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February 29,2012- L.A. Visit: Day 6... |
In 1970, several trustees of the Palm Springs Desert Museum foresaw the impact that resort development would have on the local desert ecosystem. They created The Living Desert to educate the public and to promote the value of desert conservation. Since check-in at the Rancho Las Palmas resort was not until the late afternoon, Kristin thought it would be fun to drop in for a look.
The place is huge, with numerous exhibits, talks, and staff to help visitors appreciate the variety of plants and animals which call the desert their home. The Living Desert is more than just a zoo. It is active in programs to help desert animals andd... [more] - L.A. Visit: The Living Desert
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February 28,2012- L.A. Visit: Day 5... |
While we would have been happy to stay in the city the entire time we were in L.A., our hosts wanted to get out of the city for the weekend. The great thing about L.A. is that one can go surfing in the ocean, skiing in the mountains, or hiking in the desert. For those really ambitious, one can even do all three in the same day :-) As we were on a break from the New England winter, we opted for the drier warmer option. Road trip!
Heading East on I-10, we could not help but notice the fields of windmills. More than 13,000 of California's wind turbines, or 95 percent of all of California's wind output, are located in three primary regions. One of those is the San Gorgonio Pass Wind Farm (near Palm Springs, east of Los Angeles). Wind power in California has doubled in capacity since 2002. As of the end of 2011, wind energy supplies about 5% of California’s total electricity needs, or enough to power more than 400,000 households. California now ranks... [more] - L.A. Visit: Palm Springs
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February 27,2012- L.A. Visit: Day 4... |
Knowing that we were in L.A., a few readers suggested we check out the Griffith Observatory. Of course, Kristin had already scheduled us for a visit as Saturday was the date for this month's star party.
The public star parties are held monthly with the assistance of the Los Angeles Astronomical Society and the Los Angeles Sidewalk Astronomers. These parties are a great opportunity for those interested to look at the sun, moon, visible planets, and other celestial objects. It is also a perfect chance to... [more] - L.A. Visit: Griffith Observatory
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February 24,2012- L.A. Visit: Day 3... |
After a couple days of garden tours, we were ready for something different. What better contrast can there be than a visit to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)? LACMA is located in central Los Angeles, midway between downtown and Santa Monica. Even though we have been to L.A. quite a few times, we have not had the pleasure of a visit. This trip, we made sure and scheduled time for a look.
With over 100,000 objects dating from ancient times to the present, LACMA is the largest art museum in the western United States. LACMA's seven-building complex is located on twenty acres in the heart of Los Angeles, halfway between the ocean and downtown. We knew we would not be able to... [more] - L.A. Visit: Day 3
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February 23,2012- L.A. Visit: Day 2... |
It is the second day of our week in L.A. We thought we had slept in, but it was only 5 A.M. when we were dressed and ready. To slow us down and help shift our clocks, we decided to stretch the day out (meaning: no naps) and stay up later into the night. Spent most of the day in the L.A. County Arboretum and Botanical Garden. The L.A. Arboretum is a historical site jointly operated by the Los Angeles Arboretum Foundation and the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation, and is located in the city of Arcadia.
Visitors to the 127 acre acre botanical garden are often greeted by the free-roaming peafowls. Our visit was no exception. We were greeted by a very friendly peacock. Peafowl, Pavo cristatus, were introduced to the botanical garden by Lucky Baldwin in the late 1800's. Apparently, they were well suited to the garden, as they have thrived. Only the colorful males of... [more] - Urban Safari: L.A. Arboretum and Botanical Garden
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February 22,2012- L.A. Visit: Day 1... |
Every year around this time we get the urge to visit our RainyDayLA office. It may be that we miss our friends out West, but it may also have something to do with the New England weather. The fact that it has been unseasonably warm in Boston this Winter did not diminish our enthusiasm for the trip! When we left Boston, the temperature was gray, cool, and in the mid-40s. A nap, a few movies, and six hours later, we stepped out into the warm, sunny, if a bit hazy L.A. As always, our host Kristin has assembed various fun and interesting activities and food options for every day of our visit :-) This time her "suggestions folder" was almost an inch thick!
After a quick bite, we headed out to our first destination: South Coast Botanical Garden. It was only six miles away from where we were staying, but L.A. traffic being what it was, it took us... [more] - L.A. Visit: Day 1
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February 21,2012- Tom Bihn SuperEgo... |
We got turned on to Tom Bihn bags many years ago. Over that time we have had the pleasure of using quite a few different models. We took them with us on vacations, on business trips, and general excursions around town. However, the one bag which has gotten the most use was the Ego. We did a FirstLook of the Ego back in 2008 and it has been used daily by one of our editors since. After four years, the Ego looks almost as good as the day we got it. Quite amazing considering all we've have put it through. So when we needed a larger laptop bag for our "new to us" 17" Macbook Pro, we knew it was probably best to pair it up with Tom Bihn's new SuperEgo.
