Pictures- Duane
Leinninger.com
December 7th, 2009:
Finally! A Link To Kidbits on You Tube!
Somebody has finally posted a link to some video from Kidbits on my nostalgia blog: Brat-Patrol.com. After a few years of searching for Kidbits and Gary Ed Mach, there’s finally a video. Thanks to those who posted the info!
November 27th, 2009:
Universal Remote Hack
I found that the most often used buttons on my universal remote (up, down, left, and right directional buttons) were the hardest to press. Every time I tried to use them, I would inadvertently rotate the dial surrounding them, causing the remote to switch functions (from controlling the media center extender to controlling the TV). I came up with a neat little idea to make it a little more usable.
I stuck some of the clear rubber bumpers that you put between a piece of glass and a table top (among other uses) on each of the directional buttons, and another in the center (for the “ok”) button.
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- Remote before adding the bumpers
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- Remote with bumpers in place
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- Backlit remote with mod
- Duane
November 3rd, 2009:
New Race Car. Continuing workout. Home remodeling.
Gina and I bought a Spec Racer Ford on Sunday. It’s chassis #051 and was originally a Renault-powered car. Mechanically, it’s a sound car. We’ll be updating the front lower control arms, belts, and 5th gear before next season as well as doing a little frame painting and cleanup (the fiberglass is in great shape, though). I’m excited to start racing with a more competitive car and to see if my driving skill is strong enough to keep me running with the pack, finally.[Pics Here]
Gina and I are in week 2 of phase 2 of the P90X plan. We’ve had to skip a day of workouts last week and this week due to illness and schedule, but have otherwise stayed true to the diet and exercise plan. Phase 2 is more intense and the workouts seem even longer, but we’ve both noticed feeling better since beginning the workout. The end of this week marks the 1/2 way point.
We’ve been trying to complete our home updates, but our race season, Gina’s work travels, and our workout plan have severely limited the amount of time we can spend on our projects. Christian’s new company (Degen Development) is keeping him pretty busy, but we’re trying to book him before the end of the year. On the list are crown moldings for the den fireplace, new basement doorwall, and continued work on our basement finishing/theater.
- Duane
October 25th, 2009:
Media center “upgraded” to Windows 7. Race car plans.
Over the weekend I “upgraded” my media center/server to Windows 7. As noted in a previous post, I’m using an ATI Digital Tuner for TV recording. However, it still uses very heavy DRM to lock down recorded content. As a result, everything I’ve recorded with the digital tuner is unavailable for playback form Windows 7 and my extenders because I chose a clean install instead of an upgrade. When are Microsoft and the cable companies going to realize that this is exactly why people are using non-proprietary system and downloading TV shows from Bittorrent? Very frustrating. In any event, only a few episodes were still unwatched since the installation of my digital tuner, so not much will have to be replaced with the methods previously mentioned.
I’ve been thinking about my options relative to my current race car. It’s never been built up beyond my initial prep for Spec Neon apart from a header minor top end cleanup before my first season of 100% ITA. The engine is tired, I have no limited slip diff, I need a real suspension setup, and bigger diameter/wider tires and wheels. The cost of everything combined is close to the cost of a complete, competitive race car. Though I considered staying in ITA, it’s a class where you have to keep up with the Jones’. I don’t have the funds to keep tweaking my car. My other option was to switch to a spec class, such as Spec Miata. But, that has become a very expensive class over the years. I’ve decided to switch to Spec Racer Ford and race alongside my father-in-law. I’m working on getting a new car now and will have more updates soon.
- Duane
October 13th, 2009:
Racing season ends without a bang… luckily. Now what? P90X… that’s what.
Gina, Glenn and I finished up our 2009 racing season at Mid-Ohio. Though I had to qualify in cold and (sometimes) wet conditions, I had a TON of fun racing. I even met my goal of getting solidly into the 1:49s with my marginally prepared ITA Neon. I’m at the point where I need to spend some money. I’ve gotten by on a shoestring budget with my greatest annual expenses being a set or 2 of tires. It’s time for a new engine, trans, limited-slip differential and coilover suspension, followed by the correct size tires and wheels. Option B is to switch to the class of car that I’ve grown to respect, admire and understand the best: Spec Racer Ford. It’s the same class that Glenn (my father-in-law) races. They’re sturdy, reliable, safe, fast and equally matched. Finding a good deal on a SRF is going to cost about the same as making my Neon semi-competitive in ITA and much less expensive than starting over with a Honda CRX or Integra in ITA.
Gina and I recently began our 3rd week of P90X. While we’ve struggled at times to keep up with every movement in every exercise, we’ve been doing remarkably well. We’re even following the diet pretty darn faithfully. The biggest downside is the length of the workouts. They usually run about 90 minutes and are extremely demanding. “Do your best. Forget the rest.” Can I get an “Amen?!”
- Duane
