Things I am working on: May 2011 edition!

I'm still waiting to get the rest of the parts for my gloves, so what am I working on in the meantime?

Text articles!  I'm writing two articles for the good folks at the second Temple Of The Screaming Electron - on similar subjects.  One, being on Anticomplacency - why being content with life is a bad position to be in - and the other being on transhumanism - discussing humanities will to advance, the dangers of doing so, and why it's important that we shouldn't let that stop us.

Non-texts I'm working on!  Huff Raidio, an internet radio show for the Temple (mentioned above!) is kicking back into gear, hopefully by this weekend!  I've started getting help from some other users there on adding content, and it's spurring me into action!  Having help is really the biggest motivator for me for this project.  I'm pretty dang excited about it again.

Additionally, I've decided that I am determined to learn EVERYTHING I CAN about modern telecommunications.  It's something worth knowing, methinks.

So there you have it, folks.  Things I'm working on learning and things I plan on helping others learn with.

More updates to follow!  Will be back before the weekend is up.

Too much to write about.

I could write a ton of stuff for one huge update, or I could write one thing in detail, and have something to post about in a few days, so what do you think imma do?

Robotics has always been a fascination of mine.  I've never tinkered much with electronics or mechanics up until this year.  I own an arduino microcontroller, and soon will own a Teensyusb board.  The teensyusb is cheaper, has more ram, flash ram, and i/o's than the arduino, and has a USB connection, verses the serial, or usb port that acts as serial on the arduino.  In addition, it's MUCH smaller.  I'll be using the Teensyusb controller for some projects of mine, including...

ELECTRIC GLOVES!

One of the things I've built recently are gloves that deliver an electric shock to any conductive object that is struck with them.  It was a simple circuit for the prototype - I hacked some PCI slot covers from a desktop computer into metal contacts, mounted them on rubber stands, and glued the stands to a glove, on the index and middle finger.  I then wired a lead from one of them to the end of some capacitors, and the other lead to a DPDT switch, which then connected to the caps again.  Another mode on the switch connected the capacitors to a diode bridge, which in turn was wired to a standard two prong power cable, to charge straight from any 120v wall outlet.

I'm going to be doing a LOT more with the next version of the gloves, including higher amperage storage, multiple capacitor banks for multiple shocks, and a gauge  to show power across the cap banks.  Additionally, the prototype looked really ghetto, so I'll be working on making them look less like a mishap and more like a coherently well designed death contraption.

More updates to follow!

An update? On MY blogger?!?

It's more likely than you think.

So, I haven't updated in like, two months.  This is certainly not due to a lack of things to write about.  Quite the contrary!  I've been busy like crazy, and am looking forward to writing a huge update tonight.  Awwyeah.

Trolling is fun and easy to do!

Operation Nuclear Walmart:

Join today!

It's probably time for me to see a doctor.

Well, against what some people I know would call 'better judgment' I decided to have a little experiment yesterday.  Around 12:30 in the afternoon, I took 25mg of Adderall, just to see what it does.  I expected it to give me plenty of energy, similar to when I was taking caffeine pills.  I was a little surprised.

What did end up happening, was after I had a good hour of being moderately energetic (similar to caffeine) I realized it wasn't that I was hyper, it's that I wasn't tired.  I've spent every day for MONTHS being tired.  I haven't had ambition for almost anything; I've been depressed, and I've had terrible memory problems.  Yesterday, I was able to focus on everything I had to do, I wasn't cranky from being tired, I didn't feel fuck-all depressed, and I actually felt good, for the first time in a while.  Taking vitamins has helped, but this... for the past few years, I've been struggling with incessant depression.  Yesterday I felt like how I use to feel.  It was a good feeling.

Ironically, a few days ago, one of my best friends checked herself in to a psych ward.   I have always sworn she and I were pretty much the same person.  She's starting antidepressants and some anti-manic medication today.  I guess I can just add this to the list of way's we're alike...

Radio killed the internet star

In a little less than a month, I'll be launching my own internet radio station, which will include a several different radio shows.  Discussions will range from the polite and relevant to the obscene and obscure. Politics, humanities, religion, sex, cuisine, weapons, pyrotechnics, drugs, legal and illegal activities, computer and automotive technology, music, the environment, do it yourself projects, and so much more.  I'm in love with information, and I want to share it with as many people as possible.  :thumbsup:

Things I am working on.

Short term projects:

• EMP generator.  An EMP is essentially just a quick magnetic flux.  By running a high voltage through a coil, I should be able to create one.  I have a bank of 6x 400v capacitors that I'll be wiring up to a charging circuit a friend drew up for me, and should have a prototype before the end of the week.
• Create a few how-to guides on some stuff.  I'm part of an online community based on providing and sharing information.  I have a few text files I'm working on.  One needs some refinement, and a couple I'm still researching / planning.  I think I'll post some here once I'm done writing them up, though I may need to check blogger's terms of service again to make sure I'm not going to be violating any agreement.  Some of this stuff can be pretty controversial.

Mid term projects:

• Internet Radio!  I'm setting up my own station, and have been collecting things to do / share / etc on the station.  This month I'll be ramping up my efforts quite a bit, to meet my tentative launch date of April 1st.