Here's a view from my window. Notice the Nebraska state capitol building in the distance. Also notice a neon sign from Aurturo's, a Mexican place in the street.
Here's the capitol with the scope.
Here it is zoomed in to the guy at the top.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Super Zoom Photography
I had an idea about using my digital camera with my telescope. I knew you could get special telescope attachments, but I wanted to see if it would work just holding the camera up to the eyepiece. Success!!!!
Here's a view from my window. Notice the Nebraska state capitol building in the distance. Also notice a neon sign from Aurturo's, a Mexican place in the street.
Here's the capitol with the scope.
Here it is zoomed in to the guy at the top.
Here's a view from my window. Notice the Nebraska state capitol building in the distance. Also notice a neon sign from Aurturo's, a Mexican place in the street.
Here's the capitol with the scope.
Here it is zoomed in to the guy at the top.
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Portable iPod Speakers
Steph and I were looking for a portable iPod speaker system for all our travels this fall and stumbled onto a very nice unit. The Logitec mm50 system met our key criteria - some battery capability, Nano capable, good sound and small.
Here's the unit. It comes in black also:
Now the unit was slight larger than some of the competition on the shelf at Best Buy but that size translates into substantially better sound and an enclosed lithium ion rechargeable battery is very convenient as well. The Best Buy guy even brought an iPod over for us to do a direct comparison - we likely wouldn't have bought on the spot otherwise.
The sound is slightly better than the iHome unit we have as well but obviously this was designed for a much different usage model than the iHome.
After one day of use I'll give the Logitech mm50 a 5/5. A very nice product. Here's another review.
Here's the unit. It comes in black also:
Now the unit was slight larger than some of the competition on the shelf at Best Buy but that size translates into substantially better sound and an enclosed lithium ion rechargeable battery is very convenient as well. The Best Buy guy even brought an iPod over for us to do a direct comparison - we likely wouldn't have bought on the spot otherwise.
The sound is slightly better than the iHome unit we have as well but obviously this was designed for a much different usage model than the iHome.
After one day of use I'll give the Logitech mm50 a 5/5. A very nice product. Here's another review.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
The Flower Button? Cool!
I didn't know about the flower button. I have only had the camera for four or five years.
From now on my close-ups will be better.
From now on my close-ups will be better.
New Candy Trend: Marshmallow
The newest thing in candy seems to be marshmallow. This is good because marshmallow is yummy. This new Take 5 bar throws out the caramel and replaces it with the fluffy white stuff. I found the bar tasty, but felt that it needed more marshmallow. I also missed the caramel flavor and texture from the original Take 5. It's better than the chocolate cookie Take 5, but can't stand up to the original.
Here we have Reese's Peanut Butter Cups with marshmallow. This bar didn't have to subtract anything. It just added the mallow to the mix. I wasn't expecting to like this bar so much, but found it to be excellent! The marshmallow adds a great twist to the peanut butter filling. Do yourself a favor and track down one of these bars. You won't regret it.
Here we have Reese's Peanut Butter Cups with marshmallow. This bar didn't have to subtract anything. It just added the mallow to the mix. I wasn't expecting to like this bar so much, but found it to be excellent! The marshmallow adds a great twist to the peanut butter filling. Do yourself a favor and track down one of these bars. You won't regret it.
Phone Cam Fun
On a slow day at work our office clerk/artist decided to excercise her artistic skills with the lousy paint program that comes free with Windows. She painted the legal secretary sitting at the desk across from her.
Later the artist spewed "Clearly Canadian" all over the office.
Later the artist spewed "Clearly Canadian" all over the office.
Monday, July 10, 2006
Food Report: The Big Quad
I bought a BK Stacker Quad Burger for research. It cost $4.79 plus tax and
weighs 10.5 ounces. It has cheese on every layer and bacon on the top only.
I include a picture of my dog for the purpose of comparison. I did not eat the burger or even taste it because I don't feel like having a heart attack today.
It did smell pretty good.
weighs 10.5 ounces. It has cheese on every layer and bacon on the top only.
I include a picture of my dog for the purpose of comparison. I did not eat the burger or even taste it because I don't feel like having a heart attack today.
It did smell pretty good.
Monday, July 03, 2006
Final Transmission from Montreal
The weather has been nice in Montreal, but this sign is a not so subtle reminder that the snow piles up and falls on your head for much of the year here!
