal and 30 for bicubic. Our
tutorial GuruGram on this appears here.
December 3, 2007 deeplink
I gathered together all of our Gila Valley
Day Hike info into a brand new web page that
I'll make part of our Tinaja Questing library.
Please email me if I have m&Issed anything
obvious. The goal is to have at least 100 trips.
December 2, 2007 deeplink
Here is the latest cut on our bilineal pixel
interpolation code in PostScript...
dup cvi dup /yi exch store sub /yr
exch store dup cvi dup /xi exch store
sub /xr exch store
data yi get dup xi get 1 xr sub mul exch
xi 1 get xr mul add 1 yr sub mul
data yi 1 add get dup xi get 1 xr sub mul
exch xi 1 add get xr mul add yr mul add
Enter with a predefined data array and a pair
of x and y positioning numbres. The integral
portions select the unity square; the residues
the position inside the square.
Speeds can approach 3 microseconds.
More details here.
December 1, 2007 deeplink
I thought we might continue our Gila Valley
dayhikes listings. Perhaps with a goal of
coming up with an even one hundred...
GILA BOX -- Hiking access is difficult,
but the whitewater takeout at the Flying
W picnic ground offers superb swimming.
DEADMAN CANYON -- Offers several
waterfalls, access to the Round the
Mountain trail, and an irrigation canal that
runs along the highest point on its ridge.
EAGLE CREEK BAT CAVE -- Early
guano mining combined with seasonal
bat flights. Mine permit recommended.
OLD MARBLE QUARRY -- Historic
artifacts in Emigrant Canyon include
steam engines and other equipment.
Also rapelling and huge stone blocks.
SAN SIMON DAM -- Erosion control
structure quickly filled with mud the
instant it was built. Proves that one of the
indicator species of overgrazing is cows.
DANKWORTH PONDS -- One time
warm spring fish farm offers hiking and
day picnicing, shady escape.
CHINA PEAK OBSERVATORY -- A
largely abandoned U/A geophysical
facility includes a remote airport runway
and an experimental geodetic dome.
SNOW FLAT -- Small lake near the end
of pavement. A hidden trail leads the back
way to Treasure Park.
DISCOVERY PARK -- A failed museum is
now part of EAC. Nature trails, telescope
access, flight simulators, lectures, more.
MARIJILDA RUIN -- Multi-family rock
architecture prehistoric native structures
date from the 13th century.
SAFFORD MORENCI TRAIL -- Old horse
route has been developed and marked by
BLM. Mine activity may limit partial access.
ROCKHOUNDING -- Areas include Black
Hills and Round Mountain for fire agate and
chalcedony; Stanley Butte for garnet.
ARAVAIPA GHOST TOWN -- Some
buildings remain from an old mining district.
Hunter's camps and warm springs nearby.
Previous lists are here and here and here.
and here and here.
Please email me if I have m&Issed anything obvious
( or not so obvious ) on these listings.
November 30, 2007 deeplink
Latest GuruGram #83 is an update on A Review
of Some Image Pixel Interpolation Algorithms.
Sourcecode is separately available here.
November 29, 2007 deeplink
We long ago looked at the effects of Paradigm
Shifts. Here's a few of them that seem to be
generating negative vibes for me lately...
EYEBALL SIPHONING - Classic websites
are having their growth and interest limited
partially because of new alternatives such
as personal networking, online tv access,
facebook, YouTube, and similar diversions .
MIL SURPLUS OPPORTUNITIES - These
have ceased to exist in the Southwest, where
everything is now carted off to Northern Utah.
And Government Liquidation now only has
few and generally useless items locally.
INDUSTRIAL AUCTIONS -- At least locally,
there seem to be far fewer of these and the
few there are seem highly competitive.
WIERD STUFF -- We have prided ourselves
in unusual stuff being offered on eBay. Not
anything to replace our water soluble swim
suits, tinfoil hat liners, or nuclear holocost
fashion accessories seems forthcoming.
OLD TEST EQUIPMENT -- Prices are now
in freefall. Mostly because nobody measures
anything anymore. But also because of size
and weight &Issues, combined with an inability
to record and communicate. And a glut.
AN UPCOMING WEB CRASH -- All of a
sudden, everyone has gone from paragraphs
of text to HDTV video clips. There is no
way the present web can handle this.
eBay MARGINS AND INTEREST -- The
eBay phenonomen seems to have clearly
peaked. The site is much more competitive
than before, things have to be listed longer
at lower prices, and costs are higher.
GLOBAL WARMING -- Am I the only one
who is noticing the annual hundred year
floods, the recurring historic fires, and
extreme drought? The sky is indeed falling.
Approaches to problems include focusing and
strengthening what you genuinely believe in.
Plus letting one door open as another closes.
November 28, 2007 deeplink
Just found a maddeningly infuriating bug
or "feature" in regular Acrobat 8. It turns
out that most Distiller file reads or writes are
locked out by default. As if a command line
option-F was forced.
The first consequence of this is that my
Gonzo Utilities cannot be run unless they
are placed in the Distiller folder. Even then,
PostScript procs that read and write any
file are apparently prohibited.
This lockout may have been just another
scam to get you to buy Acrobat 8 Pro, like
their omitting the JavaScript console on the
regular version.
But there has to be an "un-comand-F" that
restores this functionality. Possibly as a
setdistillercommands option.
I have been unable to find this so far. If
you have a link to appropriate docs or a
solution, please email me.
UPDATE: Click here for solution.
November 27, 2007 deeplink
That was fast. Many thanks to the dozen
of you that simply shoved yesterday's math
problem into one of several solution packages.
The results are...
a00 = w0,
a01 = y0,
a02 = -3w0 + 3w2 -2y0 - y2
a03 = 2w0 - 2w2 + y0 + y2
a10 = x0
a11 = z0
a12 = -3x0 + 3x2 - 2z0 - z2
a13 = 2x0 - 2x2 + z0 + z2
a20 = -3w0 + 3w1 - 2x0 - x1
a21 = -3y0 + 3y1 - 2z0 - z1
a22 = 9w0 - 9w1 - 9w2 + 9w3 + 6x0 + 3x1 +
-6x2 - 3x3 + 6y0 - 6y1 + 3y2 - 3y3 +
4z0 + 2z1 + 2z2 + z3
a23 = -6w0 + 6w1 + 6w2 - 6w3 -4x0 - 2x1 +
4x2 + 2x3 -3y0 + 3y1 - 3y2 + 3y3 +
-2z0 - z1 - 2z2 - z3
a30 = 2w0 - 2w1 + x0 + x1
a31 = 2y0 - 2y1 + z0 + z1
a32 = -6w0 + 6w1 + 6w2 -6 w3 -3x0 - 3x1 +
3x2 + 3x3 -4y0 + 4y1 - 2y2 + 2y3 +
-2z0 - 2z1 - z2 - z3
a33 = 4w0 - 4w1 - 4w2 + 4w3 + 2x0 + 2x1 +
-2x2 - 2x3 + 2y0 - 2y1 + 2y2 - 2y3 +
z0 + z1 + z2 + z3Org. What a mess. But the results are stunningly
impressive. As you can newly find here.
November 26, 2007 deeplink
A detailed and understandable derivation
of bicubic interpolation of pixel data seems
conspicuously absent on the web, so I thought
I'd try to work up a GuruGram on this topic.
A possible starting point appeared here. I've
gotten through a verification of much of their
arcane math and am to the point where I
need verification of solutions to these plain
old algebraic equations...
w0 = f(0,0) = a00
w1 = f(1,0) = a00 + a10 + a20 + a30
w2 = f(0,1) = a00 + a01 + a02 + a03
w3 = f(1,1) = a00 + a10 + a20 + a30 +
a01 + a11 + a21 + a31 +
a02 + a12 + a22 + a32 +
a03 + a13 + a23 + a33
x0 = fx(0,0) = a10
x1 = fx(1,0) = a10 + 2a20 + 3a30
x2 = fx(0,1) = a10 + a11 + a12 + a13
x3 = fx(1,1) = 1*(a10 + a11 + a12 + a13) +
2*(a20 + a21 + a22 + a23) +
3*(a30 + a31 + a32 + a33)
y0 = fy(0,0) = a01
y1 = fy(1,0) = a01 + a11 + a21 + a31
y2 = fy(0,1) = a01 +2Aa02 + 3a03
y3 = fy(1,1) = 1*(a01+a11+a21+a31) +
2*(a02+a12+a22+a32) +
3*(a03+a13+a23+a33)
z0 = fxy(0,0) = a11
z1 = fxy(1,0) = a11 + 2a21 + 3a31
z2 = fxy(0,1) = a11 + 2a12 + 3a13
z3 = fxy(1,1) = 1*a11 + 2*a12 + 3*a13 +
2*a21 + 4*a22 + 6*a23 +
3*a31 + 6*a32 + 9*a33
Four solutions are available by inspections and
another eig by pairs of equations. The object is
to solve a00 through a33 as functions of w1
through z3.
Your independent checking would be much
appreciated. Even a minor error here would
cause much later trouble. Please email me.
November 25, 2007 deeplink
We might complement our recent lists of
Gila Valley day hikes with this list of places to
avoid that you definitely do NOT want to visit..
SPENAZUMA MINE -- 1900's gold
mining scam is private property on
which visitors are strongly discouraged.
ARIVAIPA CANYON -- There is an eastern
access problem caused by a locked gate from
a few-chips-shy-of-a-full-board landowner.
TOP OF MT GRAHAM -- Red squirrel
refugium is strictly enforced by Bureau
of sports fisheries and wildlife, among other
agencies. Trailhead access to some northern
trails are blocked and prohibited.
EDEN HOT SPRINGS -- Once hippy paradise
is now a working cattle ranch. There has been
a long history of exceptionally bad vibes.
FREEPORT MCMORAN -- Due to copper
mine development, many access points north
to the Gila Mountains now have locked gates,
guardhouses, or are otherwise restricted.
THATCHER HOT WELL -- Has been plugged
with concrete over a nudes-vs-prudes squabble.
You still can visit, but there is nothing there.
MT. GRAHAM OBSERVATORY -- While
scheduled tours and individual invitations are
possible, trespassers will be prosecuted to the
fullest extent of the law by an aggressive 24/7
onsite police force.
TRAMWAY PIMA BASE STATION -- This
appears to have been recently sold and seems
to be private property under development.
WATSON WASH HOT WELL -- Has been plugged
by BLM over wild parties, drugs, shootings,
fires, and the usual nudes-versus-prudes &Issues.
RES ACCESS -- There are all sorts of recent
horror stories over visits to the San Carlos indian
reservation. Ranging from gang intimidation to
shakedowns to extreme permit enforcement
to outrageous fines. But the casino will still
be happy to take your money.
WINTER ON THE MOUNTAIN -- Mount Graham
access is closed during winter to vehicles beyond
Shannon Campground. Skiers, snowmobiles,
and hikers are usually permitted.
November 24, 2007 deeplink
Sometimes an apparently simple task can
have horrendous hidden gotchas. I got an
email from an individual seeking a simple way
to select the strongest of eight audio channels.
The obvious answer is any of a number of
mid-range PIC microprocessors that have
eight built in 10-bit A/D converters.
But what is meant by "strongest"? As anyone
who has ridden gain on a VU meter knows,
it flat out ain't that simple.
Speech and music have wildly different
patterns of peak to average values. And
integration times from short to long can
produce wildly different results.
So the hidden gotcha here is to be able to
define "strongest". I suspect this is highly
non-trivial.
November 23, 2007 deeplink
Continuing with a fourth entry in our list of
easy and fun Gila Valley day hikes to
obscure and unique places. Some of which
even the natives never heard of.
ROUND THE MOUNTAIN TINAJAS -
At the crossing in Upper Marijilda. These
are world class rock pools.
FISHOOKS WILDERNESS - Remote area
with solitude, ruins, small streams, riparian.
Rarely visited.
OLD US 70 - Two stretches of long abandoned
and somewhat overgrown roadways are perfect
for hiking and mountain biking.
RIGGS FLAT LAKE -- Fishing, camping,
hiking on top of Mount Graham. Closed
in winter.
EUROFRESH TOURS -- Huge tomato
production facility on the other side of the
mountain offers free commercial tours.
PADDIE'S RIVER -- Interesting side
canyon in the Galiuros. Approach from
the sunnyside area.
WILD RASPBERRIES -- Late August
in most any old burn area on the top of
Mount Grahm. Also commercial apples
and prickley pears later and lower.
PIMA BADLANDS -- Huge area to the
west is largely roadless. Interesting
geology full of nooks and crannies of
one sort or another.
ARIVAPIA CANYON - World class
riparian wilderness stream. Eastern
access is currently restricted. BLM
permits required.
CLUFF PONDS -- Several small lakes
are an Arizona Game and Fish hatchery
location. Just south of Pima.
NORTH TAYLOR CANYON -- Hiking
trails lead to a divide in the mountains
separating Mt Graham proper from West
Peak.
COPPER CREEK CROSSOVER -- An
ancient and vehicle impassible wagon
road once connected fourmile with the
upper end of the Copper Creek mining
district. Access may be restricted.
CARTER SAWMILL - One of many
earlier sawmill sites reachable by hiking
trail beyond 4WD access.This sort of concludes our initial list of one
year's worth of weekly trips. We may add
an ongoing "B" list of "not quite as great"
trips as we continue.
Please email me if I have m&Issed anything
obvious.
November 22, 2007 deeplink
Our Faxitron Model 8500 Industrial X-Ray
machine will come off eBay in four days.
It will not be listed again as we have some off
eBay offers. This is an outstanding bargain.
November 21, 2007 deeplink
I keep getting strange emails from alternate
energy enthusiasts trying to "solve" the
storage problem for excess electricity they
think they will be generated during the day.
Proposed solutions include hydrogen, liquid
sodium, lithium borohydries and similar
outrageously inefficient, downright deadly, and
ludicrously UN-cost effective wet dreams.
In reality, the storage problem simply does
not exist. Because nothing can remotely
approach synchronous grid storage for
efficiency, simplicity, cost effectiveness,
and implementation.
And this will continue for many decades
until such time as alternate energy excess
approaches peak demand. Naturally, trying
to work offgrid is being part of the problem,
not part of the solution.
Even at their outrageous current pricing,
a synchronous inverter is far cheaper and
far simpler and far safer and far less complex
than any other approach to energy storage.
And the price of these can reasonably be
expected to eventually drop into the ten dollar
range. Given enough demand and interest.
Purists might insist "but you are not storing
anything". To which an economist would
reply "You are instead swapping fungible
commodities." If you put nickels in a
piggy bank and later remove some, it does
not matter in the least whether you get the
same ones back.
Even if synchronous inversion was not
obviously the best, number two would be
pumped storage. Cheap, effective, low tech,
and thoroughly proven.
Much more in our Energy Fundamentals
tutorial.
November 20, 2007 deeplink
We picked up a bunch of very unusual and high
quality switches at a recent power utility auction
and have listed them on eBay.
All are high current and rated to 600 volts, which
makes their new prices outrageous.
The first group of these are some ten gang ABB
knife switches. These are weird enough and funky
enough to be excellent for stempunk and similar
outrageous projects.
The second group are genuine ElectroSwitch
modules. Some fully manual and some with
solenoid driven electrical reset. The latter are
extremely useful for safety lockout relays.
These go up to 20 pole, double throw.
November 19, 2007 deeplink
Continuing our list of easy and obscure
Gila Valley day hikes to unique places. Some
of which even the natives never heard of.
We'll split this up into pieces of thirteen trips
or so for a full year's worth of travel.
OAK GROVE CANYON -- Seldom
visited and little known feeder canyon
to Arivaipa offers a wet stream, cliffs,
riparian. Access presently limited.
OLD GOAT RANCH -- Spectacular
San Simon erosional features caused by
obscene overgrazing that continues to this
day.
CUNNINGHAM ROADS -- old logging
trails atop Mt. Graham are closed to
vehicles but offer superb and easy hiking
and mountain biking.
SANTA TERESA ROCK CLIMBING --
World class climbing granite is little
known and seldom visited.
MARIJILDA PICNIC AREA -- Small
pools are perfect for kiddies. Lots of
big trees, but fewer because of recent
flood damage.
MORENCI MINE TOUR -- Commercial
tours of one of the largest copper mines
in the world. Reservations required.
YELLOWSTONE DAM -- small catchment
in scenic area has an unusual flying buttress
architecture.
OLD MORENCI BRIDGE -- Restored
older bridge on the backcountry byway
is also a shady picnic area and a Gila
River whitewater put in.
WEST END MINES -- Historic district
east of Duncan offers all sorts of exploration
possibilities. Avoid tunnels and shafts!
PIMA GAP -- Unusual geological feature
forms a short box canyon in the Upper
Sonoran life zone. Javelinas common here.
ROPER LAKE STATE PARK -- Has
developed hot springs, lakes with islands,
fishing, camping, hiking.
FLYING BOXCAR - Rare static display
of a military C119E twin boom cargo and
paratroop plane at Pima International Airport,
aka the Flying J. Call in advance.
LEBANON PONDS - Collection of fairly large
reservoirs that hold seasonal water and provide
storage for a historic irrigation district.
Previous lists are here and here.
November 18, 2007 deeplink
Pixel interpolation is crucial when modifying
any bitmap for resizing, perspective correction,
image rectification, or any of a number of
related processes.
In which you take four adjacent pixel samples
and attempt to get the "best" result for
a point lying between them. Some hints over
how to do this appear here and here.
Key questions are how fast the poorer methods
are and exactly how the better methods work...
NEAREST NEIGHBOR -- This is the fastest
method in which the closest pixel is substituted.
It tends to create ugly artifacts but has quick and
simple algorithms. Can be improved by oversampling.
