Jamcleat

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) has discussed with other lawmakers the possibility of drafting a constitutional amendment to deny U.S. born children of illegally present mothers the U.S. citizenship guaranteed by the constitution. Go for it Senator! Senator Graham and his cronies cannot seem to even get a majority together to properly fund a patrol on the border to keep out drug carriers or bombers. He should be concentrating on sorting the wheat from the chaff of the immigrants who come here by choice. He should leave the newborns that have no choice in the matter alone. Apparently his once keen mind is fading. A trick from Genesis: Distract the audience with something truly inconsequential while the really important stuff slithers by. Time to pass the baton, Senator Graham. I will be voting for whoever makes him Former Senator Graham.

Sitting here on the deck on a seasonally hot day reading The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. I have a glass of what was ice water. Before the ice “cubes” melted, they were prisms of a segment. That is the shape that the level water in the ice maker has as the intersection with the arc that is the mold. Someplace around here, I have articles (a,b,c) about ice maker repair but when it works an ice maker is a wonderful thing.

In a previous time, the ice cubes had to be made in the freezer section of the refrigerator.  A metal pan held held metal dividers that had to be warmed or shifted with a lever  to separate the rectangular prisms from the separators in the tray.  When plastic became popular, a plastic tray made “cubes” with trapezoidal faces.  These trays ejected the ice everywhere but into the glass you were trying to fill.

Back even farther, chunks of ice were broken from the same block of ice that cooled the food in the ice box.  An ice pick was poked at the ice until a chunk came off.  The block of ice likely came from an ice plant where ammonia refrigerant cooled a couple of gallons of water in each mold to make thousands of blocks every day.

Even farther back and maybe still today where it is more economical than not, ice was sawn from surface of a lake or even a purpose-built pond. Hauled and stored in an ice-house with sawdust packed between the blocks to keep them from sticking and to insulate.

Just some thoughts on a day when the temperature is 97 or so.  A bit of a breeze make it tolerable.  And ice water makes it enjoyable.

I went to download Chrome for my Ubutu distribution.  For some reason, I decided to actually read the EULA. I usually let the kitten step on the keyboard until that nonsense goes away.  I would never agree to any of that EULA crap without a lawyer’s advice. In the middle of the EULA was a reference to:

“AVC Patent Portfolio License”

Another license which I, without legal assistance need to understand.  Googling for the phrase gives me a great summary presentation.

Note that the title page provides this warning

“This presentation is for information purposes only.
Actual license agreements will provide the only definitive and reliable statement of license terms.”

In the presentation, on slide 2, second bullet, is “Align with AVC product value chain”

This line reminds me of the moment in my Draft Physical where the doctor says to a line of 20 young men, with their bare toes on a yellow tape line on the floor,  “Bend over and spread your cheeks”.

But do not delay…
First Term: August 1, 2002 – December 31, 2010
Threshold levels to encourage early-stage adoption and minimize impact on lower volume users…
Call now… Operators are standing by… Limited time offer… (Did I pay too much by not waiting for the price to come down?)  Does AVC seem like a scam to you?

Rate Protection on Renewal – royalty rates for specific license grants (except for Internet Broadcast AVC*) will not increase by more than 10% at renewals

This is my absolute favorite because I am a Mainframe Dinosaur.  While the predicted death of the IBM mainframe seems to be long delayed, the mainframe software vendors continue to work to ensure the mainframe’s imminent demise through destructive software licensing conditions.  Dr. Merrill and a few other have the right idea.

I’m with Shakespeare (Henry The Sixth, Part 2 Act 4, scene 2, 71–78)

This little pond is in front of the house

At  the front of the house is a solar power fountain.  My wife had bought a kit from a local store about 5 years ago.  With the constant exposure to the weather and occasional freezing, the solar cell went bad.

