Yearly Archives: 2012

APC RBC2 87
The concept of “planned obsolescence” is nowhere more visible than in the battery backup (or UPS – Uninterrupted Power Supply) market. With the insane prices the manufacturers charge for batteries, it’s easy to compare it to the video game console industry: the companies must barely break even (or maybe even […]

Dead UPS Batteries? There’s a Cheaper Way!

This entry was posted in DIY Technology and tagged 1280 1290 APC battery backup RBC RBC109 RBC2 RBC24 RBC63 replacement battery S20BLK UB1280 UB1290 UPS on by (updated 4306 days ago)
Streamlight TLR Keys 11
I like my Streamlight TLR-2 tactical light (a full review is coming eventually). Among its many positive attributes is the fact that it ships with four mounting “keys” that allow the light to be fitted to a wide variety of accessory rails. And, since my Sig Sauer P226 MK25 comes […]

Streamlight TLR-2 Mounting to a Sig Sauer P226 MK25

This entry was posted in Guns and tagged Beretta 90two Glock 17 Insight M3 P226 MK25 Sig P226 Sig Sauer Streamlight tactical light on by (updated 4356 days ago)
InSinkErator SST Instant Hot Water Dispenser 65
An undersink instant hot water dispenser (like my InSinkErator SST) is one of those kitchen luxuries you may not think you need until you get one… after which, you’ll never know what you did without it. But after a few years, I noticed that it was taking longer and longer […]

DIY: Instant Hot Water Heater with Low Flow? Fix it ...

This entry was posted in DIY and tagged DIY InSinkErator insta-hot instant hot water low flow not working plumbing on by (updated 3961 days ago)
Remote Cable Modem and Router Power Cycle 2
We’ve all been there. You try to load a web page, or check your email, or download a file, and nothing happens. “The Internet’s down!” is the cry at my house when we lose connection. It’s also the #1 reason why people call their Internet service providers’ tech support numbers, […]

How To Automatically Power Cycle Your Modem and Router on ...

This entry was posted in Home Theater & Automation Linux Technology and tagged automate Comcast Linux modem PHP power cycle reboot router script on by (updated 3567 days ago)
Arris TM822G Cable and Telephony Modem 79
To lease, or not to lease. That’s the question for anyone who gets their high speed Internet through Comcast Xfinity. Literally millions of Comcast customers (over 18MM, to be exact) are paying an extra $7 per month to rent a modem from the cable company, and if you’re unsure whether […]

Review: Arris TM822G DOCSIS 3.0 8×4 Ultra-High Speed Telephony Cable ...

This entry was posted in Product Reviews Technology and tagged Arris cable modem Comcast DOCSIS 3.0 EMTA telephony modem TM822G VOIP on by (updated 4136 days ago)
Navigation Disc 1
I called the Cadillac toll-free customer service number earlier today, and a pleasant-sounding voice identifying himself as “Christopher” answered. I could tell from his accent and demeanor that he was Filipino (later in the call, when I told him that I’d been to the Philippines often on business, he confirmed that he […]

Rave: Cadillac Customer Service is Alive and Well

This entry was posted in Cars Rants and Raves and tagged Cadillac customer service Escalade free disc nav disc nav disk navigation Philippines on by
BlueFusion by Scoche 6
My wife’s been nagging me gently reminding me that she wants to be able to listen to her iPhone’s music library in her 2008 Cadillac Escalade ESV. Combine that with her patriotic respect of the law and love of automobile safety (she’s never got a ticket, and her first one […]

Review: Scosche BlueFusion Bluetooth Car Kit

This entry was posted in Cars DIY Home Theater & Automation Product Reviews Technology and tagged A2DP audio BFGMK BlueFusion Bluetooth Bluetooth audio Escalade GM hands-free Scoche Scosche on by (updated 4374 days ago)
Standard Gas Hot Water Header 38
I’m not proud to admit that this DIY project is something I put off for way too long, and I feel stupid because it’s one of the easiest things you can do to save money every month, while prolonging the life of your gas or electric water heater: flushing the […]

