All posts by Richard

Shooting the Deeps … Or … Kayaking Down Waterfalls

Northern Life

This April has been snowy. In fact, this month has been the snowiest April in recorded history … over 50 inches of the white stuff.

This Winter has been the third snowiest in history … over 130 inches of the white stuff.

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  • Question #1: What happens when snow melts FAST?? 
  • Answer: HUGE quantities of water rush downhill to Lake Superior!

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  • Question #2: What follows naturally from question #1
  • Answer: Kayakers decide to shoot down waterfalls!

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Yesterday afternoon Molly and I walked over to "The Deeps". This waterfall is located on Amity Creek about 1/2 mile upstream from Lake Superior in Duluth, Minnesota. Well folks, we were late for a dinner engagement. Some local kayakers appeared and decided to shoot the falls. I hope you enjoy the one still and three movies of "The Deeps".

Shooting the Deeps
Kayaker Shooting the Deeps
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Shooting the Deeps: Part 1

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Shooting the Deeps: Part 2

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The Deeps … Some Perspecitive from 3 Weeks Earlier

Buffleheads and Blackbirds on your Google Nexus 10

Android | iPad | Kindle Fire, Northern Life

I often hear the comment, but the iPad has soooo many more apps than an Android tablet. While this may be true for gaming and music, if your tablet usage equates to other kinds of information consumption, this example of Bufflehead Ducks and Red-Winged Blackbirds via iBird Pro is an indication where avoiding Apple's closed environment for the world of Google is to your advantage … and cheaper still!

Some background, whenever I take a bike ride, my DSLR camera is always with me. Remember, the adage, if you don't have your camera, you'll NEVER get the picture! Given our long Winter in Minnesota, even though it is just a few days shy of May 1st, snows is still on the ground, and the lakes are socked in with ice. Thus, whenever there is a bit of open water, even 30 yards between the shoreline and the ice sheet, the birds flock to these areas. In addition, birds that should be approaching the Canadian sub Arctic to spend the Summer, and stuck in Minnesota. Thus, it is with the Bufflehead Duck. These shy birds have paused their migration near my home. Using my camera seat as my tripod, I took the photo shown below.

While Red-Winged Blackbirds are a common sight, at this time of year they are trying to attrack a mate. Thus, another neat photo opportunity using my bike as a photo taking platform. With respect to the blackbirds, I knew what kind of bird I was viewing, but with Mr. Bufflehead, I had no idea what was the subject of my photos except the duck was not common to these parts. Enter my iBird Pro Android tablet app. (post continued below the bird photos with iBird screenshots and comments)

Red Winged Blackbird 
Bufflehead on Medicine Lake
(click upon either image to view at full size and resolution)
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Now some information on the identification of Mr. Bufflehead using iBird Pro

(click to view any of these six screenshots at full size / resolution)

  1. Enter Galley Mode … Whoa … Way to many birds! (923)
  2. Press <Search> to Select and Apply some Filters
    (screenshots for #1 and #2)
     
    IBird-1-Gallery 
    IBird-2-Search
    .
  3. My selections: 
    • Habitat: "Lakes, Rivers & Ponds" and "Marches, Swamps"
    • Shape: "Duck-like"
    • Location: "Minnesota"
      (screenshots for #3)
      IBird-3-Filter 
      IBird-4-Apply
      . 
  4. I now reapply my search and a very management number of ducks appears – 32
  5. More importantly, I quickly identify Mr. Bufflehead!
    (screenshots for #4 and #5)
    IBird-5-Filtered-Galley 
    IBird-6-Bufflehead

This is just one example of why your knee jerk reaction when shopping for a tablet should be an iPad. I hope you can appreciate that even if you are not an expert bird watches, iBird Pro walks the user through an easy process which yields a positive identification. Thus, next time you'be able to know the answer to the question, what bird is that?

You may wish to see my other posts in this series of Google Nexus 10 Android Tablet Reviews.

  1. Honeywell Minus iPad = Nexus 10
  2. Nexus 10: In Depth Review
  3. Northern Lights Alerts & Monitoring via the Nexus 10
  4. Nexus 10: Follow Up Review
  5. Creating True HDR Photos on your Android Tablet | Nexus 10

Sorry Honeywell Employees … It’s my fault!

Uncategorized

Earlier this afternoon I installed a super new cool app on my Google Nexus 10, Look to the Future. The app allows me to examine the future and understand the collective net effect of my actions taken as a Honeywell senior technologist.

Given I'm only 8 days short of my retirement, imagine my horror to learn the result of all the collaboration and web development projects I've led over my 28+ years with the company. My co-employees, please accept my apologies. It's obvious that I should be ashamed, perhaps even fearful of retribution!

