DIY: Gift giving--sometimes the magic is in presentation

Pom pom yarn embellishments, Babble

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Once I bought a Wacom Bamboo tablet and, when I received it, I was amazed and delighted by the way it was packaged. A simple black box opened like a book to a one-layer, parchment-like tissue, folded over just so. Inside the tissue was nested the tablet. The whole package was so elegantly done that I felt I'd received a gift from Wacom.

The gift you're giving doesn't have to be expensive, and if it isn't, the way it's wrapped and presented can make it seem so. (Learning enough about the receiver to know what to give helps.) WikiHow has a good article about how to give a gift unconditionally. Babble gives 18 Creative Ways to Give Cash & Gift Cards (Leading image link is broken, but slideshow works well).

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In case of emergency, Babble

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Some tips for wrapping your gift well can be found at these sites. The Container Store offers a PDF for download that gives Tips for Perfect Gift Wrapping. Lushome has some unique presentation ideas that look a bit like a lot of work, but they may trigger some ideas for more manageable projects.

According to an article published at Today,

The Japanese equate wrapping a gift with “wrapping the heart,” so every gift is marked by thoughtfulness and consideration, both for the object housed within the container or wrapping, and for the recipient of the gift. Bringing seemingly start [stark?] contrasts into harmony — like yin and yang — is central to the idea of any presentation. Rusticity and refinement, the transient and the eternal, the earthy and the sublime: such disparities are made evident — and rendered compatible — in choices of combinations of papers and ties that both emphasize and luxuriate differences in texture as well as, perhaps differences in color or pattern. A crinkled paper lashed with knotted cord, for example, reflects that approach.

The video below, posted by Paper Guru, shows how to wrap a gift with kimono pleats, a hand-tied bow, and a heart-shaped note card.

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-- Marge

DIY: build your own battery

Environmentally compatible organic solar cells (in development), Physics.org

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Home installation of solar panels is growing fast:

A new solar-power system is now installed on an American roof every three or four minutes, often through leasing deals that require no money down and lock in lower electric bills for years. Wall Street behemoths like Bank of America and Goldman Sachs are pouring cash into rooftop solar, as are giant corporations like Walmart and Google, while a range of new financing mechanisms are making solar investments even more attractive. The installer SolarCity has begun to bundle customer leases into solar-backed securities, which could be as transformative (though hopefully not as dangerous) as mortgage-backed securities. And while the panels are now amazingly cheap–down from more than $75 per watt 40 years ago to less than 75¢ per watt today–the solar industry is just starting to drive dramatic reductions in “soft costs” like permitting, marketing and installation. (The Green Revolution Is Here, Michael Grunwald, Time Magazine)

But, unless you want to use environmentally unfriendly batteries that must be replaced and require maintenance, such as the ones sold by Wholesale Solar, you have to connect to the grid. If you decide to build or purchase a battery bank, be aware that there is a risk of explosion and the bank must be scaled to your system.

The push is on to build a better battery and a promising concept is a water-based organic one being developed by a team of scientists at the University of Southern California (USC).

In the meantime here are some batteries you can build yourself.  Check out the aluminum can, saltwater and charcoal battery made by egbertfitzwilly with charcoal from the backyard barbecue. To demonstrate battery basics here are 3 ways to make a homemade battery from WikiHow.

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Hand-Powered Battery, WikiHow

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Similar and related projects are a gummy battery holder by Andrea and a USB travel charger from Electro-Labs.

Who knows?  Maybe you can beat the USC team to the goal of a better, rechargeable, scalable battery.

-- Marge

DIY: Living minimal

Eloise Ghioni, Third Skin (Paper)

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In his beautiful post, "5 Life-Giving Truths From 5 Years of Living with Less," Joshua Becker quotes C.S. Lewis:

The process of living seems to consist in coming to realize truths so ancient and simple that, if stated, they sound like barren platitudes.

The comments are well worth reading, too.

Minimal or simple living isn't new. Nor is it necessarily asceticism. But it is refusing to let your possessions and desire for new possessions to take control. In a world where we are constantly barraged by advertising and calls to action, it's becoming more and more important to step back and reclaim the freedom to just be and to see what we want to become or do.

