Author Archives: hmm
What Kind of Experience Do You Have?
In manufacturing there is an adage: Do you have 10 years of experience once or 1 year of experience 10 times. Have you been learning new skills, solving new problems, expanding your background or have you been doing the same things over and over again for the last 9 years? We will not understand the …
The Competent Man/Woman
What do Indiana Jones, Ferris Bueller, James Bond, Barney Stinson, Angus MacGyver, Westley (as you wish!), Buckaroo Banzai, Tony Stark, Batman and many others all have in common? They are the Competent Man, a stock character of literature that’s best summed up by Lazarus Long, a character in Robert Heinlein’s novels. “A human being should …
Podcast Recommendations, February 2014
More podcast recommendations to give your brain something to think about. Don’t let some trivial task go to waste. Get some mental stimulation or entertainment and make the time fly by faster. Revolutions From the producer of the the History of Rome podcast. As of this writing he has covered the English revolution and is …
Podcast recommendations, May 2012
More podcast recommendations for dull or boring physical tasks. Give your brain something to think about! Mowing grass, painting trim, drilling parts or digging holes don’t provide much in the way of mental stimulation, but an audio book or podcast can provide some mental stimulation or entertainment and make the time fly by faster. This …
Podcast recommendations, April 2011
When doing monotonous physical tasks, I like to give my brain something to think about. Mowing grass, painting trim, drilling parts or digging holes don’t provide much in the way of mental stimulation, but an audio book or podcast can provide some mental stimulation or entertainment and make the time fly by faster. For all …
Building a Tower by Lashings
The art of Lashing, that is binding multiple poles together with rope and knots, was one of the earliest skills that civilized humans developed. But it’s not just a skill for ancient peoples. For very little cost and an afternoon of effort with your friends and family you can build your own tower in the …
Hughs Plywood Desk
Building a three dimensional object from a two dimensional material has always interested me from a engineering as well as a material efficiency perspective. I have build many items including desks, tables, bookshelves and bedframes from plywood and other sheet materials. This is the third desk that I have built using a flat, two dimensional material, …