"Livestreamed tortoise" written by Joe on estrip.org

01/09/14 12:01 - ID#58558

Livestreamed tortoise

The New York Times ran this advertisement-article about streaming home security cams, a company that makes cameras and has a website to view them.

To me it seems somewhat paranoid to have cameras everywhere in your house. I also would never trust sending all of it to an external site where you have no control of the data after that. If you can access it there who else can?

Anyway in the article they talked about how a pet store in Michigan strapped a camera to their desert tortoise who roams the store. It's so freaking cute. I'd say Basra should have one but I'm not sure sitting in the brown room is exciting. maybe in the yard.

Permalink: Livestreamed_tortoise.html
Words: 125
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 01/09/14 12:05

Category: weather

01/07/14 11:59 - ID#58553

Snow day for real

Today was a real snow day. I was ridiculously happy to be off of work when I found out at 7.

After getting up I went with (e:terry) to his office to try and fix one of his computers. The power supply had blown up. I couldn't find any sort of output on the multimeter and the system booted using another PCs PSU, so I took one out of an ancient computer in the office and swapped it in. I almost froze on the way back home.

(e:paul) and I had a great lunch of lentils, rice and green beans.
The rest of the day was spent programming the web thermostat and wasting time. I'm kind of frustrated on how long its taken me to do the thermostat (1 month so far) but I've been learning a lot. I wish I had more time to dedicate towards learning. Feeling my way around the d3 library alone has been crazy complicated for me.

(e:paul) really wanted flourless chocolate cake for days but we didn't have ingredients. He egged me into riding to the coop to get it but I really wanted to just do it for the challenge. At this point riding has become a base instinct for me I think. The ride wasn't too bad so bundled up. We didn't even need the baking ingredients, I came back with a vegan peanut butter rice krispie and that was enough dessert for us. There was something ridiculous about riding on a bike when a car was available, to a fancy grocery store, in a snow storm, to get food for a fancy dessert we didn't even make (that bougie life).

Ready for the world.

Permalink: Snow_day_for_real.html
Words: 292
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 01/08/14 01:50

Category: weather

01/06/14 05:26 - ID#58547

Snow Day (sort of)

We got out an hour early at work today because they closed the skyway and thruway. I had my bike today since my parents borrowed my car. The ride in was super easy and not even cold.

On the way home I considered taking the south Park bus, but it was so gridlocked all along South Park, it was easier for me to ride home. The ride wasn't bad since I was with the wind mostly, but it took me an hour and a half compared to 35 minutes. It was crazy whiteout and traffic was a mess, I don't even want to think how long itd be if I drove home. Maybe its crazy to ride but I felt validated when some guy at a bus stop yelled at me "Go forth, my brother!"

I'd have more pictures but I like having hands and they'd be just blank anyway. I really hope we are closed tomorrow.

Never let me say its too bad to ride because this was as bad as it gets.

Permalink: Snow_Day_sort_of_.html
Words: 176
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 01/06/14 05:48

Category: environment

01/06/14 12:45 - ID#58546

Buffalo battery recycling

There is a giant bag of batteries at home that's has been accumulating for a long time. Almost all of them are non-rechargable, alkaline batteries. (e:Paul) wanted to get rid of them during his big cleanup on Friday. Despite being made of recoverable metals and mercury free, there are very few places to recycle them. Most places online recommended throwing them into the trash.

That seems fucking ridiculous to me. Why would you place all these heavy metals (zinc, magnesium) and useful steel in a landfill or incinerator somewhere? Supposedly it's not profitable to recycle. I'd support a tax or deposit on battery sales to fund recycling - they do it for car batteries, so why not smaller ones?

Anyway, I emailed a few places. If you are looking to recycle:

Hazman in Tonawanda (a local haz-waste recycling company) takes them and recycles them for $0.50 cents a pound. I confirmed over email they are actually recycled and not just incinerated.

There is a Canadian company called RMC on the east side that is a terminal for battery recycling, but they don't accept household quantities. Their sales manager, Andrew Paupst was amazing and recommended taking them to UB electronics drop off where they will be recycled.

