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 ...

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 ...

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

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

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

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

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 ...

Linux Uptime 2
I stumbled across this video today of a server move from a few years ago in 2009. I never even knew it existed until today! It was uploaded by one of my buddies, Chuck Goolsbee, who used to work at our colo center (but now works at Facebook). Because of […]

Moving a Server with 945 Days of Uptime

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

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

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 ...

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™

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

.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

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

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 ...

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

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

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 ...

Otis Elite Cleaning System 15
Like most gun owners, I enjoy taking firearms to the range, the woods, or even taking an occasional pot shot at a coyote in the back yard. And, like most gun owners, I’m always looking for tools to make caring for my firearms easier. Call me crazy, but sometimes I […]

Review: Otis Elite Gun Cleaning System

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

1
In celebration of a positive annual 2012 physical, I decided to do a follow-up VO2 max test with POTENTRx in Seattle. The test today went great, and I learned lots of new things about my personal fitness, and fitness in general, just as I always do during these tests. I’d […]

Knowing Myself Part Deux and Updated VO2 Max Data from ...

4
I’m writing this blog post after getting home from my annual physical. The results were great, and my doctor is almost as proud of me as I am of myself. I’m down 30 lbs, my resting heart rate is 30 points lower, and he reduced my cholesterol meds for the […]

Want fitness results? Know thyself.