Volume Regulator
Posted on | January 30, 2010 | No Comments
We just got a upgraded cable and I tend to tv at a comfortable level. I know how terrible it is to have commercials scream at you at an insanely loud volume level. Currently I just hit mute every time a commercial comes on, which I’m sure many of you do. Until the advertisement loudness law gets passed that will ban this, I’ve been hunting for other solutions. Here’s what I’ve found.
TV Volume Regulator - This easy-to-install device regulates volume and delivers consistent audio level through abnormally loud or quiet scenes in a movie, when commercials come on, while channel surfing, or when switching between A/V devices. Simply hook it up once, adjust the volume to your preferred level, and the TV Volume Regulator does the rest. No further adjustments are needed. ($30)
TruVolume - SRS TruVolume separately monitors and measures 20 different frequency bands, and reacts in real-time to bursts of loud volume in the middle range, but intelligently reacts to changes in the high and low frequency bands, delivering a more natural listening experience.
Cat Massaging
Posted on | January 25, 2010 | No Comments
You here the term “Crazy Cat Lady” and you immediately think of some introvert with 20 cats that works in a library. The truth is, the crazy cat lady could be anyone. By this video, I’d she sells insurance or is a 2nd grade teacher. Either way, they all aren’t in libraries. See for yourself.
Try this for exercise.
Posted on | January 19, 2010 | No Comments
There are some things that you just don’t know how to properly respond to. This is one of them. This device is not a joke, therefore making your jaw drop.
Cindy Sheehan Confused at Dick Cheney’s
Posted on | January 17, 2010 | No Comments
LANGLEY, Virginia — A group led by anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan has protested near the CIA’s headquarters and former Vice President Dick Cheney’s home in northern Virginia. They were protesting the use of unmanned drone aircraft to attack al-Qaida and Taliban targets.
The group of about 70 people rallied alongside a highway near the CIA compound Saturday. About half then marched to Cheney’s nearby street and stayed for 20 minutes. Police kept them from going down his street.
Sheehan’s 21-year-old son Casey was killed in Iraq in April 2004. She staged a prolonged demonstration outside former President George W. Bush’s ranch near Crawford, Texas, in 2005.
She says using drones is “cowardly” and “immoral.”
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My Comment about this story is that it doesn’t make sense. For starters she’s upset that we are using drones. I would think this would save more American lives including those like her son. Second, we are currently in Afghanistan because of Obama (according to CNN), so are these people simply just lost or are they confused?
Owning a Cintiq
Posted on | January 9, 2010 | No Comments
Many of you would think that I’d be using a wacom tablet being almost 10 years into graphics. Most people working in graphics do. I’ve tried it, and though I enjoy the feel of the pen, the referencing to the pad-to-screen just didn’t come natural. I’m not sure if it did for any one, but I wasn’t propelled to try and get use to it. I do enjoy drawing and I’ve always moused with my right hand, but the point is that I am left handed. I discover the Cintiq about a year ago and I could never justify getting one for myself. (For those of you who didn’t know, its a pressure sensitive monitor) So my Dad bought me one for my Christmas present. I’ve done one project with and one drawing. I’m posting the drawing.
The End for the DVD Rewinder
Posted on | January 3, 2010 | No Comments
It’s a shame that they stopped making these. I would have thought they would have taken off. This idea was simply brilliant, I’m tired of forgetting to rewind my dvds before putting them back on the shelf. Anyone ever get a rewind fee from Netflicks? This thing made life easier than ever and would have saved so much time and wear on my dvd player. There is rumor that it could also handle cd’s, but this is unconfirmed (and xbox games, computer program discs and blue ray dvds). http://www.dvdrewinder.com
The Eigenharp
Posted on | December 26, 2009 | No Comments
I’ve always had a fancy in musical instruments, mostly percussive because I play percussion of course. Recently, I’ve been dwelling on the concept of mixing percussion and techno music. I’m proudly a fan of techno and I always have been. When you think of techno you don’t really imagine traditional musicians taking part in the performance. You think of djs or people on laptops. Thus, I was introduced to the Eigenharp. Part piano, part woodwind and full throttle midi sampler.
It looks like a digital bassoon with a light show. Rumor as it the Alpha Eigenharp is about $8,000, which is really not outrageous for the instrument. I’m posting three videos, one of the interview on what it does, the second on a performance of the James Bond theme song duo and another with three guys.
