I wanted to talk a bit about the most useful item in your house, that you probably aren't even using - or at least not using to its fullest potential. What is it? The Ball jar, or Mason jar. These things have a million and one uses, and I have a list of just a few that I'd like to cover.
1.) Coffee Grounds - At my house, we drink a lot of coffee, so we have a ton of coffee grounds. We keep several Ball jars on the counter, and one (or more) is dedicated to putting the used coffee grounds in as a holding area until we take them out to the composter.
2.) Kitchen Scraps - We use them to drop egg shells, vegetable cuttings, peels, etc. in, again, as a holding area until we take them out to the composter.
3.) Garage/Utility Storage - Keep a few of these in the garage, pantry, or closet to use for storing nuts, bolts or screws in. I keep one with wall anchors, the screws, and even the drill bit that came with them. You can mount these beneath a wood shelf as a means of doubling your storage space usage simply by screwing the lid to the underside of the shelf with a couple of wood screws and then attaching the glass jar under it, so that it hangs down beneath the shelf. Obviously, if you put really heavy items, or use a large jar that will get very heavy, you might want to use an anchor, and screw down through the top of the shelf, through the lid, and into the anchor, so that it doesn't pull through and fall down and shatter.
4.) Pickles - Homemade refrigerator pickles are one of my favorite things in the entire world. Buy some small cucumbers, or as I prefer, several large English cucumbers sliced into 1/4" slices, and drop them in a brine. There are tons of brine recipes on the internet, but I just experiment each time. You can also use them to make fermented pickles (the really delicious deli-style barrel pickles) by putting the cucumbers in brine and covering with cheesecloth. Read a recipe carefully on how to prepare these, as nastiness can result, followed by illness if you eat them. Take it from experience - I know.
5.) Bacon Grease - Whatever you do, don't throw that stuff out. It's liquid gold. You can use bacon grease to saute', low-temperature frying, or even to flavor salad dressings by melting it and replacing some of the oil that your salad dressing calls for (Hats off to Alton Brown of Good Eats fame for teaching me that one). Another good way to use it is as the oil for making old fashioned pan-popped popcorn. Depending on your bacon drippings, you might get a light or heavy bacon flavor to your popcorn. I like it with some Cabot Cheddar Shake white cheddar powder sprinkled on it. It gives you a nice bacon cheddar flavor. Mmm...
6.) - Ball Jar Cookie Gifts - Layer the dry ingredients from a cookie recipe into a jar, decorate the outside with ribbon, fabric, etc., and you have a festive gift idea. We, in fact, have one we've used as decoration for the last couple of years that was a gift we received. Also, when my wife and I first got married, we were dirt-poor, and did this as Christmas gifts for friends and family. They're cheap to make, and are a nice idea.
7.) Down-South Drinking Glasses - Down here in the south, we use Ball jars as drinking glasses. They're dirt cheap, come in a bunch of different sizes, and have screw on lids to save your leftover drink.
If you have any ideas that I didn't list here, let me know and I'll give them a try!
Friday, November 3, 2017
Thursday, October 5, 2017
So, I Test Drove a Tesla...
Yesterday, I got the opportunity to test drive a Tesla Model S, and let me say, I think I'm in love. This is a long post, as I wanted to do the experience justice.
I found myself winding down a back road, looking for the 'dealership', which isn't really a dealership at all. It sort of reminded me of going to a cell phone store. There are a lot of displays inside, but the product is kept in the back (or somewhere else, as in the case of Tesla). When I got to the office, I found several other groups of smiling, happy, wide-eyed people who were being given pre-test drive tours of the various models Tesla offers. I was there to look at a Model S, but really love the Model X.
I was immediately greeted by a hip, young staff, which reminded me of an Apple store. They are a bit like the Geniuses at Apple - nicely dressed, friendly, knowledgeable. They confirmed who I was, and started giving me the rundown.
In the back, I was shown the various charging options. Included with the vehicle is a cable for a standard 110v/120v outlet that you can plug into any household outlet for top-up charging. Various estimates on how much charge you get on a standard home outlet range from 3-5 miles of driving per hour of charge, hence my designation of 'top-up charging'. If you get home from work at 6:30pm, and then leave the next morning at 7:30am, that gives you 11 hours of charge, so you've regained between 33 and 55 miles' worth of driving.
Tesla sells various adapters for the charging cable, including one for, a 240v outlet that can charge the entire vehicle from essentially dead batteries to full overnight, (roughly 10.5hrs). Tesla also sells an add-on power booster called a Wall Connector that can charge the batteries in of a 75kwh model in 8hrs, 45 minutes, or a 100kwh vehicle in 5hrs, 45 minutes. Obviously, you want to have one of these 240v outlets installed in your garage by an electrician if you drive much more than the 33-55 miles per day, unless you plan on marathon charging over the weekend, or pony up for a Wall Connector. Of course, none of this matters if you have a Supercharger station close by, or have a charging station at or near where you work.
What is a Supercharger station? Tesla motors runs a network of high-power charging stations - the equivalent to gas stations for Tesla owners, free of charge. Yep, I said it. Free of charge. Tesla states on their site that your Tesla can regain 170 miles' worth of battery charge in as little as 30 minutes. These stations tend to be built along major US highway corridors, such as I-40, and I-85, the two that I was most concerned with. The current (October 1, 2017) map of their over 1000 stations in North America is below.