We returned to Old Montreal for a nice French meal as well as this castle view.
In the evening, we took the metro to Little Italy or "Petite Italie" as the locals call it.
We were headed to a specific little eatery that had come highly recommended by the local we sat by on the plane in. It was called Nepoletana.
The place was crowded; a good sign. We were seated at a table for 4. No problem...until they seated two complete strangers next to us moments later! They only spoke French at first but we talked to them some and had a nice conversation about Montreal with these locals. They even shared their wine with us as it was a BYOW type place and we didn't have any.
We split a highly touted pizza and some tortalini pasta. She was tasty!
As we walked back to the metro station, we saw the sad evidence of a missing cat. Should you see the animal, he may answer to "Justin". Justin may not come when called.
We took the metro to the Rue Peel downtown stop and found a hotel with a rooftop cafe. The round of 2 gin and tonics cost more than 15 dollars, but the view of Montreal made it worth the price!
We returned to Old Montreal for a nice French meal as well as this castle view.
In the evening, we took the metro to Little Italy or "Petite Italie" as the locals call it.
We were headed to a specific little eatery that had come highly recommended by the local we sat by on the plane in. It was called Nepoletana.
The place was crowded; a good sign. We were seated at a table for 4. No problem...until they seated two complete strangers next to us moments later! They only spoke French at first but we talked to them some and had a nice conversation about Montreal with these locals. They even shared their wine with us as it was a BYOW type place and we didn't have any.
We split a highly touted pizza and some tortalini pasta. She was tasty!
As we walked back to the metro station, we saw the sad evidence of a missing cat. Should you see the animal, he may answer to "Justin". Justin may not come when called.
We took the metro to the Rue Peel downtown stop and found a hotel with a rooftop cafe. The round of 2 gin and tonics cost more than 15 dollars, but the view of Montreal made it worth the price!
Sunday, July 02, 2006
The Montreal Trip Continues
We checked out the Bell Center, home of the Montreal Canadians. It's in downtown Montreal.
Later we came across this Spiderman fellow. He was pan handling in the street in this getup while playing techno music, dancing, and whistling. When I stopped to take his picture he started pretending to shoot webs at me while making a "thwip" sound.
Later in the night we went to see Cat Power followed by a midnight show of Buck 65. Here's Robert before the Buck show.
We got great seats above the masses and got a bird's eye view of Buck 65. Buck was a pretty cool act. I became increasingly upset as the show went on as it appeared he wasn't going to do my favorite song by him, "Wicked and Weird". Fortunately, he came through and did it as the last encore song of the night.
Here are the lyrics to "Wicked and Weird"
Driving with a yellow dog, I95
He's got a smile on his face and big shiny eyes
Up at a decent hour, I never ate yet
Got a little Johnny Cash in the old tape deck
Nothing in the trunk but some base ball gloves
a pair of jumper cables and a set of golf clubs
blanket on the back seat we're in rough shape
sunroof held on with a bit of duck tape
looking for a gas station, better make a list
Fill'er up with regular, I need to take a piss
sexy girl air freshener, snacks and a pinwheel
top up the fluids, clean the bugs off the windshield
not a care in the world, not a how, and a why
no destination, not a cloud in the sky
back on the road not a moment too soon
dish ran away with some other spoon
Wicked & wierd I'm a road hog with an old dog
singing slow songs trying to hold on
Wicked & wierd I'm a rat fish
trying to practice doing back flips on your mattress
(Repeat x2)
Hole in the muffler, ghosts on the shoulder
cough drops, loose change in the beverage holder
to roll down the window you gotta use a wrench
Been thinking about brushing up on my french
Right there in the glove box, if you should look
You'll find 40 parking tickets
And a copy of the Good Book
Don't bother looking, you'll never find me
I'm starting from scratch and leaving trouble behind me
Wicked & wierd I'm a road hog with an old dog
singing slow songs trying to hold on
Wicked & wierd I'm a rat fish
trying to practice doing back flips on your mattress
(Repeat x2)
Wicked, wicked, wicked and weird
Christ almighty, there's a rattle in the wheel well
Dog fell asleep and man, I don't feel well
But all I need is a half decent breakfast
And I'll be back at it, dirty and reckless
5 o'clock shadow, lips like mudflaps
hands like eagle's talons, eyes like hub caps
The further I get, I keep going faster
Whispers in the wind, and cows in the pasture
I have no plans and nothing to prove either
I eat out of a bag and sleep in a movie theatre
The highway's a story teller, I just write it down
Already been beaten, there's no way to fight it now
I just kick back and keep warm on the cold days
And laugh 'cause it ain't like it was in the old days
I figure when I make it to the heavenly gates
They'll be working on my car and playing 78's
Wicked & wierd I'm aroad hog with an old dog
singing slow songs trying to hold on
Wicked & wierd I'm a rat fish
trying to practice doing back flips on your mattress
(Repeat x2)
Later we came across this Spiderman fellow. He was pan handling in the street in this getup while playing techno music, dancing, and whistling. When I stopped to take his picture he started pretending to shoot webs at me while making a "thwip" sound.
