Author Archives: skierpage

About skierpage

As you might guess, my site is mine. My Schema.org info is at .

eco: carbon offsets to avoid hell

Posted on 2017-12-07 by skierpage

Shamefully, I’ve been traveling a lot recently. This is terrible for the climate, keeping a jet aloft at 600 mph uses tons and tons of fuel that turn into even more tons of CO2. The answer is to not fly, … Continue reading →

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audio: finding a Jambox replacement

Posted on 2017-09-12 by skierpage

I listen to music throughout the day on a Jawbone Big Jambox. This was one of the original “Bluetooth speakers” and the company is named Jawbone because it made Bluetooth wireless earpieces back when people debated whether using one made … Continue reading →

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disintermediation: zero-value sellers on Amazon

Posted on 2017-09-04 by skierpage

The defective cardboard eclipse viewers fiasco shows the risks of blindly (ha ha) buying from the cheapest seller of some product off Amazon. It’s not even enough to choose a “fulfillment by Amazon” merchant or even a “✓Prime FREE Shipping” … Continue reading →

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music: RIP Walter Becker 1950–2017

Posted on 2017-09-04 by skierpage

Another one gone. I own all the studio Steely Dan albums up to “Two Against Nature,” they’re simply masterful. A few years ago Google alerted me to a “new” Steely Dan album which turned out to be unauthorized bootlegs of … Continue reading →

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software: checking Android 5.1 (Lollipop) memory consumption

Posted on 2017-01-06 by skierpage

I wanted an Android tablet and bought the Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro for its great hardware – kickstand, long battery life, Dolby Atmos sound, comfortable to hold. But its performance is abysmal. Firefox simply exits if you browse most web … Continue reading →

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web: companies too lazy to follow phishing advice

Posted on 2016-05-28 by skierpage

Basic Internet security means “Don’t click links that resemble legitimate sites”. Yet lazy companies persist in sending e-mails that invite you to “View your statement” or “Enjoy our discount offer” that go to e.g. click.global.expediamail.com instead of expedia.com (that one … Continue reading →

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books: bad SF

Posted on 2015-07-26 by skierpage

Singularly unconvincing 2015-07-25skierpageproduct Accelerando (Singularity) by Charles Stross ★★☆☆☆ The singularity assumes ever-accelerating technological change (hence the title), but after a fairly solid beginning it was a fatally dumb idea to spend a chunk of the book on a long … Continue reading →

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cars: fun with math and physics

Posted on 2015-04-04 by skierpage

People have a hard time distinguishing between energy and power, it really manifests itself when thinking about electric vehicles (EVs). Batteries store energy, and people grasp that they don’t store a lot of it. To travel about 75 miles the … Continue reading →

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computers: power supply fix

Posted on 2015-01-05 by skierpage

I fiddled around with computers for five days straight over Christmas. I knew upgrading a laptop to Windows 7 and adding memory would be a chore, but I also had to repair my desktop. On the right is the mighty … Continue reading →

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car: hydrogen offered, who will bite?

Posted on 2014-11-30 by skierpage

Toyota had a Mirai hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (HFCV) on its stand at the car show, and a dedicated salesperson talking it up. Hyundai had a hydrogen fuel cell Tucson on its stand, but they didn’t make a big deal … Continue reading →

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