I used the Look to the Future app and watched the trailer for a History TV documentary from the year 2068 entitled: "The Internet: A Warning From History". I truly had no idea my actions would lead to these problems. Thus, for each of these projects … and more … I'm sorry. (projects listed below the History TV trailer).


For obvious reasons of confidentiality, I can not link my Honeywell work. However, over the years I have used NorthStarNerd.Org as my personal R&D platform. When possible I've linked related blog posts from the past. Here are just a few of the projects I've led: (additional details about my impending retirement)


  • Format:
    • Category: Work Project | Start Date | Related Blog Example

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Warning

Oh well, given the damage is already done …
I am open to some part time consulting projects.

Nordic Wonder Ski Video!

Northern Life

The Spring of 2013 in Minnesota may go down as the best Nordic skiing conditions ever. I personally can not remember cross-country skiing on April 13th with perfect "mid Winter" conditions. This morning as the sun was rising over Lake Superior I headed out onto the Lester Amity Ski Trails. After a two day blizzard, the sun reappears and the trails were in their finery. The pines trees were snow encrusted, and the classic track was set and deep.

I hope you enjoy the video I made using my GoPro camera. I use a head mount for my camera, and normally only take video on downhills in order I may concentrate on holding the camera platform steady (i.e. me). The alternative is dizzying. 

There are three parts to the video:

  • The Upper Trails
  • Ski Down to the Deeps (a waterfall at the trail's head)
  • Skiing Home on Occidental Blvd (200 yards from the Deeps)

Because this blog is "NorthStarNerd.Org", here are two tools which were invaluable in making my movie:

  • MP4Cam2AVI: This free utility from SourceForge converts mp4 files to avi. One of the free tools to create movies is Microsoft Movie Maker, but it only works with Microsoft video formats. Thus you should understand the need for a conversion tool. Microsoft Movie Make allows one to easily add music, titles, transitions, etc. 
  • Internet Archive Music: I like to use "legal" music where I also don't have to worry about the possability of computer viruses (often found on mp3 sites). The Internet Archive provides me that option.

Here are two photographs from today's ski inclduing a picture from my ski boot's perspective, followed by Nordic Wonder … The Movie!

 Ski-Cam-Man 
Ski-Perspecitve-3
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Nordic Wonder: The Movie!

Epic Ski: The Stars in Alignment!

Northern Life

In 57 years I've never had the stars in alignment for a such an epic ski. The setup for this fantastic morning on skis started last Monday. The City of Duluth decided Spring had arrived, and started the construction of the new Lakewalk tunnel. The net effect of this decision was the closure to traffic of Brighton Beach Road and Scenic Highway 61.

Fast forward to Thursday, and a late season snowstorm dumped 8 inches of white stuff on our leftover  snow. Just the fact that we would have snow still on the ground on April 12th is unusual. Over the course of this morning I watched the huge winds (60 mph gusts) deliver new snow. A true lake effect was in process. Finally, I decided the winds were abating enough to hit the Nordic ski trails.

My first decision was to ski up 7 Bridges Road, which is always closed in the Winter. However, the effect of new wet deep snow made glide almost impossible due to both clumping and having to break trail. After skiing one of the toughest kilometers in my life, I made the fateful decision to do an about face and head down to Lake Superior.

Normally Brighton Beach Road and Scenic Highway 61 are two of the most travelled roads in the Duluth area. When one combines the winds and waves, the tourists and locals normally turn each road into a parking lot. Ah yes … the roads were closed and snow covered! Thus started a 10 kilometer ski up and back to the Lakewood Pumping Station (where 61 reopens).

The ski was a hoot! My waxless skis had great glide, and being able to stride along next to the huge Lake Superior breakers was fantastic. I hope you enjoy a few of my photos from this morning's ski. I doubt this combination of a later Winter / Spring storm plus road closures will ever occur again in my lifetime! Click upon any image to view at full size.

Occidental Blvd … just uphill from my home
01-Occidental-Blvd
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Lester River Bridge
04-Lester-River-Bridge
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Brighton Beach Road #1
06-Brighton-Beach
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Brighton Beach Road #2
08-Brighton-Beach
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Scenic Highway 61
(thankfully no other skiers or cars … did not have to break the law!)
09-Scenic-61
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Ski's End: Across the road from my house
10-Occidental-Blvd
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Garmin Data
11-Epic-Ski

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If you're still with me, take a look at yesterday's post. I have some photos and a short video of the waves rolling in just before the snows started and reduced visability.