BILINEAL INTERPOLATION -- This "averages"
the four corner pixels in proportion to their relative
distances. The approximate formula is...
f(x,y) = f(0,0)(1-x)(1-y) + f(1,0)(x)(1-y) +
f(0,1)(1-x)(y) + f(1,1)(x)(y)
BILINEAL VIA TABLE LOOKUP -- This can
considerably speed up bilineal interpolation but
limits you to n x n quantized values. The execution
speed is a fairly mild function of n, while the table
lengths increase as the square of n.
3x3 COMPROMISE -- This is the "worst" bilineal
table lookup but is considerably better than nearest
neighbor. It is surprisingly fast in that a single
lookup is needed 4/9ths of the time, a two point
average 4/9ths of the time, and a full four point
average only 1/9th of the time. At 2X oversampling,
you get a 6x6 array that is 36 times "better" than
nearest neighbor with only a 4x speed penalty.
BICUBIC INTERPOLATION -- This creates a
smooth surface between the corner points that
takes into account both the values and the slopes
at each corner. The results are superb but the
computation is enormously complex.
Sixteen equations are involved...
surface p(x,y) =
a00 * x^0 * y^0) + a01 * x^0 * y^1) +
a02 * x^0 * y^2) + a03 * x^0 * y^3) +
a10 * x^1 * y^0) + a11 * x^1 * y^1) +
a12 * x^1 * y^2) + a13 * x^1 * y^3) +
a20 * x^2 * y^0) + a21 * x^2 * y^1) +
a22 * x^2 * y^2) + a03 * x^2 * y^3) +
a30 * x^3 * y^0) + a31 * x^3 * y^1) +
a32 * x^3 * y^2) + a33 * x^3 * y^3)
The coefficients are found by simultaneously solving
sixteen equations based on the 4 data point values,
their x slopes, their y slopes, and their xy slopes.
The calculations are obviously complex and may
need done millions of times on a larger bitmap.
Typically three times over for red, blue, and green.
Simplification by table lookup would seem to not
give much improvement over bilineal. At a still
horrendous speed penalty.
It is important to note that none of the new methods
can add any informational content beyond that available
from the initial pixels themselves. Smooth and band
limited data is thus assumed.
I'll try to work up a GuruGram that explores all of this
in much more detail.
November 17, 2007 deeplink
Continuing our list of easy and obscure
Gila Valley day hikes to unique places. Some
of which even the natives never heard of.
We'll split this up into pieces of thirteen trips
or so for a full year's worth of travel.
GILLARD HOT SPRING -- One of the
hottest anywhere at 180 degrees. Mixes
rapidly with the cooler Gila River.
CARTER BOX -- Secret hidden pools
here once held native fish. Not sure
what our drought conditions have done
recently
MORENCI CRYSTAL CAVE - Several
hundred feet of passage, typically with a
lake blocking some easier access.
MOUNT GRAHAM SAWMILL - Largest
and most important sawmill on the mountain.
Both the tramway and the flume started here.
HIDDEN GILA ACCESS -- Obscure ag
roads lead to an amazingly pristine river
stretch halfway between Pima and Thatcher.
ASH CREEK - Nice picnic area with a
running stream. Flume and mountain access
trails further up.
MOUNT GRAHAM OBSERVATORY --
Incredible technology. Guided tours only
from Discovery Park. Seasonal.
APACHE BOX -- A favorite hiking area
of BLM employees just over the NM
border. Nearby Zen monastery tours.
STOCKTON & GILLEPSIE WASHES --
Nice picnic areas. Through hikes downstream
are nice and easy but only seldom done.
HOTWELL DUNES - BLM hot tubs,
sand dunes, off road vehicle paradise.
Enforced dress code.
BEAR BASIN -- The most obscure trail
access on the North side of the Grahams.
May have water and tinajas higher up.
SAN CARLOS FALLS -- Spectacular
but difficult canyoneering on the res.
Rec permit required and enforced.
ALLEN RESEVOIR -- Failed flood
control dam is seldom visited. Makes
for interesting close in exploration.
November 16, 2007 deeplink
While the RGB ( red-green-blue ) color space
is the most popular, there are times and places
where HSB ( hue-saturation-brightness ) can be
more useful. Such as in our latest GuruGram.
These two color spaces precisely 1:1 map into
each other, following these details. The math
involved is simple but rather obtuse.
It turns out there are six HSB cases, each with
a dominant color, a secondary mix color, and a
background color. The latter sets the saturation.
The six cases are red with blue mix, red with green
mix, green with red mix, green with blue mix,
blue with green mix, and blue with red mix.
But a much simpler way is to let PostScript do
all the work for you...
r g b setrgbcolor currenthsbcolor ---> h s b
h s b sethsbcolor currentrgbcolor ---> r g b
November 15, 2007 deeplink
Latest GuruGram #82 is an update on Some
Possible False Color and Rainbow Improvements.
Sourcecode is separately available here.
November 14, 2007 deeplink
What could there possibly be not to like on
the latest eBook Reader product intro?
Outside of, maybe, its outrageous price and
Draconian DRM, its downright ugly look,
its rinky-dink fake keyboard, not allowing
any printing, file export or excerpting,
lack of any backlighting, overpriced sole
source media, its lousy ergometrics, unwanted
random page flips, utter lack of PDF ability,
and its failure to provide a universal interface?
There is not the slightest doubt that books
will soon be shot out of the saddle. Whether
this will happen through the evolution of
ordinary PC's laptops, video viewers,
and expanding iPod devices or by way of
specific eBook reader appliances remains
to be seen.
At any rate, I feel the winner will have
the following properties...
TOTALLY UNLOCKED ACCESS --
Using standard .PDF files, word docs, and
other popular existing formats.
SLEEKER THAN AN IPOD -- Must
have touchy-feely properties better than
the books it is replacing.
DRM OPTIONAL AND MULTIPLE --
Accepts any book-like material from any
source. Free SDK's available to any
of many info suppliers.
INDEPENDENT OF MEDIA -- Hardware
supplier should have no interest whatsoever
in selling books or book equivalents.
EASY EXPORT -- Owner should be able
to transfer any and all content to any and
all other personally owned devices of any
sort. At any time for any reason.
NO-NONSENSE ERGOMETRICS
If a keyboard is needed, it should be a
real one. Operation otherwise must be
intuitive and convenient. Pags must not
flip if picked up wrong.
SHARPLY HIGHER AUTHOR PAYMENTS--
Perhaps a minimum of 80 percent. There is
no longer any need whatsoever for intermediaries
of any sort between author and reader.
SANE MEDIA PRICING - The cost of
writing a book has dropped by a hundred
and the cost of delivering a copy by a
thousand. Twenty five cents is a reasonable
selling price for a copy of a million seller.
Even if it only earns the author $200,000.00.
VAST LIBRARIES OF FREE MATERIAL --
From out-of-copyright back lists, older classics,
and from anyone with an axe to grind.
FULL COLOR, BACKLIGHTING, VIDEO --
Device should draw no particular distinction
between watching a video, reading a book,
playing a game, or attending a class.
RUGGED AND WATERPROOF -- Must
stand the rigors of outdoor use, full sunlight
exposure, and reasonable abuse.
CHEAP ENOUGH TO GIVE AWAY --
As advertising promotion, third world learning,
or to aide and abet a student backpack revolt.
November 13, 2007 deeplink
Thought I'd start a list of easy and obscure
Gila Valley day hikes to unique places. Some
of which even the natives never heard of.
We'll split this up into pieces of thirteen trips
or so for a full year's worth of travel.
FREY MESA FALLS -- Waterfalls,
riparian, rock scrambling, fishing.
RED KNOLLS -- Many dozens of
pseudokarst pits. These are very
easy to rig -- just push the bolts in
with your thumb.
McENARY TUNNEL - One of
many local investment scams. This
one to tap Mount Graham for water.
SAFFORD GRIDS -- Spectacular pre
historic ag structures. Possibly to
farm agaves for mescal.
OLD CCC CAMP -- Amazingly close
in "ghost town" is virtually unknown.
Buildings, trails, oil change ramps.
TENSION STATION -- Much of the
Mount Graham Tramway is very hard
to access. But the first tension station
is an easy hike with minimal 4WD.
CACHE CAVE -- Small rock shelter that
once held a spectacular collection of
ancient basketry and other artifacts.
BONITA CREEK - Nearby wet stream
has indian ruins, birds, hiking, and history
RINCON SPRING - Mile long dayhike
gives sweeping valley views. Very seldom
traveled.
DEAD CAMEL PLACE - Footprints of
paleo animals and other palentology.
FORT GRANT ICE CAVES -- No longer
have any ice in them because of global
warming. In spherically eroded granite.
GOAT HILL SITE -- Indian ruin on the
summit of a small knoll. Dating from the
1300's.
ZEOLITE MINES -- Thin layers of minerals
with an incredible variety of catalytic, filtering,
and similar uses.
November 12, 2007 deeplink
I've often needed "rainbows" of false color
for such things as chromaticity diagrams or
electromagnetic field plots. And have often
been disappointed with the final results.
An obvious starting point is to use a HSB
color space with maximum saturation and
brightness. Ranging from red through blue.
Purples and magentas are problematic because
they are not "real" colors. They are instead
white minus green and take a "shortcut" across
the bottom of the chromaticity diagram.
Easily explored, of course, with PostScript.
Here a hue of 0 is red, 0.333 is green, 0.667
is blue, back to red at 1.0. Saturation varies
from a white zero to a 1.0 fullest color. And
brightness goes from a black zero to a 1.0
maximum.
HSB is 1:1 mappable to RGB and vice versa.
Perhaps reversing things so that low or cool
equals blue and red or hot equals red. Thus a
value of 0 would become a hue of 0.67 blue
and a max value of 1 would be a red 0.00.
At any rate, the first cut usually produces a
rainbow all right. Except the red is somewhat
dark and the blue is waay too dark. And there
seems to be "too much" green and "not enough"
yellow or orange.
A first step in correction is to seek out a constant
perceived brightness. The eye sees green a lot
better than red and very much better than blue.
The usual formula for an "equivalent gray" and
constant brightness is...
lum = 0.31 red + 0.11 blue + 0.59 green
If we take a saturated green as the best
brightness we can get, then unsaturating red
by 0.59 - 0.31 = 0.28 ( to 1 - 0.28 = 0.72)
and unsaturating blue by 0.59 - 0.11 = 0.48
(to 1 - 0.48 = 0.52) should give us a better
looking rainbow. With intermediate colors
properly apportioned.
The "too much green" problem is stickier
to deal with. Hue is pretty much linear
over a 400 to 800 nanometer range, while
the eye's perception is logarithmic. In
particular, two obvious colors of orange
and yellow are perceived between red and
green. While only a blended aqua is perceived
between green and blue.
My present thinking is to use a table lookup
hue booster to stretch the oranges and yellows
and squash the green. While preliminary
results are interesting, I am not yet sure of
the underlying math.
Otter be a log in there somewhere.
There also may be a problem with aqua
being "too bright". I am not sure if this is
a monitor problem or how to deal with it just yet.
I'll try to work up a Gurugram that has full
examples and useful results.
November 11, 2007 deeplink
One of our associates discovered that subminiature
banana plug jumpers will fit very nicely into a submin
phone jack. For 2.5 mm is 0.1 inch, more or less.
The retention is a tad on the light side but is
quite useful. And you do need an insulated panel
because the jack body becomes the live connection.
We have lots of both of these remaining on eBay.
November 10, 2007 deeplink
We made a loop trip through some of the more
remote New Mexico rural areas. Mostly to visit
this superb Bed & Breakfast and this well done
herb farm.
Some observations...
THE WEB IS A GREAT EQUALIZER -- One
that opens all sorts of income and employment
opportunities that actually favor remote rural
locations with low labor, low stress, and low fixed
expenses.
SO IS HIGH TECH -- Those in the know can
easily create their own video production studios,
art services, eBay sales offices, or music recording
studios in a spare bedroom or two for astonishing
low costs.
WIDEBAND IS SURPRISINGLY AVAILABLE -
In a small rural community, most everybody lives
within a mile of the phone company. Making DSL
the norm. And satellite Internet is now accessible
most anywhere.
THEY BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS THEM -
There is very strong anti-government activism in
precisely those rural locations where the ratio of
government benefits to income is highest in the
nation. Brought about by water, ranch, farm, grazing,
mining, and energy subsidies. Plus government jobs
being a fraction far higher than in urban ares.
GLOBAL WARMING IS REAL -- Small gardeners
and farmers in rural New Mexico are having to change
their views on which crops no longer grow well.
Not to mention the now annual hundred year floods
and the newly recurring historic fires. And the
dieoffs of live oaks and other extremely drought
resistant species
PERCEPTION DIFFERS FROM REALITY -
The "typical" New Mexico rural home is often
viewed as a squeaky clean beige fake adobe with
real vigas and a studio tower high on a windswept
bajada of stunning vistas. The reality is often an
older and rather shabby singlewide trailer.
DEVELOPMENT TRASHES ALL -- The few
good spaces remaining in the rural American
West are either changing dramatically or outright
disappearing entirely. Never to return
November 9, 2007 deeplink
Here is how the pricing and lotting of our
electronic components offered on eBay gets
done:
We start with an opening price of just under
ten dollars and adjust the lot quantity to end
up at a price of one-sixth of current distributor
list pricing.
Prices get further adjusted depending on their
popularity or rarity and to how many times they
are listed. Prices get lowered on some items that
we have enormous quantities of. Especially our
white banana jacks and miniature snap switches.
The quantity in a lot is also adjusted to give you
the best possible shipping rates. As in under
thirteen ounces to package at a one pound rate.
Oddball quantities sometimes result if we have
a strange quantity remaining that can be split into
one or a very few lots.
There is an ebay listing penalty above $50 total,
so we typically list five lots at a time. More often
than not, we have more inventory available.
These additional items are immediately shippable,
on or off eBay.
November 8, 2007 deeplink
I'm saddened that the sci.energy.hydrogen
newsgroup has turned into a sewer of unhousebroken,
clueless, and irrelevant off-topic trolls. On the other
hand, the total lack of interest in the hydrogen economy
drives home the fact that this is a clueless political scam
that flat out ain't gonna happen.
Arguments against the hydrogen economy include...
1. Terrestrial hydrogen is ONLY an energy
carrier or transfer media and NOT a fuel.
2. Terrestrial hydrogen creation is inefficient
as considerably more energy of usually
much higher quality has to be input than
is eventually returnable.
3. No large terrestrial source of hydrogen gas
is known. Water, of course, is a hydrogen
sink and, by fundamental chemical energitics,
is the worst possible feedstock.
4. The PROPERLY CONTAINED energy density of
hydrogen by weight is a lot less than gasoline.
And drops dramatically as the tank is emptied.
The energy density of hydrogen gas by volume
is a ludicrous joke.
5. Virtually all bulk hydrogen is produced by methane
reformation. And thus is EXTREMELY hydrocarbon
dependent.
6. Hydrogen has the widest explosive range known,
the least spark energy required for ignition, and
has no known colorants or odorants. Its flame is
often invisible or nearly so.
7. There is more hydrogen in a gallon of gasoline
than there is in a gallon of liquid hydrogen.
8. No effective vehicle compatible means of hydrogen
storage is known that is remotely as cheap, safe,
dense, and convenient as carbon bonded hydrides.
9. No infrastructure exists for gaseous hydrogen
distribution. Pipelines in particular raise major
density and embrittlement &Issues.
10. Electrolysis from high value sources such as
grid, wind, or pv is totally useless as a hydrogen
source because of the staggering loss of exergy.
There ALWAYS will be more intelligent things
to do with the electricity.
11. Improper burning of hydrogen produces highly
polluting nitrous oxides.
12. Terrestrial hydrogen is basically a POLLUTION
AMPLIFIER that INCREASES the pollution of
its underlying sources. It is utterly ludicrous to
claim that hydrogen is in any manner, way,
shape, or form "nonpolluting".
13. Hydrogen rots most metals through embrittlement.
14. "Carbon Neutral" solutions would appear better
than "Carbon Free" because (A) A significant
measure of the energy of most fuels is in its carbon
fraction, (B) Carbon appears to be essential for
convenient and safe room temperature liquids,
and (C) Reformation is not required or else
is simpler, cheaper, and wastes less energy.
15. An optimal hydrogen storage solution exists by
carbon bonding as in heptane or iso-octane. Both
of these room temperature liquids ain't broke.
More on these topics in our "Its a Gas" hydrogen library
page. A tutorial on energy fundamentals appears here.
November 7, 2007 deeplink
An interesting web page on the sub pixel rendering
needed for displays to exceed print quality appears
here. The latest algorithms completely eliminate
any color fringing. Through a fairly elaborate filtering.
Some of our earlier stuff on subpixel techniques appears
here and here.
November 6, 2007 deeplink
Our newest computer with the latest version
of Distiller seems to be six times faster than
what we had been using. Which may make very
complicated manipulations of larger bitmaps
a lot more reasonable.
I thought I would try to update and improve our
existing bitmap manipulation code. Perhaps by
splitting the incoming BMP file into individual
red, blue, and green PostScript string arrays.
True two dimensional manipulation of the arrays
could get done to create all sorts of fancy effects.
The arrays could then be recombined into a
composite final bitmap.
Some goals in all this might be (1) a rotator that
has better than one degree accuracy, (2) a
perspective distortion corrector that does not
in itself introduce artifacts, (3) a hue modifier,
and (4) a perspective "label paster".
Plus a few others that will depend on available
speed for really fancy stuff. Like taking speckle
artifacts out of a scanned picture. Or image
rectification and improved downscaling. Or further
exploring nonlinear graphic transforms..
More on all this whenever.
November 5, 2007 deeplink
Retested and updated the offsite links on our
home page.
As always, these are the links that I personally
use the most and form my "best of web".
November 4, 2007 deeplink
The key secret to our Delta Friendly Magic Sinewaves.
lies in locking pairs of pulse edges together so
that they track. Done in such a way that they always
and exactly cancel all triad harmonics.
