Rick Swift & Apple & Embedded I make things. Sometimes, I’ll talk about it here.

My Gorram Frakking Blog

Wishlist

Okay, my family doesn't know me very well, and they tend to get rather lame gifts (with the exception of my mom...she gets great clothes). So, here's a little help for you guys. This list is roughly in "most-desirable" order.

  • Tori Amos' version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." I believe it to be from the album Spark, but amazon doesn't list that song among the ones for Spark parts 1 & 2. I don't know where to find it. The only online link was broken.
  • Freescale ZigBee Dev Kit, $209, OR Chipcon Zigbee Eval Kit, $140
  • Agilent MSO6034A Mixed-signal Oscilloscope, $9,729.20.
    603XA_mso_dso_large.jpg
  • A machine shop, with a CNC Bridgeport Mill and lathe
  • Agilent E3630A Benchtop Power Supply
  • My Amazon Wishlist has more reasonable items on it, and yes, I really do want those books on the list! :-)
  • Apple Intel MacBook Pro 15", ~$2500

I'll update this post as I think of more things to add.

Coolest R/C plane ever

I thought the A-10 was cool, but this beats it: An R/C A380, with four microturbine engines.

I am Supreme Nerd

Thanks, Alice. You had to go put it there, so I would click it, and learn the depressing truth.

I am nerdier than 94% of all people. Are you nerdier? Click here to find out!

Acronym Wars

I'm chatting with my friend Amanda, describing my sudden Haiku kick. She makes me laugh. You probably had to be there, and since you weren't you probably won't laugh. Here's a transcript anyway:

12:03:33 AM jfm: my checkin comments are haiku now
12:14:46 AM jfm: like this:
Added title to
Make the page easier to
Use. And refresh, too.
12:16:33 AM ktgl: why do you haiku?
too much brain power needed
to count syllables
12:17:11 AM jfm: HA HA HA HA HA
HAhahahahahaha
LOL LOL LOL ROTFL
12:17:20 AM ktgl: you dork
12:17:29 AM ktgl: except
12:17:37 AM ktgl: lol = 3 syllables
12:17:47 AM ktgl: l o l
12:18:35 AM jfm: Lack of sleep has made
Me a bit loopy, but it's
Pronounced as one word
12:18:43 AM ktgl: no it isnt
12:18:51 AM ktgl: NOBODY SAYS LOL LIKE LOWL
12:19:00 AM ktgl: liar
12:19:00 AM jfm: no, they say it like lol
12:19:06 AM ktgl: l o l
12:19:09 AM jfm: ROTFL = rot-full
12:19:09 AM ktgl: l. o. l.
12:19:12 AM jfm: no way
12:19:17 AM ktgl: si
12:19:30 AM jfm: do you say ee ee cee ess?
12:19:38 AM ktgl: sometimes
12:19:45 AM ktgl: if you say EE
12:19:47 AM ktgl: do you say eeeeee
12:19:47 AM jfm: well, poetic license
12:19:49 AM ktgl: or E - E
12:19:56 AM jfm: i say "double-E'
12:20:23 AM ktgl: D O R K
12:20:34 AM jfm: you walk around saying D-O-R-K?
12:20:42 AM jfm: sheesh talk about the pot calling the kettle black
12:21:09 AM ktgl: haha

Haiku #1

I should be studying for an upcoming EE128 midterm. Instead I'm working on office code.

Code streams from fingers

As iTunes plays The Police

My grades slowly drop

I need lots of practice...