Friday, December 21, 2018

Lg’s Flagship Phone Is A Media Forward Device - Sprint Product Ambassadors

For starters, when you first pick up the phone and turn it on, you are greeted with a gorgeous 6.4 in display. Even after using this phone for a while now, it still makes me fill with awe when I see it.  Partially this is due to the amazing specifications it holds. At 1440p, the phone has crystal clear images, and with it enhanced with HDR 10, a feature usually seen on high end televisions and computer monitors, the colors and contrast are stunning.  Another cool perk with the screen is its OLED panel, which allows it to have not only true 100% black, but also have an always on display. This is handy for when you need to check the time, or need to see why your phone just chimed for your attention without turning it on.  However if your battery is running low, and a USB port is nowhere to be seen, you can switch it off and conserve power. Battery life shouldn't be an issue though, with the phones 3,300 mAh battery, you should be able to have consistent use through the day without problems. If you do manage to need to plug it in during the day the phone is equipped with Quick Charge 4 so you can get more use from your phone in minutes.

Another big feature is the cameras, 5 of them to be precise.  The triple camera array on the back of the device allow for a wide variety of camera uses, from stunning macro shots, to breathtaking wide angle images.  The cameras themselves go as follows: A 12MP main shooter with optical image stabilization, a 16MP wide angle lens, and a 12MP telephoto lens. A cool feature that LG put in their device called Triple Shot.  All three cameras open up and when you take the photo they all fire sequently, making it possible to have gorgeous photos from 3 different angles with a single button. Along with Triple Shot, after taking the photo, you can have the phone stitch together the 3 images into a little .gif.  It's more of a novelty feature but its still cool regardless. For the confident type, there are two more front facing cameras. One is an 8MP standard lens, for taking pictures of yourself, but if you want a groupie, also included there is a 5MP wide angle lens. They both meet expectations for a flagship device and have included a suite of beauty features to smooth and artificial light your world.

Now, we all know that Apple has made it clear that the consumer will be fine without a headphone jack, at least that's what corporate sees. Unfortunately, to make sure that they stay relevant, android phone makers have begun to follow suit, removing the precious jack to make the phones a millimeter thinner.  Thats where LG comes in. While Samsung may still have their jack too, they don't have the best built in DAC ever seen in a smart device. Everyone uses their phone for audio at one point or another. Weather its Spotify Daily Mixes or Sprints complementary Tidal Premium account, or watching the latest viral video on YouTube or binging American Horror Stories on Netflix.  If you were to listen to the same song on the Note9 and the V40, i would say that the V40 will sound better. Everything will sound clearer, and if you turn it on, the V40 also has virtual surround sound, for the best cinematic experience on its amazing display. Now will the audio sound just as good out loud? I would say yes. The V40 has a special resonance chamber built into the phone, to make the sound louder and clearer.  Be careful though, max out the volume on the speaker and it may sound a bit distorted.

In sum, the V40 is an amazing device that's worth every penny.  With its great screen and huge battery, you can watch video with stunning clarity all day long. Paired with the amazing DAC that LG has given us in the phone your listening experience will also be cinematic.  When you manage to pull yourself away from its awesome screen and look around, you can capture the world around you in crystal clear detail.

-- Will England, Sprint Product Ambassador

The Product Ambassadors are Sprint employees from many different parts of the company that love technology. They volunteer to test out all sorts of Sprint devices and offer opinions freely to the Community. Each Product Ambassador shares their own opinions of these devices, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sprint. The PA's do not represent the company in an official way, and should not be expected to respond to Community members in an official capacity. #sprintemployee

Saturday, November 17, 2018

LG V40 ThinQ Triple Shot Demonstration - Sprint Product Ambassadors

With three excellent cameras on the back of the LG V40 ThinQ, each having their own zoom range, you can take some pretty interesting photos.  One cool feature is the ability to create a brief video with all three cameras!  Check out how this works in this video:


I can see a lot of potential beyond filming a brick - from 'I Was There' to even more artistic creation with this excellent camera feature on the LG G40 ThinQ!

