Posts by Category

• art (3) • biking (18) • design (1) • flashfiction (25) • gaming (66) • photography (9) • politics (1) • programming (16) • reading (2) • reviews (6) • science (4) • software (12) • technology (23) • tutorials (2) • writing (20)

art

Cards Art - July 15, 2015

I created these playing cards for Draco Calculation using Procreate and a stylus over the course of two months. Since the playing cards may appear small on...

Kandy Portrait Painting - October 23, 2013

I completed a portrait of Kandy Knight for Kandy Fangs: Venom serial, and will appear in episode 5, “Time for Kandy” in the second week of November. For this...

Painting a Skull - October 28, 2013

For artwork on my latest web serial Kandy Fangs: Venom, I’ve been dabbling with Procreate on the iPad. I haven’t full explored the software, but it’s intuiti...

biking

2016 December Miles - January 2, 2017

cycle: 62 miles run: 50 miles This month I ran twice as much as November with fewer bike rides. Endured a bit of struggle with health, and I’m also sl...

2016 November Miles - December 1, 2016

cycle: 184 miles run: 25 miles Snow during the last week of the month held my total runs and rides down. Mid-month treated me to a warm weather and an...

2016 October Miles - October 31, 2016

Goal met. 322 cycle + run miles improves upon September miles, and I’m feeling stronger on recovery road! American Fork Canyon located near Mt. Timpanogos...

2016 September Mileage - October 1, 2016

Cycle: 165 miles Run: 44 miles Goal: 300 miles on the bike.

2017 April Miles - April 30, 2017

cycle: 191 miles run: 72 miles I took some days off mid-month to travel with some running in other states. Only 8 bicycle rides, but extended the mile...

2017 December Miles - January 3, 2018

cycle: 92 miles (148 km) run: 42 miles (68 km) 2017 cycle: 1450 miles run: 645 miles My 2017 totals are up from 2016, down from years I commut...

2017 February Miles - March 1, 2017

cycle: 114 miles run: 65 miles Timpanogos Previous month

2017 January Miles - February 1, 2017

cycle: 34 miles run: 64 miles Snow! For more bike and hike photos, see my Instagram. Previous month

2017 June-July Miles - August 1, 2017

June cycle: 137 miles (221 km) run: 41 miles (67 km) July cycle: 189 miles (305 km) run: 50 miles (80 km) Timpanogos from along Hwy 92 near...

2017 March Miles - March 31, 2017

cycle: 115 miles run: 77 miles I took off an entire week mid-month, but I still managed to beat my February running miles. I’m gradually increasing my...

2017 May Miles - June 1, 2017

cycle: 168 miles run: 57 miles They love switchbacks at Mahogany Mountain. It seems like half of the switchbacks are purely for kicks, at least the ...

2017 November Miles - November 30, 2017

cycle: 215 miles (347 km) run: 30 miles (48 km) Dry and warm weather means more trail riding in November. “Don’t mess up a good trail.” I’m happy to...

2017 October Miles - November 10, 2017

August - October cycle: 195 miles (314 km) run: 155 miles (250 km) My first ride on Jacob’s Ladder trail, and I saw this rock, so I stopped for a p...

Bicycle Commute - September 15, 2009

For the month of September, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance, or BTA, hosts a Bike Commute Challange in Oregon to promote bicycle commuting. The goal is...

Bike-Breaker Hill - February 11, 2011

Bicycle parts break. It happens. Most vulnerable are the moving parts. On my ride home this week, a part broke that I never expected. The crank arm. Snappe...

MTB Rear View - November 14, 2015

I was curious about looking backward on a mountain bike ride, so I mounted the GoPro camera onto the seatpost aimed over the rear wheel. It’s neat seeing the...

Sandy Ridge Bike Ride - August 6, 2014

For my second trail ride of the month, and the year, I took to the Sandy Ridge trail system located between Sandy and Zig Zag, Oregon near the Bull Run wat...

Trying out helmet camera - July 6, 2009

Mountain biking down single-track trail enjoying a beautiful summer day along 8-mile creek near Mt. Hood. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pm_37qo-lRk The he...

design

Computer Perfection and the User Experience - April 28, 2015

Like building a movie set, the virtual world created by software designers and artists begins clean and perfect. Computer models are pure, created at origin ...

flashfiction

Club Necropolis - June 25, 2010

The building is alive, music pounding into the stone walls its beating heart, the vibrating steel its rumbling stomach, the buzzing neon sign its voice singi...

