Month: January 2014

MaKey MaKey and Google Earth

Posted on By Tom 2 Comments on MaKey MaKey and Google Earth
EdTech, Gear, Geocaching and Maps, Science
Makey Makey and Google Earth-001
MaKey MaKey – Front Side

Before Christmas I got an Amazon gift card for my birthday, and I used it to buy a MaKey MaKey. It arrived just before the hectic Christmas rush and our traveling, so I didn’t really get a chance to play with it. These past few very cold days have been the perfect opportunity to see what this thing can do.

So, what is this thing?

A MaKey MaKey is an Arduino-based computer interface that allows any conductive material to be substituted for a key on the computer keyboard. The name is a contraction of “Make Anything a Key,” or “MaKey.”

The kit comes with alligator clips and jumper wires to attach to…just about anything. The board is connected to the computer via USB. You connect the clip to some conductive material such as aluminum foil, liquid, or even a piece of fruit. Another clip is attached to the ground on the board, the held in one hand. Touching the fruit-foil-liquid will complete the circuit through your body and trigger the key, depending on where the first clip is attached on the board.

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Cabana Bar and Grill

Posted on By Tom No Comments on Cabana Bar and Grill
Restaurants
image
Cabana Bar and Grill

It’s been awhile since I’ve done a restaurant review. I hadn’t really planned to do one today, but I kind of stumbled into one. For lunch today I visited the Cabana Bar and Grill, located in the former Haus Edelweiss on Wade Hampton. I had actually pulled in just to get a shot of the new sign and picture of the business that had replaced Haus Edelweiss. I saw several cars in the parking lot, and there was a sign that said “Open”, so I decided to check it out.

Background

As mentioned, this was once Haus Edelweiss. I had a chance to speak to the owner, who told me that they had been friends with the owners of Haus Edelweiss. Her mother had been catering in the area, so when the restaurant came available, they took the opportunity to establish their own place. I was told that they hope to feature lots of Latin American dishes, but for now they are focusing on Colombian cuisine.

The restaurant has only been open for two weeks.

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Yesterday’s Tomorrows, Revisited

Posted on By Tom 1 Comment on Yesterday’s Tomorrows, Revisited
Entertainment, Miscellaneous
amazing vintage sci-fi art
“If” Magazine Cover
from Flickr user “Modern Fred”

Hard to believe that 2014 will mark ten years of RandomConnections. As such, throughout the year I may be dredging up some old posts (basically because I’m lazy and it saves having to come up with new ideas.)

One of my personal favorites was from July 2004, when I wrote a post entitled “Yesterday’s Tomorrows.” In that post I put together a list of things that would have already happened, if various SciFi novels and movies were actually correct. I figured that with everyone making predictions for the new year, it might be a good idea to revisit and update this ten year old list.

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2014 RandomConnections Calendar

Posted on By Tom 1 Comment on 2014 RandomConnections Calendar
Miscellaneous, Photography
Tree Roots
Cover Photo – Tree Roots on the old Furman University Campus

Each year since about 2007 I’ve been making calendars for my family. Last year because of Laura’s illness I didn’t get around to making any, until my Mom said that she really missed having one. I hastily threw one together after Christmas and only printed a very few of them. This year I made enough for immediate family, but have also made the calendar available online for purchase.

When I first started this I tried to select my favorite photos from the past year. However, some years were better than others for photography, and I had to resort to another strategy. I created a Flickr group called “Calendar Potentials” where I would keep photos that might work. I draw images from that collection, and remove them from that group once they are used in a calendar.

The first calendars I created were printed using qoop.com. That service discontinued last year, so I had to use snapfish.com. This year the calendar was printed using lulu.com. The process was much smoother, there were more options for design, and overall it was less expensive. I think I’ll stick with them for future calendars.

Each year my family asks about the photos that appear in the calendar, so I do a blog post describing that year’s calendar shots. This year is no different. Here are the images for 2014:

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