Hello Joe,
It seems the University of Buffalo has a recycling program. I have attached a link that gives the location of all of their collection points. Hope it helps.
Regards

Andrew Paupst
Raw Materials Company Inc.- ISO 14001

Permalink: Buffalo_battery_recycling.html
Words: 266
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 01/06/14 03:02

Category: dancing

01/06/14 12:28 - ID#58545

Super secret house party

After sledding, we came back and napped for a bit. I rode home quickly to have dinner with my parents and family friends. dinner was good, the family is real into biking and Buffalo so it was good conversation.

On Friday night we heard from (e:Robert) about this secret house party on the west side. In order to go to it, you needed to have emailed some guy, been accepted and put on as guest list, and have your ID checked when you got there since it was 25+. (e:paul) emailed and got me in even though I wasn't old enough.

We got there and it wasn't as big of a deal as they made it out to be. It was still pretty fun though, even if house music isn't my favorite. Dancing was pretty lame. The building was the triangular one on at Rhode Island and Utica, kind of remuddled but going to become a new wine bar soon.
We saw Robert and Mickey, and (e:Keith) who apparently thought I was 30. Wow, that has never happened to me. My youth really must be getting sucked away, lol.

We didn't stick around too long and headed home after 1. On the way (e:terry) and I had an argument about the value of art that wasn't productive but definitely ridiculous. I'll have to post about it sometime. Paul went to bed and Terry, Alex and I stayed up listening to music and watching gospel songs about chicken. It was a happy camper night so it was so tough to fall asleep before 4.

This was the solution to not being able to fit their fridge in. The studs aren't even headered off.

Love unicorn

The leper rabbit

Permalink: Super_secret_house_party.html
Words: 311
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 01/06/14 12:59

Category: winter

01/04/14 02:49 - ID#58540

Sledding at Chestnut Ridge

(E:paul), (e:terry) and I went sledding down at Chestnut Ridge. It was real fun, and the weather was perfect. Its amazing to not be cooped up inside.

Terry and I found the best way to go down was on your stomach, so much faster and way more control.

I saw my coworker Karl, who was carrying his kid up the hill. I can't even imagine, I'd be so dead.

Permalink: Sledding_at_Chestnut_Ridge.html
Words: 78
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 01/04/14 03:03

Category: health

01/04/14 11:14 - ID#58537

Healthy again

We're almost 100% again! (e:paul) came out with me to see Emily, Lindsay and Tim at Cantina last night. Afterwards we headed out to Brick Bar while (e:paul) and (e:xandra) went to Hardware. Brick Bar was kind of lame especially with the country music. I went to Hardware after, where (e:Robert) was also. Hardware was kind of dead also but decently fun especially after (e:terry) came. I'm kind of tired of going out to bars bars, good thing we're going to some crazy dance thing tonight. Seeing the sun this morning makes it feel like winter is over. It is, right?

Permalink: Healthy_again.html
Words: 108
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 01/04/14 11:15

Category: working out

01/04/14 11:06 - ID#58536

The gun show

Check em out.

Permalink: The_gun_show.html
Words: 6
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 01/04/14 11:06

Category: religion

01/01/14 09:27 - ID#58527

The last Jew in Kabul

After the botanical gardens and dinner at Papaya, (e:paul), (e:terry) and I were talking about all these crazy things. This included scallops anatomy, St. James, Yiddish, and Ashkenazi (a group ofJews in Europe).
Paul sent me this amazing article about the last Jew in Afghanistan named Zablon Simintov. Apparently every Jewish person in Kabul, even his wife and kids, left for Israel during the Taliban and US invasion. There was even another Jewish guy in Kabul but he ended up passing away.

Despite a lot of people wanting him to leave, and the fact that his catering business is closing, he refuses to leave the country. he wants to maintain the synagogue and his heritage. In a way I can understand - he's already somewhat old at 55, his father and grandfather were rabbis in Afghanistan - why would he leave at that point? He's made it through well this far. It'd be giving up a lot if you asked me. I admire that kind of tenacity, even if I don't understand his religion.

Permalink: The_last_Jew_in_Kabul.html
Words: 183
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 01/01/14 09:32

Category: garden

01/01/14 07:21 - ID#58524

The Botan

Hoping to warm up and not waste away in bed, (e:paul), (e:terry) and I headed out to the Botanical Gardens today. It was so humid, warm, and nice. It made me feel better for a bit.
I busted out the Canon for fun for the first time in a long time. I can't say I've used it regularly since getting my first smart phone over a year ago. The best camera is the one you have with you, right?