Tesla also lists 'Destination Charging Stations' on their site. I wasn't sure how these differed from Supercharger stations, so I investigated. Destination Stations are essentially located at common destinations for consumers, such as museums, shopping malls, hotels, etc., with the bulk of them being located at hotels. These would be places you might go for a longer period of time than the 30 minutes Tesla references with their Supercharger stations.
I was curious about the range, and asked, and was shown real-world numbers, as they differ from EPA published numbers and information I had gotten from various online sources. The 75kwh Model S, according to EPA gets roughly 250 miles per full charge. The real world data indicates that this is closer to 300 miles. The 100kwh battery pack is listed at 335, but real world driving numbers indicate that this is close to 360.
One thing to keep in mind about this car is that it's wired. Seriously wired. The EPA mileage estimates are just that - estimates. Tesla cars are all connected to Tesla via a complex wireless network. They upload telemetry data, download software/firmware patches, and navigation maps automatically. That said, Tesla knows exactly how well or how poorly the vehicles are performing under certain conditions. This way, they can send out software updates to make the car more efficient., or even add features or options to the vehicle's software. This is another free service that's offered for the life of the vehicle.
We were then off to meet the car I was going to 'pilot'. It's not a test drive, and you're not taking a salesperson with you, you're taking a 'copilot'. Here was my baby, a 75kwh, rear-wheel drive only Tesla Model S, in black:
I had seen the car in passing when I went in, but when I got up close and started looking, I was dumbfounded at the luxury of the vehicle. The LED daytime running lights were brilliant, the shape of the car was sleek, and the fit and finish was impeccable. This particular unit was a holdover of a set of options that are no longer offered, as this is rear-wheel drive only, and all new models are the 75D, which means dual motor - both front and rear. Interestingly, the copilot told me that the all wheel drive model is more efficient with respect to battery usage, and therefore has a longer range on the same 75kwh battery pack. Who knew. I asked the copilot, "What's under the hood, since there's no engine in there?", so he popped the hood and showed me:
There's a trunk up there! It's a bit small, owing to the need to include things like air conditioner compressors, brake boosters, etc, under the plastic panel, but still, a trunk in the front! Very cool!
I had to see what the 'actual' trunk looked like. Absolutely HUGE.
One thing that I thought was neat was that Tesla offers an optional third row seating for children in the back. The area of the bottom nearest the rear of the vehicle is hinged, and has a deep well, that the children's legs would go into, and the rear-facing seats would be back-to-back with the rear seats. These are only good for smaller children, and maybe young teens, but I think this is a really need option that I've never seen on a sedan before, as this is usually in the area of the minivan.
We walked around and I got a feel for the vehicle interior, which is very nice, and quite comfortable. The rear set in this vehicle seats three adults quite comfortably.
The front seats looked just as good as I had expected based on the rear seats:
There were multiple cup holders in the center console, as well as plenty of storage. There were also two USB ports, as well as a 12v accessory port.
Then I got in, and almost started giggling like a madman. The car automatically powers on when you get in, and the climate control, stereo, etc, all come alive in all their high-tech glory. The first thing I noticed was the MASSIVE 17" display in the center. I've owned televisions smaller than that! It's really a thing of beauty, and is the control center for the entire car. This is where you set all of your vehicle details, such as your climate preferences, your radio, your navigation, phone and bluetooth connection/control, camera views, your calendar, and even your heated seat controls. I immediately started playing with the navigation display:
The navigation display is powered by Google Maps, so anything you can do and see with Google, you can get on this display. The onscreen keyboard is massive, and easy to type quickly on. I was looking at local charging stations, and didn't do much else, as I was overly-sensitive to the charging aspect of the vehicle while I was there.
I was so hooked on the range, charging and charging stations, that I decided to map a virtual trip from Durham, North Carolina where I live, to Pasadena, Maryland, where my in-law's live. The system gave me this:
The system, based on the current range of the batteries, recommended a stop at a Supercharger station in Chester, Virginia for a 40 minute stop, and then drive the remainder of the trip without stopping. Keep in mind that the battery wasn't fully charged as you'll see in a moment. I was still hung up on the Supercharger stations, so the copilot did a search and randomly selected the one in Wilmington, North Carolina as a reference:
The system shows the location of the station, current usage of the station (how many available charging stalls are there), and even amenities that are nearby, in this case restrooms, dining, coffee, hotels, shopping, and wifi. Very cool.
After the amazement of the touchscreen display wore off, I realized that music was playing, and I looked at the instrument panel. It was there that I noticed the album art for Heart.
There's a lot of information here, even if you don't realize it. The center top shows your speed. Just below that shows your vehicle, which in reality is surrounded by a matrix of cameras and ultrasonic sonar waves. This is how the vehicle determines your proximity to things like other cars, curbs, and even lane lines. The 'fuel gauge' is to the bottom left, which at this time shows that I had 197 miles left on the charge. It was a nice 86 degrees outside, as you can see next to that. On the opposite side from the charge indicator and temperature you can see the clock and drive train indicator, showing that we were in park.
To the right, opposite the Heart album art is the historic battery usage meter. This shows how much juice the car has been using, and during your drive, a meter bounces between power used, and power regained through regenerative braking - something I'd heard of, but didn't understand it's inner workings. To fix that, I asked how it worked. It's something like this:
You have a car with a big battery in it. That big battery powers a motor. When you let off the accelerator pedal or press the brakes, the car 'assists' by basically changing the motors from motors to generators, which then pump energy back into the battery - a very efficient process, by the way. The aggressiveness at which the car does this when you simply remove your foot from the accelerator can be adjusted in the vehicle driving options.
So, we got strapped in, and headed out for our drive. The first thing I noticed was that the car had a ton of power. The acceleration is smooth and linear. There was no acceleration curve you see with a gasoline-powered vehicle with a transmission, as an electric motor doesn't have a sweet spot for power like a gear driven transmission does. It's simply all power, all the time. I never tried to see just how hard I could get the car to accelerate by pressing the pedal all the way down. I resisted my every childhood, teenage, and even adult male instincts to do so. I'm sure the copilot was wondering about that, as I'm sure every single person who gets into these cars does just that. It felt like the luxury sport sedan I had just driven about two weeks prior on a business trip to Utah. This had all the power, all the stability, and all the suspension of that car, and then some. The stability is due, I assume to the car's low center of gravity due to the battery pack, which is situated in the belly of the car between the wheels. This makes the center of gravity so low, that I'd be surprised if one of these could be rolled over without really, really trying.
We tooled around on some side roads for a while, and then hit the highway. The car accelerated very quickly as I expected. One thing I immediately noticed on the center display was that the car shows every sonar echo on the instrument panel, going so far as to actually show other vehicles. I activated the autopilot feature, and let the car drive for awhile. Weird. It was a little jumpy, as it stayed in the lanes, but it did so very well. The one place it got confused was where I was in the far right lane, and passed an off ramp. The vehicle started to move over slightly, but as soon as we passed the off ramp, it realized that the lane wasn't turning, and it immediately corrected. This is why they say that autopilot is no replacement for hands on the wheel, and eyes on the road.
One cool thing that the copilot showed me was the voice search on the radio. I asked the radio to 'Play Joe Satriani', and so it, like Pandora, built me a 'Joe Satriani' station, playing his music, interspersed with a mix of music from other, similar artists. I was in hog heaven, buster. HOG HEAVEN!
We went back to the sales office, and I didn't want it to end. I decided right there that if or when I ever get the opportunity, I'll buy one. The cost is high for the Model S, but the Model 3, which is currently getting it's first units out to customers, is less than half the cost, and might be a more realistic option for me, but it's still something that's out of my budget for the foreseeable future. Hopefully, the Model 4 (or whatever they decide to call it), will be even more affordable, with the bulk of the cost of the vehicle being battery costs, and Tesla doing much to reduce this cost.
I found myself winding down a back road, looking for the 'dealership', which isn't really a dealership at all. It sort of reminded me of going to a cell phone store. There are a lot of displays inside, but the product is kept in the back (or somewhere else, as in the case of Tesla). When I got to the office, I found several other groups of smiling, happy, wide-eyed people who were being given pre-test drive tours of the various models Tesla offers. I was there to look at a Model S, but really love the Model X.
I was immediately greeted by a hip, young staff, which reminded me of an Apple store. They are a bit like the Geniuses at Apple - nicely dressed, friendly, knowledgeable. They confirmed who I was, and started giving me the rundown.
In the back, I was shown the various charging options. Included with the vehicle is a cable for a standard 110v/120v outlet that you can plug into any household outlet for top-up charging. Various estimates on how much charge you get on a standard home outlet range from 3-5 miles of driving per hour of charge, hence my designation of 'top-up charging'. If you get home from work at 6:30pm, and then leave the next morning at 7:30am, that gives you 11 hours of charge, so you've regained between 33 and 55 miles' worth of driving.
Tesla sells various adapters for the charging cable, including one for, a 240v outlet that can charge the entire vehicle from essentially dead batteries to full overnight, (roughly 10.5hrs). Tesla also sells an add-on power booster called a Wall Connector that can charge the batteries in of a 75kwh model in 8hrs, 45 minutes, or a 100kwh vehicle in 5hrs, 45 minutes. Obviously, you want to have one of these 240v outlets installed in your garage by an electrician if you drive much more than the 33-55 miles per day, unless you plan on marathon charging over the weekend, or pony up for a Wall Connector. Of course, none of this matters if you have a Supercharger station close by, or have a charging station at or near where you work.
What is a Supercharger station? Tesla motors runs a network of high-power charging stations - the equivalent to gas stations for Tesla owners, free of charge. Yep, I said it. Free of charge. Tesla states on their site that your Tesla can regain 170 miles' worth of battery charge in as little as 30 minutes. These stations tend to be built along major US highway corridors, such as I-40, and I-85, the two that I was most concerned with. The current (October 1, 2017) map of their over 1000 stations in North America is below.
Tesla also lists 'Destination Charging Stations' on their site. I wasn't sure how these differed from Supercharger stations, so I investigated. Destination Stations are essentially located at common destinations for consumers, such as museums, shopping malls, hotels, etc., with the bulk of them being located at hotels. These would be places you might go for a longer period of time than the 30 minutes Tesla references with their Supercharger stations.
I was curious about the range, and asked, and was shown real-world numbers, as they differ from EPA published numbers and information I had gotten from various online sources. The 75kwh Model S, according to EPA gets roughly 250 miles per full charge. The real world data indicates that this is closer to 300 miles. The 100kwh battery pack is listed at 335, but real world driving numbers indicate that this is close to 360.
One thing to keep in mind about this car is that it's wired. Seriously wired. The EPA mileage estimates are just that - estimates. Tesla cars are all connected to Tesla via a complex wireless network. They upload telemetry data, download software/firmware patches, and navigation maps automatically. That said, Tesla knows exactly how well or how poorly the vehicles are performing under certain conditions. This way, they can send out software updates to make the car more efficient., or even add features or options to the vehicle's software. This is another free service that's offered for the life of the vehicle.
We were then off to meet the car I was going to 'pilot'. It's not a test drive, and you're not taking a salesperson with you, you're taking a 'copilot'. Here was my baby, a 75kwh, rear-wheel drive only Tesla Model S, in black:
I had seen the car in passing when I went in, but when I got up close and started looking, I was dumbfounded at the luxury of the vehicle. The LED daytime running lights were brilliant, the shape of the car was sleek, and the fit and finish was impeccable. This particular unit was a holdover of a set of options that are no longer offered, as this is rear-wheel drive only, and all new models are the 75D, which means dual motor - both front and rear. Interestingly, the copilot told me that the all wheel drive model is more efficient with respect to battery usage, and therefore has a longer range on the same 75kwh battery pack. Who knew. I asked the copilot, "What's under the hood, since there's no engine in there?", so he popped the hood and showed me:
There's a trunk up there! It's a bit small, owing to the need to include things like air conditioner compressors, brake boosters, etc, under the plastic panel, but still, a trunk in the front! Very cool!
I had to see what the 'actual' trunk looked like. Absolutely HUGE.
One thing that I thought was neat was that Tesla offers an optional third row seating for children in the back. The area of the bottom nearest the rear of the vehicle is hinged, and has a deep well, that the children's legs would go into, and the rear-facing seats would be back-to-back with the rear seats. These are only good for smaller children, and maybe young teens, but I think this is a really need option that I've never seen on a sedan before, as this is usually in the area of the minivan.
We walked around and I got a feel for the vehicle interior, which is very nice, and quite comfortable. The rear set in this vehicle seats three adults quite comfortably.
The front seats looked just as good as I had expected based on the rear seats:
There were multiple cup holders in the center console, as well as plenty of storage. There were also two USB ports, as well as a 12v accessory port.
Then I got in, and almost started giggling like a madman. The car automatically powers on when you get in, and the climate control, stereo, etc, all come alive in all their high-tech glory. The first thing I noticed was the MASSIVE 17" display in the center. I've owned televisions smaller than that! It's really a thing of beauty, and is the control center for the entire car. This is where you set all of your vehicle details, such as your climate preferences, your radio, your navigation, phone and bluetooth connection/control, camera views, your calendar, and even your heated seat controls. I immediately started playing with the navigation display:
The navigation display is powered by Google Maps, so anything you can do and see with Google, you can get on this display. The onscreen keyboard is massive, and easy to type quickly on. I was looking at local charging stations, and didn't do much else, as I was overly-sensitive to the charging aspect of the vehicle while I was there.
I was so hooked on the range, charging and charging stations, that I decided to map a virtual trip from Durham, North Carolina where I live, to Pasadena, Maryland, where my in-law's live. The system gave me this:
The system, based on the current range of the batteries, recommended a stop at a Supercharger station in Chester, Virginia for a 40 minute stop, and then drive the remainder of the trip without stopping. Keep in mind that the battery wasn't fully charged as you'll see in a moment. I was still hung up on the Supercharger stations, so the copilot did a search and randomly selected the one in Wilmington, North Carolina as a reference:
The system shows the location of the station, current usage of the station (how many available charging stalls are there), and even amenities that are nearby, in this case restrooms, dining, coffee, hotels, shopping, and wifi. Very cool.
After the amazement of the touchscreen display wore off, I realized that music was playing, and I looked at the instrument panel. It was there that I noticed the album art for Heart.
There's a lot of information here, even if you don't realize it. The center top shows your speed. Just below that shows your vehicle, which in reality is surrounded by a matrix of cameras and ultrasonic sonar waves. This is how the vehicle determines your proximity to things like other cars, curbs, and even lane lines. The 'fuel gauge' is to the bottom left, which at this time shows that I had 197 miles left on the charge. It was a nice 86 degrees outside, as you can see next to that. On the opposite side from the charge indicator and temperature you can see the clock and drive train indicator, showing that we were in park.
To the right, opposite the Heart album art is the historic battery usage meter. This shows how much juice the car has been using, and during your drive, a meter bounces between power used, and power regained through regenerative braking - something I'd heard of, but didn't understand it's inner workings. To fix that, I asked how it worked. It's something like this:
You have a car with a big battery in it. That big battery powers a motor. When you let off the accelerator pedal or press the brakes, the car 'assists' by basically changing the motors from motors to generators, which then pump energy back into the battery - a very efficient process, by the way. The aggressiveness at which the car does this when you simply remove your foot from the accelerator can be adjusted in the vehicle driving options.
So, we got strapped in, and headed out for our drive. The first thing I noticed was that the car had a ton of power. The acceleration is smooth and linear. There was no acceleration curve you see with a gasoline-powered vehicle with a transmission, as an electric motor doesn't have a sweet spot for power like a gear driven transmission does. It's simply all power, all the time. I never tried to see just how hard I could get the car to accelerate by pressing the pedal all the way down. I resisted my every childhood, teenage, and even adult male instincts to do so. I'm sure the copilot was wondering about that, as I'm sure every single person who gets into these cars does just that. It felt like the luxury sport sedan I had just driven about two weeks prior on a business trip to Utah. This had all the power, all the stability, and all the suspension of that car, and then some. The stability is due, I assume to the car's low center of gravity due to the battery pack, which is situated in the belly of the car between the wheels. This makes the center of gravity so low, that I'd be surprised if one of these could be rolled over without really, really trying.
We tooled around on some side roads for a while, and then hit the highway. The car accelerated very quickly as I expected. One thing I immediately noticed on the center display was that the car shows every sonar echo on the instrument panel, going so far as to actually show other vehicles. I activated the autopilot feature, and let the car drive for awhile. Weird. It was a little jumpy, as it stayed in the lanes, but it did so very well. The one place it got confused was where I was in the far right lane, and passed an off ramp. The vehicle started to move over slightly, but as soon as we passed the off ramp, it realized that the lane wasn't turning, and it immediately corrected. This is why they say that autopilot is no replacement for hands on the wheel, and eyes on the road.
One cool thing that the copilot showed me was the voice search on the radio. I asked the radio to 'Play Joe Satriani', and so it, like Pandora, built me a 'Joe Satriani' station, playing his music, interspersed with a mix of music from other, similar artists. I was in hog heaven, buster. HOG HEAVEN!
We went back to the sales office, and I didn't want it to end. I decided right there that if or when I ever get the opportunity, I'll buy one. The cost is high for the Model S, but the Model 3, which is currently getting it's first units out to customers, is less than half the cost, and might be a more realistic option for me, but it's still something that's out of my budget for the foreseeable future. Hopefully, the Model 4 (or whatever they decide to call it), will be even more affordable, with the bulk of the cost of the vehicle being battery costs, and Tesla doing much to reduce this cost.
Monday, October 2, 2017
Ham and Veggie Frittatas. Yum!
I just cooked up a batch of frittatas with ham, bell peppers and onions. I got hooked on some that I found at the grocery store, but figured I could doctor them and make something of my own. So, I found a recipe online, used it, and gave it a shot. My first batch turned out quite tasty.
You can make these, freeze them, and then microwave them for about 50 seconds to warm them to eat. Top with salsa, Texas Pete (my personal favorite), or anything you might put on eggs. If you're on the go and are eating them out of hand, just heat them up and go. As is, they are low-carb and high in protein.
The recipe is below:
Ingredients: 2 cups finely diced ham
1 1/3 cups finely grated cheese, if desired
1 bell pepper, finely diced
1/3 of a large onion, finely diced
15 eggs, beaten well
Salt and pepper to taste
Other spices, if desired
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a muffin pan liberally, or these WILL stick. I greased mine with shortening, and they still stuck.
Finely dice the ham, bell pepper, and onion. I microwaved the onion in a glass bowl for 1 minute to reduce the 'breath-effects' of onions. The 20-30 minutes of cook time might take care of this on its own, but I didn't want to take the chance.
Crack the eggs into a large bowl and salt and pepper if desired. Beat well. I used a hand mixer to make sure it was well-beaten and smooth.
Layer the diced ingredients in the muffin pan, with cheese if you desire. Fill no more than 2/3 of the way. Pour the beaten eggs into the cups, making sure you leave some room for expansion. Use a fork to mix the diced ingredients and the egg.
These will puff up like a souffle in the oven, although they do shrink while cooling. The original recipe stated that it made a dozen, but I ended up with 18, even without using cheese in my first dozen. I then made 6 more with just egg and cheese.
Cook for about 23 minutes, and check for doneness. I ended up going about 29 minutes on mine, as I like my egg to be a bit drier than some might like. It makes for easier eating when you're in the car on the way to work - the way I usually eat breakfast.
Next time, I think I'll modify the process a bit. I will try greasing the muffin tins and then powdering them with flour. I've never had a cake stick when doing this. Keep in mind that if you are going low-carb, this will add a small amount of carbohydrates. I will try not cooking the onions to see what effect that has on the overall flavor. I'll probably also just combine the veggies, ham, and add the cheese to a large bowl, and then drop this mixture into the cups. I might also add some diced mushrooms as well. You can change the ham out for just about any type of meat you like. I might try some breakfast sausage, ground Italian sausage, or bacon. You can't go wrong with bacon. #keto #ketolife
You can make these, freeze them, and then microwave them for about 50 seconds to warm them to eat. Top with salsa, Texas Pete (my personal favorite), or anything you might put on eggs. If you're on the go and are eating them out of hand, just heat them up and go. As is, they are low-carb and high in protein.
Ingredients: 2 cups finely diced ham
1 1/3 cups finely grated cheese, if desired
1 bell pepper, finely diced
1/3 of a large onion, finely diced
15 eggs, beaten well
Salt and pepper to taste
Other spices, if desired
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a muffin pan liberally, or these WILL stick. I greased mine with shortening, and they still stuck.
Finely dice the ham, bell pepper, and onion. I microwaved the onion in a glass bowl for 1 minute to reduce the 'breath-effects' of onions. The 20-30 minutes of cook time might take care of this on its own, but I didn't want to take the chance.
Crack the eggs into a large bowl and salt and pepper if desired. Beat well. I used a hand mixer to make sure it was well-beaten and smooth.
Layer the diced ingredients in the muffin pan, with cheese if you desire. Fill no more than 2/3 of the way. Pour the beaten eggs into the cups, making sure you leave some room for expansion. Use a fork to mix the diced ingredients and the egg.
These will puff up like a souffle in the oven, although they do shrink while cooling. The original recipe stated that it made a dozen, but I ended up with 18, even without using cheese in my first dozen. I then made 6 more with just egg and cheese.
Cook for about 23 minutes, and check for doneness. I ended up going about 29 minutes on mine, as I like my egg to be a bit drier than some might like. It makes for easier eating when you're in the car on the way to work - the way I usually eat breakfast.
Next time, I think I'll modify the process a bit. I will try greasing the muffin tins and then powdering them with flour. I've never had a cake stick when doing this. Keep in mind that if you are going low-carb, this will add a small amount of carbohydrates. I will try not cooking the onions to see what effect that has on the overall flavor. I'll probably also just combine the veggies, ham, and add the cheese to a large bowl, and then drop this mixture into the cups. I might also add some diced mushrooms as well. You can change the ham out for just about any type of meat you like. I might try some breakfast sausage, ground Italian sausage, or bacon. You can't go wrong with bacon. #keto #ketolife
Friday, September 29, 2017
What Happens Now? - New Album by Joe Satriani
Joe Satriani's latest album has been announced, and the first single, Energy, has been released! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBAN7ngKe2w
Check it out!
Thursday, September 28, 2017
4k Camera Review and Giveaway Update
Change of plans. I ended up ordering a different camera, because the manufacturer of the one that I was going to buy has been having some manufacturing quality control issues, and I don't want to deal with any of that. So, the one that I ended up getting has these specs:
CPU:Sunplus 6350
Sensor: OV4689
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD): 2.0LTPS
Lens: 170°A+ HD wide-angle lens
Languages: English / German / French / Spanish / Italian/Portuguese/Russian/Czech/Polish/Turkish/Korean/Thai/ Chinese Traditional / Chinese Simplified
Resolution of Videos Recorded:
4K(25FPS)/2.7K(30fps)/1080P(60fps)/1080P(30fps)
Video Format: MOV
Compressed Format of Videos: H.264
Resolution of Photos: 12M / 8M / 5M/4M
Burst Photo: 3photos
Continuous Lapse: Off/On
Looping Video: Off/On(4K＆2.7K Not Supported)
Time Stamp: Off/Date/Date＆Time
Exposure:+-2.0/+-1.7/+-1.3/+-1.0/+-0.7/+-0.3/0
Storage: Micro Class 10 SD Card, Max support 32GB (Not Included)
Shooting Mode: Single Shot / Self-timer (2s / 5s / 10s / Continuous Shooting
Frequency of Optical Source: 50Hz / 60Hz
Waterproof: IP68
USB Interface: USB2.0
Battery: 1050mAh
Power Source Interface: 5V1A
Power Dissipation: 400m/4.2V
Recording Time: 1080P/ About 70 minutes
Charging Time: About 3hours
Things worth noting on this camera, as with many/most of the comparably-priced units are that they are generally not made with 12 Megapixel image sensors. Tthey're actually 4MP image sensors that that essentially take an HDR image (multiple images that are then merged into a 'high dynamic range' image). This keeps the costs down, while 'generally' providing a comparable, although generally less sharp image. The 4k video is produced in much the same way. The processor is actually only able to take 4k video at 10fps (frames per second). This is then scaled up to the stated rate of 25fps. I'm mostly interested in the HD (1080) video at 60fps. Enough talk. Camera will be here in a few days, and I'll get some real data and post it, and post the videos.
CPU:Sunplus 6350
Sensor: OV4689
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD): 2.0LTPS
Lens: 170°A+ HD wide-angle lens
Languages: English / German / French / Spanish / Italian/Portuguese/Russian/Czech/Polish/Turkish/Korean/Thai/ Chinese Traditional / Chinese Simplified
Resolution of Videos Recorded:
4K(25FPS)/2.7K(30fps)/1080P(60fps)/1080P(30fps)
Video Format: MOV
Compressed Format of Videos: H.264
Resolution of Photos: 12M / 8M / 5M/4M
Burst Photo: 3photos
Continuous Lapse: Off/On
Looping Video: Off/On(4K＆2.7K Not Supported)
Time Stamp: Off/Date/Date＆Time
Exposure:+-2.0/+-1.7/+-1.3/+-1.0/+-0.7/+-0.3/0
Storage: Micro Class 10 SD Card, Max support 32GB (Not Included)
Shooting Mode: Single Shot / Self-timer (2s / 5s / 10s / Continuous Shooting
Frequency of Optical Source: 50Hz / 60Hz
Waterproof: IP68
USB Interface: USB2.0
Battery: 1050mAh
Power Source Interface: 5V1A
Power Dissipation: 400m/4.2V
Recording Time: 1080P/ About 70 minutes
Charging Time: About 3hours
Things worth noting on this camera, as with many/most of the comparably-priced units are that they are generally not made with 12 Megapixel image sensors. Tthey're actually 4MP image sensors that that essentially take an HDR image (multiple images that are then merged into a 'high dynamic range' image). This keeps the costs down, while 'generally' providing a comparable, although generally less sharp image. The 4k video is produced in much the same way. The processor is actually only able to take 4k video at 10fps (frames per second). This is then scaled up to the stated rate of 25fps. I'm mostly interested in the HD (1080) video at 60fps. Enough talk. Camera will be here in a few days, and I'll get some real data and post it, and post the videos.
