Bonus blog - things that make me steam · Monday February 2, 2009 by colin newell
Picture at left – a portion of my ham shack – the receivers – one of which used to be used to pick up an actual Sputnik satellite (upper left Radio Shack DX150B circa 1973)!
From the Canadian wire and on Global TV news today…
Four Toronto college students have accomplished a technological feat that their teachers are calling a first. The Humber College seniors made contact with the International Space Station on Monday with a radio system they designed and built themselves.
School officials say that, to their knowledge, that’s never been accomplished by students at the college level.
These school officials have;
never used an internet search engine…
have never researched an article…
and have been living under a skull crushing pile of gravel for the duration of their miserable lives…
Hello. Has anyone ever heard of Amateur Radio? Ham radio as it is also called is a hobby enjoyed by about 1 million people Worldwide.
And thousands of student radio operators, if not tens of thousands of student radio operators (at various high-school, college and University amateur radio clubs…) have enjoyed the thrill of radio contact with orbital space craft, shuttles, space stations etc.
I am one of those people. My call sign is VA7WWV.
My first radio conversation, prior to actually having my own license, was as an 11 year old conversing with a rescue mission in Managua, Nicaragua after the 1972 earthquake that killed 5,000 of the 400,000 population, leaving 20,000 injured and over 250,000 homeless.
And as for space communications… We have been doing it since Skylab, every shuttle since, the Mir space station and the current international space station.
And to the good folks at Humber College…
Do your homework!
The World around us - in crisis - Ed Begley Junior · Saturday January 31, 2009 by colin newell
I write and talk about Cafe culture and my life with coffee – it is a niche area that has been good for me and hopefully good for people that actually work in the industry… like the farmers and their families… and even a cafe or two.
But it is not something that is going to net me a huge audience that would fill an auditorium and get me round after round of ovation and accolade.
Because it’s coffee – and although millions drink it and love it… It isn’t Earth shattering.
Ed Begley Jr. talks about the environment and sustainability – the path we are on – the crisis that we are in – and the actual real tangible hope that is before us.
We saw Ed Begley Jr. at the University of Victoria Center auditorium tonight and he made sense. Sure he was preaching to the converted – like Andrea and I… and our dear friend Sheila. But I am sure there were one or two cynics in the crowd. I mean, I sure hope so. Because a converted cynic in hand is worth two converts in the bush…
Whatever the heck that means.
Anyway. I wish Ed would come to coffee one day because I share a table in our cafe with a couple of anti-global warming bobble-heads. That is, they hear an AM talk-show host say that there is no global-warming or environmental crisis… and they believe it without question.
Ed’s message is simple: “Don’t listen to me. Don’t listen to the Sierra Club. Don’t listen to AM radio or the Right Wing media.
No. Pick something you trust… like National Geographic… or someone with a Phd after their name… like a University professor who actually knows what she or he is talking about – and at least listen”
Ed’s the voice of reason. So we listened to him. And although we kind of are already on that sustainable – environmental bandwagon, there is a lot more that we can do for the Planet.
Ed also says… “Do not listen to the message about not being able to afford change or afford the environment…”
The message is: We cannot afford not to listen.
Ed speaks in a compelling way, without being too preachy – giving real World practical examples about how everyone can do their part – however small.
Anyway – do yourself a favor and check this guy out if you can – or visit his website.
Postscript – thanks for the e-mail Ed! Appreciated.
Cafe culture Winter 2009 marathon post number one · Friday January 30, 2009 by colin newell
All work and no play makes Colin a dull boy.
And it was with that thought that we had an impromptu espresso throw-down (during my coffee break…) in my lab at the University today.
It was, after all, Friday – a long week, much production under our belts and high time to have a pre-weekend cortex bending exercise with the last legal high – the caffeine bean.
The equipment: An ECM Cellini Rocket professional machine on loan from EspressoTec.com in Vancouver.
A Rancilio Rocky grinder.
Several Reg Barber tampers – one of them a coveted solid Titanium 58MM base with bubinga (farmed hardwood) handles from Central America.
Coffee: Espresso house blend from Everyday Gourmet of St. Lawrence Market, Front Street in Toronto and some single-origin Ethiopian Yirgacheffe from local roaster Peter Cross.
The Contestants: Gillian (formerly of Habit Coffee and Culture. Mike C. from IT at UVic. And yours truly.
Our taste subjects included Nick, Wayne, Al, as well as our faithful selves.
We blasted through about 3/4 pound of coffee in under 15 minutes, making about 8 to 10 doubles and some misses.
Not surprising, Gillian mopped the floor with us. Mike was not far behind with one killer God shot after another – and I followed up the rear with some pretty decent crema rich shots.
The ECM Rocket will be the subject of a detailed review one of these days.
Meantime, it is good to have fun – and I think it is a cool to, at least occasionally, get all out of control with the coffee machines in the work place.
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Dining in Victoria as good as it gets #2 · Saturday January 24, 2009 by colin newell
I last wrote about Brasserie L`ecole several years ago – and I get back from time to time. And I am never let down… unless of course there are some things that are out of the control of the restaurant and its owner.
A case in point.
Andrea and I were out for dinner last night with a dear friend who is celebrating her birthday. She is the best and is worth the best that the city has to offer.
Brasserie L`ecole has no bad tables – and only great food.
Unless. Unless you have some badly behaved guests.
At Brasserie L`ecole, everybody is special – although if there is a fussy guest, the staff will generally look after them. Last nights celebrity guest table included Global TV news anchor Tony Parsons – an awesome guy by all appearances (and younger and better looking in person than on the tube…) He and his table were awesome – enjoying the restaurant and the whole experience.
He was to our immediate left. To our immediate right was a local clothier who thinks pretty highly of himself – you know the kind; refers to himself in the 3rd person…
Anyway, when he was not talking story with any restaurant staff that would stop by the table (forcing our table to look at staff bums for almost 20% of the time we were eating…) he was trying to send; wine, dessert, whatever to the Parsons table – essentially insinuating himself on them.
Clothier: “I would like to buy a bottle of wine for Tony…”
Maitre d’: “Monsieur, the Parsons table have plenty to drink… They do not need any more wine…”
Clothier: “Well, I would not want to buy them wine they will not drink…”
And so on and so on…
Nothing like an idiot clothier to almost ruin a great meal…
Almost. It was a great meal nonetheless.
Brasserie L`ecole is the perfect restaurant for that special first date or 22nd date or a spot to take those special friends on their special days.
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