Cosmic Fingerprints - August 27, 2010

Every once in a while, a person catches a glimpse. Out of the corner of an eye, or a fleeting glimmer, a person sees them. Not spirits, but what I call memor...

Cosmic Fingerprints #FridayFlash - November 8, 2013

Every once in a while, a person catches a fleeting glimmer. Not spirits, but what I call memory ghosts. From their when and where, they pass through into our...

Crossroads - January 22, 2010

“A priest,” said Tabitha for the fifth time. Reaching up, Sebastian lifted Tabitha from the boulder and dropped her on the ground beside him. “Eyes of gold...

Dance with the Dead - October 22, 2010

The thunderous beat, stomping feet, wiggle the wood floor rattling lights. The blue-haired vocalist screams about love and pain while the band thrashes about...

Darkness Was Her Dress - December 4, 2009

Looking at the girl, Nyx found a face wrecked in worry. She noted the clasped hands, thumbs working flesh. Nobody ever asked anything of Nyx besides her swi...

Demon Hunter - February 12, 2010

The breeze chilled Sebastian. He tried to pull his gaze away. Gunpowder consumed his nostrils, and a ringing swarmed inside his ear. His gaze traced the tuft...

It's Saturn - January 27, 2009

Dad set the telescope on the driveway. Unfolding, the rickety tripod clanged into position. It wobbled on its feet, slender tube drooping. Dad scanned the sk...

Killer - February 11, 2010

Sebastian left Tabitha in the care of the local lawman, Jasper, until morning when they could sort everything out. No sign of Sheriff Haas. Roan was not a b...

Last Hope (for Hope Hill) - July 23, 2010

Standing between wagon ruts, Draco Torre considers the sign announcing Hope Hill. Stars meet prairie, flat horizons. Hope without a hill. Following ruts, To...

Monster Savior - February 5, 2010

“We should take shelter. Wait out the storm.” Sebastian could barely hear his own voice over the river crashing around the rocks. Tabitha yelled something a...

Mother Dove - December 18, 2009

“What’s the matter with you?” Fred winced at the familiar query. Crouched, he held the paintbrush tight. He knew what came next. It never failed. Dipping th...

Mother Dove Redux - May 8, 2015

An edited repost of my 2009 #FridayFlash for the final collector. “What’s the matter with you?” Fred winced at the familiar query. Crouched, he held the ...

Mowing vs Reaping —#FridayFlash - October 18, 2013

In the orange glow of the predawn sky, Marius hurried outside hopping on one foot while he tugged his boot on. He had overslept again for the third time that...

Not an Angel — #FridayFlash - November 15, 2013

Like thunder, deep laughter rumbled. Spinning around, Draco Torre raised her guns and thumbed hammers back. Three pyres burned illuminating the dusty road, ...

Pale Kiss - September 17, 2009

Rising above the rolling hills, Nulan smiles upon the dark land. Her kisses turn the waving wheat into a shimmering sea. A shadow wriggles from my feet. Wind...

Pendant for Kisses - November 11, 2013

Twilight, our kiss explodes with color. Darkness is your dress flowing over our past. I offer my pendant, light for our love. We dance, entangled, pouri...

Riddle on the Ridge - January 15, 2010

Father Young breathed the mist like a dragon, flaring nostrils shooting streams of white. He wore round dark spectacles like a blind man. Dew glistened on hi...

Shotgun Welcome - January 1, 2010

Late evening air held its breath. An ammunition round popped into shotgun barrel freezing blood. Menacing eyes glared down the length of the barrel. Oozing a...

Sinners - January 29, 2010

Snow blanketed the forest, large flakes flying sideways turned tree trunks white. The storm arrived before the sun trapping the land in twilight. Wind bit ...

Tabitha - January 8, 2010

Fog drenched the air moistening evergreen trunks, leafless bushes, and flowers. Sebastian marveled at the late autumn flowers blooming on the mountainside ab...

The Oak in the Boneyard - September 27, 2013

Behind the house the lonely old oak tree stood like a sentinel in the night. Occasionally a raven or two would perch on a branch and squawk up a storm, but m...

