l_one's recent activity
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Comment on IFixit introduces USB-C portable soldering iron in ~tech
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Comment on IFixit introduces USB-C portable soldering iron in ~tech
l_one Link ParentYeah, the Pinecil really sets the standard on value-for-money in portable soldering irons.Yeah, the Pinecil really sets the standard on value-for-money in portable soldering irons.
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Comment on IFixit introduces USB-C portable soldering iron in ~tech
l_one (edited )LinkSo, as a product, this is a fairly nice entry to the field soldering arena... if you don't look at the price tag. I like the features - that it uses USB-C (at first the plug end looked proprietary...So, as a product, this is a fairly nice entry to the field soldering arena... if you don't look at the price tag.
I like the features - that it uses USB-C (at first the plug end looked proprietary until I realized that was just the extra lock-in-place cap on top), the on/off switch instead of a button is nice from the perspective of having no misunderstanding about 'did it turn off?'. I like the iron cover cap as a holder and a safety, and as a whole it is nicely compact.
The price makes the whole thing unacceptable to me.
I think my whole field soldering kit cost around that (maybe less?) - Pinecil, Anker power bank, high wattage micro wall plug, solder, flux, tools, heat shrink and more...
I made a couple videos on my kit: video 1 isn't as updated but it has better audio, here's video 2 which shows my current updates to the kit but.. sorry about the audio quality on that one, you need to turn up the volume to hear it.
I mean, the Pinecil really sets the standard for field soldering on value for money. Are there higher power options? Yes. Is the Pinecil enough to do the job? In my experience, YES. I can't really justify the cost difference here. Now, show me a field soldering option that uses JBC cartridges and I'll pay attention.
Now, to be fair, from what I understand a bunch of stuff sold by the Pine store is priced at basically minimum/no profit and is run to put maker tools into maker hands as cheaply as possible by people who are part of the maker community. That DOES make it hard or even unreasonable to expect other products to be able to compete on price. But as the people who use these tools, it isn't our job to 'be fair' to a company's profit margins, even a nice company like iFixit. It's our job to get the best tool to price ratio out of our hard earned money - and at $26, I just don't see anything that competes with the Pinecil when it comes to value for money.
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Comment on Any other 3D Printers here? in ~hobbies
l_one LinkI have a home electronics lab and have wanted to add 3D printing capability to it for years now. I actually found a good deal on a set of 3 Prusa printers with lots of upgrades and spares - a...I have a home electronics lab and have wanted to add 3D printing capability to it for years now. I actually found a good deal on a set of 3 Prusa printers with lots of upgrades and spares - a Prusa MK3S and two Minis. Bought those over a year ago.
Unfortunately the seller... put them all in one large box and packed them with packing peanuts. ONLY packing peanuts.
They arrived destroyed, or rather most of the 3D printed parts holding the printers together had cracked or shattered.
Sourcing replacement 3D printed parts and fixing / reassembling them has been on my to-do list for a long time, but I was kind of disappointed and depressed at what happened and just shelved the whole project into storage for some time when I have the mental energy to tackle it.
Aside from general utility, I wanted to have the printers to be able to manufacture my own components for some of the electronics I test and refurbish. One specific example is older Kikusui products - they are well known for having bright blue plastic grating on the front that covers the air inlet and filter, and also well known for that blue plastic grating for getting brittle over time and shattering, so I wanted to fabricate replacements to restore these instruments to their former glory.
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Comment on The rise of DIY, pirated medicine: Four Thieves Vinegar Collective has made DIY medicine cheaper and more accessible to the masses in ~health
l_one LinkIn so many ways, wow. So, my perspective is coming from multiple angles: I'm an ex-Paramedic who wanted to go to nursing school, I'm an electronics tech / home lab guy (home lab in the sense of...In so many ways, wow.
So, my perspective is coming from multiple angles: I'm an ex-Paramedic who wanted to go to nursing school, I'm an electronics tech / home lab guy (home lab in the sense of electronics / makerspace, not as much in the commercial-server-rack-at-home meaning of homelab (no space intentional as that is how the term is typed for that meaning, usually), as someone who loves the world of 3D printing and evolving accessible at-home manufacturing technology, and as someone who loves reading near-future cyberpunk / dystopian books.
