Tactics
Divide the world into first and second tier. The first tier has strict copyright laws, the second don’t care. The First want low prices, the Second are willing to pay higher.
Take orders from the First at cost, learn the process, copy. Overproduce and sell the Second for double or triple the profit. The First becomes a much smaller percentage of the business, so that you can now raise the price to approach the Second.
Singer 29k71 Patcher is a very versatile machine. The treadle stand is missing.
If you know this machine then you know how versatile it is, helping you out of tight spots. Old they may be, but they certainly do a great job at fixing up modern day clothing. While the design of these machines has varied little from the ~1910s the machines can be purchased new today with near identical designs.
It is not easy to use, nor is it easy to set up. The bobbin is small and has a very limited capacity. Threading of the bobbin requires some learning, as this is unlike other machines. What is the purpose of the long wire?
Singer model 217, ~1960s: Simple and reliable, and always ready for me.
Old Singer sewing machines are well made and built to last. My Singer model 217 was handed down to me and sews very well. I was dismayed that the machine would not turn over as it did before and discovered that the motor needed replacement. These motors are no longer made so getting a replacement was not straight forward. After the motor replacement my Singer hums along like new. Maybe I will sew up some Canadian flags!
Surviving Beijing fengsha: This woman has it right. Cover your whole head with a scarf.
Sandstorms or fengsha are common each spring in Beijing. Of the many things I learned while living there was how to survive the onslaught. The sand is so fine as to permeate every nook and cranny of your clothes, windows and food. The best thing to do is to get a fine scarf and wrap it around your head in order to protect your eyes. If you usually wear contact lenses switch to glasses. Clean and reclean everything. Try to keep your food air tight. Don’t worry, it will be over in about a month.
Google's China specific search engine is gone, ending self-censorship
You have to admire Google for standing up for its corporate philosophy. I could not see how Google could continue to self-censor its content in China while continuing to uphold its corporate values. I also could not see how Google even agreed to enter the Chinese market in 2006 on the condition that they self-censor. Today Google will dismantle its China-specific search engine and redirect queries to its Hong Kong based site. Of course the Chinese government was outraged, as expected. I believe that for the internet as a community, something was lost today, though I am unsure what. Was it possibly a global sign that we can all get along?
Delissio Pizza: easy to bake but extremely salty. "If it's not delivery it's Delissio, Oh, D'salt!"
If you know me, you know that we cook almost everything from scratch. This includes pizza. When Delissio pizza went on sale at a local big box grocer, 2 x 900g pizzas for $6CAD, I thought I would give their Deluxe a try. Overall impressions were that they are far inferior to home made pizza, but to my Little Weed an inferior pizza is better than no pizza at all. Of note was the fact that the pizza was so salty. I know salt is cheap, but if this pizza was so tasty why not let the ingredients speak for themselves?
Major transit upgrades at the Toronto Transit Commission have been rare in the last 20 years, but this is changing. First in the pipe is the Sheppard East Light Rapid Transit line, in Scarborough. At approximately $1.43B CAD it will run 15km east from Don Mills Station to Morningside Ave. The line is scheduled for completion in Fall 2013, ready for the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto. The project manager in me is trying to keep track of which parts of Sheppard Avenue will be chewed up when and for how long. The short term pain for residents and business owners will be severe. I hope they add bicycle lanes while they are planning.
Regex is an acquired taste: initially bewildering and bitter, but given time it grows on you. Eventually you begin to appreciate its bouquet. Small, efficient, and powerful, Regex epitomizes good code. This is an advanced discussion of Regex I have found useful in Pipes. If you are new to either, then read up and play.
Sunforce 12v Power Sports Charger 50014 is but a battery maintainer, not a charger
Solar power has always been enticing idea. You point a panel to the lovely sun and it returns usable power. With few exceptions the sun rises each and every day, so theoretically you have unlimited access to power. Unfortunately the reality of economics creeps into the equation, initially taking the shine off solar power. Wanting to play with the technology, a Canadian Tire sale on small solar panels allowed me to try it out.