Rusted Root
Posted on | November 22, 2009 | No Comments
I must say for the longest time there only two bands that ever truly dreamed of playing for. One of those was Burlap to Cashmere. I had seen them 3 times I knew that a part of my life would have been fulfilled if I had ever gotten a chance to play with them. Well, after a little time had passed I did record with Josh Zandman and was told that could possibly play if the group reformed and I could drive to New Jersey and play for Steven Delopoulos in the mean time. I’m not sure why I felt such a strong attachment to their music, but I did. Such an attachment that I knew that if I got the chance, I just may have taken it.
We went to show tonight, of another band that I felt that kind of connection with. It was Rusted Root. I was covering their music in a band 10 years ago, but I have never really known how gifted, talented and sincere they were about their music. I still say that the 40 million dollar U2 360 set was the best show on earth, but honestly, talent combined with passion - I think Rusted Root was different, but better.
I left the concert tonight knowing the my days as a percussionist are only dawning. The best is yet to come. Tomorrow, I’ll be a better drummer and if isn’t with Rusted Root, that just maybe God would place me in a band inspired by them. I dream of that kind of passion. The kind of passion that made the drummers snare explode during Ecstasy. I adore Asheville, not because of all the Wicca people and the liberals, but because of the embracing of the culture, the arts and the music. I played drums up her with Billy from Skinny beat drums and I learned new things on the djembe. I learned that keeping the drumhead tight has more to do with the space between the rings wedged onto the drum. I learned that my african drum slaps cup like they are latin. I learned that there so very much more to learn in the world of drumming.
Poor Homeless Bongos.
Posted on | November 6, 2009 | No Comments
I’m in route to find a used set and no though some of you don’t believe it, I do not own a set of bongos. In my quest to find some used bongos I found this and was humored to read the whole thing.
Craigslist DC Area
Free Bongos to Good Home…
Date: 2004-09-29, 10:51AM EDT
So I’m not 100% sure I really want to give these away yet. But I know I really should. It’s just that they are so enticing and I just can’t stop myself from beating them and I can’t quite figure out why. It’s certainly not the sound they make. They don’t sound like bongos at all. In fact I can hit just about anything else in my apartment and make a better sound. I think the sound they make would be these bongos worst feature, followed shortly by the way they look. They are slightly chipped in a couple of places and have some very cheap looking nylon trim around the rim. So they are not all together pleasant to touch either, but tolerable. They only have the slightest noticable “bongo” smell. I haven’t ventured as far as tasting then yet, so I can’t vouch for their flavor. However, you’re welcome to give them a quick taste test if you like.
So what I am getting at is that they are not the most enjoyable bongos to play. Though if you were drunk or stoned or naked or drunk and stoned and naked, I’m sure that you would love them.
So despite all this I can’t keep myself from playing them. My freinds have all been driven away by the sound. And refuse to come visit me unless the bongos are gone. And no, it is NOT my lack of rythm. Seriously, it’s the bongos fault. So I think they have to go. I mean given the choice of my freinds or the bongos, I think I have to go with my friends for all the reasons mentioned above. My friends certainly look better and make much better sounds when I hit them. Though the bongos might win out on smell, but only just barely. You’re welcome to give my freinds a quick taste test for comparison if you like too.
So if you would like these bongos let me know. You can come pick them up any evening this week or just keep an eye on the center of the intersection of 16th and U, as they may be getting tossed there at any moment.
Thanks.
this is in or around Dupont
Trees for Warren Baptist
Posted on | October 19, 2009 | No Comments
We received a sketch Nate of would it should have looked like. I thought that we came pretty close. The goal was to bring to life this tree house 3 panel mural that the church was using on Wednesday nights for the kids. So we carved it out of foam, we shaved the surfaces, coated it, painted it, detailed it, delivered it and installed it. The piece is about 10ft high by about 28ft wide. It took roughly 80 hours to build and 4 trips with a truck to deliver it. I want to thank Josh Suich, Glenn Towery, Matt McMeans, Chris Rucker, Sarah Thompson and Alexis Reese for all of the their help in the construction of this beast.
The tough part about the project is that it has to be moved, currently, every week, therefore it had to be deconstructable. We came up with the rope idea to mask the cracks.
Funny PS - One of the manufacturing companies that sold the us materials has asked us if we would like to be promoted as foam carvers for tradeshows and all kinds of stuff.