This is a capability / technology that I have seen in fiction for a while now. Corey Doctorow had pharma/drug printers in the book 'Walkaway' (great read by the way), and it has been a fictional technology that I have read about and thought - you know, all the precursor tech does exist for this to become reality. And here we are. This feels, to me, like the early days of 3D printing. Yes, people have been making drugs at home for decades (far more commonly recreational / for-profit controlled substances) for what we typically think about when we hear 'drugs'. I liken that in comparison to how people have been building stuff with garage wood shops and welders for decades as well - and then comes 3D printing to make 'making stuff' an order of magnitude more accessible, admittedly with a (currently) far more limited scope of application and materials (you don't tend to see engineering-grade or high load-bearing manufacturing coming out of home 3D printers).
3D printing achieved a 'critical mass' of adoption around the world and experienced an impressive degree of advancement, proliferation, and utility.
I see this as a very early step towards a home drug printer that can accept feedstock (various precursors and reagents) and print on demand (more like synthesize and react on demand, but the 'print' terminology seems like it fits) whatever pharmacological molecule you want. I can see such devices being developed open-source to gradually integrate chemical analysis tools to do qualitative testing for the produced drug in the same way (as a general theme) that we have seen machine vision and lidar integration in 3D printing for fault detection.
I'm excited to see where this goes. Yes there are safety issues, yes there is abuse potential, but I think there is a place and a need for this to develop. The driving issues, primarily that of for-profit medicine literally allowing people to die who could be saved for the sake of ever-greater profits, are already causing great harm. As such, I view this with an eye to the principle of competing harms.
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Comment on The Russian economy at war (2024) - Sanctions, growth, inflation and mounting risks in ~finance
l_one LinkDescription from Perun: (links do not copy correctly, use the links in the YouTube page description) Since 2022, there have been wildly divergent predictions made about the way the Russian economy...Description from Perun: (links do not copy correctly, use the links in the YouTube page description)
Since 2022, there have been wildly divergent predictions made about the way the Russian economy would hold up under pressure.
Now, deep into Q3 2024 I want to have a closer look at the Russian economy, sanctions, and the risks it faces. And for a change in perspective, we will do it primarily using Russian data.
Patreon:
/ perunauReading and Sourcing (please be mindful with links as always):
Statement by Bank of Russia Governor Elvira Nabiullina in follow-up to Board of Directors meeting on 26 July 2024 - https://www.cbr.ru/eng/press/event/?i...
Elvira Nabiullina’s speech at State Duma’s plenary session on Bank of Russia’s 2023 Annual Report -- https://www.cbr.ru/eng/press/event/?i...
Bank of Russia Annual Report 2023
https://www.cbr.ru/Collection/Collect...Rosstat - on industrial production in H1 2024
https://rosstat.gov.ru/storage/mediab...Featured interview with Belousov
https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/6428575...Russia stops disclosing oil product data
https://interfax.com/newsroom/top-sto...Russian claim of potential 6.8% manufacturing increase in 2024
https://interfax.com/newsroom/top-sto...featured commentary on Russian economy featuring Russian data
https://en.thebell.io/central-bank-fo...https://en.thebell.io/russias-wartime...
Russian economic reporting
https://tass.ru/ekonomika/19550039?re...https://www.reuters.com/markets/europ...
Reporting on payment issues
https://www.reuters.com/business/fina...Russian gas flows per Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/business/ener...The Houthi tanker story
https://maritime-executive.com/articl...UK vs the Shadow Fleet
https://gcaptain.com/uk-leads-europea...US announces new sanctions
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/12/po...Russia ends subsidised mortgage program
https://www.afr.com/property/resident...Bond rates per
https://www.worldgovernmentbonds.com/Western components in Russian systems:
https://rusi.org/explore-our-research...https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2024/0...
Signing bonuses
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/24/eu...https://kyivindependent.com/moscow-au...
Samantha Gross and Constanze Stelzenmüller - Europe’s messy Russian gas divorce
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/eu...Included, referenced or relevant reporting examples
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/world/russia...https://www.reuters.com/markets/europ...
https://www.rferl.org/a/china-eurasia...
Vitaly Yermakov on Russian oil revenues
https://www.oxfordenergy.org/wpcms/wp...Caveats & Comments:
All normal caveats and comments apply. In particular – I would like to note as always that this material has been created for entertainment purposes and is not intended to be a complete or comprehensive examination of the topic in question and should not be relied upon to inform financial or other similar decisions.Also note that I have not independently verified any of the data or reporting presented in this piece, and would particularly note that significant amounts of data released by the Russian Government or related figures has been used which has not been subject to verification or significant scrutiny.
Timestamps:
00:00:00 — Opening Words
00:01:49 — What Am I Talking About?
00:04:09 — The Russian Economy At A Glance
00:09:20 — Investment And Military Production
00:11:24 — Three Drivers
00:14:41 — Rostec And The Russian DIB
00:23:05 — Wartime Expenses
00:28:48 — Hydrocarbons
00:35:12 — Sanctions Pain
00:47:14 — An Economy Overheating
00:58:32 — What Does This Mean?
01:00:27 — The Danger Of Peacetime
01:04:12 — Channel Update -
The Russian economy at war (2024) - Sanctions, growth, inflation and mounting risks
13 votes -
Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
l_one Link ParentLike I said, it's a really fun ride in my clearly biased opinion, and it doesn't let you down about getting better and better as it goes on. I do recommend giving it a read.Like I said, it's a really fun ride in my clearly biased opinion, and it doesn't let you down about getting better and better as it goes on.
I do recommend giving it a read.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
l_one LinkThe Daily Grind by argusthecat. The authors description: Working as overnight tech support, James Lyle has long said he’d do anything to escape the boredom. But his commitment to excitement is...The Daily Grind by argusthecat.
The authors description:
Working as overnight tech support, James Lyle has long said he’d do anything to escape the boredom. But his commitment to excitement is tested when a slight coincidence one shift sends him to a different part of his office building . . . and he discovers a stairwell that contains not stairs but rather a landscape of seemingly infinite cubicles against a distant horizon.Unwilling (and unable) to stay away, James and a few of his trusted friends begin to explore this endless maze of supernatural business ennui, a few minutes in the real world turning into eight hours of encounters with strange creatures and even stranger interior design choices. But in a realm that allows them to level up in fax machine repair and provides them with enough cash to pay the rent, there are also adversaries that are quickly becoming dangerous—and potentially lethal.
As James, along with his companions, delves ever deeper into this extraordinary place, James starts to realize that animate staplers and time dilation might not be the biggest challenges they face, and those challenges might not stop at the entrance . . .
...
I'm past the first 4 books that have been released as audiobooks and am reading through the chapters on RoyalRoad. It's addicting and a really fun ride. The author doesn't fall into the common online fiction trap of ending up with nonstop combat scenes - it has a very nice balance of some combat, some fantasy / magic, some slice-of-life, some everyday issues and just a little bit of non-gratuitous romance all mixed together. I'm not looking forward to when I burn through the years of already posted chapters and have to make do with a once-per-week addition.
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Comment on Russia and Ukraine on the offensive - Kursk, the Donbass and escalating long-range strikes in ~misc
l_one Link ParentI have long felt that Perun puts out videos that are the least sensationalized, and which make the highest good-faith effort at objectivity and accuracy (and clearly state what is uncertain as...I have long felt that Perun puts out videos that are the least sensationalized, and which make the highest good-faith effort at objectivity and accuracy (and clearly state what is uncertain as well as making the attempt at providing the viewer a qualitative analysis on the type/degree/source of uncertainty).
My understanding of Tildes is that it is a gathering place that places quality of content, and quality of discussion very highly, so I felt that this was the best forum to share content from Perun.
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Comment on Russia and Ukraine on the offensive - Kursk, the Donbass and escalating long-range strikes in ~misc
l_one LinkFull description copied from Perun's video description section: At times, the war in Ukraine has had a relatively clear division between the power currently on the offensive, and the opposing...Full description copied from Perun's video description section:
At times, the war in Ukraine has had a relatively clear division between the power currently on the offensive, and the opposing force standing on the defensive.
For most of the war Russia has held the initiative, and in 2024 that clearly remains the case along much of the front. But as Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Kursk region continues, it's become clear that the Russia may not hold a monopoly on battlefield initiative, and there are questions as to what the duelling offensives, Ukraine in Kursk and Russia elsewhere, are ultimately achieving for both sides.
