2010-07-31 Saturday - Smaller Houses, More Freedom

Interesting ideas:  
http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com  

http://www.thetinylife.com/ 

http://tinyhouseblog.com 

http://smalllivingjournal.com/

http://markopolo.smugmug.com/Tiny-House

2010-07-11 Sunday - The Planetary Society blog

http://www.planetary.org/blog

2010-07-05 Monday - Grand Canyon Trip

I got back this morning from a two-day trip to the Grand Canyon...

2010-07-03 Saturday - Ford Explorer

So, my 1998 Ford Explorer (now with 210,000 miles) has been running rough in this desert heat (110F+).

While doing some research, I came across the following helpful resources:

http://www.fordgenie.com/Ford/Explorer/

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum32/



How Does a 1998 Ford Explorer Mass Air Flow Sensor Work?

Symptoms of a Bad MAF
Mass air flow sensors on the Ford are not repairable but can be cleaned if done properly. It is common on a Ford Explorer for the mass air flow to get dirty which will give low numbers and cause the computer to lean out the mixture (less fuel, more air). When this happens, the check engine light will come on the dash, the idle will get rough and there will be a loss of power due to the lean condition. A pinging caused by detonation in the engine may also be heard.

How to Clean a MAF Sensor on a 2001 Ford Explorer

How to Clean a Ford Explorer MAF Sensor




YouTube Videos:

• MAF Sensor, Mass Air Flow Sensor Testing
• How-to Clean Mass Air Flow Sensor on FJ Cruiser
• How Do You Clean or Check a Mass Air Flow Sensor?
• How to Know if a Mass Air Flow Sensor is Bad

Problems with Ford Explorer Engine Ping / Pre-Detonation

Clean Your MAF

NOTE: You will need a special "Security TORX, Tamper Resistant"  tool:
http://www.wihatools.com/indexes/indxSecuritytorx.htm

http://www.tecratools.com/product1025.html

http://www.amazon.com/SE-pc-Security-Bit-Set/dp/B0009U6AB4/ref=pd_cp_hi_1


Here's what the socket looks like for the two screws that secure the MAF on my 1998 Ford Explorer:

2010-06-19 Saturday - ROS.org

This is something I want to remember to come back to later...

http://www.ros.org/wiki/

ROS is an open-source, meta-operating system for your robot. It provides the services you would expect from an operating system, including hardware abstraction, low-level device control, implementation of commonly-used functionality, message-passing between processes, and package management.

2010-06-08 Tuesday: Some Interesting Links

Some interesting links I want to save for later reading...

http://lanl.arxiv.org/
arXiv is an e-print service in the fields of physics, mathematics, non-linear science, computer science, quantitative biology and statistics.

http://www.stardrive.org/

The Everett FAQ

Dan Piponi's web site

StirFry the Robot
Not The Crackpot Files

http://theorymatters.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php?n=Visioning.HomePage
workshop held May 17, 2008 at the University of Washington, funded by the Computing Community Consortium and supported by the SIGACT Committee for the Advancement of Theoretical Computer Science.


http://blog.tmorris.net/

2010-03-27 Saturday - Excel Tutorials

A friend asked for suggestions on some links to tutorials on advanced functions in Microsoft Office Excel. Here are a few resources I found after a quick search:

http://spreadsheets.about.com/


Excel Conditional Formatting
http://spreadsheets.about.com/od/advancedexcel/tp/090822-excel-conditional-formatting-hub.htm

Microsoft Excel 2007 Tutorial - Advanced Formulas

http://www.mstipsandtricks.com/tips-and-tricks/ms-office-tips-and-tricks/ms-excel/ms-excel.html


http://www.mstipsandtricks.com/tips-and-tricks/ms-office-tips-and-tricks/ms-excel/advanced-formulas.html

Advanced Excel Tutorial
http://www.ehow.com/topic_2573_advanced-excel-tutorial.html


http://www.lacher.com/toc.htm

2010-02-28 Sunday - Studying Mandarin

I've begun listening to a 3-CD language course: Instant Immersion(tm) Chinese Mandarin (Crash Course), by Topics Entertainment:



I also have in my library this very useful tool for the international business traveler:




I may eventually progress to a more robust learning tool, such as the Rosetta Stone Chinese software:

2010-02-27 Saturday

Phenomenal acoutistic guitar duo: Rodgrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quintero of the group Rodrigo y Gabriela. Their latest album is "11:11"
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/35621310#35604066

Warren Buffett's annual letter to shareholders:
http://www.berkshirehathaway.com/letters/2009ltr.pdf



Open Source: FlightGear Simulator
http://www.flightgear.org/

DIY Drones
http://diydrones.com/

2010-02-20 Saturday

There's a great article on CNN Money: What it takes to be great.

Wouldn't it be great if there was a required class in our high school's curriculum named just that? A focused study of the lives and practices of those that became great.