So I needed a replacement solar cell.  How can you tell if your solar cell is bad?  If you have a multimeter [I prefer the kind with a needle because then I know it is not the battery], you can read out the voltage produced in bright sunlight.  The front of the old panel was wet on the inside and you coud see right through in places.  Time for a new one.
A little web-surfing brought up Silcon Solar . Their on-line catalog had a picture of a pump similar to mine. And a kit that included that pump with a solar cell that looked quite different. An e-mail exchange over a couple of days answered my questions and the new solar cell is in place and powering the fountain. This 18v (white and blue at left) solar cell will power the 12v pump unit just fine.

But the little 12v pump needs care too.  The sun helps the algae to grow and the rain stirs up the sand at the bottom of the pond and that can stall the pump, even with the filter.  Here is how to clean the pump in the pond at the front of the house.

12 volt pump unit from the front pond

The pump unit consists of a top cover, a base plate with the motor and pump attached, the fountain tube, a wire that is connected to the power source or solar cell and what cannot be seen is piece of filter media.

Before attempting to remove the top cover, remove the fountain tube from the pump outlet.  Be care not to bend the tube at any time.  Carefully twist and pull the tube from the pump outlet tube just outside the cover.  Once the tube is remove, the cover can be separated from the baseplate.

Press to separate

At the bottom of  the cover where it meets the baseplate  are 4 tabs.  Lifting the tabs lightly at the same time, allows the cover and base plate to separate.Removing the filter media reveals the pump components. The pump, on the baseplate consists of a cover/front half, motor-impeller assembly mounted on the baseplate.

Remove the filter medium.  Rinse thoroughly.  Wringing will shorten the life of the medium.

Carefully use the blade of a straight-slot screwdriver under the pump housing to remove the cover.  Rock the blade back and forth until the cover is loose.  Then lift straight off. Carefully remove any debris or algae. Rinse with pond water if required.

Pry up the pump cover

Test that the pump impeller turns freely by making sure that the solar cell is in full sun. The motor should run vigorously. If not check for binding due to dirt or algae. Replace the cover and insure that the pump continues to run at full speed without binding or stalling.

Cascade

In addition to the fish pond, there is a cascade. Water in the large (50 gallon) pool at the bottom is pumped to the top pan (5 gallon) and cascades down the 3 cascade pan to the bottom. The pump for this set is about 150 G/H and sucks in a lot of stuff. After replacing the pump because of jams a couple of times, I came up with a filter system that seems to work. I used a plastic basket that you may be able to find in the same area of the store where the pumps are sold. The baskets were originally intended to hold the roots of water-plants together when they must be removed to clean the pond. I used the a square piece of plastic (cut from the bottom of a cat litter pan) to make a bottom. The bottom is loosely retained with a couple of rings made with wire, twisted to close them. The hose of the pump is punched through a hole cut in the bottom (now the top) of the basket. The trash filter on the pump acts as the final defense but the plant-basket filter provides a large area screen that is fairly fine. The only problem I have had is if it goes more than a week, the suction on the clogged basket filter flattens the basket. Regular maintenance is essential.

Pump exposed

I usually just leave this pump running when cleaning. Lift the pump and filter out of the pond. Detach the hose from the pump to free the basket-filter. Use a hose or brush to clean the filter. Use a hose or brush to clean the trash filter on the pump. Put the hose back through the hole in the basket and insert the pump outlet in the hose. Close the white lid, lower into the water and check the flow. Put the brick back on the basket-filter to keep the lid closed.

View of Pond

On our lot in a subdivision, I have 4 small artificial garden ponds. My wife likes the sound of falling water so 3 of the ponds have a pump to create a fountain or waterfall. As the water circulates, the stuff that falls in the pond eventually ends up trying to go through the pump.
I have spent a bundle of money over the years replacing pumps that have become clogged or jammed. In an attempt to avoid this, I have put filters on each of the pumps. The pump filters need periodic maintenance. I have discovered that during the spring, summer and fall, the right period is once per week. If weather does not permit doing it each Saturday, it can go one more week but no more. By the end of the second week, the filters are so filled with stuff that the pump is straining with reduced flow and there is the possiblility of jamming on something that would normally wash through.
The largest pond has a few goldfish. They winter over as it is warm enough here that the pond does not stay iced over. As the main problem with the filter and pump on this pond is brown algae, cleaning once a month is frequent enough in the winter.

