They Really Will Put a Flashlight on Anything

I LOVE mascara. Absolutely adore mascara. I also hate most formulas and most applicators. Eye makeup is difficult to formulate right, doubly so for mascara. So when I stumble upon a formula I like I tend to hold on to it and start testing the rest of the manufacturer's products.

Too Faced's Lash Injection is one of my never-fail, always dependable mascaras. Doesn't clump, doesn't dry out, doesn't give me spider eyes, doesn't have me pulling at my eyelashes in frustration, and looks really good to boot.

It's also really expensive. It seems all of the good mascaras are and Too Faced is no exception.  Oh I've tried the cheaper mascaras but they never really work out for me. The Too Faced ended up in my collection as a birthday present and I absolutely adore it. I just can't justify buying more.

We've been looking for a good reflective mascara for me for what seems like forever. Reflective, light-catching mascara is the holy grail of the mascara world. Lots of mascaras claim to be reflective but turn out to be regular mascara mixed with glitter (seriously). And, of course, good premium reflective mascara is expensive.

So when I saw Too Faced's Lashlight on sale for 60% off I had. to. have. it. I'd been lusting over it for months.

This is the first bit of the description:

Our innovative thickening and lengthening mascara formula contains millions of microscopic mirrors that bounce light off lashes for a super-glossy, jet-black finish for whiter, brighter looking eyes.

I figured it was the same formula and same packaging that I researched 6 months ago. I really should have kept reading. No, scratch that. It was better being surprised.

My mascara arrived today. I'm opening up the shipping box (with Chris doing something else next to me) and I pick up the mascara.

And it's heavier and bigger than I expected. That's odd. Normally a tube isn't that heavy...

I read the box...

My mascara comes complete with blue-light LED's for "precise application".

My mascara has a flashlight button.

Actually there's a huge bonus to having lights and a battery in the applicator end. The applicator stays up by itself. This may actually be the first time in history that adding a (mostly) arbitrary light source to something ended up making the design better.

Does the light source work as promised? Yes, yes it does.

Shiny...

Chris initially didn't believe me when I told him. His remark? "They really will put a flashlight on anything." For once a package arrived with a new LED flashlight and I'm the one geeking out over it.

I wonder if this counts as a secondary backup light source...

Mel

Back to Bass

As I've mentioned here before, I play guitar and bass (and a little bit of drums, and piano; neither of which I have practiced much of in years).

What I haven't mentioned, is that it's been almost 10 years since I've owned a bass; mostly due to moving around a lot (College, Air Force, then a security consultant, then an IT consultant, finally settled down into a non-travel job 5 years ago but I've moved three times since), and not having the time to get back into it.

I sold, lost, had stolen, or had burned down from under me, all my guitars by about 8 years ago; but about four years ago Mel bought me a guitar for Christmas.

Me being me, I started accumulating gear again; and now I've got a half decent acoustic, a nice Jackson archtop Dinky DKMGT in trans-black flame maple, and a REALLY nice quilted maple trans black Epi Les Paul (all picked up for WAY less than list, either on major discount or used); and a pair for Fender amps for them (a G-DEC 15w 8" practice amp, and a Frontman 212r 100w rewired with 2x12 Celestion vintage 30s).

I've even got a decent multi-effects processor; a Line 6 PODxt-Live that I basically stole from the guy selling it ($300 for it, the Fender Frontman amp, 8 good quality cables - $15 each at least, a Shure SM58 mic worth $100 on its own, a pair of XLR cables, and two mic stands).

Really, as far as guitars go, the only thing I kinda want right now is a really nice custom piece (which I can't really justify the cost of at the moment) or maybe one of the new higher end Godins (really great guitar company out of Montreal, newly expanded and really doing some great things); and a new head and cab instead of my combo amp (I like my combo, but I want a nice head and cab to play with. Thing is, I've got better things to do with $2000... though I'd kinda like the Line 6 spider 150 half stack, at $650...).

Oh and I'd love a thin body 14 fret cutaway Martin, but again, I can't really justify the price (Martin only makes the cutaway as a thin body from their custom shop. Runs about $4,000 to start... maybe $15k the way I'd really like it. And no, there's really no justification for why it costs that much except "because they can").

We've even got a digital piano here,  (a Yamaha YPG-235, which they call a "portable grand piano"), because it's easier to compose with a keyboard, easier to learn a vocal with one, and easier to teach music with one (since the kids want to learn, and we're more than glad to teach them). Plus, it's a half decent drum machine and a metronome, both of which are useful in general.

But that's all just gear, and I want to talk about music first.

The Musician

I've been listening to a lot of modern jazz, fusion, funk, groove metal, prog metal, and progressive rock this past year. Victor Wooten, Billy Sheehan, