Happy Birthday to Nikola Tesla

Happy birthday to the inventor... of, like, everything....

Nikola Tesla

Be prepared.

The Scout Motto. As a motto, it has a lot going for it.

Certainly better than other two word phrases I hear these days. F*** you. That's Hot. Forget this. Oh YEAH! (Thanks Kool-aid man.) Even Nike's inspiring Just do it doesn't fit every situation. Rob a bank? Just do it. (I know, three words, but short and powerful.)

But what does it mean to be "Be Prepared?"  A quote from the Boy Scout Handbook sums it up:

“Be Prepared.”
“Be prepared for what?”
“Why, for any old thing.” said Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting.

Why, for any old thing... Be prepared ... to give directions to someone lost (physically or figuratively.)  ...to treat someone for heat exhaustion (Hello Phoenix.) ...to change a tire. ...to comfort a friend in need. ...to make a toast at dinner. ...to give a stranger CPR. ...any old thing.

That little phrase has inspired 10s of thousands of young people (Girl and Boy Scouts share the same motto) to learn First Aid, Orienteering, Cooking, Sewing, Woodcraft and Public Speaking. And Scouts today learn skills in Computer Science, Rocketry (is that outdated these days?,) Social Networking, etc. I can only imagine the lives saved, let alone the lives enriched, by following the advice, Be Prepared

Lots of folks think Powell was talking about being prepared for an emergency or even war. And Scouting fell on some hard times for awhile, facing accusations of indoctrinating young people into a military war machine.  Granted, a great portion of Baden-Powell's life was spent battling the forces that opposed the British Empire, and (politics of Imperialism aside) he was darn good at it.  But I think Be Prepared is far more wide reaching.

It's about being a good a neighbor, a good citizen, and a good human being.

Being prepared fits well with the theme of self reliance that I would like to promote here. Expect to see more on the topic. ;)

Next time, "Prioritizing what to prepare for." Because you can't suddenly be prepared for any old thing... or can you?

Once in a lifetime...

is such an overused expression.  But today folks over most of the world have an opportunity to view a true "once in a lifetime event."  The Transit of Venus!  I know, exciting right?  What, pray-tell, is the Transit of Venus?  It's when Venus passes between the Earth and Sun and is visible crossing the disk of the sun.

WARNING!: Once in a lifetime events do NOT give us license to be stupid.  DON'T LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN! You won't be able to see it anyway, given that Venus will appear approx 1/32 the size of the Sun.  And you may not be able to see anything afterwards.  (Safe viewing tips below.)

What's the big deal, anyway?  Well, this rare astronomical event occurs in pairs (the last was in 1999) and the next won't be until 2117!!

Wait, I thought you said this was once in a lifetime?  You just said it happened in 1999.. Right... it wasn't  once in a lifetime then, it was twice in a lifetime.  Duh. Clearly that's why I didn't blog about it then (and I was too busy partying with Price.)

OK, so it happens once every century (or twice, or whatever) why should I care? Aren't planets and stars and stuff constantly circling the sun?  Planets, yes. Stars, no. (maybe visit the planetarium? today would be a good day.)  This particular event was instrumental in measuring the size of the solar system! And was arguably responsible for making our exploration of Space a reality.

OK, OK, I'm convinced.  How do I view this awe inspiring display of celestial clockwork?

First you have to NOT be in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

If you're lucky, you get an awesome sunset view like the image above.  If not, you have a couple of options.

• #14 Welding glass or Eclipse Shades  (Welding Glass available at local Welding Supply shops, Big Box Stores (Home Depot, etc) or Farm Supply Stores)  You'll need some pretty darn good eyes to Venus transit the Sun though.  We're not talking lunar eclipse here.  Much, much smaller.
• Visit your local Planetarium.  If you're reading about this for the first time, you're probably out of luck.  Space geeks probably have all the spots reserved. Probably a pretty rockin' time though.
• A Pinhole projector.  This is one of the few ways the non-planners can see the transit of they are interested.  Given the size of the silhouette on the disk of the SUN, your mileage may vary.  Pinhole projectors can be elaborate or simple.  You can even use your hands. Just hold up both hands with your fingers overlapping at right angles. The holes between your fingers make pinholes.

 

• Project the image with Binoculars or a Telescope.

• Your best bet is probably to view it live over the web.
• http://sunearthday.nasa.gov/2012/transit/webcast.php

Thank You NASA!!

So, get your Geek on and take part in a truly once in a lifetime event.

How do you like your steak? Rare to Well Done and Back again...

Once you decide how you like it (or take your dinner guests order,) do you know how to cook it that way?

Sure, you can use a meat thermometer, but you're waaaay cooler than that.  Besides, a thermometer pokes a hole in that great sear you worked so hard for on that Porterhouse, letting all the juices run into your grill... where nobody can enjoy them (except maybe Vulcan.)

Watch the pros:

It's all done by feel. They know by touch how done the meat is. Cool huh?  But, how do they know?  Well, experience. They cook 100's of lbs of beef each season, and that calibrates that pro-quality, meat poking digit to know Rare from Medium Rare.

Here's a little trick to get a jump start on that experience.  Calibrate your finger with your own personal steak done-ness meter.  You already own one.. well, two actually.  The fleshy part of your palm right below your thumb is an amazing analog (that's right, analog, look it up) for raw beef.

Lay your relaxed hand in you lap palm up, and press with the opposite index finger.  That's what raw steak feels like.

Touch your index finger to your thumb in a circle (like saying OH-Tay!)
That's Rare.

 

 Now Middle finger to thumb 

 And so on and so forth...

 

It's not as accurate as a meat thermometer, but you won't loose all those delicious juices to the fire gods...

And you'll impress you party guests.

Now, get your grill on...

Everything old, is New again...

... there's nothing new under the sun... what goes around comes around...

I found a cool folding ladder on Gajitz.com while surfing the web today.

Neat idea for those where space is s premium. I love cutting edge industrial design.

As I do traditional material culture...

And I am amazed when they meet.

The idea for these have been around for hundreds of years.  There is a great example (along with some how to in St. Roy's book Woodwright's Eclectic Workshop. Although his isn't leather upholstered like the example above.



(yes, I'm an Amazon Associate, so if you order a copy through here I get a couple of pesos, but don't let that stop ya from getting a copy.)

Is that bottle Half-empty or Half-full?

How many time have you wondered if you would have enough propane for your grill to finish tonight's meal?

Here's a tip:  At the end of a session at the grill, feel the side of the tank.  It will be cooler near the bottom.  The spot where it switches from cool to warm is the approximate level of the Liquid Propane.  Next time you go to use it, you'll know about how much "gas" you have left.

Can't remember from one grilling session to the next where the level was? No problem, grill out more! Or, do the same trick at the end of your preheat time.  That 5-10 mins will cause enough temperature difference to get an idea of the level, but not as much as at the end of the cooking time.

Need a better indicator? pour a cup of boiling water over the tank while the grill is burning.  This will cause the tank to get hot and the temperature differential will cause condensation near the level line.

Or you could get one of these guys (this one from Lee Valley:)

But it works exactly the same way, right down to the hot water.

WHY does this work? Go ask your Dad (or Yahoo Answers.)

Craft

Craft-   \’kraft\ noun- an occupation or trade requiring manual dexterity or artistic skill
verb- to make or produce with care, skill or ingenuity – Merriam Webster Online (m-w.com)

Craft has been an integral part of my life since as far back as I can remember.  Legos, Lincoln Logs, Scale Models, you name it.  Making and fixing things has always challenged and relaxed me, even as a kid.


I eventually moved on to more complex projects.  Sheds, Garages, even a church.  New kitchens, a bathroom remodel.  After High School, I worked for years building single family homes.
I always felt connected to the past and I started an self-education program in Craft.  I studied under masters past and present.

Roy Underhill- The Woodwright’s Shop (TV and Books)Alex Bealer- The Art of BlacksmithingEric Sloane- A Reverence for Wood, A Museum of Early American ToolsC. Keith Wilbur- Homebuilding and Woodworking, Indian Handcrafts



I thank my father for his work ethic, my grandfathers for letting me “putter” in their shops, my uncle Frank for his eclectic book collection, and all my other relatives who were always understanding (even when I wanted to be a 19th cen Mountain Man and trap beaver.)

They were all with me, encouraging me as I learned new skills. Timber-framing and Blacksmithing.  Even more old-school skills like Flintknapping and Hide Tanning.  I fell head over heels for traditional handcrafts. I truly was a Jack-of-All-Trades, Master-of-None.

I currently find myself having traded the “shop” for a cubicle, and the “hearth” for the glow of a
monitor.  I craft virtual buildings in an environment of bits and  bytes.

I still feel connected to those who create something with their hands, and I truly enjoy watching masters ply their craft.

In tribute to my past, here is a link to the past 5 seasons of the Woodwright’s Shop streaming online. (Sorry iPadders, it's Flash video.)