-  Will England

The Product Ambassadors are Sprint employees from many different parts of the company that love technology. They volunteer to test out all sorts of Sprint devices and offer opinions freely to the Community. Each Product Ambassador shares their own opinions of these devices, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sprint. The PA's do not represent the company in an official way, and should not be expected to respond to Community members in an official capacity. #sprintemployee

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Mac OS X 10.14 Mojave Problems and Solutions

Backing up my 2015 Macbook Pro getting ready for the 10.14 update (Mojave). While I'm waiting for the backup to complete I checked out what problems I'll be getting into.

First, what to look for - MacWorld.co.uk has a great overview of Mojave.

SoftwareHow.com has some solid tips on the most common problems and resolutions for them in Mojave.

Ensure your Mac is backed up, and you have updated all your applications.  Also, after the update, update your apps again, as there may be new versions just for Mojave.

Fortunately, there doesn't seem to be as many issues as previous updates.  Once the backup is done I'll be installing the 10.14 Mojave update.

Sunday, October 07, 2018

On Riding

Stolen from so many sources I can't even give proper attribution -
"Riding a motorcycle doesen't call to everyone. It carries a level of risk that is an anathema to most. It demands a level of competence, a degree of engagement that is unusual in today's society. Like an old craft, the skills and the wisdom necessary to be successful at it don't come quickly, but emerge slowly, over time. Most people today simply don't have the patience or the inclination to deal with that sort of thing.
But for those of us who do, to that tiny minority who are drawn to it, the rewards are immeasureable. For us, riding imbues life itself with color, tinges it with adventure. It connects us to a time when people weren't perhaps quite so shy about how they lived. A time when everything wasn't a careful, exacting calculus of risk and reward. A bolder time when a fear of getting hurt didn't stand as an impenetrable shield to the simple enjoyment of life.
So, yeah, those of us who ride are deffinitely different. But it's a good difference. We carry something that once was common but now is rare. Something of the distilled essence of what got us all here.
We're the last wolves, in a land of sheep." — with Will Rutland.

Friday, September 28, 2018

My favorite GPS error, Somewhere in the Texas Hill Country

Following the GPS on an MSTA ride after Lukenbach TX.  Nice two lane windy road, and all of the sudden the GPS pops up and says Turn here! 

Where?  There may have been a road there 10, 20 50 years ago but there sure isn't one there now!
-- Will England

Tuesday, September 04, 2018

LG G7 ThinQ Concert Recording - Fantastic -- Sprint Product Ambassadors

I used the previous LG V30 for several band concerts when my 25 year old AKG Stereo mic broke and found it to be as good, if not better than my professional microphone.  When I got the G7 I couldn't wait to try it out -- but it was in the middle of the summer and no band concerts . . . .

So I waited and waited - and last week we had our first outdoor marching band show of the year!  I dug out the G7 and went up to the press booth at the stadium and recorded the show.  How'd it do?  Absolutely amazing!  Superior bass response, excellent stereo separation, amazing color capture.  I dumped the completely unedited untouched video to YouTube - put on some headphones and check it out!



So, the LG G7 ThinQ is just as good if not better than the V30 for live recording!  You can compare it to the $400 Sennheiser MK440 professional microphone on a Canon T3i here (also a straight dump to YouTube, no editing).  The Sennheiser has more gain, but less bass response and less stereo separation.  I had a wind blocker on the MK440 so you don't get the initial wind noise you hear on the LG.




Thanks for watching and enjoy your LG Phone!

-- Will England


The Product Ambassadors are Sprint employees from many different parts of the company that love technology. They volunteer to test out all sorts of Sprint devices and offer opinions freely to the Community. Each Product Ambassador shares their own opinions of these devices, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sprint. The PA's do not represent the company in an official way, and should not be expected to respond to Community members in an official capacity. #sprintemployee

Saturday, September 01, 2018

2011 Ducati Diavel Key Fob Battery

Battery died in the proximity sensor key fob for the wife's Ducati Diavel. We (I) being cheap, order some generic batteries. Never worked. Used the PIN code to ride it around for a while, then heard a tip - use *Energizer* brand batteries in the key fob and it will work.

Well guess what? It worked. One $3 Energizer CR2032 battery later and the 2011 Ducati Diavel starts just like it's supposed to!

- Will England

Thursday, August 30, 2018

LG G7 ThinQ Live Sound

Shot two videos of the marching show at halftime - one on the T3i with the Senheiser mic and one on the LG G7 ThinQ phone. Listening to the LG right now in the car a *whoa *! Seriously solid sound. Will have to wait till I get home to upload the video but another home run for LG!

-- Will England

#sprintemployee

Monday, August 27, 2018

Nikki bought us lunch!

She had to drop the dear daughter off at work, so she brought home some fantastic pizza!

Thursday, August 23, 2018

Samsung Note 9 vs Samsung Note 8 Side by Side

Unboxed the new Samsung Note 9 one day before launch.  Hopefully I won't get sued!

Take a look at the Note 9 vs the Note 8 side by side!

Samsung Note 8 beside Samsung Note 9 size comparison
Note 8 beside the Note 9, front side.

Not any real physical difference in size.  Haven't activated it or done anything yet.  But it's still the same (large) size as the Note 8!

(Shot on the Moto Z3 Play stock camera)

- Will England

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

MotoZ3 Play and MotoMods - Sprint Product Ambassadors

A very nice feature of the Moto Z3 Play is the support for MotoMods - these are magnetic attachable extras, from batteries to speakers, even a 10x zoom camera from Hasselblad!  So how do they work?

Quite simple actually - line up the gold studs on the phone with the studs on the mod and the magnets will pull them together easily.  Watch and see!



We'll check out the Hasselblad camera more later - but MotoMods are an exciting and fun part of the new Moto Z3 Play!

- Will England

The Product Ambassadors are Sprint employees from many different parts of the company that love technology. They volunteer to test out all sorts of Sprint devices and offer opinions freely to the Community. Each Product Ambassador shares their own opinions of these devices, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sprint. The PA's do not represent the company in an official way, and should not be expected to respond to Community members in an official capacity. #sprintemployee

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Moto Z3 Play - Adding a Memory Card or Changing SIM card - Sprint Product Ambassadors

Adding more memory to your Moto Z3 Play is easy - all you need is a tool included in the box and a few minutes of time - take a look!



I hope this helps you enjoy your Moto Z3 Play even more with more memory on board!

 - Will England


The Product Ambassadors are Sprint employees from many different parts of the company that love technology. They volunteer to test out all sorts of Sprint devices and offer opinions freely to the Community. Each Product Ambassador shares their own opinions of these devices, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sprint. The PA's do not represent the company in an official way, and should not be expected to respond to Community members in an official capacity. #sprintemployee

Monday, August 20, 2018

Moto Z3 Play Unboxing - Sprint Product Ambassadors

The affordable and highly functional Moto Z3 Play recently came out - lets find out what's in the box in the following video!



Looks promising! Stay tuned for more on the Moto Z3 Play!

-- Will England

The Product Ambassadors are Sprint employees from many different parts of the company that love technology. They volunteer to test out all sorts of Sprint devices and offer opinions freely to the Community. Each Product Ambassador shares their own opinions of these devices, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sprint. The PA's do not represent the company in an official way, and should not be expected to respond to Community members in an official capacity. #sprintemployee

Earning Boy Scout Merit Badges with Schoolwork

Every scout goes to school - and literally dozens of merit badges are taught there every day.  Here's a fairly comprehensive list of merit badges you could complete or partially complete from your regular class work in 7th through 12th grade:

Personal Fitness - Gym class;
Sports - if you're in two team sports;
Art - 2D art, painting etc;
American Business - typically 7th or 8th grade Social Studies;
American Heritage - US History;
Animation - Some High Schools have Art Animation courses;
Chemistry - Chemistry;
Communication - Speech, Debate class;
Drafting - CAD class;
Electronics - Robotics class / club;
Entrepreneurship - Various business classes;
Geology - Earth Science class;
Graphic Arts- Art class;
Insect Study - Biology class;
Inventing - Business class AND robotics club;
Journalism - Journalism class;
Law - Various Social Studies classes;
Metalwork - Metal shop class
Moviemaking - Videography / Journalism class;
Music - Choir, Band;
Nature - Biology, Earth Science;
Painting - Art - Painting class;
Photography - Photography, Journalism classes;
Personal Management - use your lunch account as your budget;
Plant Science - Biology class;
Pottery - Art Ceramics class;
Public Speaking - Debate, Speech class, Student Congress, StuCo membership, Boys State participation;
Robotics - Robotics class or club;
Sculpture - Art Sculpture class;
Soil and Water Conservation - Earth Science;
Theater - Drama class or club;
Welding - Metal Shop class;
Woodwork - Wood shop class

Scouting Magazine gives a few more tips on using your school course work toward merit badges in their August 20 blog post.