DIY: Flush Your Water Heater and Check/Replace Your Anode

This entry was posted in DIY and tagged aluminum anode flush flush hot water heater flush hot water tank flush water heater hot water heater hot water tank magnesium plumbing replace anode rust zinc on by (updated 3248 days ago)
Honeywell EconoSWITCH RPLS741B 86
For years, I’ve used programmable switches at our Utah vacation house to turn exterior lights on at dusk and off at dawn. Having a well-lit exterior is a deterrent to potential thieves, and creates a nice visual setting when returning home at night. Previously, I used four Intermatic EJ500 switches, […]

Review: Honeywell EconoSWITCH Programmable Timer

This entry was posted in DIY Home Theater & Automation Product Reviews and tagged astronomical clock automatic timer EconoSWITCH EJ500 Honeywell Intermatic RPLS740B RPLS741B switch timer switch vacation timer on by (updated 4375 days ago)
Low millivolts from a thermopile 286
Disclaimer As with all my DIY posts, anything you decide to do as a result of reading this post, you do so at your own risk. With gas and flames involved, things can get dangerous — as in blow-your-house-up dangerous. So hire an expert if you’re not comfortable doing any […]

DIY: Gas Fireplace Won’t Light? How to Clean your Thermopile ...

This entry was posted in DIY and tagged DIY gas fireplace gas valve pilot light thermocouple thermopile won't light on by (updated 3632 days ago)
Eating a healthy breakfast is important, but mornings are always so rushed. So here’s a quick, easy, and yummy recipe I like to make first thing in the morning to get me going. Feel free to experiment with other seasonings you like, or try Feta instead of Parmesean, or kick […]

Recipe: Spinach Mushroom Egg Scramble

This entry was posted in Fitness Recipes and tagged breakfast egg lactose-free mushroom Parmesean scramble spinach Breakfast American on by (updated 4430 days ago)
Chocolate Banana Cashew Smoothie
Because I’m lactose intolerant, I enjoy anything that actually tastes like a real dairy-based treat, especially something that tastes like an actual milkshake you’d pay money for at an old-school drive-thru restaurant. This protein shake is so simple, but so yummy. Vitamix Recipe: Lactose-free Chocolate Banana Cashew Smoothie   Author: […]

Vitamix Recipe: Lactose-free Chocolate Banana Cashew Smoothie

This entry was posted in Fitness Recipes and tagged almond banana cashew chocolate lactose-free Muscle Milk nut protein drink protein shake recipe Vitamix Drinks on by (updated 4430 days ago)
Curved Sig Rail vs. Flat 1913 Picatinny Rail 26
When I bought my Sig Sauer P226 MK25 9mm pistol (commonly referred to as the “Navy Seal” gun), I had no idea that finding a concealed holster to fit would be so difficult. I really like the Blackhawk SERPA CQC holster, but web searches could never definitively tell me if […]

Confirmed: Blackhawk SERPA CQC holster will NOT fit a Sig ...

This entry was posted in Guns and tagged 1913 Blackhawk CQC fit Navy Seal P226 P226 MK25 Picatinny rail SERPA Sig Sauer on by (updated 3674 days ago)
Desert Eagle .50 in the bath 3
In a previous post, I reviewed the ultrasonic cleaner I now use to clean my firearms. But a good ultrasonic cleaner is only part of the process. What you put in the tank (apart from the guns, of course) is just as important — and maybe even more so. But […]

Review: UniqueTek Premium Firearms Cleaner™

This entry was posted in Guns Product Reviews and tagged firearms cleaner premium solvent ultrasonic ultrasonic cleaner ultrasonic gun cleaner ultrasonic solution UniqueTek on by (updated 4455 days ago)
Gun parts in the CP1100HT 3
How one cleans and cares for their firearms is a deeply personal decision. Some take it to almost religious levels of zeal. For me, it’s always been about making it as effective, fast, and easy as possible; the easier the process, the more likely I am to reliably perform it. […]

Review: Crest CP1100HT Ultrasonic Cleaner for Firearms Cleaning

This entry was posted in Guns Product Reviews and tagged 1100HT crest firearms gun cleaner ultrasonic ultrasonic cleaner ultrasonic gun cleaning on by (updated 4456 days ago)
.44 Magnum cylinder face - before 5
I currently own two stainless steel revolvers: a Smith & Wesson Model 629-6 Performance Center (.44 Magnum) and a Freedom Arms Model 83 Premier Grade (.454 Casull). They are both fantastic guns that I cherish, but they’re not museum pieces. I use my guns, so they get dirty. But I never […]