The Only Color - February 26, 2010

listen to ‘The Only Color’ on audioBoom I accept the uniform, folded neat upon my arms. The soldier tells me blue is my color. Or is it gray...

The Only Color #fridayflash - November 1, 2013

This is an edited repost from 2010 with reduced word count (368) and minor word changes. The comments on the original included a brief discussion over the fi...

Third Kiss - September 20, 2013

Her name, Mary Jane, danced in my head. My first kiss felt like a warm breeze in evening twilight. Three days later, I stood beside her hospital bed. Influen...

gaming

ATS Gameplay Preferences - September 1, 2020

Update 2024: for game version 1.53! Western Star 49X in Idaho American Truck Simulator (ATS) by SCS Software includes a number of preference options that...

ATS Heavy-Haul Maps Update: Texas - February 7, 2023

Texas I-10 in American Truck Simulator Consider the Texas heavy-haul route map a work in progress and will later include more states in the central region...

BG3 Honour Mode Completed - June 21, 2024

Recently I completed Baldur’s Gate 3 Honor (Honour) Mode difficulty. It’s like Tactician difficulty plus single-save-file and some encounters have added lege...

Baldur's Gate 3: Dark Urge - March 4, 2024

Play Dark Urge. For my first full play-through in Larian’s role-playing game, Baldur’s Gate 3 a Dungeon & Dragons game taking place in Forgotten Realms,...

Big News for rFactor 2 - September 16, 2016

Today ISI, creator of rFactor, and Luminis, a Dutch software group, announced a partnership to accelerate rFactor 2 development with a new company, Studio 39...

Body Conversions for Skyrim Using BodySlide, Outfit Studio - October 24, 2016

Article #12 in a 12-part series. ...

Carefully consider USkP - September 11, 2015

post updated to consider Special Edition, recent Unofficial Skyrim Patch changes, and edited to be more concise The “Unofficial Skyrim Patch” (USkP), or n...

Convert Black Sacrament Armor to SE Step-by-Step - February 7, 2017

Article #4 in a 10-part series. ...

Convert Old Skyrim Mods for SE - November 4, 2016

Article #2 in a 10-part series. ...

FO4 CBBE Outfit With Cloth Physics - July 27, 2018

Article #5 in a 5-part series. ...

FO4 Combat Overhaul 3 - February 3, 2018

Article #4 in a 5-part series. ...

Fallout 4 Combat Overhaul Part 1 - December 20, 2017

Article #1 in a 5-part series. ...

Fallout 4 Combat Overhaul Part 2 - December 22, 2017

Article #2 in a 5-part series. ...

Fallout 4 Holiday Edit - January 16, 2018

Article #3 in a 5-part series. ...

Fallout 4 Update Includes Creation Club Content Assets - August 30, 2017

The Creation Club is an in-game store to purchase and download new content for the game. Interestingly, the Fallout 4 update, v1.10.20.0.0, includes assets...

Fanatec Wheel Setup for Project CARS - September 8, 2015

Project CARS by Slightly Mad Studios is the first simulator where I’ve spent nearly as much time tweaking controller-related settings as driving. I found som...

Frostfall 3.1 Update for Skyrim - June 29, 2016

Chesko recently updated “Frostfall - Hypothermia Survival” mod for TES V: Skyrim to v3.1 along with required update, “Campfire - Complete Camping System” v1....

Frostfall SE with SKSE64 - December 17, 2017

Article #10 in a 10-part series. ...

Heavy-Haul Maps for ATS Updated for 1.53 - November 28, 2024

American Truck Simulator game version 1.53 brings a rework of southern California. My heavy-haul maps updated to reflect these changes to roads, cities, re...

Heavy-Haul Maps for ATS updated with Arkansas - September 19, 2024

Arkansas DLC for American Truck Simulator adds more custom depots, my favorite being the logging sites such as one located off US-65 south of Harrison whic...

Heavy-Haul Mod Update 2.2 for ATS 1.50 - May 13, 2024

Heavy-Haul Trailers Adjustments updated for American Truck Simulator game version 1.50 archive packed for the new HashFS format. This means instead of the ...