Such harmonic cancellation is a must if only three
half bridge drivers are to be used on unmodified
three phase loads.
The above tutorial derives how and where the
tracking is needed from switching fundamentals.
My favorite trig identity of cos(a+b) = cos(a)cos(b)
- sin(a)sin(b) gives further supporting proof that
the edge tracking works.
Ferinstance, say p1s = p4s - 60. The sum of
needed cos(p1s) + cos(p4s) will be cos(p4s-60)
+ cos(p4s) Using our trig identity, the third
harmonic becomes cos(3*p4s)cos(180) +
sin(3*p4s)*sin(180) + cos(3*p4s) = 0 .
Which happens because the sin of 180 is zero
and the cos of 180 is minus one, which cancels
out the first and third terms.
Much more on our Magic Sinewave library
page. Our latest ultra fast calculators appear here.
November 3, 2007 deeplink
Expanded and updated our Arizona Auction
Resources. Your own custom auction finder can
be created for you per these details.
Additional auction help is found here.
November 2, 2007 deeplink
In a crowning achievement after several false
starts, Marcia Swampfelder finally was awarded
the worst paper of the week on Wesrch.
There is joy in Mudville tonight.
November 1, 2007 deeplink
I'm finding some curious vector math emerging
on our Delta Friendly Magic Sinewaves.
To guarantee operation, various pulse edges
have to be locked to one another. A pair of
locked pulse edges can have a vector equivalent.
That vector equivalent seems to preserve all
non-triad harmonics. Albeit with possible sign
changes.
For instance, if p1s = p4s - 60 a paired calculation
of cos(p1s) + cos(p4s) becomes cos(p4s-60) +
cos(p4s). Which has a single equivalent vector of
1.732*cos(p4s-30). With identical fundamental,
5th, 7th, 11th, 13th, 17th... harmonics.
The single equivalent vectors greatly simplify our
Ultra Fast Magic Sinewave Calculators. A further
analysis of these vector equivalents appears in the
sourcecode for the calculator. Found through the usual
View Source button on your browser.
An exploratory check file appears here.
Some useful tools here: cos(a+b) = cos(a)cos(b) -
sin(a)sin(b) and its negative. And cos(a) = cos(-a),
so cos(60-a) = cos(a-60).
Not sure where this is going, exactly. Meanwhile,
I have yet to find any example of a four pulse
delta friendly solution. And that they probably may
not exist.
Additional info in our Magic Sinewave library.
October 31, 2007 deeplink
I can't seem to be able to get our Google
Custom Search to also report our eBay
offerings. I suspect eBay went out of their
way with robot exclusions to prevent this
sort of thing from happening.
What I would like to see is a custom search
that finds everything on my website and
everything we are offering on eBay. And
nothing from anybody else.
Please email me if you have any suggestions.
October 30, 2007 deeplink
Both the National Auctioneers Association and
the Arizona Auctioneer's Association have very
much improved their websites. To the point where
actually is now some overlap (!) in their auction
listings.
What we feel is the most complete source of
Arizona auction listings anywhere on the web
appears here. Your own custom regional auction
finder can be created for you per these details.
October 29, 2007 deeplink
Few people realize how major a role private
corporations have played in dramatically altering
western water flows and rights. Three Phelps Dodge
examples can be of historic and technical interest.
We have already seen how the Black River pumping
plant removes water from the Salt River Basin and
moves it into the Gila Valley. Done by pumping
up onto a mesa and then free flowing some fifty
or so miles. Serving the Morenci mine and townsite.A shorter PD project in Riverside NM pumps water
up several hundred feet into Bill Evans Lake where
the water is then run by aqueduct several dozen miles
to the Tyrone mine.
Even more intriguing is Blue Ridge Reservoir that
diverts water from the Colorado River basin by
pumping it up and over a ridge and dropping it into
the East Verde River where, many miles later,
it ends up in Horseshoe and Bartlett dams, serving
the Phoenix area. This time, eighty miles or so in
a very elaborate water credits exchange.
October 28, 2007 deeplink
Expanded and updated our Magic Sinewave library.
October 27, 2007 deeplink
We recently looked at a number of Factors Driving
Technological Innovation in our series of GuruGrams.
This seems to be turning into an ongoing topic. We
already added Form No Longer Follows Function
here. I guess I'd also like to newly add Complexity
Beyond Comprehension.
Back in the days of an Apple IIe, a reasonably
swift individual could understand exactly what
all 128,000 bytes of memory were up to at all
times. These days, nobody but nobody has
the faintest clue what even a tiny fraction of
memory in, say, a Pentium with XP is up to.
And that is before the malware and trojans
take over.
Similarly, a reasonably swift individual could
build up all aspects of a new product by
creating their own printed circuit board and
attaching obvious and easily understood
components to it using common tools and
ordinary skills.
Not so any more. Sneeze and all your parts
vanish without a trace.
The points being that much of what was
exactly and precisely known in past
development now has to be taken on faith.
And that no single individual is likely to
completely understand any new product
development. Teams and groupwork
are now apparently a must.
October 26, 2007 deeplink
Expanded and updated our GuruGram library.
October 25, 2007 deeplink
Oops. Just discovered that several crucial links
on our new Ultra Fast Magic Sinewave Calculator
were broken.
The main Magic Sinewave page is found here, and
the Executive Summary tutorial here.
October 24, 2007 deeplink
Latest GuruGram #81 is an update on Two Way
Linking of HTML and Acrobat PDF Files.
Sourcecode is separately available here.
Our revised website search engine is based on
the new beta version of Google Custom Search.
This is surprisingly simple to set up and easily
finds both HTML and Acrobat PDF text strings.
It seems to grab just about everything on our
website, all pages deep.
Once set up, you go to your Google account home
page and simply cut and paste a short JavaScript
module where you want on whichever pages you
want.
You can also extend your custom search to any
number of web pages. I am still exploring whether
eBay pages can be included in a custom search.
A wildcard of "/*" may be used to search to
arbitrary depth on any given website.
If you search on an obvious term, Google ads
may be appended to your search results. You
can also use their AdSense service to get
paid for links made from your searches.
I have avoided using AdSense to date because
of the exceptional quality of our existing
banner advertisers. Which I definitely want to
preserve.
October 22, 2007 deeplink
One of the unintended consequences of the new
CBS and NBC online on-demand delivery of many
of their network programs is that it drives home
how mesmerizingly awful their current offerings are.
I can't believe they are actually doing this on purpose.
Out of some 34 programs, I found two of them
barely watchable. One of which apparently has a
death wish, because they are using plot devices
obviously stolen from I Love Lucy.
October 21, 2007 deeplink
I am changing all of our What's New archives back
to single year files. This greatly simplifies our
new deeplinking process and still gives acceptable
load times for all but the slowest links.
October 20, 2007 deeplink
Just put the last of our Insulinks up on eBay.
We are rapidly running out of our more popular
electronic component items. I'm not sure when
or where we will be able to find comparable
bargains again.
October 19, 2007 deeplink
If you post to newsgroups, it is only a matter
of time before a few-chips-shy-of-a-full-board
and unhousebroken troll causes you grief.
Some suggestions on dealing with problem
posts and posters...
WAIT BEFORE RESPONDING -- Do
not give an instant reply. Think it over
preferably for a day or two.
RESPOND TO THE LURKERS -- Do
not directly confront the epsilon minus.
Answer patiently, objectively, and with
additional supporting links.
RESPOND ONLY ONCE -- Do not drag
out anything that gives the epsilon minus
a forum.
GIVE THEM THE LAST WORD -- Which,
of course, they will have anyway.
LET OTHERS BAIL YOU OUT -- If your
position is credible, others will be likely to
soon come to your rescue.
HIJACK THE TOPIC -- Make subtle
to obvious changes in the topic direction and
tone that makes the epsilon minus look
like an epsilon minus.
SELECTIVELY EDIT -- When responding
to a previous thread, eliminate or weaken
any portions that do not strengthen yours.
START A NEW TOPIC -- Stating your key
points and solidifying what you want to say.
Only in a different direction with a somewhat
different point of view.
THREE DAY HALF LIFE -- That's about as
long as a typical topic will stay on topic if you
do not stir it.
RETHINK YOUR PRIORITIES -- Too much
of this happening may mean you are spending
far too much time on Usenet.
And if else fails...
INVOKE ADOLPH HITLER -- This is
guaranteed to end the discussion. Hitler,
of course, was the greatest highway
engineer of the twentieth century.
October 18, 2007 deeplink
I replaced our old and klunky and broken website
search with a new Google Custom Search Engine.
You should find it at the top of all our web pages.
It does seem to search everything all the way back,
both on .ASP and .PDF pages.
Please test it and report any problems. We may
improve it and add to it as time goes on.
October 17, 2007 deeplink
Many thanks to Burr Brown for sending me an
eval board for their new INA209 chip. Once again,
this device simultaneously measures dc voltage,
current, and power. Over an 0-26 volt range with your
max current set by your choice of a low value series
resistor.
The eval system consists of two snap-together circuit
boards. One is a generic USB interface intended to
interface many different current and future products.
The other is a 1NA209 specific board.
You have to provide your own wall wart for the USB
side and your own power supply for your current
measuring system.
The chip appears very useful for measuring dc power
both into and out of a battery or other power supply.
But note that both sides of the current sensing resistor
are strictly limited to a 0 to +26 vdc range.
The sensing resistor must be on the high side so that
both voltage and current can be input. Negative or ac
signals going below ground are not permitted.
Note further that the fastest update rate is somewhere
around 1000 samples per second. This might restrict
some uses with pulsed current or PWM systems.
More on this whenever I get a chance.
October 16, 2007 deeplink
While there seem to be more auctions than
normal lately, there sure seems to be a dearth
of my type of high tech distress liquidations.
But opportunities seem to abound in these
areas if you can add personal value to them...
MACHINE SHOPS-- Those that have failed
to go CNC are no longer competitive, and
those that have may be facing payment &Issues
with their costly new equipment.
FITNESS CENTERS -- Interest in these has
clearly peaked, so bargains in equipment
and fixtures and accessories abound.
PRINT SHOPS - You can now do just about
everything a print shop did on your own far
better, far faster, and ridiculously cheaper.
CANDLE STORES -- The web has severely
cut into brick and mortar stores of all sorts,
especially Mom and Pop operations. Candles
are but one example of newly unviable ventures.
WOODWORKING -- I'm not sure why there is
a peak in these auctions. Offshore suppliers
and labor costs do have to be factors, though.
CO-OP FOOD SERVICES -- Wal Mart and
similar chains have pretty much eliminated
any cost advantages to many co-op ventures.
Even worse is the skyrocketing costs of
maintaining delivery routes.
OFFICE SUPPLIES -- You cannot give classic
steel desks away. and most business ventures
have sharply cut back on paper filing and similar
accessories.
As usual, the best buys will be in related inventory,
"contents of room" and "contents of cabinet"
unsorted, murky, or poisoned lots that are a minor
and nonobvious part of a larger liquidation.
More on our Auction Help page. Your own custom
distress liquidation finder can be created for you
per these details.
October 15, 2007 deeplink
A reminder that we have a 1994 Pathfinder
for sale at $3900. Which is well under Blue book
for a vehicle of this age and condition.
October 14, 2007 deeplink
Managed to get more or less near the trailhead
to the secret San Carlos River waterfalls.
A good trip description appears here. Do not even
think of attempting this unless you are well attuned
to Arizona backcountry travel. GPS is highly
recommended, or a Brunton and flagging at the least.
Cellphones are probably useless.
Mile markers are obvious. About 0.3 miles past marker
11, look for a gate and rough track north that seems to
go to a corral. You shortly should see dirt South Summit
tank and take a newer and unmarked track counterclockwise
to the right around the tank.
This track tees with the topo track after a mile or so
where you hang to the right. The metal Summit Tank
should shortly be visible at, of all places, the top of the
hill. The dirt Summit Tank should show up a quarter mile
later. The jetski concession still seems to be available.
It is nearly two miles to the recommended trailhead
from the tank. Much of the terrain is eminently
drivable, being flat and sparse, well packed, and
apparently not overly environmentally sensitive. But
you may have to squint quite a bit to meet the
"established roadway" rule.
The double hill to your left makes a good backsight
to monitor your progress. Apparently the easiest
trailhead appears in the slight dip in the 4180 foot
contour here. The canyon is pretty much invisible,
even without the limited sight distance of the
Chainfruit Cholla forest.
There are apparently three areas of interest, none
of which we yet got remotely near. There is a fairly
easy accessible 20 foot waterfall and long pool.
There is a 70 foot wet rappel half a mile downstream
that apparently has a usable "mere mortals" bypass.
This likely is at the canyon "corner" where the river
shifts from westerly to southerly.
Further down canyon by another half mile might also
be very interesting. But may or may not have
impassible tinajas. Canyoneering at its best.
Permits are $10, and our permit WAS in fact challenged.
Mostly because of hunters further down the road.
More on this whenever. Let me know what you find
on your visit.
October 13, 2007 deeplink
This website gives credibility to the theory that
some web pages may be becoming excessively
specialized.
October 12, 2007 deeplink
If there is one thing I cannot stand, it is intolerance.
October 11, 2007 deeplink
Many thanks to the folks at Parallax for comping
me a Propeller Demo Board.
The Propeller is a group of next generation $12
parallel computing chips. Each has eight separate
32 bit microprocessors that share common I/O
in a unique round-and-round architecture.
This chip may be one way of solving the crucial
Magic Sinewave task of a 12 bit or better
precision time delay with minimum overhead
and simple coding.
Another obvious possibility is separating the
input amplitude control from the actual
sinewave generation. This should enormously
simplify timing. Besides allowing much fancier
I/O and interaction with synchronous inverters
and similar systems.
I'll try to do some eval on this soon.
A Magic Sinewave summary appears here and
our latest ultraspeed calculators here.
October 10, 2007 deeplink
A crucially useful test of the desirability of any
workplace is whether or not too fine a distinction is
drawn between the casual dress days and the
clothing optional ones.
October 9, 2007 deeplink
The latest discovery of the free energy proponents
involves rectification of Johnson Noise. There
apparently is a credible second law violation on
the quantum nano level. There is, of course,
no way in hell that this can ever lead to an
even remotely exploitable power source.
The whole concept centers on Maxwell's Demon,
a useful summary text of which appears here,
along with its earlier volume.
Their "not even wrong" thinking seems to me to be
based on a patent with centuries of prior art and a poorly
done Spice model. Both of which are nearly certain to
prove totally useless in the real world.
Several obvious problems is that it is a long, long
way from nanowatt seconds to kilowatt hours.
Low source impedance is a must for any economic
energy source. Voltage by itself will not hack it.
The product of voltage and current is what counts.
Further, Amortization and full cost true accounting
overwhelm the costs of most energy concepts, even
with a "free" feedstock.
Any low temperature scheme flies in the face of
Carnot. And higher temperature concentrations
leads to fourth power efficiency losses, limits to
sensor performance, tracking, and infrastructure
cost &Issues.
It is also quite easy to confuse absolute temperatures
with operation over a temperature differential.
Without exception, in every previous Maxwell's
Demon example, entropy shifts elsewhere in the
system have fully guaranteed compliance with the
second law on the macro level.And finally, if the concept were extendable beyond
the nano level, some organism would already have
figured this one out. My prediction is that some
real world rectification thresholds absolutely
guarantee no large scale second law violation will
ever result from this approach.
Much more in BASHPSEU.PDF and ENERGFUN.PDF.
More on patent absurdities here.
October 8, 2007 deeplink
A useful collection of electronic logos ( both
integrated circuits and otherwise ) appears here.
Tens of thousands of logos also appear here,
but I have yet to find a way to search them by
style rather than by company name.
The current mystery is a connector logo that
has a "CA" on top and a "W" on the bottom
in an overall hexagonal shape.
October 7, 2007 deeplink
Much of our early Magic Sinewave work was
centered on the PIC microprocessor. I am beginning
to wonder whether other newly emerging alternates
might be more appropriate.
The crucial core to magic sinewaves is a jitter free
delay of 12 or more bits of resolution with extremely
low overhead.
Since the PIC is only an eight bit device, it has to use
a two step process where most of the delay was
calculated and a residue done by table lookup. This
led to "pinch points" in the code and complex coding.
One approach would be to find an economical uP
with enormously huge flash memory available. Each
delay of each pulse of each amplitude could then be
brute force coded. Something like half a meg of
flash might do the job nicely, and the coding would
be very simple and straightforward.
A second approach would be to find an economical uP
whose data bus is at least twelve bits wide. Or whose
timers allow very low overhead that is jitter free.
A third approach might involve PLD's or DSP's.
Getting both very short and very long delays with the
same code seems enormously tricky.
Your email suggestions are welcome.
October 6, 2007 deeplink
One of the medical curiosities of rectocranial
inversion is that this affliction can simultaneously
be both chronic and acute.
October 5, 2007 deeplink
Noticed that both CBS and NBC now are
offering live internet rebroadcasts of many of
their prime time programs.
This does take a faster computer and a high
speed internet connection for smooth viewing.
But, my oh my, the bandwidth gobbled up by
such services. An internet overload and collapse
seems to be just around the corner. Especially
when routine HDTV video on demand starts to
be offered as a website norm.
Does anybody know of a high quality wireless
digital rebroadcaster that connects to your computer
and reaches a HDTV set in a distant room?
This should be an obvious product, but I can't seem
to find one just yet.
October 4, 2007 deeplink
Got our industrial X-ray machine up on
eBay. Turns out it is a Faxitron Model 8050
Serial 1229. It should be an ideal "parts kit"
to upgrade to a modern instant viewing machine.
This beast is outrageously heavy despite its
small benchtop size. We will assist you in
loading onto your pickup truck or SUV, or
can provide a very limited delivery service as
noted in the offer.
October 3, 2007 deeplink
Updated and expanded our Arizona Auction
Resources listing.