Here's a collection of articles about minimal living. At WikiHow there's  "How to Live Like a Minimalist" (in 13 illustrated steps). The blog Simple and Minimal offers a list of books on the topic.  The BBC has an article titled "The joy of living with less," which quotes author Francine Jay:

A minimalist lifestyle entails being mindful about the things we own, the things we buy, and how we spend our time.

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Deborah DeWit, before time

-- Marge

DIY: traveling where the Sun is brutal

It sure is good to have warm, sunny days again after this horrific winter.  Road trip!

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John Cook, I-80 west of Elko, Wikimedia

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Before you venture out, it's best to prepare--especially if your path includes a desert.  If hiking, here are some tips from WikiHow.

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Sydney dust storm, WikiHow

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If you're just traversing desert-like terrain to get somewhere else, here are some survival tips in case your vehicle decides to stop and refuses to go again.

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Desert sun, Discovery News

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To get an idea of how brutal the sun can be, here's an article on sun-poisoning.

If you'd like to get a taste of what it's like to be in the desert in summer, best to join a hiking club.

-- Marge

DIY: Staying warm -- and alive

My brother, who lives in Alabama, reports that his pipes have frozen.  Meanwhile snow is melting here in Alaska.  Those of us who live in the far north know to watch the weather reports, dress for the cold (those with half-a-brain, that is), drive on ice and snow, and be aware of what's happening or may happen with our homes. I'm guessing that many people who live at warmer latitudes haven't thought about this much. So here's some information that may be useful or may save your life or a finger/toe or two.

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disastersrus.org

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The main site for all news weather is the National Weather Service (NWS).  For safety information, try their Winter Weather Safety and Awareness page.  The American Red Cross has published the "Top Ten Red Cross Cold Weather Safety Tips." Find out the 5 P's of cold weather preparedness at Disastersrus.  If you have to work or spend extended time in the cold, be aware of the possible effects of cold stress, published by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). You can download a PDF, "Extreme Cold Guide," from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

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CRH.NOAA.gov

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WikiHow has a photo essay on "How to Dress for the Cold;" petMd talks about whether to dress your dog.

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Romp Italian Greyhound Rescue

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Remember, when it gets cold: dress warmly, carry a phone, and bring a buddy (but not the dog above).

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Winter driving, Middleton PD

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-- Marge

DIY: junk CD magic

I love the shifting, rainbow colors of CDs and DVDs.  You can capture these effects in some of the projects below, all except the mixed media CD clock (it has a beauty of its own).

The mosaic tiles in the birdbath below are shards of an old CD.  Debbie gives full instructions on her blog, me and my diy.  She does a very thorough job.  Seems to me this project could be adapted to a decorative platter by using an old plate.  The direct link to her instructions is is the picture's caption.

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Debbie's birdbath, me and my diy

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Instructions for the disco ball below can be found at wikiHow.  You may be saying, "sure...what do I do with a disco ball?"  I can see a group of them in different sizes hanging by a window where they catch and reflect light.

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Disco ball, wikiHow

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Mixed media artist Cyndi gives instructions for making the CD clock below on her blog, Mixed Media Artist.  Her site has a wealth of information for artists and do-it-yourselfers who like to work with found objects/materials.

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Cyndi, "CD Clock," Mixed Media Artist

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The work below -- a sculpture by Sean Avery -- is an example of what you can do with old CDs.  No instructions are available.

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Sean Avery, sculpture, BuzzFeed

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For more ideas on finding new uses for old CDs and DVDs, take a look at Earth911's "10 Reuse Ideas for CDs and DVDs," Squidoo's "How to Reuse Old CD or DVD," and BuzzFeed's "18 Cool DIY Ways To Use Your Old CDs."

If you've been wondering how DVDs and CDs work, here's an article at HowStuffWorks. Another article there answers the question, "Why do CDs reflect rainbow colors?"

-- Marge

DIY: just do it yourself, America

Will it take a revolution to fix Washington?  According to this article in American Thinker, titled "Time for a New American Revolution?," revolution is an American right.  It begins,

The United States of America was born in revolution. The Declaration of Independence asserted that people have a right of revolution. According to The Declaration, "whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends [such as "life," "liberty," "the pursuit of happiness," and "the consent of the governed"], it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

Now seems the perfect time to start a revolution -- while the government is out of commission, sort of. Unfortunately the military is still being paid (it looks like Obama was prepaing for the shutdown), so there will be a fight.  State militias are still in operation, too.