I hope this helps give you and your scout some ideas to rock out those merit badges!

 - Will England

Saturday, August 18, 2018

LG G7 ThinQ Final Review - Sprint Product Ambassadors

So, after 6 weeks of using the LG G7 ThinQ phone, I've found it to be fast, light, powerful and excellent screen and video.   Sound quality is also excellent, playing back high definition audio clearly and handling tracks as high of a resolution as I could find!

Yes, there's some quirks - it features a dedicated Google Assistant button, which doesn't do a whole lot just yet.  It's still nice to have a button instead of barking "OK Google" to get it to respond to the  normal lot of Google commands.  The battery life is fair, lasting me a whole day, but it could be better.  The photos are clear and crisp, but at full zoom they're a bit over-sharpened. 

The phone fits cleanly in my hand even with a serious Spigen case installed, and the tall 18:9 display gives my old eyes an easy view.  Fingerprint unlock works flawlessly and the centered rear reader is in just the right place.   The narrower device allows me to work easily across the whole screen without shifting the phone in my hand and risking dropping it.  (I'm looking at you, Samsung Note).

The coolest part of the LG G7 ThinQ is the LG features, from seamless initial transfer of content to the user-selectable notch, to multiple notification slide-downs.  The software is polished and quick -as it should be on a 845 chipset.  With 64GB of onboard storage, I never worried about running out of space (I keep the HD Music on an MicroSD card).  

Overall, a solid flagship phone with unique features.  Strongly recommended.

 - Will England

The Product Ambassadors are Sprint employees from many different parts of the company that love technology. They volunteer to test out all sorts of Sprint devices and offer opinions freely to the Community. Each Product Ambassador shares their own opinions of these devices, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sprint. The PA's do not represent the company in an official way, and should not be expected to respond to Community members in an official capacity. #sprintemployee

Sunday, August 05, 2018

Another New Website - willengland.com

In the never-ending quest to learn platforms, build my personal brand and such, I've stood up a premium Wix account to host https://www.willengland.com/.  Go take a look - I've just gotten the basics started there; a video page, a blog, and even a favicon!

Nice layout and look and feel; relatively easy to build on if you're used to contextual menus.  Their new Blog tool reminds me of the LinkedIN article editor.

Next steps could be an eCommerce shop to sell something; link to a photo sales site for photo shoots etc.  Who knows?  More of a test bed for bigger accounts like the Shawnee Mission West Band and W&N Photography, and get my hands around using it for what the kids call a 'side hustle' these days (and back in the day too).

Post your feedback in the comments - always looking for constructive feedback!

 - Will England

LG G7 ThinQ Swipe to Search Personal Content - Sprint Product Ambassadors

LG had deeply integrated Google into the G7 ThinQ, and one of the great features they've done is given you a search engine for all of your personal content!  Now, this is only visible to you and only you can search your personal content, but it's far nicer than swiping back through emails just to remember the thing you were looking for was in a text.  It's easier to show than type about watch this brief video:


I hope this helps you enjoy your LG G7 ThinQ even more!
- Will England, Sprint Product Ambassador

The Product Ambassadors are Sprint employees from many different parts of the company that love technology. They volunteer to test out all sorts of Sprint devices and offer opinions freely to the Community. Each Product Ambassador shares their own opinions of these devices, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sprint. The PA's do not represent the company in an official way, and should not be expected to respond to Community members in an official capacity. #sprintemployee

Thursday, July 26, 2018

Using Google Lens on the LG G7 ThinQ - Sprint Product Ambassadors

LG had heavily integrated into the Google environment, using their AI and many other features rather than developing their own proprietary in-house solutions.  One very useful feature is the Google Lens.  Check out a video of how it works and how to use the Google Lens on the LG G7 ThinQ!