In this episode, we zoom in on the developments in Kursk and Pokrovsk, look at the escalation of the long-range strike efforts, including the reported development of new systems like Ukrainian jet powered attack drones, and ask how, and if, these current efforts might be shaping the conflict at a strategic level.
Patreon:
/ perunauCaveats, Comments and Corrections:
All normal caveats and disclaimers apply
In particular – I would like to note as always that this material has been created for entertainment purposes and is not intended to be a complete or comprehensive examination of the topic in question and should not be relied upon to inform financial or other decisions or purposes
Sources & Reading: To be completed by 04/09 due to late release
Timestamps:
00:00:00 — Opening Words
00:01:04 — What Am I Talking About?
00:01:36 — Catching Up
00:02:54 — Kursk Now
00:07:17 — Korenevo
00:09:15 — Glushkovo
00:14:42 — Other Ukrainian Operations
00:17:06 — Russia's Offensive
00:20:48 — Pokrovsk
00:25:25 — Evaluating The Balance
00:32:41 — Long Range Strike Campaign - Ukraine
00:33:30 — Impact
00:44:24 — Enter The Bread Missile
00:52:56 — Risks And The Way Forward
00:56:23 — Making An Impression
00:59:01 — Conclusions
01:00:35 — Channel Update -
Russia and Ukraine on the offensive - Kursk, the Donbass and escalating long-range strikes
22 votes -
Comment on NSA releases footage of Rear Admiral Grace Hopper speech from the 1980s in ~tech
l_one LinkI was watching this just a couple hours ago when it popped up on my YouTube feed. Great look into the history of applied computer science. Grace has some killer dry wit.I was watching this just a couple hours ago when it popped up on my YouTube feed. Great look into the history of applied computer science. Grace has some killer dry wit.
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Comment on What things do you have are surprisingly good / handy? in ~life
l_one Link ParentIn fairness, if you are treating yourself it's not like you need to worry so much about the legal aspects I've outlined, and if you are treating family / close friends and you are really sure they...if I have to choose between waiting 12+ hours at ER for couple of stitches vs staying home and hoping for the best
In fairness, if you are treating yourself it's not like you need to worry so much about the legal aspects I've outlined, and if you are treating family / close friends and you are really sure they won't go to lawyers... that can open up some options.
As to the Pandemic: I was reasonably well prepared with some of my preps. I had and still have a pantry which, in the early days of COVID we made extensive use of and I was stretching going out for groceries to only once every 2-3 weeks. This did have quality of life impacts though as we (my girlfriend and I) were craving fresh fruits / veggies. Later on this got relaxed to once per week, I think after the vaccines came out. I also already had high-quality breathing protection in the form of 3M half-mask respirators with P100 rated cartridges, as well as a stock of isopropyl alcohol in my medical supplies for cleaning my hands after being out. Having those in advance was more valuable than I can express, as in the early days of COVID, they became near-impossible to get for a while. I remember a time when I was checking if I could get a backup respirator in case I had one break or wear out and sale was being restricted to medical infrastructure staff and other emergency services (understandably) - again, that was pretty early on.
Using what I had in combination with being very diligent about avoiding / protecting from exposure worked and we have still never gotten COVID. I was certainly taking more precautions than the average person though since my girlfriend is immunocompromised and we really didn't want to risk her getting sick.
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Comment on What things do you have are surprisingly good / handy? in ~life
l_one (edited )Link ParentRemote area medicine: Training how to do X is generally a higher priority than having the tools to do X. I'm in the USA, so I don't know how the legal aspect interacts vs Good Samaritan principle...Remote area medicine:
Training how to do X is generally a higher priority than having the tools to do X.
I'm in the USA, so I don't know how the legal aspect interacts vs Good Samaritan principle in Canada, but EMT-B is a higher cert than WFR, and Paramedic is higher than Basic - and each training and certification level essentially authorizes more expansive levels of decision making, procedures, and drug administration. There is also a pretty strict rule of 'you do not practice medicine above your legal certification'. Edit: there are exceptions to this, but that is primarily in the form of authorization to do X or Y that is direct and explicit from your department's medical director or equivalent - in that case legally you are considered to be operating under their licensure within certain limited bounds. Outside of that you are in territory of justifying your actions to a medical review board, and then quite possibly to a court - which means you'd better have darn good reasoning.