2010-02-07 Sunday - Increasing Your Effectiveness

(hat'tip to blog.carolynworks.com/)

I came across an interesting paper tonight: Does Taking Notes Help You Remember Better? Exploring How Note Taking Relates to Memory, Workshop "Supporting Human Memory with Interactive Systems", HCI Conference, September 4th, 2007, Lancaster, UK

Many years ago I worked on a very interesting project. When I left that project, I made a point of making electronic backups of my work (notes, designs, etc) and many of the project artifacts - with the thought of someday culling some great ideas for templates. Those backups were made with some older version of a Windows OS backup system - and on media - that today I can no longer access.

A few years later I observed a fellow consulting colleague displaying a habit of writing in an expensive hardbound journal notebook for every project / client engagement on which he worked.

I too began that habit.

Today I have journals going back over 10 years...

In those journals are the records of every major decision, meeting, conversation, requirements discussion, conceptual design, problem encountered - and solution considered/devised.

They are not searchable - but I can generally find things in a reasonable amount of time. They are not very portable - but I have kept them - and paid to have them shipped for every move I have made.

Recently I went through those journals and re-established contact with folks with whom I had lost contact over the years. LinkedIn was very helpful in that regard.

For major projects, I prefer the Staples Record Book (300 pages, 10-7/16" x 8-3/8")





For shorter projects, or Research & Development, I will often use a Journal Composition Book



When I need to do a lot of diagrams, I use a Composition Notebook, Quadrille Ruled





I also happen to prefer to keep a separate paper At-A-Glance Weekly Professional Appointment Books



In many professional meetings, I am often amused at the lack of even the minimum note-taking effort that is expended. By forcing myself to write notes with pen and paper, I have a stronger reinforcement of the material, better memory retention, and a great ability to incorporate diagrams into my record of the discussion.

I have also experimented with writing a daily blog within a team environment - as a mechanism for communicating status, issues, avenues explored, vendor/product research, conceptual solutions proposed, as well as capturing decisions that might have otherwise been left to rot in the purgatory of an email inbox.

Additionally, I use Notepad++ to write a private daily journal that I store in a "YYYY-MM-DD.txt" file naming convention.

When it comes time to produce "official" content - I prefer to use the Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect tool.

2010-01-03 Sunday - 2010 Goals

• Publish 6 articles


• Present at 2 conferences


• Negotiate a book deal


• Visit Asia


• Volunteer for a community service project


• Complete the Stanford Advanced Projectd Management Certificate


• Obtain my TOGAF 9 Certification


• Develop modules/content for a SOA training program

2009-12-25 Friday - Christmas Day - Sedona, Arizona

2009-12-25 Friday - Christmas in the Desert

Christmas Day. A time to reflect. A time to pause and ponder. To remember the years that have rolled by. A time to tally the value and joy I have created (or not), in exchange for the the coin of life I have paid.

10 years ago...my first Christmas in Washington State.

20 years ago...a Christmas in Arkansas, followed by a New Year's Eve celebration in Washington, D.C.

My plans for today: A quiet day today. A trip into the mountains to the North. A relaxing evening reading.

2009 has been a tumultuous year. Many changes.

2010 will hopefully be a better year.

I will take the threads of life, and bind them into a stronger rope.

I am thankful for many things today:
- friends
- my health
- the joy of having meaningful work to do
- an abundance of the necessary things
- my family
- my freedom
- the feeling of being safe and secure
- peace of mind
- tranquility in my soul

2009-12-16 Wednesday

A new city. A new client. New adventures.

Here are a few pics from my recent expedition to Canyon Lake:



...and the Superstition Mountains:

2009-11-02 Tuesday - RIP

Today my maternal grandmother passed away. Her name was Madeline. She was 92.

I will most likely fly back to Arkansas within the next two days for her funeral.

She was in ill-health in her final years - so this passing is a blessing for her and for my family.

The Sullins clan is spread wide - and has roots in Virginia...going back to the founding of America.

She was my last living relative born prior to 1920.

The passing of an age.

She was wily in her own way.

It was only in my early adulthood that I came to recognize that playful gleam in her eye - and came to appreciate her salty sense of humor. It was subtle - but she was filled with spice.

I learned much from her...she tutored me on how to drive a boat...how to quietly and patiently fish the deep waters of the many wonderful lakes in Arkansas.

My memories of her are many.

2009-10-09 Friday - Securities Examinations

I'm interested in taking the various examinations to become a licensed investor representative. Here are some of the resources I'm preparing to assemble as part of my study program:

General Securities Representative Exam (Series 7)
(source: wikipedia)

The General Securities Representative Exam, commonly referred to as the Series 7 Exam, is a required exam to become a Registered Representative of a broker-dealer in the United States.

The exam is a six-hour, 260 question test (250 of which count towards the final score) that is owned, maintained and administered by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), which covers a broad range of investments including stocks, bonds, options, limited partnerships, and investment company products (e.g., open- and closed-end funds). A candidate must answer 70% of the questions correctly in order to pass. Upon passing the test, one is granted a Series 7/General Securities license.

The Series 7 license is the most comprehensive of several securities licenses that permit an agent to communicate with retail investors. For this reason, many account managers, analysts, and other executives in the employ of a registered Broker/Dealer hold Series 7 licenses. To satisfy the securities dealing requirements of some states, Series 7 license holders must also hold either the Series 63 license or the Series 66 license, depending on the state the licensee works in as well as the state his/her clients reside in.

