Archive for October, 2008

FlashPoint ES Handheld Microwave

– October 19, 2008Posted in: Technology
FlashPoint ES Handheld Microwave

According to BookofJoe:

“It may look like a torch, but the FlashPoint ES is actually a pocket-size mini-microwave ‘Exo-Stove.’ Point, twist to ‘focus,’ click ‘GO’ and within seconds your tea/soup/corn on the cob is zapped and piping hot. Invaluable to explorers, mountaineers and round-the-world yachtists, and a boon in the office when your coffee goes tepid. Complete with rechargeable battery, combination safety lock and lanyard attachment.”

[via James Ferguson's "Pat Pending" feature in today's Financial Times "How To Spend It" magazine]

There are a lot of skeptics and people screaming that this is a hoax.  While there main basis is on how microwave technology works, and that there is no supporting evidence on this article that it even exists, I think they are jumping to conclusions.

There is a flashlight that is capable of setting paper on fire its so bright.  In fact it can only be used for 3 minutes at a time for fear of burning your hand.  Its called “Wicked Lasers Torch“.  You can see a video of it actually setting paper on fire there too.

While claiming that this is a “mini-microwave” I don’t believe that it can be completely interprited as using microwave technology but as an euphonism to reference its ability.  At the very least I hope its real as it would be very useful while out in the field.  Although I don’t see the need for the lanyard.

Swallowing Pride

– October 18, 2008Posted in: My Life
Swallowing Pride

Off and on for the past couple months, depending on my wife’s mood which changes with the wind, I have been living out of my car.  Some nights she lets me sleep at her place, other times she doesn’t even want to talk to me.  After having the police tell me where I can’t park my car for the night, having my car be broke into while I was in it, and getting sick of paying a bridge toll in order to visit any of the rest stops in the bay area, I have been parked in the driveway of a concerned retired man who lives alone.  Over the past months he has offered me a place to stay and I have refused.  I assured him I was fine sleeping in my car.  I am 100% sufficient this way and with the ability to fold down the seats and lay out a mattress that I bought at REI, its actually quite comfortable.

The biggest problem with living in my car is I am limited on storage space and without a kitchen I am almost obligated to eat food that is cold or already prepared.  Since I am also trying to watch how much money I spend, my menu is typically the dollar menu at McD’s or Burger King.  (Usually Burger King as its right next to the Starbucks I am practically living in for the Wi-Fi.)

My wife knows about the offer from my driveway friend and has been pushing me to take it.  He again extended his offer on Monday and did so via e-mail.  The e-mail was quite long and he explained all the possibilities.  In short I would have my own room, my own bathroom, and open access to the rest of the house.  Free of charge.

It’s an offer I can’t refuse…, or better put, its an offer I shouldn’t refuse.  Next week I will get my last paycheck from NYS unemployment and this means my sole income will be from websites and the G.I. bill.  It also means I will be able to get a job without risking the loss of a stable income.  My choices will be limited to primarily retail so this could cause a problem, especially since I will earn about the same or a little less than NYS was paying me.

Living with this person for free will actually save me from the excess gas I spend charging my battery, my gym membership I use to take a shower, and the expense of eating out all the time.  Not to mention it will get colder during the upcoming winter months.

So now I think I am at the point where I need to swallow my pride and accept the open invitation.  Not so much for me, but for those around me as well.

Another Zag

– October 18, 2008Posted in: My Life
Another Zag

Lately my wife has been going back and forth with her moods, debating whether or not we should get a divorce.  Today is another zag.  While she is telling me that she thinks its over because of our past I think that its because I was not knocking on her door an hour before the WIC appointment we had at 8:30 this morning.  We made it the appointment 10 minutes early, with all the paperwork, and didn’t have any issues getting our checks.  (This was our first time in California so we had to register as well).

However I am still sleeping in my car, and in order to take a shower I have to drive 5 minutes to the gym, then I have to pack everything back into my trunk, (I fold the seat down lay out a mattress, and am technically halfway sleeping in the trunk) then pack my bag, go into the gym, and hope that there isn’t a line for the one and only shower.  On top of that this will be the only bathroom in which I will be able to brush my teeth and shave in for the day so I have to do that as well.  I roughly give myself an hour, probably could rush it in 30-45 minutes but that would include flossing and shaving (never good to shave in a hurry, you cut yourself or miss spots either way I don’t look like an idiot if I just forget).

I woke up at 7am.  I had to get ready and meet her by 7:30-7:45 so we can install the car seat, plus I had an issue with my laptop last night and it froze causing me to shut it down instead of hibernating so I had to go and google the address again, or….  put on a clean t-shirt and then hose myself down with axe body spray and take a shower after the appointment.  Which gave me lots of time to do everything and I could guarentee we would make it there in time.  So its a choice between an Axe scented funk or re-scheduling this appointment for another month out for the third time in a row (you can guess which choice I picked last month).

Those commericials of the guy spraying himself with Axe just before meeting the chick instead of taking a shower are full of crap.  My wife was mad because she had time to take a shower, but I didn’t even bother.  Um, my bed “is” the back seat of a car.  If I have to take a leak in the middle of the night I have to drive to a nearby gas station, which most of the ones near where I sleep close at 9-10pm.  I think she forgot this…, however by reminding her she felt like I was rubbing it in her face that she could stop it.

All of this combined is a likely chance that set me up for today’s end where she was mad and ready to gouge my eyes out and then slit her own wrist, as the world had officially come to an end.  I spent the better half of the evening trying to calm her down, tell her not matter what I will always love her…, I’m sorry…, blah blah, but what I am thinking is, get over yourself, no one in their right mind argues over such petty differences let along gets a divorce over them.

Hi, my name is mud, and this is my life!

Won goes up, then goes down

– October 16, 2008Posted in: Korea
Won goes up, then goes down
South Korean Wons to 1 USD
120 days latest (Oct 16)
1369.5		 lowest (Jul 10)
998.2		 highest (Oct 8 )
1415.25

The above is only a graph for the past 4 months.  Korean Won has ranged about 400 won per one US dollar.  On or around its lowest point 1,000,000 won was roughly worth about $1,000.  With 1$ worth about 1,400 won that makes that same $1,000 worth about $700.  If you are exchanging enough money to buy a business, buy a home, or even buy a car, that is still a fairly heavy chunk of change that would be lost in the exchange.

For once I would like to see the US economy weaken.

New look for the blog

– October 13, 2008Posted in: WebSite
New look for the blog

I went through and found a new theme for my blog this weekend.  The main reason is I am not trying out Twitter and with the old theme I had to go into the theme’s PHP files in order to change anything.  This took time and extra work.  So after a quick search I found a theme that was widget ready and suited my taste with colors and graphics and made the switch.  A couple widgets had to be installed that do the same thing as the codes I had installed before them, but this makes everything a lot easier to edit, add, and change.

I’m working on installing everything that was once here but I think a lot of it I can easily do without.  I am still trying to make this blog an alternative to MySpace or Facebook, giving me more control over everything and the ability to add or subtract the content I choose.

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