Thanks for watching and I hope this helped you learn a bit more about the powerful features on the LG G7 ThinQ!
-- Will England

The Product Ambassadors are Sprint employees from many different parts of the company that love technology. They volunteer to test out all sorts of Sprint devices and offer opinions freely to the Community. Each Product Ambassador shares their own opinions of these devices, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sprint. The PA's do not represent the company in an official way, and should not be expected to respond to Community members in an official capacity. #sprintemployee

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Managing Storage Space on the LG G7 ThinQ - Sprint Product Ambassadors

While your phone comes with a ton of onboard storage, with the high res video camera and today's apps and games it's easy to fill that up.  Check out this brief video on how to manage your storage space!


The Product Ambassadors are Sprint employees from many different parts of the company that love technology. They volunteer to test out all sorts of Sprint devices and offer opinions freely to the Community. Each Product Ambassador shares their own opinions of these devices, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sprint. The PA's do not represent the company in an official way, and should not be expected to respond to Community members in an official capacity. #sprintemployee

Friday, July 06, 2018

Unboxing the LG G7 ThinQ - Sprint Product Ambassadors

The newest LG G7 ThinQ is a powerhouse of a phone - let's check out the unboxing!



Really looking forward to using this phone more!

 - Will England


The Product Ambassadors are Sprint employees from many different parts of the company that love technology. They volunteer to test out all sorts of Sprint devices and offer opinions freely to the Community. Each Product Ambassador shares their own opinions of these devices, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sprint. The PA's do not represent the company in an official way, and should not be expected to respond to Community members in an official capacity. #sprintemployee

Thursday, July 05, 2018

Configuring the LG G7 ThinQ Side Buttons - Sprint Product Ambassadors

The LG G7 ThinQ continues to surprise me with nice features.  Instead of hard-coded shortcuts for the side buttons (volume, etc) the ThinQ offers several different options to configure what the side buttons do!



.

-- Will England

The Product Ambassadors are Sprint employees from many different parts of the company that love technology. They volunteer to test out all sorts of Sprint devices and offer opinions freely to the Community. Each Product Ambassador shares their own opinions of these devices, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sprint. The PA's do not represent the company in an official way, and should not be expected to respond to Community members in an official capacity. #sprintemployee

Sunday, June 24, 2018

Cleaning up the Moto E5 - Sprint Product Ambassadors

Sprint, like all carriers, offers a wide selection of pre-installed apps for your enjoyment and use.  Many you'll find useful and helpful -- others, not so much.  Fortunately, Sprint has made it very customer friendly to remove un-used preinstalled apps from your Moto E5!  Watch the video for more information on removing pre-installed apps from your Moto E5 Plus.


-- Will England

The Product Ambassadors are Sprint employees from many different parts of the company that love technology. They volunteer to test out all sorts of Sprint devices and offer opinions freely to the Community. Each Product Ambassador shares their own opinions of these devices, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sprint. The PA's do not represent the company in an official way, and should not be expected to respond to Community members in an official capacity. #sprintemployee

Moto E5 Plus Moto Actions and Display Tips - Sprint Product Ambassadors

Motorola has brought their flagship Moto Actions and more to the E series phones. Check out the video for some tips on using Moto Actions on your Moto E5 Plus!


-  Will England

The Product Ambassadors are Sprint employees from many different parts of the company that love technology. They volunteer to test out all sorts of Sprint devices and offer opinions freely to the Community. Each Product Ambassador shares their own opinions of these devices, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sprint. The PA's do not represent the company in an official way, and should not be expected to respond to Community members in an official capacity. #sprintemployee

Hands Free Activation of the Moto E5 Plus - Sprint Product Ambassadors

The fastest, simplest activation of your Sprint Handset - no computer, store visit or call needed  - all the activation for a swap or new line of service needed!  See how easy it is to get your new Moto E5 Plus online and working.


 -- Will England

The Product Ambassadors are Sprint employees from many different parts of the company that love technology. They volunteer to test out all sorts of Sprint devices and offer opinions freely to the Community. Each Product Ambassador shares their own opinions of these devices, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sprint. The PA's do not represent the company in an official way, and should not be expected to respond to Community members in an official capacity. #sprintemployee

Thursday, June 21, 2018

Moto E5 Plus Unboxing Video - Sprint Product Ambassadors

The new midrange Moto E5 Plus comes with a 6" screen and a 5,000 mAh battery, along with super fast charging capability.  Take a look at what comes in the box and what the phone looks like!