Heavy-Haul Route Maps Now with Kansas - December 28, 2023

Wester Star 49X hauling equipment from Farm Machines DLC Routes for Kansas added to the central region heavy-haul route map for non-divisible loads for u...

Heavy-Haul Route Maps Update - August 17, 2023

Kenworth W900 customized using W900 Tuning Pack DLC from SCS Oklahoma routes added to the central region heavy-haul route map for non-divisible loads for...

Heavy-Haul Trailers Adjustments Update 1.46-1.7 - November 8, 2022

My heavy-haul modification for American Truck Simulator updated for game version 1.46. Like the beet harvester, the cotton harvester (Heavy Cargo pack) is to...

Heavy-Haul Trailers Update 1.9 - March 12, 2023

Heavy-Haul Trailers Adjustments update v1.9 for American Truck Simulator. Heavy-haul route maps also updated. cotton harvester cargo name updated to show...

Heavy-Haul Trailers Update 2.0 - July 27, 2023

Heavy-Haul Trailers Adjustments update v2.0 for American Truck Simulator version 1.48. Heavy-haul route maps also updated. Heavy Cargo DLC now optional d...

How to Disable Random Dragons in Skyrim - December 22, 2016

Article #3 in a 10-part series. ...

How to Install Skyrim Body Mods, Dual Sheath, and Animations - October 21, 2015

Article #5 in a 12-part series. ...

How to Update Meshes for Skyrim SE - February 8, 2017

Article #5 in a 10-part series. ...

How-to: Create an OSA Character Profile for Skyrim - September 26, 2016

Let’s say we’ve created a custom NPC for TES V: Skyrim, or we just want to add some story backgrounds to existing characters. “OSA - Skyrim Ascendancy Engi...

Little-Big Mods for Skyrim - February 11, 2016

Sometimes it only takes a small thing to make a big difference. Here I share some lightweight, seemingly simple mods that give a big impact on gameplay for T...

Modify Trailers for American Truck Simulator - September 1, 2022

In American Truck Simulator I noticed the single tridem lowboy seemed limited with the same cargo availability as the tandem trailer. From the Volvo Construc...

Necromancer's Camp Mod for Skyrim SE - December 14, 2016

For TES V: Skyrim Special Edition, I created a mod, “Necromancer’s Camp” add-on for Chesko’s “Campfire - Complete Camping System”. This mod adds necromance...

Pretty Skyrim People - October 26, 2015

Article #6 in a 12-part series. ...

Pretty Skyrim: Elements - September 29, 2015

Article #3 in a 12-part series. ...

Show Your Tail With Campfire Cloak In Skyrim - July 29, 2017

Article #8 in a 10-part series. ...

Skyrim Frostfall and Survival Armor Edit for Warmth - November 15, 2017

Article #9 in a 10-part series. ...

Skyrim Gear 1: Clothing - November 23, 2015

Article #7 in a 12-part series. ...

Skyrim Gear 2: Akavir - December 7, 2015

Article #8 in a 12-part series. ...

Skyrim Gear 3: Light Armor - December 11, 2015

Article #9 in a 12-part series. ...

Skyrim Gear 4: Heavy Armor - December 17, 2015

Article #10 in a 12-part series. ...

Skyrim Immersion: Environment - September 22, 2015

Article #2 in a 12-part series. ...

Skyrim Life - October 6, 2015

Article #4 in a 12-part series. ...

Skyrim SE - XPMSSE: Modify Weapon Positions - May 11, 2017

Article #7 in a 10-part series. ...

Skyrim Special Edition Announced - June 13, 2016

Bethesda Softworks announced a remastered “Skyrim Special Edition” coming 2016 October 28th for PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. The edition includes updated...

Skyrim Special Edition Released - October 28, 2016

TES V: Skyrim Special Edition (SSE) installs as a new game in Steam for those with all DLCs (Dawnguard, Hearthfire, Dragonborn). This updated game is 64-bit ...

Skyrim Unarmored Monk - March 12, 2018

Over the last year or so in Skyrim Special Edition, I’ve been playing the constant camper and unarmored (no-armor) monk. Building upon Chesko’s “Campfire - C...

Sleep Intimate Mod Update 2.71 - September 4, 2021

Sleep Intimate for Fallout 4 has been updated to version 2.71 for PC and Xbox One. For more information and download links see pages XOXO for PC and XB1 for ...