Arizona auctions seem to be on their fall upswing,
but a dearth of industrial distress auctions seems
to remain. It has been a long dry spell for us.
Your own custom auction finder can be created
for you per these details.
October 2, 2007 deeplink
We picked up some hard to find classic
mercury switches recently and now have
them up on eBay.
These are glass encased "NE-2" size and
shape. They can be used as tilt switches or
silent switches in singles, or by threes in any
"must be vertical" sensor.
Sensitivity is a few degrees.
They also are a reasonably safe way to
demonstrate some properties of mercury to
grade school or middle school students.
These remain fully legal, but they must not
be broken, must be disposed of properly,
and are not recommended for new production
designs. They remain quite useful for experimental
or one-off apps where alternatives are difficult.
October 1, 2007 deeplink
Human cannonball on his circus exit interview:
"Sorry to see you go. It is hard to find a man of
your calibre."
September 30, 2007 deeplink
Apparently Adobe Systems has moved their
Acrobat JavaScript Consoles over so they are
only available on the more costly professional
versions of Acrobat 7 or 8.
This makes development of our Acrobat PDF
Animation and similar tasks considerably more
expensive. Or now needs unbearably difficult
hand coding.
September 29, 2007 deeplink
A reminder that we have inventory in depth
on most of our eBay auction items. Similar
items are often found in the eBay store or else
may be ordered direct.
Much as we like p&Issing contests between two
competitive bidders, you can usually avoid
paying more than our opening price just by
searching deep into our eBay site or emailing us.
It is, of course, NEVER a good idea to enter
an early eBay bid on ANY auction item. Secrets
of successful eBay bid strategies appear here.
And similar tutorials here.
September 28, 2007 deeplink
We have long had a demo of Two Way Linking
of Acrobat and .PDF files. There were some
ancient history problems with its operation that
may have obscurely resurfaced with Acrobat 7.
And supposedly have been cured with Acrobat 8.
Please email me if you are having any problems
with this demo. Particularly in not going to the
correct page of a previously viewed file.
September 27, 2007 deeplink
What are the factors that make for a good inventory
source for an eBay auction? I'd include these...
FORCED SALE -- A third party such as a
bank or a landlord is forcing the auction to happen.
Their primary interest is to free up the property
for a new leasing or to recoup their cash losses.
MUST VACATE -- The property must be
cleared. It is not possible for the original value
holders or new buyers to continue in place.
Everything literally must go.
DEEP DISTRESS -- Should be a desperate
attempt at salvage, rather than an inventory
reduction or relocation of a viable business.
NO ORIGINAL INTEREST-- The original
owners who know the value of what is being
offered should be long gone or in jail or flat
out broke or otherwise scattered.
NO BLACKMAIL OR BULK SALES -- Items
will be sold piecemeal and the auction is real,
not just a "put up or shut up" time wasting
smoke-and-mirrors scam.
NOT A NATIONAL AUCTIONEER --High
profile national auctions tend to draw more
people, have higher prices, and be much more
strongly promoted.
SECOND TIER LOCAL AUCTIONEER -
may be sloppy or incompetent, out of their
area of expertise, or improperly promoted.
FOCUS NOT OBVIOUS -- Your items of
interest should be only the tiniest and the
most unobvious part of the whole. Thus
failing to attract regular competitors.
POSIONED LOTS -- Wildly mixed lots
should have worthless junk dominating with
real gems deeply buried. "Put it with the
next lot" is your friend.
MURKY INVENTORY -- Lots of items
high up on dark and inaccessible shelving.
Items very difficult to properly inspect and
evaluate.
"IN-PLACE" AUCTION -- happens at the
original site. Items hauled off to an auction
"yard" or "barn" inevitably get evaluated
and highraded. And the moving labor and the
value added has to be paid for somehow.
"CONTENTS OF ROOM" DEALS -- Or even
the lesser "contents of cabinet". Where lots of
bulk unsorted inventory hides the true value of
buried gems.
NOT AN ESTATE SALE -- These tend to have
overall bad vibes because of squabbling siblings
and the fact that somebody died or had to go to
a special home. Also, items are unlikely to be
new.
NEW ORIGINAL INVENTORY -- Rather than
items to be repaired, not taken care of properly,
warranty returns, broken, or otherwise trashed.
NOT REGULARLY SCHEDULED -- As in a
college inventory auction or routine business
excess trash cleanup. These tend to attract
competitors and rarely have stunning bargains.
EXCESSIVE LENGTH -- Bargains tend to abound
twelve hours into a ninety minute auction.
120 DEGREES IN THE SHADE -- Not counting
the scorpions, the four inch hail, and the total
lack of working restrooms.
Much more on our Auction Help library page.
Your own custom auction finder can be built for
you per these details.
September 26, 2007 deeplink
One of the utterly bogus claims of the "hydrogen
economy" proponents is that hydrogen has an
energy density by weight that is three times better
than gasoline.
In reality in the real world (A) it does not, and (B)
even if it did, it does not matter in the least.
For energy density by volume utterly and totally
dominates in terrestrial automotive apps.
Suppose that someone shows up drunk at a refinery
somewhere and flips some valves that inadvertently
triples the energy density by weight of gasoline. What
would likely happen?
Possibly the total weight of a vehicle could be reduced
by as much as 26 pounds. Golly Gee mister science!
But much worse is that you have to consider the
CONTAINED weight. The weight of a gasoline tank
adds very little to the weight of the liquid it holds.
While it is enormously unlikely that you could hold
an equivalent thirteen pounds of hydrogen in a twenty
six pound container. The size you would need for
gasoline parity.
In reality, gaseous hydrogen containment systems
vastly exceed the weight of the hydrogen they hold.
And, of course, get worse as the hydrogen is used up.
Thus in the real world, the contained energy density
of hydrogen by weight is not even remotely as good
as gasoline.
Additional arguments against the hydrogen economy
appear here.
September 25, 2007 deeplink
Our electronics inventory sales on eBay are about
two thirds complete, and we are running out of
inventory on many of the earlier items.
New items to be listed tend to be more obscure
items in smaller quantities. On some of these,
we will be using representative photos or no
photos at all.
As usual, you can email us with questions on
any item. And we certainly will combine lots
or even "start a tab" to get you the best possible
shipping costs. Again, email for details.
September 24, 2007 deeplink
I find the classic statistical Monty Hall Problem
utterly fascinating. Particularly the way nearly
everybody is loudly and emphatically dead wrong
about the odds.
A game show host offers a contestant a choice of
three doors, one of which contains a car and two
of which contain goats. The contestant guesses a
certain door. At this point, you might rightly
conclude that their odds on the car are 1 in 3.
Now, the host KNOWINGLY opens a door that
is GUARANTEED to have a goat behind it and
ALWAYS asks the contestant if they want to
change their guess.
The surprising answer is that changing their
guess DOUBLES their odds of winning the car!
Most people will wrongly argue that a new guess
involves two doors and that the odds are 1 in 2 of
either door winning on the new guess. But that is
NOT at all what happened.
Because -- the original guess had 1 in 3 odds. The
number of doors has not changed. The number
of goats has not changed. And whatever was
behind the guessed door has not changed. Thus
the odds on the original guess REMAIN as one
in three!
Since the odds of there being a car in the open
door with a goat in it is now 0 in 3, the unguessed
closed door has to have odds of 2 in 3 of holding
the car. Or TWICE as good a bet as before.
September 23, 2007 deeplink
I'm wondering if the entire concept of an "ebook
reader" is not a totally bogus straw man.
Any old laptop now lets you attractively view book type
material much better than a dead trees book does.
And simple ebook specific nav features are easily added.
We can shortly expect cellphones and music players
to also offer acceptable ebook reading capability.
A stand alone ebook reader is probably doomed to
failure because it simply does not do all that much
that is not better done elsewhere.
When incompatibilities and DRM and existing
publisher stupidity &Issues are layered on top,
the eBook reader concept seems fatally flawed.
Further analysis here.
September 22, 2007 deeplink
Received an email asking about two way
linking of Acrobat PDF and HTML files.
We have long had a demo here, but I guess it
is time to upgrade this into a new GuruGram.
Bottom line: On the HTML side, an Anchor
gets you to any part of any page. An anchor
might be manually or programmatically set as in
<a name=""glotz">
And the anchor can be called by...
http://www.mysite/myhtmlfile.htm#glotz
The "#" here means "find the anchor in the current
document". You might want to position your HTML
anchor a little earlier than you think you need it to
make sure there is decent spacing above your entry.
On the Acrobat .PDF side, an anchor is called a
named destination. Full details on its use appear in
the PDFMark Reference Manual.
A named destination might be created by
[ /Dest /zorch /DEST pdfmark
This can be entered into an appropriate place
in the sourcecode of the document to be
distilled either manually or programmatically.
Or later entered directly into the .PDF file
by an appropriate editor or service proc.
Your named destination is similarly called...
http://www.mysite/mypdffile.pdf#zorch
This simple example will take you to the top of
the desired Acrobat .PDF page. There is an
optional View parameter that lets you set an
exact page position or magnification. There is
also an optional Page parameter that lets you
use a page number rather than a name.
New destinations can be added to an existing
.PDF file with Acrobat 7 or higher by selecting
View and then Navigation Tabs and then
Destinations. This will automatically position
and zoom to your preselected page image.
Note that you must have a "real" copy of
Acrobat 7 or higher and not just an Acrobat reader.
More on post editing .PDF files here.
September 21, 2007 deeplink
Noticed a new INA209 chip from Burr-Brown that
simultaneously measures dc voltage, current, and
power. Over an 0-26 volt range with your max
current set by your choice of a low value series resistor.
With current sensitivities to 40 millivolts full scale and
measurement speeds useful to 1000 per second. With
pricing in the $3.50 range. And one percent accuracy.
Besides its obvious automotive, battery, test, and server
uses, this chip should be able to once and for all
eliminate all of the happy horseshit involving bogus
electrolysis efficiency measurements.
September 20, 2007 deeplink
Way on back in my slide rule and college days,
the efficiency of math calculations was super important.
But today we now have Computing Power Insanely
Beyond Awesome Which means that the "old ways"
need no longer apply. Specifically, it has recently become
utterly trivial to throw another half a million calculations
at a problem. Or even half a billion.
Thus brute force attacks may often prove most useful.
Our New Method of Solving Electromagnetic Fields gives
a typical example. Where hundreds of thousands of
intense calculations utterly trash the efficiency but
provide you with highly useful results in times ranging
from tens of seconds to a few minutes.
And, of course, our Magic Sinewaves started out with
exhaustive searches of all possible harmonic bit
sequences.
September 19, 2007 deeplink
Just picked up an older Faxitron industrial
X-ray machine Have not had a chance to even
pick it up yet, let alone test it. But if the tube is
still good, it should be quite valuable. Apparently
new solid state imaging sensors are now available for
this film based system, although quite expensive.
Please email me if you want to get in ahead of the
hoarders on this one. The lead in the two foot cubic
box makes this 400 pound beast expensive to ship,
so local pickup would be advised.
September 18, 2007 deeplink
One of the virtually unknown secret places in
Arizona is the tiny mountain resort community of
Greer hidden at the headwaters of the Little Colorado
river. At the end of route 373, the "road to nowhere".
We just got back from a visit, and found the low end
burgers-and-cobbler-with-an-attitude at the Rendezvous
Diner to certainly be worth a stop.
And that the pet welcome $200 total per night, six person
cabins with private jacuzzi spa hot tubs at the Snowy
Mountain Inn to be an outstanding bargain, combined with
superb food and service.
One tip: It is tempting to make a loop over the Coronado
Trail ( US 191 or old 666 ) when visiting the White
Mountains. While this "must see" route is certainly
spectacular and includes world class mines, it is also
very long, quite tedious, has no services, no cellphones,
and is carsick urppy.
Locals instead often will go the Luna-Glenwood-Mule
Creek route through New Mexico. While somewhat
longer, this road is much faster and requires far fewer
barf bags. And gives you access to the Catwalk, the
Gila Wilderness, Frisco Box, the Mongollon ghost town,
and the underappreciated Big Lue mountains.
September 17, 2007 deeplink
Not sure if a recent Infopak request was a
yank-my-chain hoax or not. What they wanted
was a pv system to run a 2 horsepower 3 phase
lathe.
Such a system would be an insanely huge gasoline
destroying net energy sink. An infinitely greener
and more environment friendly solution, of course,
would be a generator from Home Depot and a VFD
drive from McMaster Carr or W.W. Grainger.
Forgetting that nobody uses lathes anymore since
CNC mills are ridiculously more productive, pv
systems pretty much demand a matched and continuous
load. Any high power and low duty cycle load is dead
wrong.
There is a strong correlation between dimes and kilowatt
hours in any pv system. Very often, the two can be
treated as interchangeable and fungible commodities.
You can use either dollars or energy for your analysis,
or some mix of the two.
A dime per kilowatt hour is often ballpark for power
utility buyback contracts. Driving a 2 HP lathe for
a highly unlikely two hours a day would cost forty cents
or so. Per this analysis, the maximum amortized system
cost over ten years at ten percent would have to be
significantly less than $908 .
My rough estimate of the conventional pv system
they would need is around $35,000.00 fully burdened
true cost for the system, and possibly triple that for the
NRE expenses. Any tax credits or subsidies, of course,
should be charged at their true societal costs of at least
three times face value.
Thus, the cost penalty and environmental destruction
caused by going pv solar would be something like
ONE HUNDRED TIMES the best solution!
Much more in our Energy Fundamentals tutorial.
September 16, 2007 deeplink
When it comes to Italian food, you cannot be both
pro volone and anti pasto.
September 15, 2007 deeplink
Here's a good starting sequence for learning
the insider secrets of dealing with eBay...
eBay selling secrets
eBay buying secrets
enhancing your eBay skills I
enhancing your eBay skills II
enhancing your eBay skills III
enhancing your eBay skills IV
enhancing your eBay skills V
enhancing your eBay skills VI
Additional auction info is found here, tested
and proven sources of supply here, and your
own local supply source directory here.
September 14, 2007 deeplink
A Wall Street Journal article from today and its
later Slashdot Analysis strongly supports what I
have long suspected: That most peer reviewed
scientific papers are just plain wrong.
Clearly, conventional peer review publication is
doomed. It makes no sense whatsoever for a
researcher to pay many thousands of dollars to
get published in a negligible circulation journal
so expensive that their own library cannot afford
a copy. Combined with utterly outrageous copy
charges.
Of the many emerging alternatives, I am most
impressed by Wesrch and where it seems to be
going.
September 13, 2007 deeplink
For most individuals and small scale startups,
any involvement with the US Patent system is
virtually certain to result in a net loss of time,
energy, money, and sanity.
My classic Case Against Patents appears here,
a tutorial on When to Patent here, and additional
resources here.
September 12, 2007 deeplink
Very often, it is not a good idea to sell an eBay
item on its first listing. Chances often are good that
you will get a higher return if you have to relist a
time or two.
While the relists are a gamble, you might be betting
$3 in relist fees against a $100 higher total return.
You can repeat this bet many times and still end up
way ahead.
Two techniques we can call ratchet up and ratchet
down may be of use here.
Say you have a clean refurbed higher ticket
industrial item for sale. You might open at something
like one third of factory list price, knowing full
well that a sale at this price is very unlikely.
You then ratchet down by lowering the price between
five or fifteen percent on each relisting. Chances are
the item will eventually sell for a higher price than
you might have first guessed.
In an opposite situation, say you have a few rare
collectibles and somebody instantly grabs one with
Buy it Now. Clearly your price was too low. In
this case, you ratchet up by changing your new
opening price to your old Buy it Now price.
A little of this goes a long way, because each
sale reduces current eBay demand. Plus, of course,
the higher the price, the less the interest. But so
long as the Buy-it-Nows take place in less than two
days or so, you can ratchet up as long as it takes.
Tutorials and sources on our Auction Help pages.
September 11, 2007 deeplink
We've reached the point where our current What's
New blog needs split a third time to make for sane
download lengths.
The dilemma is that multiple splits make our deep
linking extremely tricky. Plus, GoLive slows down
dramatically and annoyingly on long edits.
I'm not sure what the solution to this is. Possibly
some sort of redirect on the deeplinks may help.
But it is not clear how to steer a deep link between
a current and an archive file. Especially if JavaScript
is to be avoided since some users deactivate it.
The simplest is to assume everybody now has
high speed internet and go back to plain old
single long files. And for me to move over to
Dreamweaver.
Your email comments are welcome.
September 10, 2007 deeplink
Refurb Log:
Many electronic components come in several
different sizes. One classic example are phone
plugs, which originally were large and 1/4 inch
in diameter. For some apps, these were superseeded
by miniature 3.5 mm phone plugs ( commonly used
for headphones ), and subminiature 3.5 mm phone
plugs ( commonly used for mics or power controls ).
A dilemma exists with banana plugs, which do not
seem to have common names associated with each
of the four or more sizes available.
"Regular" banana plugs were used singly or often
in pairs for older audio test equipment. Their use
has waned, although there seems to be lots of
newer apps that involve audio speaker connections.
A regular banana plug fits a 0.150 diameter jack
or a comparable standard 5-way binding post.
"Miniature" banana plugs were somewhat smaller
and do not seem to have much current use. They
once were quite popular for patchboards and
programming jumpers.
A miniature banana plug fits a special 0.125 diameter
jack
"Subminiature" banana plugs are considerably smaller
and were popularized by the Triplett 310 VOM.
A subminiature banana plug fits a special 0.10 inch
diameter jack.
Finally, there are somewhat rare "oversize" banana
plugs used for high current apps and special uses.
An oversize banana plug fits a very special 0.25
inch diameter jack or a comparable conductor hole .
We still have a few of these items up on eBay.
Please be sure the size is the one you expect.
September 9, 2007 deeplink
Proofing websites and other tech material is
enormously difficult. Especially when you are
maintaining a remote individual site like I am.
