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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 pissing
around with electrolysis.
If you do understand exergy, you WILL NOT be pissing
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 missed 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 missed 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 missed 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 + z3
Org. 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 missed 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.