Pump and filter components

This set up was purchased as a unit with a filter box, a pump, tube, assortment of fountain heads, coarse filter media, fine filter media, and something called bio-filter balls. I believe these are intended to provide a place where beneficial organisms can attach and aid with the chemical balance in the water. Since the garden pond is large and replenished with rain water, I have never been too concerned about the chemistry of the water. Except that if I do have to add significant amounts of tap water, I use a conditioner to control chlorine.
The spray head makes an a spray which is too large in height (it blows away) and size (lands outside the pond) if unregulated. There is an adjustment that allows some water to bypass the spray head to control the size of the fountain plume.
To maintain this pump, first turn off the power. The circuit has a switch at the deck.
Next lift the filter box out of the pond. Wire bails have been added to help with the lifting.

Wire Bails for lifting.

First remove the fountain pipe at the joint in the middle of the pipe just below the regulating valve. Gentle twisting may be required to get the valve to separate from the lower pipe.

Removing Filter Cover

Next remove the filter cover. A tab at each end of the filter cover keep the cover on the filter box. These need to be lifted slightly away from the box to release the cover. Inside you will find the coarse filter media (brown). Remove this layer. Use a hose sprayer set to “Spray” to wash all of the algae and leaf material out of the coarse filter. Wring the media to get the water out once or twice and rinse until the water runs clear. Repeat for the fine (green).
Underneath the fine filter media are the bio-filter balls.

Bio-filter Balls

Remove each of the balls and rinse it with the hose spray.
The spray fountain needs to have the top cover removed from the bottom part. This is done by gently unscrewing (top counterclockwise) until they separate. Inside you will see a labyrinth in the bottom to distribute the water and the holes in the top. Both of these tend to catch debris and need to be thoroughly cleaned. Make sure that all holes are clear. Poke them out with a toothpick if required. Re-assemble by screwing the top back on the bottom. Take extra care not to cross-thread. There is no need to screw it on tight, a bit more than a full turn is enough.

Fountain Head Detail

The pump is held into the filter box with suction cups. For weekly maintenance, you can just leave it in place. Rinse the box with the spray and empty the dirty water out. About once a month you will need to remove the pump from the box and clean it thoroughly. To clean the pump, insert and gently twist a screw driver in the vertical case split on the bottom on the end away from the intake and outlet. Gently slide the case apart to reveal the pump impeller. Clean any material from this area. There is normally no need to remove the impeller retainer.

If there is debris in thhttp://www.brafetishpage.com/blog/e pump impeller area, first, make sure the power is off.  Then rotate the impeller retainer counter clockwise until the tabs that retain it at the edges are clear of the case.  It may be necessary to pry it lightly to separate it from the bearing plate. plate.  The bearing plate has an o-ring around the edge.  Grasp the post in the center by the pump inlet and lift.  Help it with a screwdriver if required.  The pump impeller, shaft with a bearing at each end, and ferro-ceramic magnet can now be lifted out.  Clean everything.  Put the shaft of the magnet back in the motor.  Replaces the shaft retainer, taking care to center the bearing.  Do not force.  Slight pressure should re-seat the o-ring.  Replace the cover plate and rotate the tabs into the grooves in the case.

When the pump is clean, replace the cover and slide it to the stop.
Reverse the disassembly to assemble the pump and filter. Bio-balls, 4 in one end, 6 in the the other, fine filter, coarse filter, cover, bails. Re-insert the fountain pipe. Place the filter box on the bricks in the bottom of the pond and ensure that it is stable. Turn the power back on and check the fountain is flowing properly and that the plume is falling back into the pond.