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Inexpensive 4K Action Cam (Like a GoPro) Review and Giveaway
I'm in the process of ordering an inexpensive 4K action camera, sort of like a GoPro. I wanted to see if any of the off-brand cameras out there are worth the money for someone who is not a professional surfer, snowboarder, skater, etc. I just want something durable that I can take hiking, camping, out in inclement weather, and even use to do a bit of vloggin with. At the end of my evaluation, I'll be giving this camera away on my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/2fsvM6O), so keep an eye out for the review video.
The GoPro Hero 5 models were released late last year and weigh in with these specs:
Current Price $299.00 $399.00
(via GoPro.com)
Because I want something with a screen, the Hero5 Black is what I'm basing hardware specs for my purchase on. I found a unit that seems to fit the bill. Here are the basics:
4k30, 1080p 60, 720p 90
16MP
170 deg wide-angle lens
2" non-touchscreen
Built in WIFI
Timelapse, Slow Motion and car mode.
IP68 waterproof case
2 rechargeable 950mAh batteries. Each battery can record from 88 minutes to 176 minutes.
Supports most High Speed Class 10 and up to 64GB Micro SD Card
Retail Price ~$60.
Keep in mind that I don't have a GoPro Hero 5 Black to do a side-by-side comparison. That's not what this is about. This is about deciding if an inexpensive camera would fit the bill for someone who wanted an 'action camera' for casual use, without having to spend $400. The review will be ready in a week or two, with the giveaway shortly thereafter.
The GoPro Hero 5 models were released late last year and weigh in with these specs:
| Model | HERO5 Session[70] | HERO5 Black |
|---|---|---|
| Video Modes | 4k30, 1440p60, 1080p90 | 4k30, 1440p80, 1080p120 |
| Still Image Resolution | 10MP | 12MP |
| Photo burst | 30fps | 30fps |
| Connectivity | WiFi, Bluetooth | WiFi, Bluetooth |
| Water Resistance | 10 m | 10 m |
| Wired Connectors | USB-C | USB-C, micro HDMI |
| Battery | built-in 1000 mAh, Li-Ion | replaceable 1220 mAh, Li-Ion |
| Screen | none | touchscreen, 51 mm |
| Location Capture | none | GPS |
(via GoPro.com)
Because I want something with a screen, the Hero5 Black is what I'm basing hardware specs for my purchase on. I found a unit that seems to fit the bill. Here are the basics:
4k30, 1080p 60, 720p 90
16MP
170 deg wide-angle lens
2" non-touchscreen
Built in WIFI
Timelapse, Slow Motion and car mode.
IP68 waterproof case
2 rechargeable 950mAh batteries. Each battery can record from 88 minutes to 176 minutes.
Supports most High Speed Class 10 and up to 64GB Micro SD Card
Retail Price ~$60.
Keep in mind that I don't have a GoPro Hero 5 Black to do a side-by-side comparison. That's not what this is about. This is about deciding if an inexpensive camera would fit the bill for someone who wanted an 'action camera' for casual use, without having to spend $400. The review will be ready in a week or two, with the giveaway shortly thereafter.
Monday, September 25, 2017
Laid Off
On Wednesday, I found myself unemployed. Things hadn't been going well, so I guess it wasn't a huge surprise. Not looking forward to the job search, but it will give me a little time to take a breather and get centered.
Friday, September 8, 2017
Business Trip
I'm heading out to Salt Lake City on Monday, September 11th for a work trip. My company has a warehouse/distribution center there, so I'll be doing all sorts of computer maintenance, network upgrades, etc. The hope is that my coworker and I will have some time to do a bit of sightseeing while we're there, as I haven't been to SLC since I was a kid.
I lived for two years in Las Vegas when my dad was the Public Affairs Officer (#12) for the USAF Thunderbirds, during which I spent a ton of time out in the desert. We made a trip up to SLC from Vegas and I loved it. The scenery is beautiful! The weather forecast shows roughly 90 every day, with only a small chance of rain on one day, so if we can hit it hard and fast, we might have some time later in the week for sightseeing!
I lived for two years in Las Vegas when my dad was the Public Affairs Officer (#12) for the USAF Thunderbirds, during which I spent a ton of time out in the desert. We made a trip up to SLC from Vegas and I loved it. The scenery is beautiful! The weather forecast shows roughly 90 every day, with only a small chance of rain on one day, so if we can hit it hard and fast, we might have some time later in the week for sightseeing!
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Getting Started as a YouTuber....Ugh...
I decided a long time ago to start posting videos to YouTube and posted a couple of concert videos I took at a Joe Satriani concert a couple of years ago. I enjoyed the process of creating the videos in an uploadable format, and so I later posted some more from a second Satriani concert, and then created a few slideshow videos as well.
That brings me to a few months ago. I decided that I liked some content that some YouTubers were putting out, but I found myself looking for 'someone like me'. There are lots of people who play guitar and post guitar videos. There are others who like video games and post gaming videos. The problem is that the ones I find seemed to be way to focused, and thus extremely advanced for the topics I was interested in. So, I decided that I would start putting out things that interest me, a regular guy. I'm not a virtuoso on guitar, nor am I a hardcore gamer. I wanted to find casual videos for these topics, but these are few and far between. I've also been writing product reviews for Amazon since I became a member, back in 2000, so I have hundreds of written reviews, so I figured that I would modernize and make video reviews of products as honestly as I did my written reviews. So, I decided to take the plunge.