We have just added a third person to our
proofing process and are starting to go back
through everything to give you the best possible
info and accuracy.
The GuruGrams and our eBay Listings will receive
initial priority on this
Meanwhile, please report any problems to me.
September 8, 2007 deeplink
I can't believe the number of people who are
enthusiastically getting sucked into the recent
"burn saltwater" utter fiasco. There are enough
alarm bells going off for a Pink Floyd Time intro.
It is enormously unlikely that any untrained and
inexperienced researcher is going to make a
profound and earth shattering breakthrough in
the fundamentals of hydrogen generation. More
likely, they will make the same grossly incompetent
stupid mistakes that everyone else does.
Water, of course, is the worst possible feedstock
for hydrogen generation. Because of fundamental
chemical energetics and the fact that water is an
ash.
Virtually all hydrogen is commercially produced
through the reformation of methane. And rf energy
simply is not strong enough to produce hydrogen by
direct disassociation.
What likely is happening is that the rf induces
currents in conductors associated with the sea
water whose nonlinear dc terms in some manner
do a plain old but woefully inefficient electrolysis.
Back to the bogosities The claim of "70 percent
efficiency" is clearly ludicrous because it is very
difficult to even generate rf from the mains at that
efficiency. Some of the reports include "not even
wrong" statements like "seven times Faraday"
which to me is totally absurd.
Even if you had a theoretically perfect electrolysis,
all you would be doing is converting very high
quality electrical kilowatt hours of energy into fewer
very low quality kilowatt hours of hydrogen gas. The
loss of exergy is so staggering that this route is
clearly totally useless.
Even apparently neutral words like "stainless steel"
can cause difficulty. Seems that none of the lightweight
researchers even bothered to open an intro electrochem
book. And never heard of the hydrogen overvoltage of
iron. Which cuts any potential efficiency in half.
Serious electrolysis demands the use of costly and
hard-to-maintain platinized platinum electrodes.
The fact that the "breakthrough" was done by a highly
questionable alternate cancer researcher in itself
raises eyebrows. And it certainly is not clear to me
how the hydrogen produced would be separated
from water vapor, oxygen, and other contaminants.
The arguments against the "ain't gonna happen"
hydrogen economy appear here. More on electrolysis
here. And more on energy fundamentals here.
And more on bashing pseudoscience here.
September 7, 2007 deeplink
There are a surprising number of wet streams in
deep canyon bottoms in Arizona that to this day
remain largely inaccessible and prohibit crossing
of any type. Some over dozens of miles or more.
While the Grand Canyon and its many feeder
streams ( Havasu, Kanab, Paria, Antelope, etc... )
are our obvious biggies, here's my selection of
some of the neater and more obscure stuff...
WEST CLEAR CREEK - Virtually uncrossable
between the Bullpen and Maxwell trail. Hidden
pools and drops are extremely dangerous.
EAST CLEAR CREEK - Blocks all east-west
travel for something like forty miles! Maybe
much more if you straightened out all the loops.
Even its treacherous horse crossings are few
and far between.
SAN CARLOS RIVER - The tribe keeps
the good part well hidden. Fine pools, falls, and
most impressive canyoneering.
CHERRY CREEK - Forms the barrier
between the Sierra Anchas and the Sombrero
Butte country. Feeder canyons such as Devils
Chasm, Pueblo Canyon, and Cold Springs Canyon
are world class.
UPPER MARIJILDA - Very fine tinajas at the
Round-the-Mountain trail crossing.
PAIGE CREEK - Great swimming, lots of big
trees, nice climate. Also check out nearby
Espirito Canyon.
SALOME CREEK - Superbly remote stream
west of the Sierra Ancha wilderness. Tramways
were once used for fish stocking because of
extreme inaccessibility.
AQUA FRIA CANYON - Indian ruins, ghost towns,
an impressive historic aqueduct and lots of quicksand.
LOWER EAGLE CREEK - Hot springs and bat caves.
ARAVAIPAI - Riparian in a class by itself. Currently
has access problems because of a few-chips-shy-of-
a-full-board landowner.
FOSSIL CREEK - Newly restored to its historic
flow rates after the closing of two hydro plants.
TONTO CREEK - Visit the Hellsgate. The
eastern Young approach has a much shorter
hiking trail but much longer 4WD access.
REDFIELD CANYON - Secret inner heart of the
Galiuros. Anglo and prehistoric ruins, utter solitude.
RUCKER BOX - In the most remote part of
the Chirachuas. Difficult access.
FREY MESA FALLS - Hidden canyon between
the falls and lake. And right in my front yard.
BONITA CREEK - Spectacular portion of the
Gila Box. And right in my side yard.
UPPER LOWER MIDDLE BOX - Not quite
in Arizona, but close enough. Start at
Fisherman's Point, work towards Virden.
SANTA MARIA CANYON - I've yet to check
this one out, but it sure looks impressive on
the topo maps. Virtually unknown. More here.
WET BEAVER CREEK - Lives up to its name.
Often severely infested with nude females. Can
be crowded on weekends.
DUTCH BLUE CREEK - Floods have made
access to Hanna Hot Springs and the Little
Blue Box very difficult. Horses from Luna
may be the best approach these days. Otherwise,
start from Juan Miller.
EL CAPITAN CANYON - Short but spectacular.
Not often wet. Take one rope qualified person
with you.
September 6, 2007 deeplink
Just added a pair of extremely rare KIM-1
microprocessor trainer boards to our eBay site.
These were by far the finest of all of the earlier
6502 single development board computers and
remain useful to this day.
Entire adventures, chess games, and complex
video displays were written in its 1K memory
space.
September 5, 2007 deeplink
The sole remaining use for public transportation
is to provide prey for predators.
Curiously, this works equally well both at the urban
gang and at the city council levels.
September 4, 2007 deeplink
There's a new uniform employment requirement
now in effect for the entire upper Gila Valley: Successful
job applicatants must be able to exhibit a core body
temperature measurably above January ambient.
Solar gain excepted.
September 3, 2007 deeplink
Our Guru's Lair Website usually has a strong traffic
pickup in September, owing to school interest and tech
types returning from vacation. So far, this has not really
happened. Despite lots of new features and continually
improving content.
I'm wondering if at least part of the blame cannot be
placed on eyeball siphoning.
Ignoring that there are lots of new websites and that
interest in tech topics might be waning, there's now
lots of new places on the web for people to spend their
time.
Obvious examples include MySpace, YouTube and
comparable networking sites. Plus several zillion new
blogs. Our own blog, of course, appears here.
And the real heavies such as Google are grabbing a
disproportionate amount of traffic. Spent on such things
as maps or aerial photos and intensely effective searches.
Your thoughts welcome. Please email me.
September 2, 2007 deeplink
A recipe for the ultimate hacker food appears
here. Please do not use intraveniously.
September 1, 2007 deeplink
The E.F. Johnson company has a rich electronic
history, both for superb components and comm gear.
They've gone through several buyouts and apparently
the component part is now part of Emerson Network
Power.
We have bunches of Johnson original components up
on eBay. A few of these remain distributor stock,
while many others have vanished without a trace.
I've yet to find a web source for historic Johnson
catalog data. Please email me if you find one.
One of our more enignatic parts involved the
Johnson "series 375" connectors. For which we may
have found a modern use.
This 375 was a "shrunk" UHF connector called a
"mini-UHF" connector. It had the same appearance
as the regular ones but was only 3/8 of an inch
in diameter. In addition, there were internal groves
that allowed quite compact (for then) 1/4 inch
diameter snap in operation.
Somewhat similar to a modern MCX connector but to
RG58 standard coax scale. I get the impression that
the Mini-Coax scheme never really caught on, owing
to the industry switch to smaller cables and needing
better high frequency performance.
At any rate, we have a bunch of these 375 connectors
up on eBay, and may actually have found a modern
use for them. Together, the RG58 snap in crimp
connector and the mini-UHF adaptor let you snap in
an ordinary cable into older gear that still uses the
standard older UHF connectors.
We've repackaged things so you get the five pieces
you need to go directly from RG58 to snap-in UHF.
August 31, 2007 deeplink
Latest GuruGram #80 is on Finding the Minimum
Distance between a Point and a Cubic Spline.
Sourcecode can be found here. Additional GuruGrams
here. Custom consulting and seminars here. And
more on Cubic Splines here.
August 30, 2007 deeplink
Feeding the Fire is a Mark Eberhart book on
energy that does an exceptionally good job of
tieing everything from thermodymanics to
information theory to energy history to
geopolitics together.
August 29, 2007 deeplink
Our ancient and creaky website search feature
finally broke completely. It was a really big deal
when we first went to it, because it was one of the
first to be able to search both regular and .PDF
files at the same time.
I'm searching for a suitable modern replacement.
Meanwhile, you can use the Global Spec box and
click on tinaja only. Or search on Google, adding
"Don Lancaster" in quotes. And adding search terms.
August 28, 2007 deeplink
Lately, only around twenty percent of my
reasonable info email requests to industrial
firms are ever answered at all.
And of those, only a tiny percentage actually
respond to the question being asked or deal
with the need being addressed.
August 27, 2007 deeplink
Does anyone else find the trade journal practice
of calling you on the telephone and wasting a half
hour of your time over a subscription renewal to
be utterly infuriating?
Especially when it is not at all clear which language
the caller is trying to speak in.
To qualify for the renewal, of course, you have to
lie. Meaning that zero useful information comes out
of such a call. Especially since most of the calls are
from utterly worthless second tier magazines that
you could not care less about in the first place.
Trade journals are clearly a dying breed. This
appears to be a death wish they have placed
upon themselves. Or more likely by the post office.
August 26, 2007 deeplink
I keep getting the bizarre emails accusing me of
not knowing the difference between a radial and
an axial capacitor.
On looking around the web, I found several sites
that dead wrong confused these two. Even the
eBay category selection is ambiguous.
On a cylinder, the axis goes out the ends. That is
what the axle rotates about. The radius extends
outward. In, of all things, a radial direction.
The origin of the electronic use was perhaps the
earliest resistors. These were a carbon cylinder with
holes in either end. Leads were attached and extended
radially outward. These eventually got replaced by
molded resistors in which the leads extended axially.
You can easily verify this by reading any 1929 radio
book.
Some axial capacitors have one lead going out either
end as was needed by traditional point to point wiring.
Other axial capacitors are single ended, with both leads
going out one axis and intended for upright pc mounting.
August 25, 2007 deeplink
Continuing our look at the minimum distance
from a point to a cubic spline...
For a given t value, the present distance s
will be the square root of the sum of the x and
y distances. The problem being to make the
best possible guess of an improved t.
To do this, you find the s(t) slope and set it
to zero, seeking a minimum. Starting here,
the simplified result seems to be...
[ (deltaX)*X'(t) + (deltaY)*Y'(t)] /
[ (X'(t))^2 + Y'(t))^2 +
(deltaX)*(X''(t)) + (deltaY)*(Y''(t)) ]
I have yet to check this out completely, so
stay tuned.
August 24, 2007 deeplink
As a wasted trip to Phoenix just proved, bulk
bids at any auction can be bad news...
THEY MAY BE BLACKMAIL - the whole
auction may be a musical chairs charade to
get somebody to pay up.
BULK BIDS USUALLY WIN - The bulk
bidder is bidding at his avoided costs,
while many of the lot bidders are trying
to make a speculative profit. And not all
lots will have strong interest.
THEY MAY PAY WITH FUNNY MONEY -
If a forced auction is for a $100,000 lein and
the bulk bid is for $200,000, then half of the
money goes right back into the bidder's pocket.BULK BIDERS HAVE INSIDER INFO -
They often will know the exact value of what
is being offered because they may have created
that value themselves.Some defenses...
KNOW AHEAD OF TIME - Avoid any bulk
bid auctions when and where possible. At the
least, try to find out if they are present. And
adjust your expectations.DO THE MATH - You can often tell early
in the auction whether a bulk bid will win.
If there is a $300,000 bid and 100 lots, then
each lot must averge $300. Not likely.
WHEN DANCING WITH ELEPHANTS -
keep your eyes on their feet at all times.
FAVOR SECOND TIER LOCALS - Large
national auctioneers are more likely to
encourage and close on bulk bids. Smaller
regional auction houses are less likely to.
PLAY THE ODDS - As long as you hit it
really big in one out of twenty auctions or
so, it does not matter if you walk away
empty handed from a few of the others.
August 23, 2007 deeplink
What is the minimum distance between a
cubic spline and a given point? This question
gets important real fast when curvetracing
or fitting cubic splines to fuzzy data.
The general solution is ugly, because there
can be more than one local minimum distance
with certain splines. IF you can assume that
you are "very near" a minimum distance
already, the problem is greatly simplified.
There are three obvious approaches to
finding a minimum. You can increment t
till you find a good enough solution. You
can assume a parabola near the correct
solution. Or you can use Newton's method
where you multiply the current error times
the function slope.
A comparison of the latter two methods appears
here. While this "horses mouth" key document
gives a direct Newton's method solution that
often converges good enough in a single pass.
More on this whenever.
August 22, 2007 deeplink
Just did a "real" Cat-5 Network. Literally. As
Part of last night's TFD fire drill on entanglement.
We made a 20 foot square "fishnet" out of Cat-5
cable with squares about ten inches on a side.
Each wire pair did a simple half hitch at each joint,
then each wire went on to continue its row or column.
This was combined with the usual "two firemen
follow their hose out blindfolded with full air packs"
life safety drill. The net was thrown on top of them,
complete with ambient sound effects from two
buckets full of empty soda pop cans.
Firemen were prepped a few feet earlier by
one-wire lassoing their boot or airpack.
Also found out that six foot sections of rug tubes
( usually available free from any rug company )
can be beat over firemen's heads without damaging
the tubes much. And create an unexepected
happening.
Both the props and the firemen's performance
wildly exceeded our expectations. But even
at four hours net net built time, it is usually easier
to build a new net for the next drill than try
and fix the old one.
August 21, 2007 deeplink
Long ago, I did a Bezier Cubic Spline through
Fuzzy Data based on this original Siggraph paper.
My routines definitely work, but they lack any
use of Basis Functions and the HTML presentation
is kinda primitive. I'm wondering if they should
get replaced by an extension of our latest
Bezier Data through Four Points tutorial and
utility.
In which you would exactly fit four of the "n"
points ( initially n = five ). And then use as much
least squares fitting as you need for optimization.
There are eight possible variables to optimize
least squre errors on any cubic spline. You could...
just use four exact points as is
optimize all for best fuzzy data fit
preseve end points, optimize the rest
preseve end points and initial slope
preerve ends, initial slope and tension
preseve end points and final slope
preerve ends, final slope and tension
preserve ends, slopes, and initial tension
preserve ends, slopes, and final tension
... etc ...
Each would produce a slightly different spline
that would meet curvetracing needs in a somewhat
different way.
More as this unfolds. The story to date appears
in our GuruGram and Cubic Spline libraries.
August 20, 2007 deeplink
Revised and updated our Arizona Auction resources
library subpage.
Your own custom regional auction finder can be
created for you per these details.
August 19, 2007 deeplink
Three recent web discoveries: OEM'S Trade takes
any part number and checks its price and availability
for you among dozens of major distributors.
SciVee TV lets you publish your own papers
and videos. Per this Slashdot analysis. The
fatal flaw here being that if you are a good
researcher, you almost certainly will have a
terrible video presence. Per the nerd effect.
And Public Library of Science will publish your
paper for a fee.
As we've seen a number of times before, the
peer reviewed scholarly journal publication
route is fatally flawed. It makes no sense
whatsoever for a researcher to pay a journal
many thousands of dollars to publish their
paper in a year or two in a journal that is
so expensive that their own libary cannot
afford a copy.
And then compound the ludicrosity by
charging outrageous fees to read what
should be ( if federally or university
funded ) totally free and unrestricted
access.
Of the many dozens of web based alternates
to peer review journals being explored, I
remain most impressed with WeSearch.
August 18, 2007 deeplink
I am in the process of adding many dozens of
files to our PostScript library. Keep checking
back over the next few days to monitor progress.
Our library pages with the latest and best info
are usually What's New, GuruGram, Auction
Help, Magic Sinewave, Its a Gas, Cubic Spline,
and PostScript. Plus our Home Page.
The pages with the best archival reprint info are
Ask the Guru ( which includes access to my earliest
construction projects ), Blatant Opportunist, Hardware
Hacker, and Tech Musings,
Some of the others may be slower updating and
still need revision from their earlier forms.
Updating and improving the other pages are pretty
much a back burner project. That await your
support as a Synergetics partner or associate.
August 17, 2007 deeplink
My favorite two web sites for mapping are
usually Google Maps and Topozone. Both
reached by clicking through on our home page.
But I just discovered Acme Mapper. Which
offers USGS aerial photos in black and white.
The Acme resolution is much better than the worst
of low resolution Google, but not nearly as good
as Google's best. Acme seems more useful when
tracing roads or trails than the others. But the
best of Google shows detail that Acme m&Isses.
The Acme images seem to be the same as many
of the Terraserver ones. But are far more easy
to navigate and generally simpler to use.
None of the sites are quite ideal yet. I'd like to
see one tenth meter resolution in five blendable
stereo bands ( three color plus uv plus ir ) with
blendable road, topo contour, and feature overlays.
All in infinite zoom and searchible on every place
name and address, of course.
August 16, 2007 deeplink
The two key secrets to repair, maintenence,
and refurb:
If it is supposed to move and does not,
use WD-40.
If it moves and is not supposed to, then
use Duck Tape.
August 15, 2007 deeplink
We recently looked at a number of Factors Driving
Technological Innovation in our series of GuruGrams.
A case can be made that Form no Longer Follows
Function possibly should be added.