- Will England, Sprint Product Ambassador


The Product Ambassadors are Sprint employees from many different parts of the company that love technology. They volunteer to test out all sorts of Sprint devices and offer opinions freely to the Community. Each Product Ambassador shares their own opinions of these devices, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sprint. The PA's do not represent the company in an official way, and should not be expected to respond to Community members in an official capacity. #sprintemployee

Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Moto E5 Plus Photo Comparison - Sprint Product Ambassadors

A couple of posts ago we saw a photo comparison where the photos from the E5 looked dull and washed out compared to a premium phone.  So I had to try it -- I shot photos from my Samsung Galaxy S8, the Moto E5 (both automatically set to HDR) and my long in the tooth Canon T3i DSLR. All photos were processed through Adobe Photoshop Elements to resize them to 1800px wide and add the text; no other corrections were done.


First, the 'Reference Shot' from the Canon T3i - washed out.  Evaluative metering couldn't handle the bright sun on the tree and the dark shadows in the back corner.  But I wanted to keep the composition the same - for a better shot, you'd eliminate some of the contrast.



Next up, the Samsung Galaxy S8.  Much better job with the auto HDR - shot with no changes to the settings, just point and shoot, keeping the composition the same.



Finally, the Moto E5 Plus.  A bit darker in the dark areas, but the brightly lit tree has better definition.  All in all, the Moto E5 Plus will shoot.  I have no complaints about the 12 MP camera outdoors.



- Will England, Sprint Product Ambassador  #sprintemployee

The Product Ambassadors are Sprint employees from many different parts of the company that love technology. They volunteer to test out all sorts of Sprint devices and offer opinions freely to the Community. Each Product Ambassador shares their own opinions of these devices, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sprint. The PA's do not represent the company in an official way, and should not be expected to respond to Community members in an official capacity. #sprintemployee

Typewriter Fonts

Found this brilliant site with dozens of old typewriter fonts - they truly look like old, worn down, thin ribbon typewriter typing (minus the whiteout - although you can almost smell the whiteout when you read it on the printed page).

http://www.1001fonts.com/typewriter-fonts.html

Seems to work well on the Mac!

- Will England

Monday, June 11, 2018

2000 June Blues Fest at Grant Park

Back in the day we'd roadtrip up to Chicago every June for the Chicago Blues Fest and sit on the lawn at Grant Park, enjoying the day go by.  Here's a short clip of (I believe) the last Blues Fest held in Grant Park.



Saturday, June 09, 2018

Overdone

9 years ago I worked a full day; went to happy hour, then to Westport for Crystal Method.  I'm not 25 anymore.  Quick livestream from the couch.


Wednesday, June 06, 2018

How to remove the Radio from Subaru Forrester

Too long, didn't watch: The climate control cables have to be removed by crawling on your back upside-down and popping out the cables.  Even more cables to handle on the Automatic Climate Control models.  Also known as 'why to take it to the pro shop for a new radio'.  $200 is worth not bending this 45 year old back upside down in the floorwell of the car.  It sucked when I was 21, it will most definitely suck now.



Subaru Symmetrical AWD vs. Honda, Toyota, and Volkswagen

Great information on buying used cars with AWD; too long didn't watch: Subaru with their all wheel drive walked right up the 'ice' as did the VW 4Motion system.  Toyota and Honda were unable to make it up without traction on the front wheels. 



There's a reason I own a Subaru!



2006 Subaru Forester wind noise solution

Too long, didn't watch: Use screen spline, about 4' under the top gasket of the window seal. Ensure the screen spline is fully under the top gasket.



Saturday, May 26, 2018

Places to go in Nebraska

A very special treat is the Agate Fossil Beds NM in NW Nebraska. One of the finest Indian relic museums along with the fossils of an ancient savanna water hole. And if you run Hwy 2 in Nebraska, stop in at the Old Spade Ranch Store in Ellsworth, NE. Lots of cool history and the ranch used to be over 500k acres!

Courtesy Randy Collins, ST-Owners group.

- Will England

Friday, April 13, 2018

Tour of Honor 2018 - Iowa

As of 13-April, all three trophies are still open for Iowa.  Nice day (and a half?) ride to vacuum them up if the weather would cooperate.


2018 Tour of Honor In-State SS1K

Tour of Honor Ride Plan for Kansas 2018:

Never did get out and ride this one.   But you can still read the trip report for this Extreme in-state Saddlesore 1000 on my Honda CBR250 from 2013!

