Show & Tell
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Fair Use?
PSA: Avoid cartoonstock.com. I thought use of a cartoon, with full attribution on an unpublicized personal page constituted "fair use". Cartoon Stock disagrees. Fair enough. But without first offering me a chance to take the cartoon down or pay for a license, they sent a threatening letter insisting on a "settlement penalty". My attempt to… Continue reading
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Mac Cannot Connect to Messages
Following a communications SNAFU the other day (I was not logged into Skype), I decided to set up Messages on Spouse's Macbook Air, so we'd have a guaranteed way to communicate Mac to Mac. His Macbook is running 10.9; how hard could it be? Answer: surprisingly difficult. Although he regularly connects to iTunes (no issues… Continue reading
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In Mavericks, iTunes plays only audio, gray screen, no video
I recently upgraded our Mac Mini to Mac OS X 10.9 (aka Mavericks). This Mac Mini is connected to our television screen; we use it primarily for movies and tv shows played via Amazon or iTunes. Imagine my surprise when I tried to play a purchased tv series episode and saw this: Continue reading
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Today’s Word: Thixotropy
thixotropy: Reversible behaviour of certain gels that liquefy when they are shaken, stirred, or otherwise disturbed and reset after being allowed to stand. — britannica.com Scene: The local diner. Two men are sitting at the counter. Man One reaches for a ketchup bottle. Continue reading
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Casio Wave Ceptor 2556 Battery Replacement – Not For the Mechanically Challenged
I have a Casio Wave Ceptor 2556 LCD watch. It's a great watch and, if I don't use the backlight or alarm often, runs for years before needing a battery change. In fact, yesterday was the first time the battery died since I've had the watch. I assumed that replacement would be a fairly simple… Continue reading
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E:signature verification failed
Updating an Android OS Manually (With Hiccups) I recently upgraded my Android mobile device from a Motorola Droid Bionic to a Samsung Galaxy S III. I love the new Galaxy, but the Bionic still works as a "hand-held computer". After all, it has WiFi, telnet, shell access… I decided to check to see if it… Continue reading
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Lamp Tweaking
A few years ago, we found an interesting 5-head floor lamp at a garage sale. We're quite pleased with it. Each of the five "heads" has an adjustable goose neck, to better position the light where we want it. The switch provides several options: light upwards, downwards, all on, or all off. When we recently… Continue reading
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Emotional Intelligence and Type
Yesterday, I attended a workshop entitled "Linking Type and Emotional Intelligence for Effectiveness". The workshop was presented by Roger Pearman for BAAPT (the Bay Area Association for Psychological Type). (Flyer) In the morning, we learned the basics of Emotional Intelligence (EQ). "The role of emotions in cognition is pervasive and ubiquitous. Perception and judgement in… Continue reading
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Ultimate Sack
Many years ago, we had a poof (pouf) – a giant bean bag stuffed with foam instead of "beans". It wore out, we recovered it, the new covering didn't work. It's gone now. Today we got a new one from Ultimate Sack. The cats already approve. Continue reading
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Swirly Brickwork
The architecture (and brickwork!) on this building in Walnut Creek, CA, are really interesting Continue reading
Slightly Off KIlter 