Like the Ego, the SuperEgo is large messenger bag. This style of bag is popular with the folks here because it can easily be configured to carry whatever is neededfor the day (camera, video camcorder, papers, etc...). With the addition of the padded Brain Cell, the bag can be quickly transformed into a super-protective laptop carrier. Call us crazy, but we have carried... [more] - Tom Bihn SuperEgo FirstLook
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February 20,2012- Azio Mini Thumb Keyboard... |
With the boundaries of TV and Web ever blurring, more and more folks are realizing that they need a keyboard to interact with their television screen. This is especially true for those who watch Hulu and Netflix content streamed to their large-screen LCD TV instead of on the computer's smaller monitor. Last July, we took a FirstLook at the tiny Magic-Pro keyboard. The Magic-Pro is tiny and has backlighting for use in the dark. It was a good solution as long as you don't mind the miniature keys. Today, we are going to take a look at a couple of slightly bigger alternatives from Azio.
Readers may remember Azio as the source of the low-cost alternative to the Apple wireless Bluetooth keyboard for the iPad. Azio has been getting some traction as a maker of quality multimedia-friendly wireless keyboards for home theater enthusiasts. We thought readers would be interested in taking a closer look at... [more] - Azio Mini Thumb Keyboard
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February 17,2012- iOS Programming Books... |
Keeping current with Apple's iOS updates is a never ending task. Just when we started to get a hang of the changes brought on by iOS4, Apple released iOS5. Of course, not all of the updates and new features are of direct concern to everyone. Still, knowing about them is important and sometimes helpful, especially if the changes make life easier for the developer.
O'Reilly is the go-to publisher for books related to software programming. We have a pretty decent collection in our library. Two recent additions are iOS 5 Programming Cookbook by Vandad Nahavandipoor and... [more] - iOS Programming Books
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February 16,2012- The GoldXpert... |
A year ago, we did a FirstLook of the Olympus Innov-X DELTA, a handheld device which looks like it was straight from Star Trek. While the DELTA was designed for the rapid screening and analysis of over 80 elements, including regulated toxic metals, the core X-ray technology has applications in many different markets. One such market is the non-destructive analysis of items for jewelers, pawn shop owners, and anyone who deals in the buying/selling of gold, silver, and other precious metals items.
Up until now, determining the precious metal content of jewelry, coins, and similar items has been an inexact process at best. Olympus' new portable countertop GoldXpert XRF Analyzer is aiming to change all that. The GoldXpert uses the same proven technology as their other elemental analyzers. The technology is X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) Spectrometry: when a high-energy X-ray photon hits a sample, the impact causes a chain of events which results in a brief flash of fluorescence. The fluorescence is unique for... [more] - The GoldXpert
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February 15,2012- The Talent Code... |
We were in New York City this past weekend and one could not turn a page without reading something about the new Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin. Until last week, Lin was a virtual unknown outside of a circle of devoted fans. How quickly things changed for Lin! However, like all "overnight" successes, Lin's rise from obscurity was actually a decade in the making. Anyone who has read either The Genius in All of Us by David Shenk or The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle knows exactly why.
Talent is neither inborn nor out-of-reach for the average person. There are real, repeatable, and proven ways to develop talent. Some coaches (Tom Martinez, Linda Septien, etc...) have a "knack" for nurturing individuals into superstars. Now, thanks to advances in medical imaging and neurobiological research, the scientific foundation for the "how" and "why" of the process is starting to become clear. What it is telling us is that... [more] - The Talent Code
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February 14,2012- Valentine's Day... |
What better way to show your love to your sweetie-pie than with a cup of Love Cappuccino??? To lay down a perfect cocoa-powder heart, one can have either super-steady hands or a stainless-steel heart stencil. We opted for the latter.
The stencils may be made from different kinds of material. We found some stainless steel ones on sale at... [more] - Love Cappuccino
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February 9,2012- Kata MiniBee Camera packs... |
Kata introduced the Bumblebee Ultra-Light backpack in April, 2010. The pack was an instant hit and won the prestigious 2010 reddot Design Award. Inspired by the success, Kata resized the bag
for those who wanted the features of the Bumblebee, but in a more nimble package. The results are the Minibee UL-111 and Minibee PL-120.
Like the Bumblebee, these new backpacks leverage Kata's innovative use of technology, materials, and design to give lightweight protection without sacrificing comfort (padded straps, air space between the body and pack) or durability (rigid metal frame). Both bags come with... [more] - Kata MiniBee: FirstLook
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February 8,2012- Vixen Polar Axis Scope... |
In early January we posted a FirstLook of the Vixen Polarie Star Tracker. As astrophotography is still a bit of a niche hobby, the number of questions we got about it were surprising. We took it as a good sign for Vixen, as they clearly have tapped into a market with some pent-up desires. As a result of the Star Tracker review, some readers asked us about Vixen's Polar Axis Scope accessory as well. We took a look and found the Scope to be of a much higher quality than others we have seen. Interested readers may appreciate this opportunity for a closer inspection of the scope.
