Compost Camera Setup and Preview

This is one of the most recent photographs of the time-lapse setup for the compost camera. I have added a small watermelon yesterday. I bought it, took a small slice from the middle, then propped it up on the rind of the part that I ate and kept the rest to eat later. The melon wasn't all that good tasting. I probably won't add much new stuff to it except actual waste because the possum you see there has been getting busy and I am not trying to attract any critters of that size. Here is the YouTube preview video of the compost heap.

I am using a Pentax Optio W90 which I bought just a few weeks ago. All things considered, it seems like a great camera for shooting time-lapses. It has a built in intervalometer with lots of flexibility in settings. Also it is weather resistant and can be used underwater. It has two macro settings with one of them for use at 1cm. The intervalometer function can be used with multiple settings such as auto flash and macro. The only 2 things that I don't like about it so far are that even though I have seen statements that an A/C adapter is available, I haven't been able to find one and by looking at the camera itself, I don't see where one would even plug one in. The other thing is that even though the intervalometer can take up to 1000 pictures, the battery runs out way before that, somewhere more around the 300-350 range. I have gone around that by ordering an extra Pentax D-Li88 rechargable battery so I can switch them out each day and let one charge while the other is being used. Charge time is about 2 hours or less. I will say again though that for the price I am happy. Just be sure and download the user's manual to make sure it has the exact specs you need before buying.

I built a little roof for the camera and attached the camera to the stand with a hex bolt through the back of the wood. I also placed 2 screws in the wood sticking out to stop the camera from rotating down and so that I can put it in the exact same position again if I have to take the camera off the stand.

Knucks: The Official Handshake of the 2009-2010 Flu Season

Yesterday, while preparing to go a football game, I became excited, thinking about all the old friends I would see. Then I thought about all the hands I would be shaking. After hearing several reports of local influenza activity, I became just a little worried about getting the flu myself. That's when I had the idea; you'll get nothing but a set of knucks from me brother. So I decided to make an image to help spread the idea. I know I am not the first to think of this as a more sanitary version of a greeting or high five, but I couldn't find anything on the web presenting it this way, so here you go. If you prefer the term fist bump, here is a blog sized version and here is the larger version. Feel free to pass on these links or even to hotlink the images if needed.

Please keep in mind, I am not trying to add to the hysteria we are facing with the novel H1N1 (swine) flu (I've already dealt with plenty of that). I just think that during this time of year, it is good to minimize unnecessary contact, wash hands frequently, and to keep your hands out of your eyes, nose and mouth especially when you have been out in crowds.

stylin' with CSS

I am now attempting to build web pages using nothing more than code I type using the web page editor provided by my web host at the domain Webiocosm.net. This will be a slow process since I will have to split my already very limited "computer time" between checking my many e-mail accounts and working on multiple other half-baked internet diversions. Since everything I have done relating to publishing websites has been self-taught, I have chosen a book called, stylin' with CSS: A Designer's Guide by Charles Wyke-Smith. Here is the starting practice page. I am not sure just yet if I am going to archive these stages of development or if I will just let it disappear. I realize that this is probably only interesting to me, but I am linking these pages here so the crawlers will find them. This is just in case anyone out there wants to see what I am doing, or at least wants to find a reference to the book, which I like so far.