 

Monday, April 09, 2018

First College Visit for Alec

Took Alec to K-State today for his first real college visit. My, how time files. I still remember picking him up from Canterbury preschool and hustling to Cub Scout meetings or the Karate dojo.

Now we're at K-State. Alec got nervous the second he stepped out of the Honda. After a bit of a wander we found our group. I got some good notes and poked them into Google Keep to share with him. He shot photos of the key slides and contacts.

Per the previous blog post, I will have to have a sit down and catch up with him on the big three Questions from the session. Campout coming up at the end of the month; should be a good time...

Toured the architecture and Design center - all brand new, 20,000 square feet of workshop space from lathes to laser engraving; from table saws to 3D printers. I was geeked especially compared to the dusty garage at KU.  Alec was just overwhelmed.

Toured the wrong dorm complex - all suites, felt like a nursing home from the first step. Nope. Aiming to find a better solution for him - with the anticipated 78 hours a week for class and project work, plus 6 hours (and all day on game day) for marching band, he's going to have to live in the dorms all 5 years. No way to have time to shop, clean, cook and run a 100 hour a week schedule.

But, for his 4th year he can head to Milan, Prague or London among other destination design centers for an international experience in architecture and design. Brilliant!

Great campus with a real quad, excellent library and superb support staff. Very friendly and welcoming from all of the students. Very comfortable sending him there.

- will england

Three Questions

What is your interest / passion / what do like to do?

What are you good at? Are you willing to become great? Significant at it? What are you willing to do to get better at? 

What do you value? What is non-negotiable to you? 

These were the things that were brought up during the Junior tour day at K-State by the Vice President of Admissions.


Monday, February 26, 2018

How I Packed for Philmont

Hey all - getting ready to send my wife and middle son off to Philmont, so I thought I'd give an idea of how I packed my pack for Philmont.

I used a Deuter 65+10 backpack; not the best choice for heavy loads, but cheap and light.

In the backpack I had 5 dry bags (sea to summit)

  • Clean clothes. About 8-10 liters.  Can also be used to wash clothes in
    • 3 pair wool socks
    • 3 moisture wicking t-shirts
    • 3 pair Underamour mesh compression underwear
    • 1 pair spare shorts
  • 'Stank Bag' - dirty clothes that cannot be reworn.  This goes up in the bear bag at night.
  • First Aid - red bag at the top of the pack
  • Jetboil stove for morning coffee
  • 8" plastic platter, TI long handled spoon and 8oz plastic cup for coffee.
  • Personal care bag - toothpaste, toothbrush, body wipes, diaper pins, Starbucks via packs, etc.  This goes up the bear bag at night.
  • Night bag - very small, one cotton t-shirt and a pair of basketball shorts to sleep in.
I carried 5 liters of water plus 2 spare collapsible 1-liter bottles for heading into dry camps.  Two nalgenes on the side pockets of the bag, plus an Osprey 3 liter bladder in the pack.

I put my North Face Dri-Down 16 degree sleeping bag (a bit overkill) plus Klymit air mattress and Thermarest inflator in the bottom compartment of the bag in my day pack (JanSport, 8oz).

Under the sleeping bag I put one pair Keens shoes for water crossings and camp shoes.

On the outside of the pack I wrapped my REI clone of a Helinox camp chair in my hardshell fleece. 
On the outside of the pack I carabinered the Frog Toggs $20 rain suit.
In the left hip-belt pocket I carried my leatherman Wave multi-tool.
In the right hip-belt pocket I carried my Canon waterproof camera.

On me was one pair Cabelas zip off pants; one pair Costco wool socks,  one pair Underarmour, one moisture wicking t-shirt, one PFG long sleeve shirt from Columbia for sun protection, one pair fingerless gloves, and one Tru-Spec cotton boonie hat, one pair Lowa Renegade GTX mid height boots.

All clothing was treated with a soak in 5% Permethrin bug treatment before leaving.

Just a touch heavier than needed but very effective. 

In the 'brain' or top of the pack were all three Philmont section maps, a spare compass, lighter with duck tape wrapped around it, pack cover and a journal and pencil, along with my headlamp.

