After having dabbled in Gentoo Linux for years, I finally decided I was tired of dealing with the regularly-occurring broken packages and dependencies, out-of-date software, and distro-breaking structure changes. I am now diving headfirst into Ubuntu Linux 16.04.1, in an effort to set up a household appliance system that “just works”. However, I have found that Ubuntu doesn’t automate nearly as much of the setup as I had hoped, and so this is my log of steps I have followed to get my system working as intended, so that I can re-create them when and where necessary. Read More
Door Lock Rod Clip on a 2004 Dodge Neon
So, about a week ago, my car door lock stopped working from the outside. I’d insert the key and turn it, but it wouldn’t lock or unlock the car, and instead would turn a complete 180. After tearing apart my door and looking in there, it turns out that the operating rod had fallen off the end of the tumbler cylinder, and the clip that is supposed to hold it there had gone rogue. Read More
Walter’s Bookshelf
Finally got my cheapskate butt to pony up the cash for a phone with a camera good enough to read barcodes. I then created a catalog of all the physical books on my bookshelves. Here it is, for anyone interested, but mostly for me to keep track of what I have and who I’ve loaned it to. This was created using the Book Catalogue Android app. I had to manually add some of the older books without ISBNs, so they will have inaccurate information. Read More
Pornography, Exploitation of Women, and Misleading Labels
I recently noticed this image come up in my Facebook feed. To me, it is immediately apparent that there is something fundamentally wrong with the premise of this argument. However, in a brief discussion with the person who posted it, it became clear that she couldn’t see the problem, and insisted that pornography is an issue of male exploitation of women. By the time I typed out a reply, I found that it was long enough to warrant its own article. Read More
Harbor Freight / One Stop Gardens 6×8′ Greenhouse Panel Dimensions
I was recently given ownership of a Harbor Freight / One Stop Gardens 6×8′ Greenhouse. Having done a bit of research, I learned that the clear plastic panels will not stand up to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight for more than a few years. I will have to replace them eventually, most likely by creating my own. In anticipation of this, before assembling the greenhouse, I decided to record the measurements of every panel. I am also publishing them here, in case anyone else needs them. Read More
Earl Update: July 27th, 2015
The Earl team has posted an update. Read more here:
Simple WordPress Plugin for Easy Amazon Links
You may have noticed I use a lot of Amazon affiliate links in my text to try and monetize my sad little ramblings on this blog. Up until this point, I was using EasyAzon to manage them. This worked okay, but I didn’t like the complexity of the shortcode and link, or the dependence on Amazon Web Services. I modified the source to bypass these problems, but every time they updated the plugin, they came back. Read More
Shanock.com Upcoming service migration (Updated)
I’ve recently received a bill from COX communications indicating a price hike. I was unable to negotiate a mutually acceptable price, and will be discontinuing their service pending migration. Read More
Earl Update: April 6th, 2015
The Earl team has posted an update. Read more here:
Rattlecan Camouflage Rifle Photo Gallery
Some time ago, I watched a YouTube video by TheProRancher in which he instructed the viewer on one way to do a cheap, effective camouflage job using Krylon spray paints. I followed his method, and though I don’t think I did as good of a job as he did, I’m happy with the way mine turned out. I took pictures of the rifle in front of several different backdrops in order to get a better idea of how it would perform. Read More