Hawk's Babble-Log

Pictures don’t do it justice.

All state-of-the-art digital projectors, all comfy stadium seating… all good!

My new Idaho Geek Cave is nearly complete!  Check it out:

All I need to do now is get my game machine running again.

I’m using a TrippLite SmartPro NET 2200 connected to four large deep-cycle external 12V batteries wired up to be one big 24V battery:

There are two batteries in one shelving unit, and two in the other. Each 12V pair is wired in series to be 24V (because the TrippLite 2200 is a 24V system), and then both of those pairs are wired parellel to be one double-gigantic 24V battery. I drilled half-inch holes in the plastic side of the UPS unit (UPS = Uninterruptable Power Supply) and fed the cables to the internal connectors.

Obviously, the original batteries are not in there. I haven’t used the originals since they stopped taking a charge way back in… many years ago. This TrippLite UPS unit was designed to power a heavy load for a short time. But I’m using it to power a light load for a long time. I haven’t tested to see how long it will run my workstation, but I’m guessing many, many hours. Possibly days.

When I save up the money to replace the batteries, I’ll run a load test and time it to see how long it’ll go.

Sometimes we get ducks in the front yard.

Sometimes we get them in the back yard as well. These two are a couple, I always see them together.

Finally got reasonably good high-speed internet via CableOne. It’s hooked up in the far corner. I assembled another shelving unit and put the equipment on top.

The speed is as advertised, at least 50Mbps down and 2Mbps up:

The only problem with CableOne is that they have a 100G / month bandwidth limit. I’m going to hit this limit in about a week. So it looks like CableOne will not be my bandwidth provider. Too bad, it seems to be a good stable service.

The desk is almost done!

Still waiting on the cable guy to come out and hook us up. They make you wait a week even if they have an opening in their schedule before that (the bastards). I should have ordered it right after I arrived and before I moved in.

More stuff completed, plus two shelving sets behind the desk.

These are the same shelving sets I had at the old place, but this time I have much more room behind the desk. I can actually walk behind it now to work on stuff!

The desk is comming together.

It’s amazing how long it takes to assemble stuff… especially when you can’t find the screws and bolts and nuts ‘n stuff. Still unboxing and unpacking and organizing.

Check out my new pad!

Okay, so it’s not so great yet, but it will be! It’s much bigger than my old room. In my old room, I had to share my office, bedroom, and shop all in one room about the size of this one. Here, I’m using this one big room for my office and the bedroom is off to the side (not pictured). The shop is out back in the garage.

Totally awesome.

More to come.

On the 15 Interstate freeway, somewhere in Utah, the speed limit is 80! I managed to take this pic while driving (not recommended):

Dear Internet,

I’m moving to Idaho! So long California! And good luck.

“Why Idaho?”, you may ask? For the answer to that, watch this long video:

I thought this was funny:

Lately I’ve been thinking that I need to upgrade my phone so I can get on with 4G and increase my bandwidth. Also, I notice that my dedicated server is on a 10Mbps connection, and that it’s starting to seem kinda slow. Also, at home, my bandwidth just can’t get anywhere above about 5Mbps no matter which provider I’m with.

Then I see this, and I think to myself, “Yes! It’s about time!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffHLIZh0PHg

http://fiber.google.com/about/

(Please, Google Fiber, how can I prove to you that I am worthy?!?)

Yayyyy!

UK judge rules Apple must publicly admit Samsung did not copy iPad design: http://admin.androidcentral.com/uk-judge-rules-apple-must-publicly-admit-samsung-did-not-copy-ipad-design

Why does this make me happy?

1) Frivolous lawsuits suck.
2) Lawsuits designed to hinder rivals suck.
3) Frivolous lawsuits designed to hinder rivals double-suck!

I can’t even wait for this!

Google’s Self-Driving Car (PC Mag)

Currently, my commute is about 45 to 50 minutes one-way. I listen to stuff on my little Archos (like Japanese lessons) to keep from going insane. But you know what would be even better? Almost anything!!

If I were able to climb behind the wheel and do email on the way to work while my car drove me there, I’d get a lot of email done. If I were able to read a book on the way to work while my car drove me there, I’d go through a lot of books!

I could use my Kindle Fire to read email, books, surf the net, run apps, play games… on and on. What can you do these days on a networked Android device? That’s what I could do with the better part of an hour while my car drove me to work. I think the question is more like “What can you not do on a networked Android device?”

Anyway, I can’t even wait for this!! I want it now!!!

This is awesome:

(click image for full-size version)

This seems like a good idea:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-57412225-281/this-internet-provider-pledges-to-put-your-privacy-first-always/

http://www.indiegogo.com/calyx

http://youtu.be/ZodMIdYkKJI