In my chest pockets were second breakfast, 'elevensises', tea, high tea, and snacks.  I ate constantly.  Left cargo was spare snacks.  Right cargo was cell phone. 



Sunday, February 18, 2018

1989 WHS Europe Trip

29 years ago I was wandering around Europe for 21 days with a VHS camcorder.  Found the original master tape this weekend, so I digitized it and re-edited it, cleaning up some color fade and adding some transitional music to the silent bits.  Tried to keep the feel of the '16 year old with a camcorder' look...



Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Managing space on the Samsung Galaxy S8 Active - Sprint Product Ambassadors

While your phone has 64gb of memory, it's always useful to use the tools on board to make the most of your memory. Watch and see how you can clear up large files, empty files and unnecessary files.

The Product Ambassadors are Sprint employees from many different parts of the company that love technology. They volunteer to test out all sorts of Sprint devices and offer opinions freely to the Community. Each Product Ambassador shares their own opinions of these devices, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sprint. The PA's do not represent the company in an official way, and should not be expected to respond to Community members in an official capacity. #sprintemployee

Fun Camera Tricks on the Samsung Galaxy S8 Active

With the incredible video camera on the Samsung Galaxy S8, you can do an amazing array of tricks with your photos and videos - one being a great slow-motion capture!  Click to watch!


The Product Ambassadors are Sprint employees from many different parts of the company that love technology. They volunteer to test out all sorts of Sprint devices and offer opinions freely to the Community. Each Product Ambassador shares their own opinions of these devices, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sprint. The PA's do not represent the company in an official way, and should not be expected to respond to Community members in an official capacity. #sprintemployee

Comparing the Samsung S8 Active - Sprint Product Ambassadors

So how does the Samsung Galaxy S8 compare to the rest of the premium phones on the market?  Click through to watch!

The Product Ambassadors are Sprint employees from many different parts of the company that love technology. They volunteer to test out all sorts of Sprint devices and offer opinions freely to the Community. Each Product Ambassador shares their own opinions of these devices, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sprint. The PA's do not represent the company in an official way, and should not be expected to respond to Community members in an official capacity. #sprintemployee

Samsung Galaxy S8 Active SIM and SD Card - Sprint Product Ambassadors

The Galaxy S8 Active comes with a weather sealed compartment to change your SIM card or add a Micro SD card - click to watch how to access it!



The Product Ambassadors are Sprint employees from many different parts of the company that love technology. They volunteer to test out all sorts of Sprint devices and offer opinions freely to the Community. Each Product Ambassador shares their own opinions of these devices, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sprint. The PA's do not represent the company in an official way, and should not be expected to respond to Community members in an official capacity. #sprintemployee

Samsung Galaxy S8 Unboxing - Sprint Product Ambassadors

Spring is coming, and with that the chance to get out and adventure in the wilderness - but is your phone up to the task?  While many new phones are water resistant and shock resistant, the Samsung Galaxy S8 is seriously built for the outdoors and all your adventures.  What does it look like coming out of the box?  


The Product Ambassadors are Sprint employees from many different parts of the company that love technology. They volunteer to test out all sorts of Sprint devices and offer opinions freely to the Community. Each Product Ambassador shares their own opinions of these devices, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sprint. The PA's do not represent the company in an official way, and should not be expected to respond to Community members in an official capacity. #sprintemployee

Thursday, February 01, 2018

Timelapse

A 2000x compressed timelapse of my fixing dinner.  Shot on the Canon T3i as a test video for duration vs file size. 480p gives you full length video, while 720p and 1080p cut off at 12 minutes / 4GB file size.



Tuesday, January 09, 2018

SM West Band on Twitter

Alec and the Shawnee Mission West Band made a cameo on the SM West Sports Twitter account:

Monday, January 01, 2018

Shawnee Mission West at London New Years Day Parade - 2018

That was fun - up at 5 AM to be sure to catch the 6AM parade start here at GMT -6.  YouTube livestream is down; a random commenter mentioned that Reuters was streaming it live.  Tuned in just in time on the phone to catch the band!  Screencap via AZ Screen Recorder; audio via ambient audio.



But - hey - it's a memory!  Alec is in there at about 41 seconds for a half a second or so; he's playing a sax and has earmuffs on. Left center of the screen.







Enjoy!



Happy 2018 - Will England