Sleep Intimate Mod Update 2.75 - October 9, 2021

Sleep Intimate - R for Fallout 4 has been updated to version 2.75 for PC with improvements for AAF users, support for Leito’s new chair animations, updating ...

Sleep Intimate Mod Update 2.76 - December 21, 2021

Sleep Intimate - R for Fallout 4 has been updated to version 2.76 for PC recognizes DX “Red Ribbon” outfit by Deserter X, candy cane as backpack supporti...

Sleep Intimate Update 2.77 - December 31, 2021

Sleep Intimate - R for Fallout 4 has been updated to version 2.77 for PC added new scenes from Savage Cabbage’s animations 1.2.7 - Locker (Door Scenes), ...

Sleep Intimate Update 2.78 - May 11, 2022

Sleep Intimate for Fallout 4 update v2.78.1 for PC: recognizes “Heather Casdin” V2 by llamaRCA custom romance – works like original Heather potential e...

Sleep Intimate Update 2.87 - March 13, 2023

Sleep Intimate for Fallout 4 update v2.87 for PC. Find the download link on the Sleep Intimate XOXO page or Sleep Intimate R page. Nora Spouse Companion ESM...

Sleep Intimate Update v3.11 - September 10, 2024

Sleep Intimate for Fallout 4 update v3.11 includes the following changes: Companion Ivy v6 ESM-file now recognized (old ESP-file still recognized) Insa...

Sleep Intimate Update v3.16 - November 25, 2024

My Fallout 4 mod, Sleep Intimate, updated to v3.16 with new features, improvements, and fixes. included dance animation by A.Vilas with mods, Heather Casd...

Sleep Intimate Update v3.20 - December 18, 2024

Building off v3.16, Sleep Intimate update v3.20 for Fallout 4 includes fixes and more scenes from Rohzima’s pack for Power Armor Repair workstation. Returni...

Sleep Intimate Updated 2.88 - May 28, 2023

Sleep Intimate for Fallout 4 update v2.88 for PC adding support for Savage Cabbage’s Animations 1.3. Find the download links on the Sleep Intimate R page, fo...

Sleep Intimate V3 Hotfix Magnolia - April 24, 2024

A Magnolia’s date hotfix for all versions of Sleep Intimate v3.06 for Fallout 4. Those using the patch for “Dating Magnolia” also get the updated patch. For...

Sleep Intimate Version 3 - February 13, 2024

Sleep Intimate, a sleep overhaul with romance features for Fallout 4, update version 3 comes with three animations provided by AVilas. Kiss, hug, and dance...

Sleep Intimate v2.84 Update - January 8, 2023

Sleep Intimate for Fallout 4 update v2.84.1 provides new features and improvements. For download links see the Sleep Intimate XOXO/XB1 page or Sleep Intimate...

Team Cars for rFactor 2 - April 5, 2019

Article #2 in a 4-part series. ...

Upgrade Skyrim with Mods - September 16, 2015

Article #1 in a 12-part series. ...

mod updates: Sleep Intimate, Werewolf Time Meter - July 30, 2022

Sleep Intimate for Fallout 4 update v2.79 all versions: new preference setting for backpack: placed custom pack uses (Green bag / itself) improved heal...

rFactor 2 Car Paint Editor - February 21, 2019

Article #1 in a 4-part series. ...

rFactor 2 Car Paint with Colored Chrome - December 8, 2019

Article #3 in a 4-part series. ...

rFactor 2 Paint 2013 Nissan GT500 - May 19, 2020

Article #4 in a 4-part series. ...

photography

Columbia Gorge Photos - January 3, 2016

For Winter Solstice, I took a drive up Columbia River Gorge on the Oregon side. The first photo is the twisty turns on old Hwy 30 seen from Rowena Crest. ...

Comet ISON November Morning - November 26, 2013

I don’t see many clear mornings this time of year, but the morning of November 21st was cloudless. Some star twinkle, mostly on the horizon, indicated a thin...

Lunar Eclipse 2015-09 - September 28, 2015

The Harvest Super Moon total lunar eclipse last night I captured with a Canon Rebel attached to a Celestron C8 telescope used like a big telephoto lens. Th...