Stitches: even as a Paramedic I am not authorized to do this, though you could actually make a better argument for it being excused in a WFR role if patient extraction was days (or more than a week?) away. Learn how to do it? Sure, absolutely. And for good practice you can buy some pork with skin from a butcher - the feel will be pretty close. Be aware that stitches, as medical supplies, are expensive and also expire. It is not advisable to just use thread or anything else of that sort. Sewing thread has many fibers and provides wicking action which is an ingress route for infection, medical stitches or sutures are one form or another of monofilament, either organic or synthetic and do not cause wicking ingress.
Defibrillator: Multiple issues here. Medical devices such as this often require regular testing and recertification. Not sure what Canadian regs are on this. Also, very expensive (though maybe they've gone down in price since I was in school?). This is the kind of thing you don't want to get on eBay, but really need to get new and keep in certification. That or you are getting sued by the family with their lawyer explaining to a jury that your untested, expired AED absolutely could have mis-read a heart rhythm and shocked when it shouldn't have, and of course you are at fault for murdering that patient. Stuff like that - massive liability issues. Do your own EXTENSIVE research here.
Epipens: again, depends on Canadian regs, but if you don't have the licensure and you aren't administering a drug to the person it is prescribed to, you are likely screwed. So may be your patient. With drugs, very much training first to know when not to, then when to, and in what dose by what route, administer.
WFR (from what I remember, this was around 17 or 18 years ago) primarily about stabilization and extraction. Not a whole lot in terms of definitive treatment - most treatment was focused on what was expedient enough to stabilize a patient for transport / stop major bleeds / splinting and fracture reduction to some extent, and methods of moving the patient along with various wilderness specific issues like knowing where to and not to set up camp if sheltering in place waiting for incoming rescue. I am definitely glossing over a great deal here given how long ago this was, so do be aware of that. Look up NOLS WFR if you want to read up on this.
My advice: if you want to be able to do X in the realm of medicine, get the training to do X. Learn about the related liability ahead of time. Only then consider spending possibly large amounts of money on tools / drugs / supplies. Know Canadian 'Good Samaritan' law. Know Canadian law regarding both giving (handing over) drugs, even OTC drugs, to a patient vs administering drugs, even OTC drugs, to a patient. Maybe look up and have a conversation with your closest emergency medical services personnel about these issues and what is OK for you do have and do in your specific circumstances.
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Comment on What things do you have are surprisingly good / handy? in ~life
l_one Link ParentHahahahahahaahhahhah. Oh, thank you, that gave me a wonderful moment of nostalgia. So, funny true story. For about a period of 10 to 15 years starting in College, I quite seriously oriented my...I'm on /u/l_one's team in the apocalypse!!
Hahahahahahaahhahhah. Oh, thank you, that gave me a wonderful moment of nostalgia.
So, funny true story. For about a period of 10 to 15 years starting in College, I quite seriously oriented my life around preparing for the Zombie Apocalypse. Not from a perspective of literally believing Zombies would happen, but rather from the perspective that, if I was prepared for the Zombie Apocalypse, I would therefore be prepared for all the other, lesser apocalypses.
By 'quite seriously' I mean I studied multiple different schools of martial arts, sought out medical training (wilderness first responder class - 1 week, then EMT-B - I think roughly 6 months?, then Paramedic school - 18 months and graduated top of my class). I had a prepper mentality in general - kept a pantry, stocked my car with roadside assistance items, got firearms training and my CPL...
I'm much more relaxed about it these days, but have kept the mindset overall and it has been useful both to myself and others more times than I can count - very, very seldom for anything that might be considered 'life or death', but much more often helping to make a bad day, or very bad day, much less bad.
The added focus on helping people on the road has a specific story. For years (until COVID), I was an avid Magic: The Gathering player. Some friends and I were driving to a tournament near the Detroit area (I think this was sometime between 2004 and 2008?). Four of us piled in a van with our backpacks full of our decks and trade binders and headed out at something like 2AM Friday night / Saturday morning so we could get to the tournament with time to spare for breakfast. The vans radiator failed maybe 3/4 the way there or so, and the driver decided to try to keep going. This was winter with tons of snow, and he was pulling over every 5 minutes to shove armfuls of snow into the engine compartment as a cooling method. Hilariously bad idea, but it was his engine to kill and we were all going to be stranded anyway, so better to be stranded where we could do the tournament and still have time to figure out some ride back home. The van didn't make it, and maybe 20+ miles on the outskirts of Detroit at 4:30 or 5AM, we were on the side of the freeway in the freezing cold, very stuck with a thoroughly murdered van engine.
