I got a new car last month and have been wanting to upgrade the radio ever since.  There’s nothing wrong with the old one – it’s just time to get something with a little more pizazz.  The installation took about an hour since there wasn’t much splicing to do.  The...

We recently moved into our new home in Georgia and that means I spent some time setting up the new shop.  Before we left Hawaii, I sold off a lot of my tools in anticipation for the gorging that I would do once we arrived mainland.  Well I’m almost all set with the new shop, so stay...

On our way back from Hiroshima, we took a detour to the island of Miyajima/Itsukushima.  The weather was perfect, the tide was low and the deer were out in force.  This Shinto shrine is built on the water and is home of one of the top three “Views of Japan.” Itsukushima Shrine...

I didn’t know much about Hiroshima outside of its role in the conclusion of WWII.  After our brief visit to the “City of Water,” I’m sure we’ll be back.  It’s a shame we only planned a day for this visit because it’s a beautiful city with gorgeous...

Kyoto has an amazing collection of temples and shrines.  We only managed to catch a few of them, but their diversity and beauty is really something to behold.  Here are a few photos from various attractions in Kyoto. Sanjusangen-do Temple Sanjusangen-do Temple Sanjusangen-do Temple Arashiyama...

Hanatouro is a lighting festival held twice a year in Kyoto.  We managed to catch the night-time celebration held in the Higashiyama area where nearly 2500 lanterns decorated a 5 km walking path.  The path led to the foothills of Higashiyama Mountain, making its way though various parks,...

Nagoya, the third largest city in Japan, doesn’t get a lot of press as a tourist destination.  We spent a couple of days in the regional capital and got a very nice view into Japanese history and culture.  In addition to being the home of a beautiful castle, Nagoya hosts the...

We just arrived in Japan and hit the ground running.  In the first few days, we’ve already visited a few museums, shrines and local shops.  This is my first time in the country and it’s hard not to notice how incredibly clean everything is.  Considering the level of respect that...

Here’s a video I just had to share which I humbly predict will have significant impact in our near future, once refined.  It’s a demonstration from 3 scientists at a Swiss University on two quadrocopters (flying robots with 4 rotors) throwing and catching a weighted rod.  Sounds...

Terribly punny title – I know, but happy wife = happy life.  I always enjoy making things that she’ll put to use.  The latest lab creation is a mahogany and maple recipe box.  It’s an original design that evolved on the table saw.  It was initially a simple box with miter...