Moon Blood - April 15, 2014

Just before the clouds moved in, I captured a few shots of the lunar eclipse with my telescope. The heavy moisture in the air shows in the photos, but turn...

Rainier in November, 2015 - November 12, 2015

National parks entrance fees are waved for Veteran’s Day (November 11th), so my sister decided to visit Mount Rainier National Park. Neither of us had visi...

Smoking Candle Photo - October 14, 2013

For this photo, I moistened the glass for the older-used, shiny look and set brightest light source in background to capture smoke ring. Two smaller light ...

Snowy Crater Lake - April 21, 2016

For National Park Week, the 100th anniversary of the US National Park System, my sister and I decided to visit Crater Lake National Park. It turned out to ...

Sunrise - February 24, 2015

Mt Hood at sunrise on February 22nd taken with Canon Rebel.

Two Calderas - June 25, 2015

Oregon is home of two notable calderas, Crater Lake and Newberry Caldera at Newberry National Volcanic Monument, both within a 80 miles of each other. Crat...

politics

Respect US Constitution - January 31, 2017

Let’s set aside our views on specific issues, political opinion, and party affiliation. We all share a common interest in preserving our freedom. Understand ...

programming

.NET Core - September 7, 2016

In 2016 we’ve seen some exciting new tech things arrive: VR head-mounted displays from Oculus, HTC, Sony with VR games we dreamed about in the 1990s; PS4 Pro...

Give Cryptopals a Try - July 15, 2016

Lately, I’ve been working through the challenges at Cryptopals.com. The problems are organized for learn-as-you-solve method supplying the groundwork for lat...

How-To: Substrings in Swift - June 28, 2016

Article #8 in a 9-part series. ...

Prime Factors Problem 1: LCM - May 24, 2016

Article #6 in a 9-part series. ...

Prime Factors Problem 2: Largest Prime Factor - May 25, 2016

Article #7 in a 9-part series. ...

Problem: Validate a Phone Number - June 2, 2015

Article #4 in a 9-part series. ...

Programming Problem: Determine if Two Strings Are Anagrams - May 3, 2015

Article #1 in a 9-part series. ...

Programming Problem: Palindromes - May 13, 2015

Article #3 in a 9-part series. ...

Programming Problem: Pangram - February 15, 2017

Article #9 in a 9-part series. ...

Programming Problem: Single-Edit Difference - May 13, 2016

Article #5 in a 9-part series. ...

Programming Problem: Sum-Zero Triplet - May 8, 2015

Article #2 in a 9-part series. ...

Programming in iOS: imageNamed vs imageWithContentsOfFile - July 14, 2015

One easy way to load an image by name (from assets or from nib) is to use imageNamed method from UIImage. Without reading the UIImage reference, it may not b...

Setup for Script Work with Bethesda's Creation Kit and Notepad++ - April 29, 2016

Article #11 in a 12-part series. ...

Swift 3 Changes - March 29, 2016

As the apple / swift-evolution page on GitHub notes, Swift 3 should be ready later in 2016 with the goal of platform portability. Noteworthy for the programm...

Swift Code Exercises - January 12, 2016

I’ve updated some of my programming tutorial exercises with Swift code samples. See the original exercise for complete problem description. Swift 2.1 code te...

Werewolf Meter Papyrus Script Overview - March 10, 2017

Article #6 in a 10-part series. ...

reading

Guest Post: Icy Sedgwick on the Novella - April 14, 2014

The novella has been enjoying somewhat of a resurgence of late, perhaps in part due to the rise of the e-reader. Usually defined as being somewhere between...

Reading the Classics: Frankenstein - March 2, 2015

I’ve been meaning to read The Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley for over 20 years. Frankenstein is a familiar tale. Since childhood I’ve picke...

reviews

Book Review: Traitors by Carrie Clevenger - September 18, 2013

Traitors, a novella by Carrie Clevenger, is a Crooked Fang adventure available on Amazon Kindle and at Smashwords from Katarr Kanticles Press. If you haven’t...

Cindy Vaskova's The Dorley Cycle - June 9, 2014

From the start of The Dorley Cycle web-serial, Cindy Vaskova’s writing flows like a dream into a horror drenched in madness. A touch of the surreal at times,...