I read with interest this blog post. I got there from a link on Groklaw, one of my addictions. My thought on reading the excerpt quoted at Groklaw and again on reading the full text of the lecture at Columbia was that things have changed for better and for worse.
For years, I was bombarded with folks trying to get me to subscribe to magazines. I loved and still love paper magazines. But they take up space or you must discard them. Both of these activities give me discomfort. So my request to the solicitor was “Can you send that to me on color microfiche?” The response was invariably “What did you say?” What I wanted was the ability to (re-)locate an article I had read or that was referenced in a current article and (re-)read it for background or recollection.
Today, many magazines offer the entire collection of back issues on CD-ROM for what is more money than I have to devote to back issues, but on the other hand, not an unaffordable fortune. Wooden Boat is one magazine I would consider getting the CD, (now a memory stick) for.
But the pages are pictures of pages and who knows weather you can cut an paste the text or the illustrations.
With the paper version, I can put it on the scanner and get either without a problem, at least for issues I have not yet lost or discarded.
Getting back to the quoted article by Steven Berlin Johnson, the Wall Street Journal has had a corner of the op-ed page labeled “Notable and Quotable” for as long as I have been reading it (I still miss Vermont Royster). With the un-selectable glass box version, does this mean that the Noted but Unquotable version gets forgotten because it cannot be passed on, tweeted, facebooked, e-mailed.
Authors, retain the right to distribute your version and indicate that it is the basis of the published article. Then when someone searches for the quote, they find your version, if you have made it available.

Patents give an inventor the Constitutionally protected exclusive right to a particular process for altering material or to a device for a specific purpose. The US Patent office has managed to extended this to software. Most of the software patents I have read fail to alter material or fail to be a device.
If I ran the zoo, I would permit any software patent given two conditions: 1) It alters something tangible. A general purpose computer does not count. The software needs to turn on a light, roll a bar of steel, catch a mouse. Not tell a broker when to buy. Not bounce a virtual ball screen. Not make a 2-D movie appear 3-D. 2) All of the source code related to the patent must be published as part of the patent grant. It can be secret up to the moment of grant but after that it is public information just as the patent law specifies that the patent enable the reproduction of the process or art at the expiration of the patent. Only the processes included in the published source code are protected. Different code that accomplishes the same end is not infringing.
We will have to wait a little bit to find out what the Supremes have to say about Bilski.

The other night, my wife went to shut the Player off. And it would not go off. The push-on-push-off switch that has served faithfully for 25 years was stuck. She got it off by unplugging it. When I plugged it back in the next day, it did not seem to come on.
The Player is Radio Shack ™ Realistic ™ STA-2500 Digital Synthesized AM/FM Stereo Receiver. The advantage of this particular device is the variety of stuff and internal switching that it has. Enough connections for dual cassette tape, 6-channel mixer, Karoke center-channel suppression, phono turntable, CD player, computer audio feed, upstairs and downstairs speakers. It’s in there. All media, all the time. When the Player is down, it is…well, quiet.
I recorded a diagram of the colors and connections of the cables to all of the above then pulled the plugs.
I found the circuit diagram with the other documents. They were too small to read. I scanned them and blew them up to 4 times the size.
I then took off he covers. This thing is like an onion. 4 screws for the particle-board walnut-look end panels. 3 screws for the back edge of the top cover. 6 more screws for the aluminum front panel. 6 snap clips release the front panel lable layer. Then I can get to the 2 screws for the power switch. I get the switch assembly out. I cycle it a couple of times. I plug in the power cord being careful not to touch anything electric. Get radio over the headphones. Switch on. Switch off. Put it all back together. Don’t you just hate when you didn’t do anything but now it works.

A tweet about a WSJ article authored by Penn Jillette that I read Saturday. The article led to an out-loud laugh when I read what it would take for Hummer to meet the fuel economy standard President Obama proposes. Mr. Jillette – this one’s for you.