Later in the night we went to see Cat Power followed by a midnight show of Buck 65. Here's Robert before the Buck show.
We got great seats above the masses and got a bird's eye view of Buck 65. Buck was a pretty cool act. I became increasingly upset as the show went on as it appeared he wasn't going to do my favorite song by him, "Wicked and Weird". Fortunately, he came through and did it as the last encore song of the night.
Here are the lyrics to "Wicked and Weird"
Driving with a yellow dog, I95
He's got a smile on his face and big shiny eyes
Up at a decent hour, I never ate yet
Got a little Johnny Cash in the old tape deck
Nothing in the trunk but some base ball gloves
a pair of jumper cables and a set of golf clubs
blanket on the back seat we're in rough shape
sunroof held on with a bit of duck tape
looking for a gas station, better make a list
Fill'er up with regular, I need to take a piss
sexy girl air freshener, snacks and a pinwheel
top up the fluids, clean the bugs off the windshield
not a care in the world, not a how, and a why
no destination, not a cloud in the sky
back on the road not a moment too soon
dish ran away with some other spoon
Wicked & wierd I'm a road hog with an old dog
singing slow songs trying to hold on
Wicked & wierd I'm a rat fish
trying to practice doing back flips on your mattress
(Repeat x2)
Hole in the muffler, ghosts on the shoulder
cough drops, loose change in the beverage holder
to roll down the window you gotta use a wrench
Been thinking about brushing up on my french
Right there in the glove box, if you should look
You'll find 40 parking tickets
And a copy of the Good Book
Don't bother looking, you'll never find me
I'm starting from scratch and leaving trouble behind me
Wicked & wierd I'm a road hog with an old dog
singing slow songs trying to hold on
Wicked & wierd I'm a rat fish
trying to practice doing back flips on your mattress
(Repeat x2)
Wicked, wicked, wicked and weird
Christ almighty, there's a rattle in the wheel well
Dog fell asleep and man, I don't feel well
But all I need is a half decent breakfast
And I'll be back at it, dirty and reckless
5 o'clock shadow, lips like mudflaps
hands like eagle's talons, eyes like hub caps
The further I get, I keep going faster
Whispers in the wind, and cows in the pasture
I have no plans and nothing to prove either
I eat out of a bag and sleep in a movie theatre
The highway's a story teller, I just write it down
Already been beaten, there's no way to fight it now
I just kick back and keep warm on the cold days
And laugh 'cause it ain't like it was in the old days
I figure when I make it to the heavenly gates
They'll be working on my car and playing 78's
Wicked & wierd I'm aroad hog with an old dog
singing slow songs trying to hold on
Wicked & wierd I'm a rat fish
trying to practice doing back flips on your mattress
(Repeat x2)
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Montreal Crazy for World Cup
As we explored more of Montreal, we saw pubs totally full of World Cup Soccer fans cheering for both England and Portugal. We watched as the game went into a final shootout.
Portugal won. Little did we expect hords of fans parading through the streets blasting horns and waiving flags.
Seems we stumbled into "Little Portugal". Insanity!!!
As we walked back towards the hotel we saw bars swelling with fans for the France vs. Brazil match. Everyone you see here is straining to see the match on a bar tv. France won.
Portugal won. Little did we expect hords of fans parading through the streets blasting horns and waiving flags.
Seems we stumbled into "Little Portugal". Insanity!!!
As we walked back towards the hotel we saw bars swelling with fans for the France vs. Brazil match. Everyone you see here is straining to see the match on a bar tv. France won.