LaView's Seagrave's Journey - January 19, 2015

Seagrave’s Journey - The long way back home, a web-serial by Feidor S. LaView is an urban fantasy with Western world meeting Eastern lore including Jiang Shi...

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein - March 23, 2015

During a stay with Lord Byron in 1816 by Lake Geneva, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin worked on a story that would later become, Frankenstein on Byron’s suggestio...

Project CARS - Patch v3.0 = 1.0 - September 14, 2015

This review covers the PC version updated in 2016. Project CARS by Slightly Mad Studios is an immersive race-simulation game similar to Forza Motorsport o...

Review: Gabriel Knight 20th - March 4, 2015

I’ve always enjoyed story-driven games going back to the days of text adventures and on through Sierra Online’s graphic point-and-click games. Two of my favo...

science

How-To: Make a 3D Photo - August 10, 2009

The above chess picture is a left/right merging for magenta/green 3D glasses. Below is a bike for red/cyan glasses. Use Magenta/Green 3D glasses to view...

Remember the Volcano - May 4, 2009

Lush greenery, fir and pine floated on the breeze. The paved road, needles speckling the edge, snaked through the forest. Sunlight filtered through the can...

Volcano Changing Landscape - August 9, 2015

The landscape within the blast area of the 1980 Mt St Helens eruption continues to change with trees growing tall. Like in my 2009 post, I have a few side-by...

Volcano: Then and Now - August 3, 2009

In “Remember the Volcano,” I share the story of my first Mt. St. Helens blast area visit. Here are a pair of the photo comparisons of the same locations. The...

software

Apps Updated for iOS 9 - September 18, 2015

Dee Count and Draco Calculation have been updated for iOS 9 supporting split-view and slide-over view. This means you can play Calculation while working on...

Dee Count 2 Video - October 14, 2014

Dee Count App Peek from David Shrock on Vimeo. This one-minute video shows Dee Count 2, inventory counting app, in action to give you a general feel for th...

Dee Count 2.0 Update - October 15, 2014

Inventory counting software, Dee Count, updated to version 2.0 to include iPhone compatibility and new features. This redesign requires iOS 8 or later whic...

Dee Count 2.1 Update - December 3, 2014

Dee Count 2.1 adds QR code generation for location title for sharing or printing. The image includes guides to help with sizing for print. Guides printed at ...

Dee Count Discount - December 1, 2014

December Dee Count Discount: 60% off until end of 2014. Divide your area into locations, such as a shelf or wall rack, and count inventory with your iPa...

Dee Count Search - April 7, 2014

Dee Count for iPad counts inventory and helps find where each item was counted at. This brief example shows how to setup for counting, find all locations a s...

Dee Count Update v1.64 - February 20, 2014

The latest Dee Count for iPad update adds increment-by-tap for items in the list and also fixes an issue with text clearing when keyboard dismisses. If item...

Dee Count v1.6 - September 17, 2013

Dee Count updated to version 1.6 with new look for iOS 7 style and added support for scanning bar codes with the iPad camera. The layout is nearly the same, ...

Dee Count v1.67 - April 16, 2014

Dee Count for iPad update for v1.67 includes the following changes: +/- button toggles addition and subtraction modes with option to hide in Settings f...

Draco Calculation Now Available - August 4, 2015

I like Calculation solitaire because skill is a major factor for winning. The game is easy to learn and may help the little ones with their arithmetic. For...

Draco Calculation Update: No Ads - May 26, 2016

Update to Draco Calculation v1.05 removes ads and improves hint suggestion quality. Still free. Since iAd will be closing down soon, and I have no inten...

Draco RegexTest Intro - August 11, 2014

I started a new open source developer tool, Draco RegexTest, for creating, testing and organizing regular expressions. This tool is aimed at developers or co...

technology

A Case for Apple Watch - March 16, 2015

Cycling A cyclist may use an application to track distance or navigate a route. A phone stored away in a pocket or pack makes access to the application less...

Apple Challenges Court Order - February 22, 2016

Last week, a federal judge ordered Apple to help FBI investigators decrypt the employer-owned iPhone 5C used by Syed Rizwan Farook who took part in a terrori...