When taking photos of stars, long exposures are often required. When an exposure is longer than a few seconds, the rotation of the Earth will result in the capture of streaks of light instead of points of light. The arcs created by these "star trails" have been used to great artistic effect by numerous astrophotographers. However, those who WANT to capture pin-sharp photos of stars have to compensate for the Earth's rotation by using a... [more] - Vixen Polar Axis Scope: FirstLook
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February 7,2012- B&O Beosound 2000... |
Bang & Olufsen (B&O) is a name well known to audiophiles and design lovers the world over. In spite of having been around since the mid-1920s, B&O is still cutting edge. Want a TV that automatically senses the amount of ambient light and adjusts the screen accordingly? Wish you could hit a button on your phone to turn down the sound on the television or stereo when a call comes in? How about loudspeakers that calibrate their sound output to the room they are placed in, so regardless of whether the space has high ceilings or is filled with plush furniture, the sound is the same? B&O is the only company that offers elegantly minimalistic products which has those capabilities. Like Apple Computers, B&O's award-winning products continually push for radically cleaner lines and more intuitive user interfaces.
In the mid-80's, B&O introduced the innovative (and what is now their signature) UI element, the automatic sliding front panel. The panel was controlled by a proximity sensor. When a user came close enough, the system awoke from "sleep mode," buttons lit up, and the front panel would silently slid open. B&O continued with that UI element when they released BeoCenter 2300 in 1991 and the BeoSound Century in 1993, except that the... [more] - Bang & Olufsen: Beosound Century
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February 6,2012- Urban Safari: The Stone Zoo... |
A Zoo New England embership has many benefits, one of which is free admission to both the Franklin Park and Stone zoos (ours were purchased after our visit to the Franklin Park Zoo in early January). So while most New Englanders were getting ready to watch the Super Bowl, we visited the Stone Zoo. Stone Zoo, founded in 1905 as the Middlesex Fells Zoo, is located on a 26-acre site next the Spot Pond Reservoir in Stoneham, MA.
Both the Stone Zoo and the Franklin Park Zoo are managed by the non-profit corporation Zoo New England. Zoo New England is a participatant in the Species Survival Plans (SSP) for several of their animals. SSP started in 1981 as a means for zoos and aquariums to... [more] - Urban Safari: The Stone Zoo
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February 3,2012- The Genius in All of Us... |
This weekend's NFL Super Bowl is one of the biggest sports event of the year. The hype surrounding the game is inescapable and sometime descends into the absurd. Even with the media madness, the blog buzz, and the attempts at contrived controversies, the teams themselves have been both respectful and sportsmanlike in their references to each other. This is very heartening to see, especially in the age of super salaries, huge egos, and self-aggrandizement.
It is fascinating to try to understand what qualities lead to the formation of athletes such as Tom Brady, Eli Manning, or any of the other top performers we see in professional sports. Is it a natural born talent, great coaching, or something else? Moreover, is it something which can be codified, duplicated, and applied? Well, according to David Shenk in his book, The Genius in All of Us, the answer appears to be... [more] - The Genius in All of Us
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February 2,2012- HDTV tuner and antenna... |
The NFL Super Bowl is this Sunday. A few lucky fans will be at the stadium, many will be at a local sports bar, but most of you (like us) will probably be watching the game at home. Today, there are many more ways to enjoy the big game beside just watching it on TV. There are live blogs and commentaries of the ads via the web, NFL play-by-play on the iPad, and your own instant replay on the computer if you are recording it with a digital tuner. We have put together a few gadgets to help you get the most out of Game Day. Of course, all of these suggestions are still applicable should you be more of a Downton Abbey than a football fan...and even better if you happen to be both!
Many readers have purchased a new large-screen TV the past few years, and probably get their TV signal from satellite or cable service providers. Maybe that is because they do not known that there is a free (and often higher quality) TV signal which can be pulled right out of the air. We have talked about this a few times in the past, but we feel obligated to... [more] - HDTV tuner and antenna
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February 1,2012- 17" Macbook Pro upgrades... |
Most of us can get by just fine a computer that has been discontinued, as its computing power typically far exceeds the needs of most owners. With computers, things will always get faster and less costly. Paying for power not needed is a waste of money. Long-time RainyDayMagazine readers know that we only upgrade our hardware (Pismo, 12" MBP, 15"MBP) and software when we absolutely must. When we do upgrade, we feel the most value for the dollar is to purchase the oldest hardware which will satisfy our immediate needs.
A few weeks ago, Apple released iBooks Author. While the software is free, it does require a 64-bit Mac and the latest OS X 10.7 (Lion) to run. The "newest" Mac we have in-house is the 15" 32-bit Core Duo laptop. We upgraded to that MacBook Pro (MBP) in 2009 because the iPhone SDK requires an Intel processor and so would not run on our PowerPC-based 12" MBP. iBooks Author is compelling us to once again bite the bullet and... [more] - 17" Macbook Pro: upgrades
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