Typically, the average score of test-takers is around 73%, with around 66% of test-takers achieving a passing score.

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
(wikipedia entry)

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

SECLaw.com - Online guide to securities regulation



Series 3 National Commodity Futures Exam License Exam Manual , by Dearborn Financial Services
(not really sure about this title...)

Passtrak Series 3: Principles and Practices : National Commodity Futures Exam by Dearborn Financial Institute

Series 3 Exam Flashcard Secrets: Series 3 Test Practice Questions & Review for the National Commodity Futures Examination (Cards)

Pass the 6: A Training Guide for the NASD Series 6 Exam, by Robert Walker

As a possibler alternate for the Series 6, I might also consider:
NASD Exam for Series 6: Preparation Guide, by Greensward Publishing

Pass the 63: A Training Guide for the NASAA Series 63 Exam, by Robert Walker

Series 7 Exam For Dummies, by Steven M. Rice
Notwithstanding the title, this book had a surprisingly high number of 5-star and 4-star ratings (compared to many others that I looked over...)

Pass the 7: A Training Guide for the NASD Series 7 Exam, by Robert Walker
(Again, the number of positive reviews for this book was a factor in adding it to my list...as well as this note on the book's description: "Companion audio training CDs available online.")

Ever wondered what types of examinations there are? Me too. Here's what I found on the web site for Securities Exam Preparation, Inc.

Registered Representative Level

Series 3 National Commodity Futures Exam
Series 6 Investment Company and Variable Contracts Products Representative
Series 7 General Securities Registered Representative
Series 11 Assistant Representative - Order Processing
Series 31 Futures Managed Funds
Series 32 Limited Futures Examination - United Kingdom
Series 34 Retail Off-Exchange Forex Examination
Series 55 Limited Representative - Equity Trader
Series 63 Uniform Securities Agent Laws
Series 65 Uniform Registered Investment Adviser Examination
Series 66 Uniform Combined Registered Investment Adviser - State Laws

Registered Principal Level

Series 4 Registered Options Principal
Series 9 and 10 General Securities Sales Supervisor
Series 14 NYSE Compliance Official
Series 24 General Securities Principal Exam
Series 26 Investment Company and Variable Contracts Products Registered Principal
Series 27 Financial and Operations Principal
Series 30 Branch Office Manager Futures
Series 51 Municipal Fund Securities Limited Principal
Series 53 Municipal Securities Principal

To round-out my study materials, I've identified these additional books as possible resources to add to my investment library:

Mathematics of the Securities Industry, by William Rini

Fundamentals of Securities Regulation, by Louis Loss, Joel Seligman, Troy Paredes

Dictionary of Finance and Investment Terms (Barron's Financial Guides)

Hornbook on the Law of Securities Regulation, by Thomas Lee Hazen

Securities Regulation: Examples & Explanations, by Alan R. Palmiter

Gilbert Law Summaries Securities Regulation, by Niels B. Schaumann

2009-10-03 Saturday

A very interesting presentation: Post Mortem For A Dead Newspaper

Lessons from the Rocky Mountain News - Presentation at the UC Berkeley Media Technology Summit at Googleplex in Silicon Valley by John Temple

2009-10-02 Friday - Stanford Advanced Project Management certificate program

I've received notification this morning that I've been accepted for the Stanford Advanced Project Management certificate program.

2009-08-22 Saturday - Markets Poised

There is a great article this weekend in the new issue of Barron's: Look Before You Leap

"At some point [they] will have no choice but to turn the spigot off. Hard to pinpoint when that it'll happen. But when it does, the enthralling movie we've been watching since early March will be run backwards. Guaranteed."

I will start liquidating my investments and moving to cash over the next 4-6 weeks.

Just as a tsunami hits a coastline...it will recede - quite often followed by several series of smaller (or larger) tsunamis. On the ocean, there is one thing I have learned - waves travel in a series...3 or 4 in a "train".

The skies are brightening, the clouds are lifting, and the folks in Washington are saying "the storm is lifting".

They are wrong.

The fundamental bad behavior has not been corrected.

The trillions they have pumped into the world economy has kept the liferaft afloat longer than it should have.

The merciless master of cause and effect has been kept at bay by Bernanke and his horde.

The balance sheets were never tallied-up true....instead, they printed more fiction.

Another wave of financial disaster is heading toward our shores - and this one will reveal the true devastation that has occured - without the subterfuge and lies that have attempted to hide the truth...notwithstanding the recent desperate shenanigans of our government and financial industry to hide the true extent of the damage.

Hard assets (gold, silver) - that's where I'm putting my bets.



2009-08-23 Sunday Update:

You want to know why I remain pessimistic in the face of what appears to be a global easing of the recession?

FT.com - The risk of a double-dip recession is rising, By Nouriel Roubini

"this is a crisis of solvency, not just liquidity, but true deleveraging has not begun yet because the losses of financial institutions have been socialised and put on government balance sheets"

2009-08-25 Tuesday Update:

Senator warns of hyperinflation rivaling the 1980s