Extended Characters on iPad - April 21, 2014

Some symbols and characters aren’t easily found on the iPad or iPhone on-screen keyboard, but more are right there at your fingertips. The tap-and-hold (hold...

Instagram Joins the Algorithm Feed Fad - April 8, 2016

Instagram has jumped on the re-sorted-feed fad along with Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Stated on Instagram’s blog posted March 15th, “your feed will soo...

Lenovo, Superfish, Komodia Security Blunder - February 23, 2015

Security on the web must be taken seriously, and people should trust software and PC makers to help them remain secure when conducting business online. Sadly...

My Software Dream - January 11, 2011

A few months ago someone asked me why her mobile device could automatically open an email attachment, but her desktop computer could not. Her desktop operati...

New Toys: Microsoft and Apple - October 27, 2016

This week Microsoft announced the Surface Studio desktop with multi-touch screen, and Apple introduced the latest MacBook Pro with new “Touch Bar” and finger...

Painful New Apple TV Interface - November 10, 2015

“Apple TV Apologizes” cartoon posted on recode.net nails the problem on the head. What’s crazy is that this New Apple TV (4th generation) can use your iPhon...

Password Tips - October 19, 2012

Thanks to pre-built software, password cracking keeps getting easier, and many users still don’t care. Even if you have nothing worth stealing, using strong ...

Rename or Move Blog Location in Octopress - July 14, 2014

The default location for your blog posts in Octopress reside under /blog with your post index on the landing page. Moving your posts up a level or renaming “...

Respect Contracts - September 30, 2015

Sometimes developers will break NDAs to release inside information ahead of release which has happened a number of times with iOS over the years. Recently Ap...

Skyrim Distance Drawing - August 29, 2012

One annoying feature of Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim by Bethesda Softworks is the scenery popping into place—which is to say the high resolution textures replacin...

Static Page Blogging - November 19, 2014

In July I replaced Wordpress with Octopress, here and at KandyFangs.com. After five months I’m quite happy with the change. I had been using Wordpress since ...

TechFestNW 2015 - August 23, 2015

This year I attended the fourth annual TechFestNW at Revolution Hall in Portland, Oregon. Themes at the two-day event were virtual reality, augmented reality...

The Noise Age - June 29, 2014

Databases connected on the net improve access to information and allow quicker dissemination between scholars. News delivers within minutes shared by observe...

Upgrading to Windows 10 with VMWare Fusion - July 31, 2015

For those using VMWare Fusion 7 and upgrading to Windows 10 experiencing an issue with the video driver, Mike Roy at mikeroySoft.com has a nice guide. In sho...

Web Icons for Apple Devices - February 24, 2014

Similar to the favicon, Apple touch icons support iPad and iPhone to promote brand identity. Larger resolutions than standard favicon appear much nicer on re...

Windows 10 Setup Options - August 14, 2015

Windows 10 makes it easier to share data and favorite settings between devices at the cost of bandwidth or privacy concerns. You may wish to review the EULA ...

iMac External Startup Drive - January 7, 2015

My late 2009 iMac began showing signs of hard drive (HD) failure including applications loading slower, media reading errors, and increasing number of pinwhe...

iPad Price - November 24, 2014

When purchasing a new electronic device, it is wise to consider the advantages of options at a higher price point for expected usage. This year Apple offer...

iPhone 6 Cycle and Run Tracking Woes - December 11, 2014

The iPhone 6 does pretty well counting steps and tracking walk or run. Checking the Health app shows number of steps and distances without the aid of a third...

iPhone Cycling Health Data Update - April 9, 2015

Last autumn many cyclists noticed pedaling a bicycle with the iPhone 6 in a pocket counted towards steps in the Health app as noted in my post in December. B...

iTunes Not-So-Bad Design - July 29, 2015

In response to a post on The Atlantic, “iTunes Really Is That Bad” by Robinson Meyer, I cover an issue I have with one of the given examples supporting the c...

tutorials

Site Migrated to Octopress 3 - September 17, 2016

How the menu appears on my phone. I updated this website for a cleaner look, nicer video embeds, and to include an auto-generated blog series index. Most ...

iTunes tip: Manage Data on Multiple Drives - October 1, 2015

As a media collection grows larger using more storage drives becomes more beneficial. Picking a point to begin adding new iTunes media to a new drive is simp...