Bartley: The Blog

Hail and Wind Storm

We got hit pretty hard with some major wind and hail yesterday.  I took some pictures of the hail about an hour after the storm passed.  I was dealing with a leaky window at first, so the hail has melted some since it first fell.  The local news reported winds from 60 to 70 mph during the storm.

Hail Stone in Hand

Hail Stones in Yard

Crunchberries Are Not Real Fruit

Just so there’s no confusion, please remember that the Crunchberries in Cap’n Crunch cereal are not real berries.  From the article:

On May 21, a judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California dismissed a complaint filed by a woman who said she had purchased “Cap’n Crunch with Crunchberries” because she believed “crunchberries” were real fruit.  The plaintiff, Janine Sugawara, alleged that she had only recently learned to her dismay that said “berries” were in fact simply brightly-colored cereal balls, and that although the product did contain some strawberry fruit concentrate, it was not otherwise redeemed by fruit.

I guess you learn something new every day.

Detailing: 2008 Saturn Vue

Full Detail - Exterior and Interior [ gallery ]

2008 Saturn Vue

Unlike my previous entry, this detail (what I would note as a “full detail with minor paint restoration”) is all-encompassing.  I’m working on adding a section to the detailing page that gives full instructions on how you can achieve these results yourself.  Keep checking back for updates.  For now, see the lists after the break. They outline all of the products used for this job.

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Nikon D40

Nikon D40

I just picked up the fantastic Nikon D40 (my first DSLR).  While I’ve used other Nikon cameras (the Coolipx 5200 being my most recent point-and-shoot model) and a film SLR camera (an old Canon), I’m pretty excited about upgrading from the point-and-shoot model to something that gives me a little bit more control.

While the D40 certainly isn’t the newest model Nikon has in its pro-sumer line, a lot of people think it’s pretty darn good. The D90 is Nikon’s latest offering, but at over 2.5 times the cost ($1200 versus $450 for the D40) it’s not really worth it.  Sure, the D90 has Live View (if you’re into that sort of thing), but I find the control I get by keeping the camera close to my body far outweighs the ability to hold the camera at arms length away.  I wanted to try to keep the purchase less expensive.  I’m not a professional photographer, so many of the features I’ll never miss.

I found most of my information on Ken Rockwell’s great website. He has a ton of useful information, including an entire section on how to make great photos.  It’s reassuring to know that the camera doesn’t matter!  If you’re looking for a new camera (any type of camera), I highly recommend doing some research on his website before you buy.

I’ve had the D40 less than 24 hours, so I’m still not comfortable with all of the settings.  Once I get a little more practice in, I’ll start posting some photos for your comments.

New Tunes Page

I’ve added a new page (called “Tunes” for now) that contains more information about music.  Give it a look!

Detailing: 2008 Chevy Cobalt

Exterior Detail [ gallery ]

2008 Chevy Cobalt

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Worst States for Tickets

The National Motorists Association (NMA) recently published their ranking of the worst places to drive (based on what they call unfair traffic laws and public monitoring).  The tri-state area ranks both high and low on the list with Ohio in second place, Indiana at 43rd, and Kentucky at 46th (out of the 50 states).

The NMA was established in 1982 in part to protest the national 55 mph speed limit.  The currently work for more reasonable speed limits and fight for better driver training, fair enforcement practices, and important privacy protections.

Motherlover

Justin Timberlake hosted SNL this past Saturday (May 9, 2009).  I’m sure a lot of you remember his appearance in one of the best (if not the best) SNL Digital Short (also available on iTunes).  In honor of Mother’s Day, there’s a sequel.  There’s also an uncensored version that contains NSFW language.

Use Ice to Cool Water

The local water district always includes a water tip on the monthly bill.  This month, they are advising me to use ice to cool water.  Handy!

DPad Hero

A couple of guys got together and created DPad Hero, a Guitar Hero game made in the style of an original NES game. I haven’t tried it, but it looks interesting. Too bad they didn’t have this game back in the NES days!  Check out the video for “Sweet Child O’ Mine” below, and visit their YouTube site for more videos.