The Berlin Wall, 17 March 1990
We will be visiting Paris and Berlin for the first time in thirty-six years. I pulled out my travel journal from back then to see what has changed. This is a portion of the entry from 17 März 1990. The Continue reading
Most Casual Observer
In physics class, many things are intuitively obvious to the most casual observer. Welcome to my casual observations.
Latest posts
Accomodations for Hand Foot Syndrome
The major side effect from my chemo drug (capecitabine / Xeloda) was Hand Foot Syndrome (HFS), known by doctors as Plantar Palmar Erythrodysesthesia (PPE). This happens when the chemo drug leaks from capillaries in the hands and feet, damaging cells Continue reading
Backpacking Pasta e Ceci
Pasta e Ceci is a classic rustic Italian recipe, a simple chunky soup of small pasta and chickpeas. With some dehydrated ingredients, it is an easy and filling backpacking meal. This photo is from a doubled (or tripled, I don t Continue reading
My Father’s Pens
I have two pens from my dad, a Parker Vacumatic and a Sheaffer Pen for Men. I had both of them serviced (new rubber parts) and they’re in my pocket. They’ll be my daily writers for a while. The older Continue reading
Quitting Time
When I was a KTRU DJ in the spring of 1979, I was playing the first album by The Roches and one of my favorite songs was Quitting Time. Even then, I knew I d be thinking of that song when Continue reading
Snow Peak Kuwagata for Recycling Fuel Canisters
I generally avoid single-purpose tools, but after ruining a couple of tools puncturing MSR IsoPro canisters, I asked for a Snow Peak Kuwagata for my birthday. It makes a nice squarish hole with no fuss. After puncturing: I used to Continue reading
Testing the FlipFuel
I tested the FlipFuel fuel transfer device and it works well to consolidate partly full fuel canisters. It left about 6% of the original contents un-transferred (13-17 g), roughly enough to boil 3-4 cups of water. I m OK with that Continue reading
Advisors to the National Court of Honor, 1919
It is hard to grasp how prestigious the Boy Scouts were in the early days, but this table of advisors for merit badges gives some idea. Luther Burbank, Teddy Roosevelt, Gifford Pinchot, John Philip Sousa, Charles Schwab, Thomas Edison, this Continue reading
The New Camp Cookbook
Want to take your car-camping meals up a notch? Maybe two? The New Camp Cookbook is your book. I made four of these recipes at home and all were keepers. They d be knockouts on a picnic table. I made these: Continue reading
ChatGPT Packs for Philmont
And the list has some problems. Too many clothes, missing sleep clothes, filter instead of Philmont tablets, bear canister, and so on. Prompt was make a backpacking gear list for Philmont . Clothing and Footwear Hiking boots or shoes Camp shoes Continue reading
Backpacking Bread—First Attempt with Banks Fry-Bake
I like to try out new backpacking recipes at home before hitting the trail, so today I baked bread in the Banks Fry-Bake that I was given on Christmas. Very successful, it was tasty and I learned things for next Continue reading
Elecraft KX3 Modifications Timeline
The official Elecraft site lists all the mods and updates for the KX3, but doesn t collect those with serial numbers in one spot. I ve made a list of the ones documented. This does not include builder s notes or calibration procedures Continue reading
Click Residual: A Query Success Metric
How do you find out which queries need the most improvement? Look at the ones that are underperforming compared to their expected number of clicks. If you look for low click-through rate (CTR), you ll find underperforming queries, but they ll almost Continue reading
$11 Base for Magnetic Keys and Paddles
Want a base for your spiffy new Morse Code paddles with a magnetic mount? Try this jeweler s bench block. It is 13 oz. (375 g), has a shiny surface that magnets stick to, and a grippy silicone base. Plus, it Continue reading
The Power of Suggestion
In Scouting the 'power of suggestion' frequently manifests itself by leaders attempting to influence a Scout's behavior, actions, advancement etc. by making a 'suggestion.' However, Scouts will frequently interpret a 'suggestion' as an indirect instruction that they must comply with rather than just an alternative they might consider. Continue reading
RF Exposure Calculations for Emergency Commmunication
I ve calculated some safe distances for RF exposure in typical emergency communication situations. These are for a 5 W HT (handheld radio) or a 50 W mobile, on 2 m and 70 cm, each with typical antennas. The results may Continue reading
Scout Backpacking Around the SF Bay Area
I ve written a series of articles about backpacking trips that work for Scouts ages 10 to 14. Some have a split hike possibility where older, stronger Scouts can take a different route to the same campsite. Sunol Regional Wilderness Preserve Continue reading
Backpacking: Pioneer Outpost at Cutter Scout Reservation
The Hike Not especially well-marked if you want to make it a loop, but easy to follow on a fire road if you make it an out-and-back. This campsite is a couple of miles from the main part of Cutter, Continue reading
Backpacking: Castle Rock State Park
The Hike This is a loop, with the trail camp 2.5 miles from the parking lot. One side of the loop is a dramatic trail along the side of the ridge. with views out to the ocean on good days. Continue reading
Backpacking: Manzanita Ridge at Henry Coe State Park
The Hike Three miles, with elevation gain loss of +/- 500 to 600 feet depending on which group camp you stay at and which route you take. The first part of the hike has three options. The ranch road follows Continue reading