A Geek Goes Flying

Hammer’s Slammers Just thinking back to the books I used to devour, mostly from supermarket shelves during our weekly “supplies run” to Dierberg’s (we lived kinda out in the middle of nowhere, and while a groceries run is apparently “only” 15 minutes each way , I remember them being relatively infrequent). From memory, some titles: Deadman Switch , by Timothy Zahn (yes,  that  Timothy Zahn ) Lacey and his Friends , David Drake (lot of David Drake on this list) Hammer’s Slammers , David Drake (apparently several books in this series, at this point) Crisis of Empire , David Drake  Rogue Bolo , Keith Laumer The man who pulled down the sky , John Barnes And of course I had a subscription to Analog , and read my ... IDK, step-aunt? (Grandfather’s new wife’s daughter from a previous marriage.) Copies of OMNI . And of course there were the Big Names. Isaac Asimov’s “ three laws of robotics ” series, and when I’d exhausted those, the Robot City series. All the Foundati...

Decluttering, I found an old HD 8  (mine’s actually an 8th generation, one year newer than that SKU, but they’re both obsolete and discontinued, so whatever) that I’d apparently never even setup (or if I did, I’d factory reset it). It’s like 7 years old but the screen is immaculate and it seems to have a working battery, albeit not the strongest - as you’d expect. Anyway. It’s running Fire OS 7.3.2.9 with a build date of Decemer 5, 2023, 1:59 p.m., so I guess I did have it online at some point, long enough to update the system software. I’m told this software is a fork of Android Pie (a/k/a Android 9.0), which is getting fairly long in the tooth, but I have apps that will work on the much older Android 5 (Lollipop) (from my Nexus 7 restoration project ), so ...  The hardware isn’t anything to write home about either: 8-inch IPS LCD (1280x800); quad-core MediaTek MT8163B CPU; 1.5 GB RAM; 16GB internal storage (~12GB usable after factory reset); VGA front camera, 2MP rear ...

For the Solterra, for my iPhone 16 Pro with the unreliable USB C port, I wanted something that would hold the phone visibly and securely  and charge it with a decent amount of juice, and ideally with cooling. (I was waiting for TackForm to bring the CR07 back, but, alas, support confirmed it’s been discontinued.) The components I currently have, which work together brilliantly: The vent hook module from this: Coolpow for MagSafe Car Mount【Windshield+Vent+Dash】Magnetic Phone Holder  (the phone holder component works well, too, but doesn’t charge). It has a 17 mm ball so interoperates well with other hardware. This Anker 67W 3-Port USB-C Car Charger (the ESR below comes with its own 12V charger, but I know and trust the Anker, which is a little more flexible[1]; if I didn’t already have the Anker, the adapter that comes with the ESR is I’m sure fine...) The ESR OmniLock Qi2.2 Certified 25W MagSafe Car Mount Charger with CryoBoost , which I got when it went on “Black ...

Back in the day ( apparently 1982, and 1984 ), I remember waiting what seemed like forever to enter the Old Glory Theater ( Old Glory Amphitheatre ?) all the way in the back of Six Flags over Mid-America (now Six Flags over St. Louis ), by the Screamin' Eagle , to see The Beach Boys . I was early in my K-12 stint for those shows, which I remember as magical, even if the wait in the hot, humid Missouri summer was interminable. Anyway. Apparently, a bunch of bands played there back in the day , including several I’d love to see today: “Johnny Cash, Olivia Newton John, Kansas, Foreigner, Blue Oyster Cult, Head East, Tears For Fears, Night Ranger, Weird Al, Willie Nelson, Chuck Berry, The Orleans, Paul Revere And The Raiders, Electric Light Orchestra, Charlie Daniels, Toto, Ted Nugent, REO Speedwagon, The Commodores, Salt And Peppa, Randy Travis, Marshall Tucker Band, Garth Brooks, Reba, Oak Ridge Boys, Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, Kenny Rogers, Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, The Monkees, R...

I needed a new casual belt. I find one I like and wear it the F out. But I’ve never really found one that fit perfectly in all situations. So I decided to try an “infinitely adjustable” belt. Found recommendations for the Narrow (1.1") Grip6 belts ($46+ but the colorways I would want are all currently sold out) and the Ultra Groove Belt from Duluth Trading Co. ($40). So I went with the Ultra Groove. Ultra Groove Belt, black. They’re supposed to be one size fits all, but it would be nice if they listed the length; I had to write customer service and ask. They’re about 48" long, FWIW. Anyway. They initially shipped me the wrong belt (I got one with a walnut buckle), but eventually got it sorted out and they shipped the right one, which I’m wearing now. Getting it setup took watching a short YouTube video:  The Groove folks also helpfully tested it out with a variety of accessories ;) ...  

Following up from my earlier observations ; a 13.6" MacBook Air M2 seems to settle around 65W (on an  Anker 100W charger , observed using a SABRENT cable with a built in display ) while charging from 37% SOC and being used with, e.g., a Bluetooth keyboard  ( 5.1 ) and mouse  ( BLE ), WiFi, and screen brightness turned up (while listening to streaming music via hardwired headphones ). So while 30W is what it shipped with[1], and what can reliably power and charge it, the modern Airs will take advantage of more power if its on tap - at least up to a point. MacBook Air M2 13.6" consuming 65W USB-C PD So, battery packs like the Zendure SuperTank Pro and Shargeek Storm 2 , Shargeek 140 , or even the Anker 20,000mAh Power Bank (A1383) (for basically one recharge, or a partial top-off if charging while using the computer), are still worth toting, even if I could get by with something with lower power output.

Minor update to my listening / reading nook ... The over the shoulder clipped on USB light wasn’t the solution I wanted. Finding the inline switch module on the cable was a PITA, it never was quite aimed right, etc. I’d had my eye on this floor standing light for a minute, but something in me just doesn’t want to spend $80 on a disposable piece like that; the LEDs are integrated into the light itself, and cannot be (easily, if at all) replaced when they eventually die. That idea leaves a bad taste in my mouth. So instead I got this more traditional O'Bright Nova - Adjustable Floor Lamp ($50). No dimming, no color changing, no remote control (though the switch is a rotating stalk conveniently on the top of the lamp), just on/off with a standard A19 socket that can accept any ol' bulb. I went with the Feit Electric ST19 Vintage Edison LED Light Bulb, 60W Equivalent, Dimmable, 2700K Soft White, 800 Lumens, E26 Base, Retro Filament Light Bulbs, 15,000-Hour Lifetime, ST1960/CL/92...