Kickstarts and Preorders

There is a new but old marketing ploy being exploited by manufacturers trying to create an advance market for their new product. They are both very similar and create the same effect for the maker and the buyer. The buyer is offered a discount from the “real” sell price of the item if they will invest in a new product before it is available for delivery by the maker.  With many products and especially with...

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Getting High on LED lights and Smoke Alarms

There can be issues in living within a house with 15 foot ceilings. The builders like to “put things” a-way (sic) up there. Like lighting and smoke alarms. Things that need to be serviced from time to time.  When reaching and exceeding age 75, it’s no longer one of my abilities to climb the required 2-piece extension ladder (inside the house) to reach those 15 foot high devices. I have a son, Steve. I can...

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Ignorance is Bliss?

I consider myself being fairly intelligent. Displaying or characterized by quickness of understanding, sound thought, and good judgment.  I was told in grade school I had a tested Intelligence Quotient (I.Q.) of 140. Good for a 4th or 5th grader I assumed, since “average” was supposed  to be 100. My “report cards” were never bad, but always contained a warning to my parents, “…your son seems a bit lazy and not working hard to produce...

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Maker Hobbies

Spending some time contemplating the personal allure of 3D printing in the hobbyist (non industrial application) realm. I am not making general assumptions for every person. Just how I see what’s happening in my experience. All hobbies are (or should be) a form of enjoyment of the time spent. Hobbies are all about available time and resources not required for daily survival such as food and earning a living supporting a desired level of life...

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