Don’t mean to tease, but yes, I managed to “jailbreak” an A.I., this week, though I won’t get into the how of it. It should suffice to say that a typical fear of the villagers at the gates with pitchforks is that A.I. has to be hobbled. Or, there could be hell to pay if … Read More
I have been doing a LOT of AI lately. In fact, it has become the main “New Power Tool” around here. At the moment, I’m using it to help the So. Florida doctors who are tracking a [communicable something] which causes rouleaux of red blood cells (RBCs stacked like “coins” which is what rouleaux means). … Read More
A couple of notes on inflation to begin the day. I have been cleaning up the office and the shop, so there were three old tube caddies – of the sort the TV repairman used to lug around. they had tubes in them, but nothing of any value there. I spent a couple of hours … Read More
Where to begin? Well, those radio tubes from 50-miles away – misdirected by the USPS Coppell mail and storage place to Arizona and God-knows where today… still isn’t here. But 8 days now to go 50 miles is damn near walking speed. Which left time for plumbing. When Our Hero Last Reported… The high-use faucet … Read More
The philosophy of workmanship, purpose of life, and durable projects is served up for brunch. A Project Gutenberg page, The Project Gutenberg eBook on The Way to Wealth, by Benjamin Franklin. (free) deserves a bookmark. For in it, Franklin speaks of Practical Matters: “Keep thy shop, and thy shop will keep thee:” and again, “If … Read More
We need to begin at the beginning, I suppose. Because I am working with a colleague who is investigating something, and needs a PEMF (pulse, electro magnetic force) device to interact with, I have been up to my butt in Tesla/scalar antenna designs this week. And, curiously, how to simplify the design to use all … Read More
It was terribly busy around the homestead this week. So I don’t have a specific article (or pictures). No, the dog didn’t eat my homework. Just there were no pictures that really made sense. For example, I tossed my Skil 20V jigsaw in the trash barrel Friday. Went to use the damn thing and it wouldn’t … Read More
So, there’s this new book I am working on – the first part is due to hit Peoplenomics next week. It’s about how “People Are Products” and how we are each uniquely genetically coded to do certain things. As I was working in my shop, I was struck by the high level of tactility evidenced in … Read More
You – you lucky devil – will be learning about tube testing today. But before we do that, a background course in radio repair as a warm-up… It was a quiet weekend on the electronics bench as Universe had presented a mildly interesting case: A super cheap (Under $100 on eBay) radio – classic Heathkit … Read More
Welcome to midpointing a 3-day weekend. Where we expect to get a lot done. Let’s begin with this from a reader: (from a dislocated W2 ham radio op in the Woodlands, TX) “I remember you purchased a “mystery antenna” from K4TR, and were going to evaluate it? Any feedback on it would be appreciated.” Oh … Read More
First thing, we gotta talk about chow. Because the weather is still cool. In fact, there’s even a mention of SNOW in the local extended forecast out in the week-from-Monday range. This is when I don’t beat myself up too much for eating carbs. Yeah, carbo toxicity and all that, but half a pizza is … Read More
The weather this time of year is only partly conducive to shop work. It’s cold. So, in addition to being uncomfortable to use metal-handled tools (wood and plastic handles are OK) there are some machines that just won’t work right. Take the 3D printers, for example. I ran out a pretty good-sized print this week. With … Read More
I am, as you might have guessed, not your typical “cranky old man in the woods.” Most old men in the woods don’t have a bunny for a honey, go shooting on their range regularly, surround themselves with wireless PTZ solar webcams, play at high speed Morse on the ham radio, or cobble up new … Read More