I was the most warmly dressed of all of us, so I was the one trying to wave down anyone to help. By warmly dressed, I mean I was wearing a black trench coat, black ski mask, black gloves, in the middle of nowhere, late at night, standing by a windowless panel van that just needed a 'free candy' sign to find the last possible way to make things look worse.
It was less than 20 minutes before a woman pulled over for us. A single woman, in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere, pulled over for me looking like I did. And she was completely willing to give a ride to 4 guys into Detroit.
At that moment, I decided that I rather thoroughly owed the universe and would repay the debt by helping anyone I could who needed it stuck on the side of the road.
Ok, story time over. You asked about how well the Lite or Mini models would work for a sedan. They should work and still be just as durable, but you need to keep in mind that the longer they are, the more 'stuck distance' they can get you out of, so it really just depends on what kind of environment you anticipate you might get stuck in. Balance utility against cost and what you can practically store in your vehicle. It is less about the size of your vehicle, and more about the amount / distance of 'stuck' you are in terms of depth / distance of mud or snow you need to get past. Also: if you are in an area with some degree of brush or trees, you can supplement with laying down a track line of branches and brush to drive over.
No idea on sales, sorry. Check eBay maybe? Look through 'sold' listings to see what they have sold for in the past. Also no idea on garden hoses.
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Comment on What things do you have are surprisingly good / handy? in ~life
l_one (edited )LinkOooooohhh. Jeez, ok. I could, if I either let myself or had the energy to do so, write a novella here. I'm very much a maximalist (exact opposite of minimalist). Ok, I'll try to not spend too much...Oooooohhh. Jeez, ok. I could, if I either let myself or had the energy to do so, write a novella here. I'm very much a maximalist (exact opposite of minimalist). Ok, I'll try to not spend too much time on the more niche / esoteric stuff and touch on things that are broadly useful.
Carry with me:
3ft extendable magnet and mirror set. Useful for more than you might think. The mirror can be tightened to be stiff to bend/rotate and I use it during grocery shopping to get items from the back of the top shelves all the time.
Leatherman multitool (Charge TTi) - doesn't need to much explanation, a multitool is just useful. I've had it for... holy crap... 20 years!? Wow, yeah, I've had it for 20 years. Very useful at random times.
Flashlight - for me I use the Nitecore 'New P12' which is apparently discontinued and replaced by the MH12 V2. It uses a rechargeable 21700 battery that lasts a long time - I use the light intermittently and charge the battery when it occurs to me to do so, maybe 2 to 4 times a year (because of low/intermittent use). The battery I use is a Nitecore rebrand that has a USB-C plug in the side of the top for easy charging with integrated red/green LED to let you know charging/charged. I also keep a backup light - one of the right-angle Armytek C2 Magnet models. The base is a magnet so you can stick it on stuff and it comes with a separate headband so you can use it as a headlamp. Why 2? I used to go caving. Two is one, one is none.
At home:
Hot air station (primarily meant for soldering use). I've gotten so much off-brand utility from this thing I really couldn't have imagined it. Neet to remove a sticky shipping label? Hot air. Need to use heat-shrink tube to do a DIY fix of something? Hot air. Need help removing darn near anything sticky? Hot air. Need to use it for the intended use and reflow some solder? You'd better believe, hot air.
Along the same theme of coming from my electronics bench: a multimeter. Need to know if a battery is actually dead or if the device is having a problem instead? Need to check an outlet? A multimeter is quite helpful to have around.
Knipex 8-in 74-01-200 side-cutters. From my time working in residential cable install, I can firmly say these are the best side-cutters I have ever used. They are useful for more than you might think too - I use them to trim fur knots on Floof, my long-haired tuxedo cat. They are far better for this (in my opinion/experience) than either scissors or electric trimmers (always better than scissors, most of the time better than trimmers). Why? They are way safer as to not cutting my cat by accident compared to scissors - with sharp scissors the first you might hear about placing them wrong is when you have already nicked your kitty, but side cutters are not knife-sharp, and I gently close them around fur and gradually apply pressure to cut - and if I'm about to pinch skin, Floof lets me know BEFORE the cut happens.
