December 2011
1 post
Journal One
As we approach the end of 2011, I find myself wanting to crank up the journal. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to do this, but I’m always held back by - well - inertia (laziness?). Even when I’ve acquired the motivation, I start the text editor and then stop because whatever topic I have on my mind is not worthy of a FIRST post. This time, I decided that...
March 2010
1 post
2 tags
FreedomMind Images
I’ve created a new site to host my photos and other images. Since this page won’t have to serve the large (file-size) images, the pages should load faster - even when the posts contain references to the foreign-hosted images.
The new site is images.freedommind.com.
February 2010
2 posts
3 tags
Hello U-verse
We have now had U-verse for about six weeks. For the most part, I will say that we like the U-verse TV experience, but there are some pros and cons.
Background
The most obvious difference between U-verse and any type of cable set-top box (STB) setup is that U-verse is IPTV (Internet Protocol Television). A quick, over-simplified description is something like this:
With cable, all the channels...
3 tags
FreedomVerse
Well… I didn’t follow up my previous post as quickly as I promised, but I can blame that on U-verse itself. One component of U-verse is the Residential Gateway device, which serves as a DSL modem, router, etc. With previous routers, it was easy to map internal IP addresses to external ports, but not so on the RG. As a consequence, FreedomMind has been down since the U-verse...
January 2010
1 post
3 tags
Goodbye Cable
This evening is my last evening with Charter cable. Tomorrow the AT&T technician is coming out to my house to install U-verse.
I’ll admit that a great deal of my excitement comes from the fact that one of my primary roles at AT&T is the design of interactive U-verse applications. One of the applications available at this time is Weather. I wrote the front-end code for the BellSouth...
November 2009
0 posts
3 tags
iJack-o-Lantern
This year I decided to try using some “grey” in my jack-o-lantern instead of just the standard black and white (or orange and white) I’ve used in the past.
I considered using a traditional halloween image like bats, ghosts, or even a face, but in the end, I chose the iPhone. The back of the iPhone 3G ( and 3GS) is so simple that I needed something more. The original (2G) iPhone...
April 2009
2 posts
1 tag
WatchThe Shining Moon
If you’re a fan of the Kubrick/Clarke movie 2001: The Space Odyssey, then you’re likely to appreciate the coming independent movie Moon from Duncan Jones.
1 tag
March 2009
1 post
1 tag
November 2008
2 posts
1 tag
Bwling
My friends and I decided to go bowling today. It seemed like a good excuse to get out and socialize.
The photos below are in decreasing-age-order. The first one shows a crippled old man who really needs to exercise (me). Robb looks much better in the second and Jake is just showing off in the third.
2 tags
First iPhone Post
This is a post from my iPhone using the WordPress app. It took me a while to get it set up because of a technical problem with my server, but it’s finally functioning. I’m hoping that I can add more frequent posts now. I imagine they’ll be simpler - probably text-only, but better than nothing.
I can add photos directly from the iPhone and that may prove to be a valuable feature....
October 2008
2 posts
1 tag
Jack-O-Lantern 2008
I really enjoy making jack-o-lanterns. The whole process of selecting the photos, turning them into templates, transferring the images to the pumpkin, and carving the shapes takes some time, but it’s worth it to create something eye-catching…even if it will only last a few days.
I believe that this year I’ve made my best one. The subject is pretty simple, but the design is more...
1 tag
WatchLimited Perception
My cousin sent me this great video segment from a presentation from Michael Shermer at the TED conference. I would love to see the entire presentation.
It brings up issues about our limited ability to see things right in front of us and how our attempt to see certain expected things causes us to miss others.
Update: I found another interesting TED presentation from Michael...
September 2008
3 posts
2 tags
A Night in Singapore
Formula 1 has finally adopted night racing and it is brilliant… literally. The circuit is integrated into the downtown streets of Singapore, revealing a beautiful skyline in the background.
The lighting was strong enough to rival the sunshine of a daytime race. In fact, all of the bulbs are mounted with the same orientation in order to resemble the directional characteristic of sunshine....
2 tags
My iPhone Apps 2
I’ve made some changes since the original My iPhone Apps post. Here’s a summary of the apps I’ve added and removed.
Purchased Apps
CubicMan Deluxe ($4.99) - an excellent but simple game in which you roll a box shape to reach a target point without falling over the edge. I like this one because it doesn’t require quick movement. Some of the stages require more logical...
1 tag
A Fungus Among Us
As if the millipedes weren’t unique enough, now we have a huge fungus growing in the front yard. I don’t know what kind of fungus it is, but it looks sort of like coral. When I brushed my hand against it, it felt cool and damp. You can see that it has enveloped the small plant that was growing in front of it. I’ll keep an eye on it to see if it digests any more.
To give you an...
July 2008
3 posts
2 tags
My iPhone Apps
Here’s a summary of the apps I’ve tried on my iPhone. I’ll keep this list updated as my experience evolves.
Purchased Apps
Super Monkey Ball ($9.99) - A clever game with amazing graphics. The control of the game (tilting the surface on which the monkey ball rolls) is done by tilting the device, using the accelerometer. I need a lot of practice, but I’m sure I’ll get...
2 tags
Old/New iPhone
Lots of my iPhone-carrying friends are on the fence about upgrading to the new 3G iPhone. I have one of the “old” iPhones and I am planning on getting a new one, but it’s not because mine is lacking in features. The free software upgrade and access to many new applications have made the old models new.
The App Store is a very convenient system for software distribution. Some...
1 tag
Blazing Ridge
For the first time in many years, we decided not to go see the Gwinnett County fireworks display in Lawrenceville. Instead we had a small display of our own at my friends’ house on Blazing Ridge. We did our best to make the street live up to its name.
June 2008
3 posts
1 tag
Millions of Millipedes
We had a nice rain today and the yard was thankful. After it completed, Lexie and I stepped out onto the back porch to take in the rich green beauty of the cool damp yard. Lexie looked over at the back of the house and noticed something odd. There were lots of little things on the wall. She pointed them out to me and we realized there were millions of millipedes. Actually hundreds is more...
1 tag
An Inconvenient Happening
My friend Robb and I went to see M. Night Shyamalan’s new movie, “The Happening.” I think this was the most disappointing movie I have seen at a theater in my adult life. Granted, I don’t go out to see many movies these days thanks to Netflix and other entertainment sources, but I felt confident that a movie from Shyamalan would be worth the effort - and the ten bucks. Boy,...
2 tags
Tech Conferences
Next week there will be two conferences offered by a couple of big names in the computer industry.
One of them is the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference. You’ve probably heard about this. After all, it is sold out. On Monday’s keynote speech, Steve Jobs will be announcing something big. Rumors all seem to agree that it will include the next version of the iPhone - potentially a 3G...
May 2008
2 posts
1 tag
14
Today - Wednesday, May 21 - I’ll celebrate the best thing that’s ever happened in my life: my marriage to Lexie. This is our fourteenth anniversary.
Why it is that she would have me fourteen years ago and continues to put up with me to this day I don’t know, but I sure am glad. I have loved her all along and I know I always will.
1 tag
Hello World!
Welcome (back) to FreedomMind.
I’ve finally upgraded my blog. The old version was served with Movable Type on my ten-year-old Mac G3 but I figured it was time to upgrade. I’ve replaced the hardware with a G4 and the software with Wordpress.
I’m starting fresh because I couldn’t import the old posts. They were stored in a built-in database that was part of the MT...