I looked at my camera, and found that while it will work for creating vlogs, etc., it's not the best. The current standard camera, a refurbished Canon 70D costs $750 from Canon! That doesn't include a lens, either. People who vlog and create YouTube content use a Sigma lens that alone costs $400. Did I mention microphones? No? A Rode shotgun mic that everyone likes, again, $150-$250. And lighting? Extra!
So, for a camera, lens, and microphone that's become the de-facto standard for YouTube (so much so that at this year's YouTube convention, they gave away gift cards to B&H photo, and many YouTubers bought this exact setup) costs roughly $1400. Ouch.
I'm going to bite the bullet and try to make a few videos using the equipment that I have, and slowly start adding as funds become available.
That brings me to a few months ago. I decided that I liked some content that some YouTubers were putting out, but I found myself looking for 'someone like me'. There are lots of people who play guitar and post guitar videos. There are others who like video games and post gaming videos. The problem is that the ones I find seemed to be way to focused, and thus extremely advanced for the topics I was interested in. So, I decided that I would start putting out things that interest me, a regular guy. I'm not a virtuoso on guitar, nor am I a hardcore gamer. I wanted to find casual videos for these topics, but these are few and far between. I've also been writing product reviews for Amazon since I became a member, back in 2000, so I have hundreds of written reviews, so I figured that I would modernize and make video reviews of products as honestly as I did my written reviews. So, I decided to take the plunge.
I looked at my camera, and found that while it will work for creating vlogs, etc., it's not the best. The current standard camera, a refurbished Canon 70D costs $750 from Canon! That doesn't include a lens, either. People who vlog and create YouTube content use a Sigma lens that alone costs $400. Did I mention microphones? No? A Rode shotgun mic that everyone likes, again, $150-$250. And lighting? Extra!
So, for a camera, lens, and microphone that's become the de-facto standard for YouTube (so much so that at this year's YouTube convention, they gave away gift cards to B&H photo, and many YouTubers bought this exact setup) costs roughly $1400. Ouch.
I'm going to bite the bullet and try to make a few videos using the equipment that I have, and slowly start adding as funds become available.
Monday, August 28, 2017
Jaded
I just realized how jaded I've become. I work in IT, so I'm configuring a new application and doing some testing. As a part of that testing, I sent an email from my work account to my home account, and it took almost 5 minutes for the email to arrive. I was constantly clicking refresh on my browser.
I can remember growing up, actually hand-writing letters to friends and family who lived out of state, and having to wait weeks to get replies. Now, I am impatient with a 5 minute delay? Wow...
I can remember growing up, actually hand-writing letters to friends and family who lived out of state, and having to wait weeks to get replies. Now, I am impatient with a 5 minute delay? Wow...
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
I'm working on putting together a narrated slideshow that gives some details on a bed frame I built a while back. I wanted to build it because we got this great bed, but it sat on a flat plastic platform, so there was no under-bed space for storage, or a place for monsters to live. The bed has no box springs, as it's an air bladder mattress, and doesn't need one.
We could have gotten a regular, cheap metal bed frame, but you're still limited to 6-8 inches of under-bed space, and we wanted more. Those square plastic risers just weren't an option for me. They just seem too unstable. Off to the workshop!
I decided to build a wood platform that the mattress can rest on. One issue that we have is that the mattress is a queen, and the stairs going up are split, with a landing in the middle, so if I made a large platform, we'd never get it up the stairs.
So I sat down with some paper, a pencil, and all the algebra and geometry I remember from high school and commenced to work. In short order, I had a plan.
Keep an eye on my YouTube channel for the overview video that will be uploaded soon!
We could have gotten a regular, cheap metal bed frame, but you're still limited to 6-8 inches of under-bed space, and we wanted more. Those square plastic risers just weren't an option for me. They just seem too unstable. Off to the workshop!
I decided to build a wood platform that the mattress can rest on. One issue that we have is that the mattress is a queen, and the stairs going up are split, with a landing in the middle, so if I made a large platform, we'd never get it up the stairs.
So I sat down with some paper, a pencil, and all the algebra and geometry I remember from high school and commenced to work. In short order, I had a plan.
Keep an eye on my YouTube channel for the overview video that will be uploaded soon!
Monday, August 14, 2017
Let's Get It Started
I'm getting this thing started. So far, I've put up a Facebook page, an Instagram page, a Patreon page, and a twitter feed, so I can get the word out.
I'm a technology nerd who loves all thing tech. I also play guitar, love to hike and camp, and am quite the chef. I wanted to use Facebook and YouTube to post information about products and services that I've looked at, and want to give other people an honest review, so that if a product isn't quite what it advertises, you won't waste your money on it.
Honest Review. What does that mean? That means that whether or not a vendor gives me a product at a discount, for free, or even PAYS ME to review it, I'm going to tell the truth. People deserve the truth, don't they?
I'm a technology nerd who loves all thing tech. I also play guitar, love to hike and camp, and am quite the chef. I wanted to use Facebook and YouTube to post information about products and services that I've looked at, and want to give other people an honest review, so that if a product isn't quite what it advertises, you won't waste your money on it.
Honest Review. What does that mean? That means that whether or not a vendor gives me a product at a discount, for free, or even PAYS ME to review it, I'm going to tell the truth. People deserve the truth, don't they?
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