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In the works
* Waiting to die * Zion National Park * Ham radio accessories
* Velocity and Barrel Length * High tech, then and now * 45
carbines * Psychology * Race * Democracy * Alaska *
Night Photography * Stereo Photography * Panoramas * National
train day * Harley 105th * Milwaukee Air and Water show * Mackinac
*
Frankly, it's my playground, my attic, and my
scrap book.
The "personal"
section gives some details about me and my interests, and should
give some idea of why I chose the subjects that I did for this
site. I was initially going to make this a computer site, but the
internet is choked with computer sites of every description
already. Many (maybe most) of them are written by far more
knowledgeable people then I. I do not pretend to be a
computer expert (except when applying for work), and any attempt
by me to create an informational site about computers would
require a vast amount of effort to produce what would essentially
be a second rate rehash of information better presented on other
sites. The same goes for my other hobbies (Firearms, Sailing,
Photography). Each of these pursuits has produced an enthusiastic
following of very well informed, knowledgeable and experienced
professionals, and hobbyists. Many of these people have put up web
sites. Working within my limitations, I have decided to make this
a truly personal site, reflecting my own
experiences, expressing my tastes, and showcasing my hobbies. I
share what knowledge I have; I give my opinions, and I try not to
make too many mistakes. Expert opinions may be found on some of
the sites in my links sections.
This site has been divided into separate
sections for each subject. Each section has its own page of
related links, and each is like a little sub site of it's own.
Most people on the net have, at the very least, a passing
interest in computers, but many people do not care for firearms.
There are actually some people who are bored by sailing (hard to
believe, but true). I have kept the sections separate in order to
appeal to people of all tastes who may share some, but not all, of
my interests. I like to think of myself as an explorer.
Exploration requires an active mind and a good set of tools. These
pages describe some of the tools and techniques used to explore
and interact with the world.
I have also put this site together using very
basic techniques. There are no bells and whistles, as I prefer
substance to style. I also have an abiding dislike for two of the
most abused bits of trickery on the net --- Java, and frames.
Actually a properly done web site using frames is not too bad, but
most of them are so poorly done they are almost impossible to
navigate. Java, though hailed as this great cross platform
language, is slow, cumbersome, and has a tendency to make a
computer unresponsive while the applet loads and runs. I hate it!
I actually do have Front Page, but I do not yet see any reason to
learn how to use it. The program saves pages in a style that I do
not care for, making manual updates difficult. There are also many
servers that still do not support Front Page extensions. This site
was initially laid out using Corel WordPerfect 8, as this program
is more than able to work within the rather spartan format I have
decided upon for this site, and has been updated using the Page
Composer component of Netscape Communicator. The result --- a site
which is (I hope) informative, interesting, quick to load, and not
too demanding of computer, browser, or bandwidth. Every web master
should show so much consideration for his "users".
The final point about this page is that it is
real. It reflects only what I have actually done, and only the
tools and toys that I have actually bought and used. The Firearms
photographs were taken of my own collection, using my HP C20, and
latter Canon D30 digital cameras, and using the gray carpeting of
my living room floor as a back drop. The computers were
photographed using the same camera. All of the pictures were then
cropped and converted to jpeg images using Photoshop (love that
program). This is in contrast to many hobbyist sites which can
become trips into a sort of fantasy land. I have seen gun sites
with richly illustrated and detailed descriptions of an assortment
of machine guns and assault rifles, exotic pistols, and other
paraphernalia, obviously put together from other sources by a
person who owns none of these guns, and knows only what has been
written by others. There are similar pages devoted to boats, and
to computers. These pages seem to deal only with large yachts, or
with the latest generation of top of the line computer equipment.
Properly written and researched these can be
informative, even invaluable as sources of information, but often
they are just one person's fantasy, and may be factually
inaccurate. Everything on this site comes from firsthand
experience. If I lack knowledge or experience on a certain
subject, I refer the reader to my links section, where first hand
information can be found. The reason I am so obsessed with this is
that in my own wanderings around the web, I have found a bounty of
misinformation, rumor presented as fact, poor research, and
repetition of incorrect facts. I can't tell you how many times I
have seen sites telling me that Glock pistols can pass undetected
through airport screening,
Please enjoy the site, if you spot any errors
please let me know so that I can set them right. I have tried to
make everything as factual as possible, and, with the exception of
the bullet lethality section, have written from personal
experience. Unless otherwise stated, all pictures were taken
and/or modified by me (including my Einstein
in ed links). I would be flattered if anyone else cared to use
them, but please let people know where they came from.
