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Hands-on with Epson Ecotanks: ET-3830 vs ET-8550

I've had the opportunity to use both the Ecotank ET-3830 (also known as the ET-3850) and, more recently, the higher-end ET-8550. Both printers have their unique strengths, and I'd like to share my experiences to help others make an informed decision. Ecotank ET-3830 (ET-3850) vs Ecotank ET-8550 The Epson Ecotank ET-3830 I bought from Walmart a year ago, a bit unexpectedly, but with no regrets. I was using an old Canon photo printer at the time, and was starting to hate it. The ink ran out quickly and using it was also a pain. As a result of lack of use, the ink would often dry out, and this forced me to replace the print heads twice over the decade. It also lacked WiFi, the USB drivers were no longer supported, and so I had to use a print-server to make use of it. Looking to escape cartridges, and these new ink subscription  hijinks, I was eyeing an  Ecotank printer at the time, but they were just too expensive!  I couldn't justify them in my mind since I rarely was printin
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Prepping for Nuclear fallout

In the case of nuclear war or a nuclear explosion/meltdown, there becomes a risk to your health, if not your life. We take for granted this time of peace, where nuclear threats are more of a trope than a real fear, but it's a significant threat in reality. People didn't consider a global pandemic as likely either, and then it happened. An official guide by the US Government on preparing for a nuclear incident can be found here. It covers some of the basics, such as know where your local shelters are, have an emergency supply kit,  bottled water to last at least three days, and a portable radio. Preferably, have such emergency kits at all the places you commonly frequent, such as work, home, it might not hurt to have some items in your car's trunk. In the case of an nuclear emergency however, get inside before any fallout arrives, and if late getting inside, be sure to discard your outer clothing layers and wash yourself and any pets down. It is safe to drink or eat sealed p

Buying or renewing a domain name from NameCheap.com

If you are buying domain names from Namecheap, a 20%-off coupon code that has long worked for me on most purchases is:  COUPONFCNC Other tips: If buying a new .COM domain, and you're able to score a good deal, sometimes it's a good idea to buy several years on the domain up front. You won't get a good deal on a renewals usually, so do the math before buying.   If you are willing to do some extra work, transferring domains between registrars can snag you some pretty sweet discounts with coupons that only work for transfers. There's often at least one sale a year where transfers are especially well priced.

The Microphone Purchasing Guide

A Podcasting Series The Microphone Purchasing Guide   This is a quick guide for those looking to buy a microphone(s) to start a podcast. It attempts to offer solutions that can broadly be used by anyone looking to get into podcasting. Becoming good at podcasting is a journey though, so making due with what you have first would be my starting recommendation. If you want to jump right in though, read on. Need to buy a few?   Behringer Ultravoice XM8500  - $25 USD   As with all the recommended microphones on this list, this is a dynamic microphone with an XLR interface. It is as cheap as they come, yet it gets the job down quite well. Don't let the low price fool you though as it still needs added accessories: mic pre-amp interface, XLR cables, stand, and perhaps a pop-filter.   Feel pro on a budget Rode PodMic - $99 USD This little guy is relatively new to the scene so it may not be available everywhere yet. It was designed specifically

Tesla Cybertruck; first thoughts

Thinking Aloud: The New Tesla Cybertruck     The upcoming Telsa Truck I'd guess is polygon shaped because of the cold-rolled steel used: cheap, flat, yet hard. I think the truck's design as a result was a solution to the problem, how can Tesla use SpaceX's new steel sheets to make a car . I personally would have preferred forged (50KT?) metal, as it allows for exotic shapes and strength, but that would have increased the cost quite a bit I assume. Forged titanium is what was used in the F-22 Raptor stealth jet fighter, for example; sexy stuff. Why not impress the world with a 100KT isostatic press though, Elon? #missedOpportunity. Either way, despite being able to withstand a sledge hammer, paint still scratches, steel can rust, and cars need to crumple if hit to absorb the shock. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crumple_zone    If you make a truck that is bigger and heavier than the next guy, what you made is a tank that will kill whoever is inside any econ

How-to-fail: My First AI-Startup

In 2012/2013, I helped found a startup that focused on product identification of Pinterest images using computer vision and machine learning. In those days, convolution neural networks were still largely a guarded secret, with access to Google's DistBelief code (a private precursor to Tensorflow) being only wished for. MATLAB was the primary tool for which our small team of University of Toronto master students explored CNN with. I myself was writing our production code using Python-based SVMs, histograms, perceptual hashes, segmentation systems, and more. Those early days were confusing for me as the machine learning establishment was still fairly deeply entrenched in classical machine learning and computer vision approaches. CNNs were hard to understand, let alone give consideration to, and the lack of support available to guide me was virtually non-existent. In fact, I received quite a bit of push back in my deep belief that they were the future. I did receive support from tw

How to do Street Photography

Street photography is one of those sexy styles of art that many think are reserved for retired photographic professionals with $12,000 camera systems, so many don't even give it a shot. Those enthusiastic enough to make it onto the street with camera in hand though carry high levels of expectation, which they will not live up to. More than likely, someone trying street photography out for the first time will give up just as quickly as they started. The reality is, it's just like any other form of art; it's a magic show that once you've learned a few clever tricks for, you've made it. From there, you can start to find your niche, perfect your skills, and ultimately begin to find more enjoyment and appreciation in it all. This guide will make you a decent street photographer in a few simple steps. Step 1 Take a photo on the street of a person; doesn't matter which camera you use. An iPhone works even. It is preferable that the person looks worse off tha