Review: KleenBore Lead Away Cloth

This entry was posted in Guns Product Reviews and tagged .44 Magnum .454 Casull clean revolver cylinder dirty revolver Freedom Arms KleenBore lead lead away Lead Away cloth lead deposits Model 83 Smith & Wesson stainless stainless steel on by (updated 4456 days ago)
Postfix 2.9 Upgrade 6
I’ve previously written a how-to for compiling Postfix from source on a CentOS 5 box. I recently tried following the same steps on a CentOS 6 box, to upgrade from Postfix 2.6.6 which is installed by default. I’m glad to report that the same instructions will work just fine to upgrade […]

Building Postfix 2.10 on RHEL6 / CentOS 6 from Source

This entry was posted in Linux Reference Technology and tagged binaries build CentOS CentOS 6 compile Postfix Postfix 2.6.6 Postfix 2.9 Redhat RHEL RHEL 6 rpm source on by (updated 4301 days ago)
Yahoo and Postfix 26
If you’re getting “temporarily deferred” Postfix log entries when trying to send mail to Yahoo! that look like this: host mta7.am0.yahoodns.net[66.196.118.34] refused to talk to me: 421 4.7.0 [GL01] Message from (xxx.xx.xx.xxx) temporarily deferred - 4.16.50. Please refer to http://postmaster.yahoo.com/errors/postmaster-21.html or status=deferred (host mta7.am0.yahoodns.net[66.196.118.35] said: 451 mta1336.mail.bf1.yahoo.com Resources temporarily unavailable. […]

How-To: Postfix configuration to reduce Yahoo temporary deferrals using Transport ...

This entry was posted in Linux Reference Technology and tagged 420 421 deferral GL01 Postfix refused to talk to me Resources unavailable temporarily status=deferred temporarily deferred Yahoo Yahoo Mail yahoo temporarily deferred on by (updated 3803 days ago)
2
Since I was already in an LED mood after upgrading my Maglites, I decided I’d punch up the performance of my M3 Tactical Illuminator with an LED upgrade of its own. The ubiquitous M3 Tactical Illuminator, a favorite among law enforcement and military personnel, is a rail-mounted weapon light produced by […]

Review: Insight/EOTech M3/M6 Tactical Light LED Upgrade Bezel Kit

This entry was posted in Guns Product Reviews and tagged bezel bulb EOTech Insight kit LED LED upgrade M3 M6 tactical illuminator tactical light Upgrade on by (updated 4456 days ago)
3
I love my Maglites. I’ve owned a number of them in different sizes since I was a Boy Scout. And while their rugged construction, reliability, ease of use, and excellent customer service never go out of style, bulb technology has changed dramatically since the years when I was collecting merit […]

Review: TerraLUX Maglite LED Replacement Bulb Upgrade

This entry was posted in Guns Product Reviews and tagged conversion kit LED MAG-LITE Maglite TerraLUX Upgrade on by (updated 4456 days ago)
6
After considering a couple of upgrades for a while, I decided to add a threaded barrel to my Sig Sauer P226 MK 25 pistol and replace the forward pivot in in my Sig Sauer 556 SWAT with a push-button version for easier field stripping. Here’s a quick report on the […]

A Tale of Two Sigs: Adding a Threaded Barrel to ...

This entry was posted in Guns Product Reviews and tagged 556 556 SWAT KNS pivot pin P226 P226 MK 25 Sig Sig Sauer threaded barrel Upgrade on by (updated 4501 days ago)
Steve and Axel
Another fantastic Cuong Nhu International Annual Training Camp is in the books. For the second year in a row, the event was hosted at Emory University in Atlanta Georgia. It’s basically just a few hundred of my closest friends meeting for some karate training, testing, partying, socializing, dancing, and reconnecting. […]

Cuong Nhu IATC 2012 Report

This entry was posted in Karate and tagged Cuong Nhu iatc Karate Komokuten training camp on by (updated 4501 days ago)