Multi-port USB power supply that displays voltage and current - I use the PinePower 120W Desktop Power Supply - I do actually recommend that model from that store as it is both good and cheap. Pine is kind of a maker-collective store that makes a few specific things to put them in the hands of makers for as cheap as possible. Anyway, the point of having a USB power supply that gives you voltage and current reading is that SO MANY devices lie to you about their battery SOC (state of charge) to make you feel like they charge quickly or stay at 100% longer or some bullshit like that. Many will claim they reach 100% charge before they actually do. With a USB power source that shows current, you can instantly tell if a device is still pulling power or not.
Thermal camera. Being able to see heat sources and thermal gradients is both cool and useful. Great for diagnostics of all sorts, you can often tell if something is actually running and where power is being consumed, that kind of thing. I keep one in my primary toolbag.
In my vehicle:
Cut-resistant, nitrile-dipped work gloves. Seriously. I feel like everyone should leave a pair of reasonably good work gloves in their vehicle.
Gas can. Not for everyone perhaps, but I can't count how many people I have helped out on the side of the road over the years just by keeping a 20 liter NATO can of gasoline. Straightforward case of having the right tool for the job.
Along the same lines: Jumper cables, 4-way lug wrench, bottle jack, and a tire pump and patch kit. Between those items you can help yourself and others with the most common roadside issues.
I do carry more vehicle-oriented stuff but after what is already listed you get less common return on investment so to speak. But then, I have a large van so I have the space to carry more. MaxTrax recovery boards for getting unstuck from mud and such. Tow strap. Spare coolant. Lithium-battery jump box. Shovel, pickaxe, machete, axe (all are applicable to vehicle recovery). Automotive-oriented toolkit (basically means there is an inclusive emphasis on sockets and socket-wrenches). OBD2 code reader.
In the vehicle, but not for the vehicle: a 'just-in-case' backpack. Lots of people would call this a GHB (get-home bag) or BOB (bug-out bag), but neither of those really fit my philosophy of use for it. In it I keep a change of clothes, toiletry bag, cash, a few non-perishable snacks, a small toolkit, a respirator, as well as stuff like spare shoe laces. It's a general use pack that covers a number of minor-emergency and minor-inconvenience situations. Fall in the mud in the field? I have a change of clothes on hand. Need to spend a night somewhere? Toiletry bag. Minor emergency that needs a vehicle tow / repair / buy a meal / rent a car? Cash on hand. Mask lost or broken (I still mask since COVID)? Spare available in the bag.
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Comment on What have you been eating, drinking, and cooking? in ~food
l_one LinkJust made and ate part of a big pot of spaghetti - seasoned a pound of ground beef and some mushrooms, added it to the sauce for better flavor and protein, then a bunch of parmesan of course....Just made and ate part of a big pot of spaghetti - seasoned a pound of ground beef and some mushrooms, added it to the sauce for better flavor and protein, then a bunch of parmesan of course. Perhaps not the most original dinner, but really hit the spot. Sipping a Heineken with lemon now as a sort-of dessert.
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Comment on Anybody LARPing? in ~hobbies
l_one LinkI did LARP a few times back in my college days - there was a complete overlap with Anime Club and we workshopped making foam weapons and then drove out to some campground for a Saturday. I...I did LARP a few times back in my college days - there was a complete overlap with Anime Club and we workshopped making foam weapons and then drove out to some campground for a Saturday. I remember playing as a Man at Arms and having a fair bit of fun. I don't remember what system we were using though, it was over 20 years ago.... wow, I'm old.
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Comment on Looking for portable keyboard recommendations: must have USB-C connectivity, not just bluetooth in ~comp
l_one Link ParentWhile you are correct that it is not what I'm looking for, that is really cool and I'm glad to get to know about it. Thank you!While you are correct that it is not what I'm looking for, that is really cool and I'm glad to get to know about it. Thank you!
The tips are proprietary? I thought I'd seen that 3.5mm jack style before though? Or are they physically or electrically(resistance values / current rating) different somehow that prevents other 3.5mm cartridges from working?