CraigSmith.Name

Cold Weather Guam

A friend who has lived in Guam for about forty years says this month of January 2010 is the coldest he or his family recall since living here.

Ham Radio General Exam

For two nights this past week I joined a class for the second exam in Ham Radio (Amateur Radio).

This second exam, for the "General" license, seems to be about ten times more difficult than the first exam for the "Technician" license.

The General license is needed to utilizer the longer wavelength bands. A radio signal with a longer wave (greater meters, and less megahertz) will travel farther than a shorter wave. Here in Guam, these longer waves are needed to reach other users.

Love And Hate ... To Paraphrase

... To Paraphrase two old expressions of philosophy on Love and Hate:

• It is better to be loved for what one has done, than for what one represents.
• It is better to be hated for what one represents, than for what one has done.

-- Dr. Smith. January 2010.

Avatar Movie gets A on Graphics and Rainforest Biology

The movie Avatar continues to break cinema-going records as it proves to be the equal of the former fantasy blockbusters Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. As one of the many millions of viewers, in my mind Avatar gets an "A" grade for original biology and graphics. But only a "C" grade for logical plot and anticipated changes in weapons technology over the next 150 years.

Electrical converter (110 -- 12 volt) for radio

Purchased a Tripp-Lite PR-25 to convert 110 volt electricity (AC) into 12 volt (DC).

Telescoping Masts for Radio Reception

These telescoping fiberglass masts are designed for radio reception and broadcasting. A think copper wire can be placed inside, or outside, to make the antenna.

Latin Hits Radio Live365

Learned about a radio station on Live365.Com that plays Spanish-language hits: LatinExitos Radio. http://www.live365.com/stations/diazvic

Typhoon Melor Guam 2009

Typhoon Melor expected to pass by Guam October 3, 2009 north of Saipan.

http://bit.ly/i0Wl2

Tropical Storm 2009 18W Fizzled Pg02

As of 10.01.2009 (Thursday), Tropical Storm 18W had fizzled west of Guam.

Tropical Storm 2009 18W

The next tropical storm in the Western Pacific is expected to hit Guam about Tuesday evening (09.29.2009).

It is called "Tropical Storm 2009 18W", and is expected to increase to a typhoon when it is past Guam, and on its way to the Philipines and Asia.

> http://www.tropicalstormrisk.com/tracker/dynamic/200918W.html

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center of the Navy and NOAA predicts at that time, which may cancel a major air show of jets and other flying aircraft scheduled for Wednesday (09.30.2009).

> http://metocph.nmci.navy.mil/jtwc/warnings/wp1809.gif

Family Movie Reviews

Every wonder if the content of a movie is suitable for tastes that are too tame for modern Hollywood standards? Like your parents, kids, or devote friends from work?

Today I hit upon a series of websites that rate films according to family values. I was wondering if the new film "Surrogates with Bruce Willis" is too scary to see.

IPM Treatment Window

The industry-supported website "GrowingProduce.Com" has web videos, like YouTube.Com, on vegetable crop production.

I have just been watching one of a series on the IPM topic of "Treatment Window" taught by Dr Brian Flood, an entomologist with Del Monte Foods.

EPA Nitrogen Phosphorus Water Criteria Florida

An article in MartenLaw.Com by Brandt-Erichsen and Kray (09.15.2009) is titled "EPA to Set Water Quality Criteria For Phosphorus and Nitrogen in Florida Waters, Paving the Way for Other States to Follow".

The article starts with "EPA, in a potentially precedent setting consent decree, has agreed to set numeric water quality criteria for nitrogen and phosphorus in Florida's waters."

Vista MTP Device Error

Like many other users of the Windows Vista  Operating System, my PC has been suffering from an MTP Device Error. A warning message occurs each time the computer is rebooted, saying it is time to download a driver for the MTP Device.

Here are potential solutions:

Central Asia 2004

Tom de Neef and Emile Gevers traveled an extremely arduous overland journey in four Central Asian countries in 2004.

• Pakistan
• China
• Kyrgyzstan
• Turkey

Read their daily log here, as long as it is hosted:

http://home.zonnet.nl/tomdeneef/central_asia/en/index.htm

Common Cold

Today I am suffering from the ailment that many characterize as the most common disease of humanity: the Common Cold. Starting with the info in Wikipedia, this "upper respiratory virus" is most commonly due to:

• Rhinoviruses
• Coronaviruses

> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_cold

Long Battery Life Netbooks Using ARM Processors

The media portrays the ARM computer processor as having longer battery life than conventional netbook computers with the Intel Atom CPU.

An article in InformationWeek (June 8, 2009, page 28) by W. David Gardner discusses the possibility of a netbook computer for Google's Android operating system that might be built using this ARM chip.

System76 Ubuntu Linux Computers

Today a search on Google.Com revealed a brand of computers that come pre-installed with the latest Ubuntu Linux software: System76.

Via Nano CPU

In 2008 Via Technologies released the Nano, a new Central Processing Unit (CPU) to compete with Intel's Atom, the main CPU for netbooks (small notebook computers).

H1N1 Flu Outbreak -- CNN and Mexican newspapers Report

The ultimate source for Americans regarding the H1N1 Flu should be the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. As of May 2, 2009, 2:25 AM ET, the CDC reports 141 cases of H1N1 in the USA, with one death.

- - - -

The evening of 04.29.2009 in Guam,  CNN news television highlighted their anchor physician, Dr. Gupta, interviewing the suspected Case Zero at Ground Zero: a boy in the town of La Gloria, in the "county" (municipality) of Perote, in the state of Veracruz.