If you were designing a telephone a few years back,
you started with a big and klutzy bell and an equally
klutzy hybrid transformer. To which you added a
fairly complex mechanical dial assembly. This defined
a box too heavy to comfortably lift that had to go onto
a table or shelf. A handset had to be separate and its
distance from receiver to transmitter set by human
heads.
These days, all of those limitations are gone and a telephone
can be any shape or size and include an astonishingly
wide array of additional features as well.
If you were designing a 35mm camera a few years back,
you had to have two vertical cylindrical film cassetttes
separated by flat film plane. In front of which you placed
the bottom of a Coke Bottle or similar fancier chunks of
glass.
These days, all of those limitations are gone and a camera
can be any shape or size. Even the lens can now be
replaced by a small drop of oil. As before, anstonishing
wide array of additional features can easily be added.
If you were designing a light bulb a few decades back,
you started with an intense point source and placed a
controlled environment bulb around it. Virtually all of today's
incandescent light fixtures are based on accomodating this
specific form follows function shape.
LED lighting sources now offer efficiencies that are
ricidulously higher than incandescents. But the basic shape
of an intense point source is a big no-no. Because of heat
management problems. LED lighting systems are best based
on many dispersed emitters rather than a single concentrated
point source.
And thus should shortly and totally revolutionize what a "lamp"
is or what it should look like.
August 14, 2007 deeplink
I may have found a few hints about what
if anything of interest can be found in the
Santa Maria River. Per yesterday's entry.
At least one helicopter company thinks there
is stuff there worth a $600 visit. Much of this
river is wide sand on a flood plain. However,
there is a highly unexpected 3.5 mile gorge
between highways 93 and 96. With depths of
a thousand feet or more.
Here's a topo. Google maps only shows a
little bit of riparian green on their low res
aerial photos.
EXCEPT that the total drop through the
gorge is something like thirty feet per
mile! Which would be whitewater elsewhere.
EXCEPT for persistant "secret" rumors.
That well predate our recent drought.
Here's a higher resolution B/W photo. In
which you can convince yourself there are
streams, pools, and possible drops, squeezes,
and small falls. The number of canyoneering
stars is yet to be determined.
Your field checking and evaluation is
welcome. Take at least one rope qualified
individual with you.
August 13, 2007 deeplink
I've long been fascinated by deep and wet
canyons in the desert southwest. Especially
those that take a little ( but not too much )
ropework to explore.
An interesting directory and guide appears
here. Conspicuously absent are my favorites
of West Clear Creek, El Capitan Canyon, and,
of course, Frye Mesa in my front yard.
One lead I have been unable to pursue: There
is supposedly a spectacular world class wet
canyon somewhere along the headwaters of
the Santa Maria river, a Bill Williams tributary.
Do any of you know about this legendary site?
August 12, 2007 deeplink
Latest GuruGram #79 is my long overdue Gonzo
PostScript Utilities tutorial and directory.
Sourcecode can be found here. Additional GuruGrams
here. Custom consulting and seminars here. And
more on PostScript here.
August 11, 2007 deeplink
Thanks to Google Scans, historic and geologic
info on Arizona's "other" coal mine is now
readily available here online. Starts page 240.
Additional photos of the Deer Creek Coal Fields
appear here. As well as on the previous and next
page.
The site is six miles or so northeast of Dudleyville
and the coal apparently has little to no commercial
value, even locally. Obviously, if it had, it would
have been stolen off the indians a hundred years
or more ago.
This is possibly the lower mine location, while
this may be the upper one.
Things get tricky in a hurry as there are two
Deer Creeks in the immediate area and that the
res boundaries dramatically change with map age.
The sites are definitely ON the reservation. Word
has it that permits for this area are seldom if ever
&Issued.
Locals tell of a legendary and persistent old route
through these tablelands. At least one newer map
shows a possible thru track down Deer Creek.
August 10, 2007 deeplink
The assumption is often wrongly made that any
technology keeps forever improving.
Instead, what really happens is that a given
technology hits the wall. And (A) creating a demand
for better new approaches that are initially costly
and stammering, and (B) vested interests forcing
the old technology long beyond anything sane.
It is interesting to look at CRT displays and conventional
silicon pv panels in this light. The former clearly shows
us where the latter inevitably has to go.
There is a fundamental limit to what angle you can
bend an electron beam and still retain focus and
avoid distortion. This is combined with costly high
strength glass enclosures and inherently high
energy consumption. Plus the need for rugged and
fancy additional packaging.
The fatal flaw that doomed the CRT was that you
could not hang it on the wall. And it has now been
clearly shot out of the saddle by LED backlit LCD
flat panel displays.
Conventional silicon pv panels also hit the wall
several decades back. The fatal flaw here is that
they were not then and likely never will ever
become fully burdened system level net energy
sources. Proof of this is that not one power utility
anyplace ever is using silicon pv for subsidy free and
greeniePR free net energy avoided cost peaking.
The silicon material is intractable and hard to process,
especially in the required flexible thin sheets many
feet in width and many miles in length. Efficiency is
also sorely limited and thick sections are required
for conversion. Further, a "use somebody elses'
cheap scrap" heavy subsidy is now clearly gone.
There is not the slightest doubt that conventional
silicon pv will also soon be shot out of the saddle.
Most likely by CIGS, by Quantum Dots and/or
by Tetrapods .Meanwhile, every gasoline destroying net energy
sink conventional silicon pv panel installed on an
inappropriate rooftop only further sets back the
day of eventual net energy breakeven. Ludicrously so.
Much more in our Energy Fundamentals tutorial.
August 9, 2007 deeplink
I am utterly amazed at how much publishing has
changed how quickly...
INSTANT PUBLISHING - One or two mouse
clicks and you are the online equivalent of
being in print. No more long editorial delays.
24/7 WORLD WIDE ACCESS - Instantly and
forever. Without any subscriptions, misplaced
copies, being out on loan, or eaten by the dog.
TYPESET FIRST, EDIT LAST - A complete
turnaround from the way things were.
MIXED TEXT AND GRAPHICS - All done
in pretty much the same way and on down the
same pipes. Arranged exactly the way you want.
FULL COLOR - At zero additional cost or
complexity. No point whatsoever in staying
in black and white for most content.
INSTANT LINKING - six ways from sunday
to reach related content, anyplace, anytime.
ULTRA COMPETITIVE - Instead of your
competiting against one or two known authors,
your viewers are attracted to hundreds of
thousands or millions of competiting websites.
Some of which are better or more relevant.
LISTEN OR MAGNIFY - Your viewers can
expand your pictures for additional detail or
even listen to your text read audibly.
CERTAIN ACCEPTANCE - No more reject
letters from clueless wannabe editors. Most
especially those that hold your subm&Ission for
fifteen months and then reject it for "not being
timely".FREEDOM FROM SIZE HASSLES - Content
can now be exactly the size it has to be to cover
what it has to offer. No more precise fitting. And
no more forcing page counts to please a printer.
FREEDOM FROM INTRUSIONS - No more
competitive ads or unwanted content anywhere
near yours. Especially stuff beyond your control.
And no more "continued on page 57".FREEDOM FROM DEADLINES - No more
pressure to deliver exactly so many words in
exactly such a form by a "drop dead" date.NO MORE INDEXING! - Google and friends can
now find every word you ever wrote in most any
context.
STAYS FOREVER - Your backlist can go on
forever. And even will get stronger with more
and more referrals and links over time.
SINGLE COLUMNS - Multiple columns per page
are long gone because of the inconvenience of on
screen horizontal repositioning. Columns can also
now be optimally wide for best comprehension.
YOU MAKE YOUR OWN MISTAKES - Instead
of having to pay others to make them for you.
LOW TYPOGRAPHIC QUALITY - Nobody has
even heard of drop caps, hanging punctuation, or
kerning or progressive three stage fill microjustifies
any more. Nor do they seem to care.
INDIRECT PAYBACK - Author payments have
long ago dropped to unconscionably low rates
The rule today is alternate and usually indirect
income routes. Exact details on some of this has
yet to be worked out.
August 8, 2007 deeplink
Be very careful any time you are revising a
website. Or you may cause grief to hundreds
or even thousands of other sites linking you.
You should NEVER delete an old page on any
website rebuild! ALWAYS downgrade the page
into a redirect link instead.
Something like this should work...<html>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>OLD HTML REDIRECT</TITLE>
<META HTTP-EQUIV="REFRESH"
CONTENT="1;
URL=http://www.tinaja.com/default.asp">
</HEAD>
<body>
Taking you to our new website.
</body>
</html>Also, be sure to use a NONZERO TIMEOUT on any
of your redirects! Failing to do so traps your viewers
so their back arrows no longer work. And is considered
extremely rude.
August 7, 2007 deeplink
My very first published story was A Solid
State 3-Channel Color Organ in the April 1963
&Issue of Electronics World.
A third party reprint appears here, and much
about the way things were here.
The main reason we don't have much in the way
of color organs anymore is that computer based
displays completely blew them out of the water.
One stunning example of which are the Animusic
videos.
August 6, 2007 deeplink
After seeking some "What do to with 4WD in
downtown Thatcher" input from others, I guess
we can add some of these to our earlier A List and
B list. We'll call this the B+ List...
BIG LUE BLACKJACK - Another family
values site just above steep terrain on the
NM border. A hidden trail leads to dams
and small lakes plus the Maverick ATV
route.
NORTH TAYLOR & FRIENDS - Access
to fire lookouts, springs, old ranger stations,
and hikes to historic sawmill sites. South
Taylor shows a 4WD route clear to the pass,
condition unknown.
UPPER SAN FRANCISCO - A high standard
but apparently little used mine dirt road above
Clifton leads to caves, swimming, fishing, a
B&B, old tramway sites, and access to some
really remote country.
THE GREASEWOODS - Lots of poorly connected
trails head to remote tanks. And even many of the
washes themselves are eminently explorable.
Access points include Stockton Pass, Jernigan
Ranch road, 10 Ranch road, and Wood Canyon,
among others.
JUAN MILLER ROAD - Reaches into the Lower
Blue country. Highly scenic with unusual geology.
A flood long ago converted superbly legendary
hot spring access into a 15 mile overnight backpack.
Horsey routes via Luna might actually be faster.
STANLEY BUTTE - Leads to coal mine country
and mythical routes further west. Ghost towns
and hunter camps. I've wondered about the cave
potential of Limestone Mountain and Crystal hill.
PIMA GAP - One time res access may be blocked
these days by the reservation on the north and PD to
the east. But many square miles of vast open table
lands and bajadas remain explorable via the Markum
Creek road or the Bryce access points.
THE GALIUROS - One of the most remote and
little explored mountain ranges in all of Southen
Arizona. Some access via Powers Hill, Paddy's
River, Ash Creek, Copper Canyon, Reddington,
or Jackson Cabin. The secret heart, of course,
is little known and seldom visited Redfield Canyon.
Check out Powers Garden and the bizarre China
Peak Observatory.
For those of you wondering where Thacher is,
Thatcher forms the central commercial hub of
the greater Bonita-Eden-Sanchez Metropolitan
Area. Thatcher lies somewhat west of Guthrie.
August 5, 2007 deeplink
Added Wesrch, kijiji Tucson, and kiji Phoenix
to our home page; Fixed the broken CIA Factbook
link.
Wesrch is an outstanding new route to publishing
technical papers. It has the potential to completely
blow scholarly journals out of the water.
Added content to our Auction Help, Ask the Guru,
and GuruGram library pages.
August 4, 2007 deeplink
Latest GuruGram #78 is Volume VI of Enhancing
your eBay Strategic and Technical Skills.
Sourcecode can be found here. Additional GuruGrams
here. Custom consulting and seminars here.
August 3, 2007 deeplink
Someone on the sci.electronics.design newsgroup
posed a question of what a waveform would look like
that had all harmonics present and of equal strength.
This is a trivial project for my Gonzo Utilities...%! PS
% Equal Harmonic generator
(C:\\Documents and Settings\\don\\Desktop\\
gonzo\\gonzo.ps) run % use internal gonzo
50 50 10 setgrid
40 20 showgrid
0 10 mt
/totalharms 20 store
0 0.1 180 {/priang exch store
priang 20 mul 90 div
0
1 1 totalharms {/curharm exch store
priang curharm mul sin add} for
2 mul 10 add lineto} for
line1 stroke showpage
After creating this file in an editor and sending
it to Acrobat Distiller, we see that a harmonic
limited version would have a narrow large positive
pulse just after zero degrees and a narrow large
negative pulse just before 360 degrees.
The signal can be faked by a repeating train of
narrow bipolar pulses. It may have some interesting
ultra wideband apps.
August 2, 2007 deeplink
Got a recent email asking if color organs are
still available. I did dozens of construction projects
on these, starting with the very first solid state
3 channel color organ in the April 1963 &Issue of
Electronics World.
Per this history. One of my more recent designs
and one of the very best of all time appears here.
You can get tens of thousands of hits on Google.
Generally, there are simple and appallingly poor
performing units for the hobby market, and premium
systems for DJ's and rock concert lighting.
These days, though, color organs still share these
severe problems...
BETTER HDTV DISPLAYS -- computer
display systems are infinitely more flexible,
far more interesting, and much less boring.
Plus being off-the-shelf hardware.
DYNAMIC RANGE -- of most color organs is
sorely limited. This can be gotten around with
an AGC input, extreme compression, and phase/
brightness equalization, but is never done on
cheaper versions.
COLOR SATURATION - ordinary colored light
bulbs put out far more white light than they do
color. Saturated multiple filter gels or something
similar are a must for interesting results. Heat
management can become a problem.
RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE - phase
control of triacs or SCR's generate tremendous
rfi unless they are carefully filtered and shielded.
STATIC DISPLAY - the number of colors and what
they do is usually fixed and sorely limited.
TOTAL COSTS - The price of the control electronics
is negligible compared to the cost of the wiring and
labor, custom display materials, bulbs, etc... etc...
August 1, 2007 deeplink
As this Google Search shows us, many obsolete
semiconductors have gotten a lot easier to find.
My favorite here remains Rochester Electronics.
We have bunches of outdated 2SA through 2SD
series Pacific Rim semiconductors still available
on eBay.
At prices far lower than anywhere else. But certain
values are disappearing fast and we are unlikely to
find more anytime soon.
July 31, 2007 deeplink
Is it a bad sign when your local mechanic cannot
learn how to get the key out of your car's ignition?
July 30, 2007 deeplink
BTW, here is a repeat of how simple it
is to put an expanding photo into a blog...
<a href=""http://www.tinaja.com/images/
bargs/car01.jpg">
<img src="http://www.tinaja.com/images/
bargs/car01.jpg" width="171" height="108"
border="0"></a>The first url is the photo you are going to click
expand upon. The second is the image you are
going to present. Spaces can precede the image
to improve centering.
Note that the second image should be exactly
1/4 or 1/2 the size of the first one. If appearance
of the small image is super critical, then you should
create a new and separate 1:1 image of the desired
size using better reduction software.
July 29, 2007 deeplink
Here's a photo of the 1994 4WD Pathfinder
we have for sale. You can click expand the
image...
Additional details appear here.
July 28, 2007 deeplink
I've long been fascinated with graphics
transforms, both linear and nonlinear. First
because they are there and second for their
immediate use in our eBay photography.
I thought I might look at improving our
existing routines. Perhaps by creating a
generic shell that converts a .BMP image
into three separate planes of padding free
red, blue, and green pixels. Plus a rotated
version of these three. Plus a recombine
proc that would regenerate a new bitmap.
Some immediate uses for this might be...
IMPROVED ROTATION - The
Imageview32 rotator we use is limited
to one degree alignment. A half or even
a quarter degree would be more useful.
IMPROVED TILT- Our current
Architects Perspective corrector tends to
distort if the adjustment is too strong.
Fancier calcs can take out this distortion.
PERSPECTIVE LETTERING - Correcting
the lettering on a three quarter view digital
image can be a bear. A fancier enough
remapper can make this quick and convenient.
HSB ADJUSTER - Being able to "rotate" colors
through the spectrum might be very useful.
Both for minor adjustments or gross special effects.
IMAGE RECTIFICATION - Mapping four
selected edge points into a rectangle could prove
exceptionally useful. Even more so its inverse
where you "uncorrect" to a rectangle, fix the
rectangle, and then put it back.
IMAGE DOWNSCALING - This takes a
combination of interpolation and averaging
to do this and is nontrivial for significant
size reductions.
July 27, 2007 deeplink
I'm wondering if the global warming carbon in
the atmosphere won't eventually become so
valuable that taking too much of it out will be
the problem rather than putting too much of
it in.
Two stunning new developments in graphene
may very much accelerate the demand for
carbon. In one, nanolayers are proving to
be as good a copper for integrated circuit
interconnects.
In a second, easy to make graphene papers
are exhibiting incredible structural properties.
Zillions of hits here, a tutorial here, and more
on copper replacement here, and more on grapene
papers here.
July 26, 2007 deeplink
I continue to be impressed by the WeSRCH
website. Time will tell whether this concept
has enough "legs" to approach Wikipedia
class resources.
Basically, the site lets anybody instantly publish
a technical paper. While the author retains any and
all rights. And apparently with enough vetting
controls ( mostly viewer feedback ) to keep the
overall quality and relevance surprisingly high.
As we've seen a number of times before, I feel that
traditional scholarly journals are clearly doomed.
It makes no sense whatsoever for a researcher to pay
thousands of dollars to get published in a year or
two in a negligible circulation journal that their own
library cannot afford to subscribe to.
Existing peer review tends to place far too more
emphasis on which host institution the author is
associated with rather than the merits and qualities
of the paper itself.
Very often, the best innovations come from individuals
and small scale startups rather than outrageously
overfunded government sponsored university research.
Giving these individuals the opportunity to instantly
publish to a worldwide audience very much levels the
playing field.
The very least that the scholarly pubs will have to
do to survive is to make ALL papers more than
three years old freely available without ANY
restrictions. I do not see this happening anytime
soon.