We certainly have the gunpower for a revolution, do we have the will? Organization is pretty important, too. Where is Che when you need him?
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Che Guevara, Wikipedia

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Is the NSA still listening? According to Forbes, nope:

Given that the government shutdown makes an exception for “national security,” some employees of the National Security Agency may have been surprised Tuesday to get a letter telling them their jobs don’t fall under that category.

Seems right and left government hands are out-of-synch.  Perfect.

OK, where do we start? Here's a how-to from wikiHow.  First step is know your goal:

Know your Goal. You are about to dedicate your life to this goal. Decide well and make your decision from the heart. A good question to ask yourself is, “What about the political system in which I live do I think is wrong? And what kind of system do I want to create for the people of my country?” Remember, the goal you chose is the Heart of your revolution.

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How to Start a Revolution, wikiHow

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One short-sighted idea is as good as another, eh?

--Marge

Hacking, cracking and just plain war

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Since hackers and hacking seem to be in the news more and more, I thought you might like a little information about the topic.

First of all, there are hackers and crackers, and an on-going controversy on which is which.  According to Wikipedia, in the computer security context, a hacker

...is someone who seeks and exploits weaknesses in a computer system or computer network. Hackers may be motivated by a multitude of reasons, such as profit, protest, or challenge.

On the other hand there is cracking -- modifying software

to remove or disable features which are considered undesirable by the person cracking the software, usually related to protection methods: (copy protection, protection against the manipulation of software), trial/demo version, serial number, hardware key, date checks, CD check or software annoyances like nag screens and adware.

A while back hackers were considered helpful, and functioned like ex-officio beta testers for the computer community, while crackers were considered malign.  The quote below is from a Wikipedia article discussing this continuing controversy:

Currently, "hacker" is used in two main conflicting ways

1. as someone who is able to subvert computer security; if doing so for malicious purposes, the person can also be called a cracker.
2. a member of the Unix or the free and open source software programming subcultures, or one who uses such a style of software or hardware development.

China and Korea have recently been fingered chief instigators in waging cyber war against the U.S. and European nations, as reported in this article in the New York Times, "Chinese Army Unit Is Seen as Tied to Hacking Against U.S."  The U.S. is not entirely victim here, as reported by Foreign Policy, an online magazine, in the article "Inside the NSA's Ultra-Secret China Hacking Group."  (The reader comments on this article are most interesting.)

If you find this topic of interest, there's are detailed instructions on "How to Hack: 12 Steps" at wikiHow.  Udemy offers a number of hacking courses.
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I keep wondering if this post will qualify me for the NSA's watchlist.  No, wait...everyone is on that list.

-- Marge

DIY Rube Goldberg machine

My son and I used to play Mouse Trap, a game by Hasbro that is based on the concept of a Rube Goldberg machine.  (Good news, the game is available on Amazon, and elsewhere!) Rube Goldberg was a cartoonist whose name has been immortalized by generations of tinkerers.  The site wikiHow has tips on how to build one.  When you get your skills up, you can enter contest(s) with specific challenges at rubegoldberg.com.

For samples of Rube Goldberg machines, take a look at the site Cool Material, "10 Brilliant Rube Goldberg machines."  Here are some of my favorites.

In my eyes the best of all time is OK Go's video for "This Too Shall Pass."

Mythbusters did a Rube Goldberg machine for Christmas one year.  I picked up two versions -- the first one has poor video quality, but Adam Savage's description of how the machine works is as good as watching the machine in action; and the second one has good video quality but isn't nearly as entertaining.  Mythbusters is aired and licensed by the Discovery Channel.

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Here's one made with pieces like Mega Bloks by Hasbro in an animation by Ron Schon:

There was even an interactive Google Doodle of a Rube Goldberg, this video of it from rustybrick's library.  Unfortunately it doesn't work here; it does work on my playlist.

Remember to wear your safety glasses.

-- Marge