I’m taking a single class at a community college other than the ones I have previously attended.  I had to challenge a prerequisite, and it appears that my challenge has been processed, as today the registration web site allowed me to register for the class.  Payment is required at the same time by credit or [...]

In order to use the Dimensions 3D printer at TechShop, I needed some 3D CAD software, so I purchased the Student Edition of SolidWorks. In my spare time have been learning to use it. The built-in tutorials are good, but I felt that a book might also be helpful, so I purchased a [...]

When connecting the power cable to a SATA drive, the plastic piece to which the connector fingers are attached on the drive’s power connector broke off, leaving the fingers unsupported.  I didn’t think I was applying excessive force to the connector, so it’s possible that there was a molding void in it.
I subsequently attempted to [...]

I’ve now taken four classes at TechShop:

Laser Cutting and Etching SBU (Safety and Basic Usage)
Milling Machine SBU
MIG Welding SBU
Soldering

The SBU classes are intended to ensure that the student knows how to use the equipment safely, and are a prerequisite for using the equipment. They demonstrate very basic skills only.
I’ve enjoyed the classes I’ve [...]

I was going somewhere with a few friends.  We stopped to pick up Dan.  Instead of getting in the car, though, Dan climbed on the hood, and was clinging by his fingertips.  We had no idea why he chose to do that, but we proceeded.
At one point the driver had to brake suddenly, so Dan [...]

As I drove home late last night (actually early this morning), there was some annoying advertisement on KUFX, so I switched to KFOG.  KFOG plays some stuff I like, but they play an excess of new “whiny rock”.  I caught the second half of a song I hadn’t heard before, John Mayer’s “Waiting on the [...]

For my recent vacation to Colorado, I assembled a shoebox PC based on a Shuttle ST20G5 barebone box to use as an EVDO (broadband wireless) to 802.11g (Wifi) router, so that I would have good internet connectivity.  I used a Novatel U720 USB modem with Sprint EVDO service, a D-Link WDA-2320 PCI 802.11g card with [...]

The Bush administration is opposing China’s development of “satellite killer” technology.  However, the US is known to be developing and testing such technology, and has rejected international calls to end such testing.

Today I received the book for my CSC 376 Computer Organization class, Computer Systems Organization & Architecture by John D. Carpinelli (Addison Wesley Longman, 2001).
It has a full-page sidebar on page 32: “PRACTICAL PERSPECTIVE: Why LEDs Are Usually Active Low”. They get points for the attempt, but they fall short:
This is one reason [...]

My classes at the University of Illinois at Springfield just started this week.  I’m taking three CS classes.  They’re online, so I don’t have to travel to Springfield.  That’s fortunate, because it would be a terrible commute from California!
In each class the instructor has had us introduce ourselves in an online forum.   Unsurprisingly the [...]