July 25, 2007 deeplink
The term "crowdsourcing" is new, but the
underlying concept has been around for quite
a while. In which you solicit problem solutions
from just about anybody instead of having your
own R&D facility.
Solutions are very much more based on usefulness
rather than on the credentials of the supplier.
A tutorial appears here, millions of hits here,
and a NPR broadcast here.
July 24, 2007 deeplink
One of the dilemmas I continually face on our
lists of most anything is exactly how much to
include and how much to leave out.
Its super important to not m&Iss any obvious
biggies. But just as important to not water down
any list with tedious second tier trivia.
One answer is to group the "also rans" into
an ending summary. This is what we did in our
Secrets of Technical Innovation tutorial.
It was frustrating deciding where to stop on our
recent 4WD near Thatcher list. I expanded and
revised it four times. And are having others look
at it for new suggestions.
Here's a few that just m&Issed the cut...
PIMA BADLANDS - Miles and miles of
miles of miles between Patterson Mesa and
the gas line. Rugged and seldom visited.
FREEMAN FLAT - Close in with easy access.
Lots of eroded trails and failed WPA projects that
either do not or did not go anywhere. Some ruins.
ALLEN RESERVOIR --Turn at the main runway in
Thatcher International Airport and loop around.
Big time dam failure. Watch out for refrigerators
and similar minor debris on the runway. VFR only.
DEADMAN CANYON - Hike to waterfalls, visit
a unique canal system that goes along the top of a
high ridgeline, sneak back under the dam.
OLD GOAT RANCH - Destructive erosional
features caused by extreme overgrazing on the
San Simon are just short of spectacular. And the
cows are still there. Totally inexcusable.Chances are I'll be adding more to this and the
previous list, so keep checking back
July 23, 2007 deeplink
Any time that someone tries to tell you that
"energy can neither be created nor destroyed",
they are really revealing their utter and total
cluelessness of all things thermodynamic.
The correct statement is " It is trivially easy to
irreversibly and irrecoverably destroy the quality
and value of energy."
For you are dealing with a three legged stool here.
You cannot ever consider energy without simultaneously
considering entropy and exergy.
Exergy is a measure of the quality and usefulness of
energy. To measure exergy, you change the energy
into a different form, and then change it back. And see
how much you have left.
For instance, you can go from electrical energy to mechanical
energy back to electrical energy without much loss at all.
Which is why electricity has extremely high exergy.
Use the electricity to produce, say, resistance room heat,
and you can only get the tiniest fraction of the original back
as electricity. Thus, resistance room heat irreversibly and
destructively forever destroys the quality and value of
energy.
Electrolysis for bulk hydrogen from high value sources is
a good example of "ain't gonna happen" because of the
staggering and irretrievable loss of exergy involved. There
always will be more intelligent things to do with the electricity.
Much more in our Energy Fundamentals tutorial.
July 22, 2007 deeplink
I continue to be amazed by how far scientific
measurement has come in the last few years.
Its particularly frustrating when you are trying
to salvage some value from a $100,000 optics
system that is only a decade old.
In that decade, light measurement went from
large and cumbersome PMT photomultiplier
tubes to cheap, easy to use, and vanishingly small
CCD and silicon light detectors.
Back then, if you wanted to measure the attenuation
at a particular light frequency, you started with a
complex white source, ran it through an even more
complex tiltable prism or diffraction grating, and then
painfully time analyzed things on a color by color basis.
These days, you simply run 256 or 1024 or more
sensors side by side and shove the light through a
prism or grating. No fuss, no muss. And trivial cost.
You do change the name while you are at it. What was
a spectraphotometer is now a colorimeter.
We've got some of this up on eBay.
July 21, 2007 deeplink
By the most astounding coincidence, I now have
a 1994 N&Issan Pathfinder XE for sale. Outside of its
176,000 miles, there does not appear to be anything
really major wrong with it. Nor has it ever been in any
significant accident. Nonsmoking owners.
4WD with professional U-Haul trailer hitch and wiring.
Roof rack, posi, A/C, somewhat oversize all terrain tires,
tint, power mirrors, AM/FM/Cassette, power locks,
etc...
Known problems appear minor. There are a few smaller
dings. The rear mainseal has a very minor leak that
has not changed significantly for years. The posi is
a little noisy initially backing up, but quiets down and,
again, has not changed significantly, There is a rear
door idiot light that we never have been able to fix and
stays on. The tween seat console may need some fixing.
Asking $4900. You can email me or call (928) 428-4073
for further details. Immediate availability. Located in
Thatcher, AZ, 85552. Thatcher is in the greater Bonita-
Eden-Sanchez metropolitan area.
July 20, 2007 deeplink
Refurb Log:
Sometimes, nonobvious or indirect methods may have
to be used to solve what should be a simple problem.
Type "N" connectors have long seen wide use as
premium quality larger microwave cables and panel
jacks. It turns out there are two flavors of these that
are not interchangeable.
50 Ohm "N" connectors are by far the most common.
The 75 Ohm "N" devices are much rarer. Plugging 50
Ohm male into 75 Ohm female can damage the female.
Plugging 50 Ohm female into 75 Ohm can give an
intermittent connection.
75 Ohm connectors sometimes have a black stripe on
them.
We have a zillion older and super premium Gilbert
type N panel jacks up on eBay and the question came
up which impedance these were. Corning/Gilbert was
most unhelpful in tracing their older part numbers.
So we came up with two schemes that suggest these
are the more useful 50 Ohm variety. First, repeated
insertions of known 50 Ohm male adaptors showed
no obvious wear or stress on a sample jack.
Secondly, when you send the .050 inner conductor,
an apparent teflon insulator, and an 0.160 teflon
diameter to this calculator, it comes back right at
50.00 Ohms.
The actual ( and somewhat messy ) formula for coax
impedance appears here or here.
July 19, 2007 deeplink
Just got the 4Runner I'd been looking for. Many
thanks to those of you with leads and suggestions.
I've long been a fan of 4 wheel drive vehicles. But
I more use them to safely get "halfway there" and
then dayhike the rest of the distance. So, I am not
really into any of the "rockers, lockers, and sliders"
destruction derbies.
Arizona, of course, is a 4WD paradise, especially
in such areas as the Lower Bradshaw mountains.
But here's my choice of favorite nearby routes...
FRYE MESA - Easy and close in with tinajas,
swimming, fishing, rock scrambling, falls, more.
Hang right at Junky Jerrys. Then go straight
just past the third cow.
THE RUG ROAD - Our world class toughie
got easier with some of the stairsteps taken
out but harder because of a few-chips-shy-of-
a-full-board landowner. VERY difficult.
SHINGLE MILL CANYON - The original
toll road up the Grahams is now impassible in
at least eight places, but remains eminently
explorable. Home of the Mt. Graham Tramway.
DUNES HOT WELL -- The sand dunes here are
not remotely in the "Yuma" league, but they are
much closer and totally open to most OHV uses.
CEDAR SPRINGS - A "family values" type of
2WD/4WD/Quad site often used for religious retreats.
The drought has caused the actual springs to go from
impressively large to the tiniest intermittent seep.
BOX AND MARTINEZ CANYONS - Extremely
popular among the rockers and lockers crowd.
Tends toward traffic jams on weekends. The
legendary "luge" is apparently now impassible.
MARIJILDA CANYON - Perfect for the absolute
newbie 4WD beginner. Trees, wading, ruins. Easy
and short. Very impressive tinajas much further
upcanyon foot only via Round The Mountain.
Lebanon Loop has gotten, um, challenging.
JOHNNY CREEK - Sedate afternoon through
country on the far side of back of beyond. Rock
formations, ruins, and oak/juniper woodlands.
New mine activity may prevent a loop or need
permits.
BACK COUNTRY BYWAY -- While mainly 2WD or
for wimps or newbies, it does give access to Guthrie
peak, a historical bridge, remote Gila Box access,
Yellowstone Canyon, kayak whitewater put in, riparian
campling and picnic areas, and Gillard Hot Springs.
DAY MINE ROAD - Easy and scenic. Just do not
try to loop back through Markum Creek! You
can't get there from here!
FISHERMAN'S POINT - Conveniently located in
the central portion of the NM upper middle lower box.
Superb swimming and wading. Impressive cliffs.
WHITLOCK CINEGA - Hot wells, hot lakes, old
stage stations, Zeolite mines, caves, rockhound stuff,
and extreme remoteness.
FISHOOKS AND WEST - Superb wilderness access,
some riparian, ruins, more.
WEST END MINES - Great heaping bunches of
history just across the state line. Easy loop. Also
warm spring, Apache Box, and Buddhist retreat.
BEAR BASIN - Via Sand Tank. Probably the least
used route for Mt Grahm north center flank access.
I suspect there is interesting water upcanyon.
EAGLE CREEK THE HARD WAY? - Just a theory
that you can go directly from Safford to Eagle Creek
by way of the top of Turtle Mountain. I've only done
half of this on foot.
UPPER BONITA - Spectacular but difficult. Often
closed at indian boundary. Remote stream camping.
Big trees, ruins, and shelter caves. Water level
access was flood destroyed many years ago, so you
have to use the high Eastern Toppy's Cave route.
BUFORD CANYON - World class rock climbing
nearby on this back route from Cottonwood Mountain
to Klondyke. Heart of the Santa Teresas.
FOUR MILE TO COPPER CREEK? - Ancient maps
show a road. Whether it still exists at all and whether
ranchers will give you access remains challenging.
July 18, 2007 deeplink
Latest GuruGram #77 is on Gauss-Jordan
Solution of nxn Linear Equations.
Sourcecode can be found here. Additional GuruGrams
here. Custom consulting and seminars here.
July 17, 2007 deeplink
I am about to part out an outrageously
expensive but pretty much obsolete Pritchard
1982C spectraphotometer.
As near as I can tell, only one was ever sold.
This particular unit appears to have been
extensively modified for the military in that
the spectrometer part is a huge aluminum
box containing a precision driven diffraction
grating and two reflective mirrors. An elaborate
high intensity light source is also included.
It appears to be complete but we have not
yet tested it. Included is the photometer head
with filters and lenses, the spectrometer box,
the light source, and a double controller display
system. No docs or cables.
Please email me immediately if you have any
interest in this $60,000+ system as is for
pennies on the dollar. Unit apparently can
be disassembled into UPS size pieces.
July 16, 2007 deeplink
Latest GuruGram #76 is on An 8 Decimal Place
PostScript Real Numeric Reporting Utility.
Sourcecode can be found here. Additional GuruGrams
here. Custom consulting and seminars here.
July 15, 2007 deeplink
Just found out that the Canary Islands were named
after a large dog.
July 14, 2007 deeplink
Latest GuruGram #75 is on Acrobat PDF Post-Document
Editing.
Sourcecode can be found here. Additional GuruGrams
here. Custom consulting and seminars here.
July 13, 2007 deeplink
People keep sending me these utterly bogus and
not even wrong links that claim a pv panel can
show an installed net energy gain after a few years.
In reality, all this wishful thinking does is show how
a scam can rip off state or federal subsidies after
only a few years.
Through outright theft of traditional net energy.
The key and dead wrong assumption these links make
is assuming that a subsidy is in some manner "free" or
"energy neutral".
A typical subsidy might have an "iceberg effect" of 3X
in admin costs, collection inefficiencies, and such. Thus
it is reasonable to assume that any $1000 solar panel
credit destroys approximately $3000 in gasoline. Or
traditional conventional net energy equivalents.
Absolute proof that conventional silicon pv panels are
not in any manner renewable or sustainable are that
not one power utility anyplace ever is using them for
routine avoided cost peaking free of subsidies, tax
credits, or greenie pr.
On the basis of very careful and very objective long
term study, I strongly feel that...
~ Conventional silicon pv is not in any manner
renewable nor sustainable. Nor is it ever likely
to become so. It is and likely will forever remain
a net energy sink.
~ When properly full burden amortized and accounted
for on a total industry wide basis, not one net
watthour of conventional silicon pv has ever been
generated.
~ New and ongoing developments in CIGS, in Quantum
Dots and in Tetrapods appear likely to eventually
lead to truly renewable and sustainable pv net energy.
~ The net energy sink aspects of pv are certain to get a
lot worse before they can ever hope to improve.
Caused by big bucks being thrown at potentially
useful new technologies. And the conventional energy
those big bucks consume.
~ Subsidies and tax credits have the exact opposite of the
intended effect. It is totally pointless to pay people to
put gasoline destroying net energy sinks on inappropriate
rooftops. An annual tax of $1000 per net energy sink panel
installed would do far more long term good much faster.Much more in our Energy Fundamentals tutorial.
July 12, 2007 deeplink
After working with both of them recently, it
is interesting to compare and contrast some of
the more obscure features of PostScript and
JavaScript as general purpose computer
languages...
STYLE - PS shares the reverse polish, stack
oriented, loosely typed heritage of Forth; JS has
a more conventional C language class architecture.
REACH - PS can easily read or write any host
based disk file in any language. JS is specifically
and absolutely forbidden to do so.
GRAPHICS - PS is a world class superb graphics
defining technology; JS graphics as normally used
are inherently inferior and frustratingly second rate.
INTERACTIVITY - PS is pretty much limited to
batch tasks involving creation of graphics files,
log files, and host disk read/writes. JS can be
exceptionally real time user interactive.
MATH - PS uses 32 bit math but usually only
reports to six decimal places. JS has a full 64-bit
floating point capability.
TRIG - PS works directly in degrees, while JS
works directly in radians.
VARIABLE SCOPE - PS variables are normally
global unless defined otherwise. JS variables are
normally local unless declared otherwise.
THE STACK - Elegant stack manipulation is central
to PS powers and capabilities. The stack in JS is an
optional and seldom used sideshow.
CALCULATED VARIABLES - These are easily
done with PS, but require a much more obtuse
form["fa00"]["value"] approach with JS.
LEARNING CURVE - Much of PS is intuitive and
easily picked up. JS details can be mind-boggling
and maddeningly infuriating.
PASSING VARIABLES BETWEEN PROCS - Is
vastly simpler and more intuitive in PS, while JS
is far more obtuse but can be more flexible.
FORM REFERENCING - Largely unused and
unneeded in PS, but confusingly essential to JS.
NUMERIC ROUNDOFFS - A rare event in PS,
but untreated 3.99999999 results in JS are common
and may need programmatic correction.
July 11, 2007 deeplink
Sometimes is it necessary to show two levels
of detail in a photo for an eBay offering or whatever.
Such as the overall appearance of a cable and
exact details on its pin arrangement.
One interesting way to deal with this is to use an
inset. Where one photo or image does double duty.
Such as in this example.
July 10, 2007 deeplink
Refurb Log:
At one time, it was enormously difficult to pick
up a home three phase power source for a larger
machine tool or whatever. But these days, it has
become trivial.
There are now very reasonably priced devices
called VFD's and short for Variable Frequency
Drives that are intended to control the speed of
three phase induction motors.
But one little known and underappreciated fact
is that these often accept single phase input power.
Typically values might be a 110 vac single phase
input and a 220 vac three phase output rated to a
horsepower or two.
The variable speed feature can also simplify belts
and drives. Torque tends to be a little light on the
low end, but some devices provide for boost.
Pricing is typically in the hundred dollar range. We
have sold these on eBay for as little as $50 but are
presently out of stock.
July 9, 2007 deeplink
Few people are aware that PostScript strings can
be written and read as file objects. Subject only to
a 65K maximum length limit.
Here is how to read...
/str1 (This is a test) store
/file1 str1 0 () /SubFileDecode filter store
6 {file1 read pop == } repeat
And here is how to write...
/str2 (zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz) store
/file2 str2 /NullEncode filter store
file2 65 write
file2 66 write
file2 67 write
str2 ==
One easy to m&Iss detail: the SubFileDecode needs
three inputs: the original string, a magic count that
is usually zero, and an end-of-file marker. The magic
count tells you how many occurances of EOF to ignore
before the "real" one arrives.
When used to read a string, though, the magic count
can be zero and the end-of-file marker can be a zero
length blank string.
July 8, 2007 deeplink
Plans for the world's largest gastoline destroying
net energy sink have been recently announced.
Exact cost figures have not been disclosed, so it
is not yet clear how efficient this will be at actually
destroying gasoline. My prediction is it will end up
significantly more effective than expected.
The true area of the industry defining Springerville
facility produces an effective conversion of 5 watts per
square meter. A comparable 640 acre site would thus
only be capable of one seventh of their claimed new
capability. Assuming 100 percent site utilization.
Somebody apparently did not look at the numbers.
Especially the ones that says that eight cents per
kilowatt hour is simply a "paint it green" transfer
of conventional energy sources. And that true costs
would have to be significantly under six cents per
kilowatt hour for true sustainability or renewability
to ever credibly emerge.
This should mesh beautifully with the California
Solar Initiative, which is highly likely to set pv net
energy breakeven back by over five decades.
Further analysis here for February 17th and 19th.
More on energy fundamentals here.
July 7, 2007 deeplink
Many movies and plays have a plot device
called ( with various spellings ) a MacGuffin.
The MacGuffin is vague or ambiguous by itself
but is otherwise essential to scene progress.
Curiously, the free energy enthuasiasts all seem
to have thier own MacGuffins. Such as the recent
"the lights were too hot" by Steorn, "the rear axle
ratio needs changing" by Newman, the "white
powder additive" from Meyer, and the "DeLorean
blew a wheel bearing" from Tilley.
A crucial skill for evaluating all of this happy
horseshit is being able to sharply draw the distinction
between useful adjuncts to porcine whole body
cleanliness and total hogwash.
More on pseudoscience bashing here.
July 6, 2007 deeplink
I guess something has to end up on the
bottom of the pile. But we have several
absolutely outstanding bargains long
awaiting the right buyer. On or off eBay.
The first of these are our Bell Telephone
Labs color standards. These are highly
precise plastic color chips, many of which
include their exact chrominance and luminance
values. These should be ideal for everything
from adjusting "true color"displays to product
planning to spectrophotometer calibrations.
Second are some superb locking totes that
are ideal for everything from food for a stand,
kiddy stuff, in-plant documents or inventory,
third party transport, rock concerts, construction,
etc etc...
Third are packages of do-it-yourself cable ties
that you can make any custom length up to
fifty feet. Or over fifteen feet in diameter!
And last but not least are the pair of eminently
restorable Eastman 1908 commercial movie
projectors. Disassembled, ready for restoration,
and UPS shippable.
Please email me if you have any interest in these.
July 5, 2007 deeplink
eBay just started up a new US Craig's List
imitator wannabe at www.kijiji.com.
It is kinda empty since it only has been up
for a few hours, and I feel the name choice
is far beyond very bad. Initial nav is much
better than Craig's List, though.
Except it does a HCF ( halt and catch fire )
when I enter my own zipcode.
Promotion apparently will be very low key
for a while, and the whole deal is apparently
quite experimental.
Curiously, eBay owns a big chunk of
Craig's List. A reasonable bet is that the
two will eventually merge with a buyout.
Possibly with "ain't broke" Craig's list
doing business as usual and new concepts
being tested and evaluated on kijiji.
This, of course, is the last thing that newspapers
want or need.
July 4, 2007 deeplink
Them, during today's fire truck parade: "Wave
to the crowd like you really meant it"
Me: "Umm, I don't think you really want me to
do that."
July 3, 2007 deeplink
Lots of bad press over a free energy demo
that - surprise surprise - had to be cancelled.
Some of the proponents of this technology are
claiming that the energy comes from and is
removed from magnets that slowly discharge.
Ain't gonna happen.
How much total energy is stored in a better
grade magnet?
You can calculate this sort of thing directly.
Or else use an equivalent solenoid and the
Joules = 1/2 Li^2 formula. But there is a
much faster and sneakier way:
Here is a typical magnetizer for "normal"
magnets. Its total energy storage is 8000
Joules. A Joule is one watt second and there
are 3600 watt seconds in a watt hour.
If 100 percent of this energy were to end up
in the magnet ( dream on ), you would be
talking a whopping 2.22 watthours of energy
storage.
Thus, the total energy stored in a typical
magnet is laughingly miniscule.
More on pseudoscience bashing here.
July 2, 2007 deeplink
Finding the length of a PostScript file from
within a program is slightly tricky and non-obvious.
The -length- command does not accept a file as
an input. Instead, you combine -fileposition- with
-bytesavailable-. Like so...
filename fileposition
filename bytesavailable add
PostScript and other consulting available.
July 1, 2007 deeplink
Refurb Log:
There's quite a difference in meaning between
the terms "normally open" or NO and "normally
closed" between electrical or electronic switches
and between hydraulics or pneumatics.
A NO electrical switch does not conduct current
if it is not activated. A NC one does.
A NO pneumatic or hydraulic switch does freely
pass gas or liquid if not activated, while a NC
one does not.
Wait, it gets even more complicated. Electrical
single pole single throw (SPST) switches are
quite useful and very common. But a SPST
pneumatic or hydraulic switch usually has a
grievous flaw.
Suppose you open a path to one end of an air
or hydraulic cylinder to a supply. The pipe
fills with air or oil and the cylinder extends.
Close the path, and the oil or air remains
stuck in the pipe!
There is no way to get the cylinder back the
way it was without first emptying the supply
pipe!
A two way valve works like a SPST switch
and is largely useless except to, say, bleed
off a vacuum or pressure tank.
Most common are three way valves. When
actuated, the pipe fills. When released, the
pipe vents to ambient or returns to the pump.
You can also have a four way valve that acts
as a DPDT switch. In one position, the
cylinder is extended. In the other it returns.
One pipe gets filled and one gets emptied.
But you can only either fully extend or fully
return the cylinder. You cannot stop in the
middle.
More popular variants are five way valves.
these add a "center off" feature. In the
left position, a forklift goes up to a desired
height. In the center position, that height is
held. In the right position, the height can be
adjusted downward.
The 5-way center position could also be free
with both pipes venting or returning. But this
is a less common option.
June 30, 2007 deeplink
Sometimes you just know when an obscure
auction is gonna go overwhelmingly in your favor.
It only happens one time in twenty or so.
Sure signs are a second tier auctioneer doing
poor promotion. And very few people attending
with even fewer interested in the stuff you are.
Always keep track of how many numbers get
&Issued.
And the sole goal of the auction being to clear
out the property for reuse. With lots of "contents
of cabinet" and "contents of room" deals. And
continual negotiating to get around the $2.50
minimums.
Still, though, it is trivially easy to snatch defeat
from the jaws of victory. If you bid on too little
to make your time and effort worthwhile. Or on
too much leading to all sorts of loading and
hauling difficulties.
Or if the stuff flat out will not sell on eBay. Or if its
price per pound or price per cubic foot is two low. Or
if the really good stuff got pulled at the last instant.
Or on stuff you have no insider knowledge on
or can not upgrade with personal value added.
Or on stuff that is woefully obsolete but not
remotely collectible. Or requiring extensive
refurb or repair.
Deals are almost always "too good to be true".
Much more on our Auction Help library page.
June 29, 2007 deeplink
Yet another example of Arizona backcountry
engineering would be the Black River Pumping
Plant. Which is a tad newer, dating from 1944.
Water from a 400 foot deep Black River canyon
is pumped up onto a flat mesa and then across
a divide via a seven mile long pipe that eventually
dumps into Willow Creek, a small tributary of Eagle
Creek.
Some 51 miles (!) or so later, the water is pumped
up another thousand feet or so to form a supply
for the Morenci mine and townsite. Total water
transferred is something like 14,000 acre feet
maximum per year. Or somewhere around
several thousand gallons per minute.
There is a power station on the mesa with
beautiful old black and bronze Fairbanks
Morse diesel engines. Lagely supplemented,
though, by a modern transm&Ission line.
Access to the river level pumping station
is via a combination tramway, pipeline,
power line, and walkway. There's also a super
scary aerial cable car at the bottom to access
a stream gauge and calibrate the riverbed.I am not sure what percentage of the water gets
lost to evaporation and groundwater recharge, but
I suspect it is a bunch.
Let's see. If you wanted to lift a thousand gallons
vertically by 1500 feet, something like 12,000,000 foot
pounds of work would be required. Equal to about
4.5 kilowatt hours or 45 cents worth of electricity.
But there are 330,000 gallons per acre foot. So the
total power bill is clearly well beyond pocket change.
Not counting the indian payments, labor, and maint.
Eagle creek scenery is spectacular. Permits may
be needed from PD or the tribe, depending on
where you want to visit. Eagle Creek also holds
one of many variants on the Lost Adam's Digging
treasure lore. Plus caves and hot springs.
June 28, 2007 deeplink
I split up our Magic Sinewave library into two
separate pages. One now holds only the latest
and best info, while the other is a historical
archive and previous development timeline.
Your best starting point on Magic Sinewaves are
here and here.
June 27, 2007 deeplink
Flashback to the late ( very late ) fifties: Did you
know that "Peanuts, Popcorn, Cracker Jack" can
be chanted to the tune of "For the Beauty of the
Earth"?
Thus totally disrupting a Prebyterian church choir
processional. Which is probably one reason why
they don't have Presbyterians anymore.
June 26, 2007 deeplink
Photography gives us a stunning example of
the Instant Gratification via Time Compression
in our Tech Innovation Secrets tutorial.
I started off with my tech photos for the PE
and other construction projects with an ancient
2-1/4 x 3-1/4 speed graphic which later got
upgraded to a Calumet 4x5 view camera. While
Bee first used a Voitlander and then a Rolliflex
for her travel stories.
With the actual slopping in the slush getting done
by a grouchy but exceptionally competent photo
finisher across town. And litho work done by
a different commercial firm.
Eventually we moved and had to buld our own
darkroom. Which only magnified the number of steps
between an image need and its actual delivery. And
had to get into the ugly scene of actually owning
and using a litho camera for our pc and panel work.
These days, we have instant digital photography.
And composition does not particularly matter any,
more because virtually all of your value added lies
in your image postproc.
Our preferred studio "cameras" today include a
Nikon CoolPix and a decent HP scanner with a very
high depth of field. Sometimes used simultaneously
on the same subject. With composition viewed on
a large computer monitor.
The Nikon does tend to burn into the white on
highlights and lacks instant wireless comm. Besides
being rough on batteries. And we could use some
improvement in the light tent area
But, my oh my, where we are compared to where we
once were.
Samples here and tutorials here.
Consulting and seminars available.
June 25, 2007 deeplink
I often get emails from individuals who think
they have made a startling energy breakthrough
and where can they get a stick to beat back all of the
investors and buyers?
As I have pretty much conclusively proven with
my Magic Sinewave development, there is very
little demand for alternate energy solutions today!
Virtually all of high profile alternate energy is a
scam of one sort or another. Aimed at stealing either
investor bucks or government funding dollars.In most of the emails I receive, the proponent will
often commit what those French Veternarians call a
"four paw".
Where they talk about kilowatts of energy, believe
in physical law violations, claim hydrogen fuel cell
efficiencies above 83 percent, fail to include all the
containment weight in their mass energy density
claims ( hydrogen, of course, is much worse than
gasoline ) , or believe that "pulsed DC is somehow
different from "ac".
Or otherwise label themselves as not having the
faintest clue. And certainly having not done their
homework
Just in case you m&Issed the turn above, "kilowatts"
are a unit of power, not a unit of energy. And the
absolute limit of a hydrogen fuel cell is five sixths
or 83 percent. Because electrolysis can be up to
one sixth endothermic and there ain't no free lunch.
Fourier Series guarantees ac components of
any pulse.
And electrolysis itself is totally useless, because
all it does is inefficiently convert many high value
kilowatt hours into fewer ones of much lower value.
Caused by the staggering loss of exergy.
Others fail to realize that current dollars are
fully fungible and interchangeable with current
kilowatt hours of energy. With a dime per KWH
being the usual exchange rate on a utility contract.
Or that fully burdened NET energy delivery is
all that really matters in the big picture and the
long run. For which you can consider the "iceberg
effect" of any subsidy to be at least a 3:1 penalty.
At any rate, two potentially useful funding sources
for your alternate energy breakthrough can be
found here and here.
The only tiny kicker is that the skills need to scam
government research dollars are largely the exact
opposite of those needed to do competent independent
research in the first place.
Much more in our Energy Fundamentals tutorial.
June 24, 2007 deeplink
Latest GuruGram #74 asks "What is the
"best" eBay price?"
In which we find that...
~ Around 75 percent of eBay sales
lose money.
~ Less than 5 percent of eBay sales
exceed $100.
~ Typical sellthru is only 0.4.
~ A buyer is THIRTY TIMES more
likely to make a $20 purchase than
a $100 one.
~ The eBay market for big ticket items
is much lower than most people suspect.
Sourcecode appears here and additional
GuruGrams here.
June 23, 2007 deeplink
I've been wanting to upgrade to a HDTV display
and have pretty much discovered that we ain't quite
there yet.
A reasonable goal would be 32 inch diagonal format,
minimum contrast of 5000:1, LCD with LED backlight,
1080p native progressive resolution, and less than 4
millisecond response times.
And, of course $490 maximum delivered price.
Thin, flat, light, long lived, and rugged, naturally.
With superb resolution enhancing smarts. And at
least 1000 cd/m2 long term brightness.
It is curious that you can get very small 1080p screens
and very large ones, but no middle sized ones. This
makes no sense whatsoever. There is no reason to
believe that 720p vertical resolution will have ANY
use in the future.
720p to me seems to be a sleezoid manufacturer's way
out of low production yields. And interlaced anything,
of course, is similarly doomed.
Nor should there be any reason to draw any distinction
whatsoever between a "computer monitor" and a "tv set".
Things are definitely on the downslope of the learning
curve, though.
June 22, 2007 deeplink
A quite serious problem arises whenever you use
4-point barbed wire for premium audio speaker
connections: The barb points are all sharp and will
thus raise the pitch of any music.
The usual workaround is to make an equalizer out
of a carefully chosen length of flat ribbon cable.
Additional details are found here.
June 21, 2007 deeplink
There's a new WeSRCH.COM website up. That
just might end up a useful new engineering resource.
Especially to new graduates seeking their first
jobs.
This looks like a good place to upload your own
technical papers to expose them to a wider audience.
Yes, you retain all rights to everything posted.
So far, new papers are only posted every few days.
Things thus seem off to a slow start at best,
And it is not obvious what will prevent outright
sales spiels and incompetent pseudoscience junk from
eventually causing problems.
It also seems fairly trivial to spoof your own ratings.
Worse, their signup process is beyond inane. It took
me fifteen tries to register. Their stock icons are even
worse, and the icon you pick is not the icon you get. And
then when I uploaded a paper, all it produced was a blank
screen.
But the most crucial question involves their banner:
Why is the girl rabbit farting on the boy rabbits?
June 20, 2007 deeplink
I've long been fascinated by early Arizona historical
engineering. Especially the Mount Graham Aerial
Tramway that is in my front yard.
Another incredible (and ongoing) Arizona engineering
saga involves the Fossil Creek Hydro Plants.
Turns out there was this large spring to the north of
the most remote part of Arizona's Bloody Basin desert.
The spring was thousands of feet above the Verde River.
A small dam was built, followed by two power plants.
After the first Irving power plant, a flume and an inverted
siphon routed the water down and then back up to a fairly
large lake. Penstocks from the lake then went through the
second Childs plant.
Incredible hardship was involved in the early 1900's
construction. The plants provided all of Central Arizona
power and much of the Phoenix power for many decades.
Total power production was something like 4 peak
megawatts. Or around one percent of one unit of a modern
facility. The two plants are now being decomm&Issioned
and full flow has been returned to Fossil Creek along with
a major and ongoing environmental restoration.
Chances are the plants became too hard to staff and may
have needed major repairs. Besides being a trivial source.
While everybody is praising the environmental restoration,
several questions remain. Like how much of what of the
plants will be historically preserved? And what are the
consequences of destroying a beautiful century old lake?
Excellent swimming in Fossil Creek, by the way. Even
with the old reduced flow.
A good summary appears here.
June 19, 2007 deeplink
One of the more obscure Arizona Auction
resources: Dovebid has recurring auctions
where the merch is in many different cities.
Phoenix often occurs.
The only way I have found to see what is
available where is to reach down into their
actual auction inventory pages and search by
location.
June 18, 2007 deeplink
One of the realities of local auctions is that
the same bad actors keep competing against
you. Some of whom will not be outbid at any
price.
Here are some defenses...
HIT 'EM WHERE THEY AIN'T - Dig
down really deep to find obscure auctions
where they are unlikely to attend. Best
are auctions where your items of interest
are only a tiny fraction of the total.
KEEP A LOW PROFILE - Do not let
them recognize you as a competitor or as
a threat. Be totally invisible except when
actually bidding. Always listen. Speak rarely.
Never gloat or brag.
RECOGNIZE HIDDEN VALUE - Spend
extra time previewing and evaluating lots.
Using your expertise as personal value
added. Secret marks ( such as a thumbtack
on a pallet rail ) may prove useful.
IGNORE THEM - Set your max price
ahead of time and absolutely stick with it.
BE NICE - Be generous with useless info
such as upcoming auctions you will not be
attending. Or which auctioneer just did what
to whom.
NO P&IssING CONTESTS - Never bid further
than one increment above your absolute max
solely to cause them grief.
PLAY THE ODDS - You only need hit big time
on one auction out of twenty or so. If more
than five percent of your bids are accepted,
you are paying too much.
BE PATIENT! - The bad guys may leave early
or run out of money or use up their haul space.
More tutorials can be found here.
June 17, 2007 deeplink
A syndication scheme that makes your articles
and stories ( with suitable commercial back
links ) readily available to other websites might
prove quite useful for web promotion.
And to get your ideas exposed to the widest
possible audience.
However, I feel that this example has a grievous
flaw: Virtually all of the decent higher quality
tech info is in PDF format. This site not only
is limited to the HTML losers, but it also places
severe restrictions on what HTML gets used
in what manner.
June 16, 2007 deeplink
A tutorial on Fundamental Factors Driving
Recent Technical Innovation appears here.
June 15, 2007 deeplink
It is interesting to watch the surplus and auction
scene evolve over the years. A crucial task is to
continually ask where things are going, rather
than where they have been.
Initially, surplus community college test equipment
was the biggie for me. Much of this is long gone
and what little remains often is highly competitive.
Demand for heavier and older un-networked or
un-computerized test equipment has plummeted .
Mil surplus was next on my list. The latest gyration
of who sells government surplus how has left both
Arizona and New Mexico literally high and dry.
While expanding outstanding opportunities for
folks near Northern Florida or Central Pennsylvania.
Although Cunningham remains a superb source for
industrial auctions, they have scaled waaay back in
this area. And are now focused more on real estate.
Government Liquidation now seems totally useless. At
least around here, and Public Surplus still seems to be
lacking the faintest clue.
A newly emerging source of useful items are from
insider aerospace surplus auctions. These are quite hard
to even find out about, let alone actively participate in.
One problem is mountains of outrageously heavy and
bulky dregs you have to buy to get at the goodies.
One of our best buys ever was picking up an
electronic distributor's inventory that had gone
belly up. I would dearly love to find more of these.
Particularly since fulfillment is incredibly simpler
than on heavier or one-off items.
Non obvious sources that have proven useful to
me include copper mine and public utility auctions.
One of the better remaining opportunities remains
distress and bankruptcy sales. Especially when
"contents of cabinet" and "contents of room"
opportunities abound. These seem to be scarce
lately, but I expect them to rebound shortly.
Much more on our Auction Help library page.
Tested and proven sources appear here and your
own custom local or regional source finder can
be made for you per these details.
June 14, 2007 deeplink
At one time, I was really big on Book-o
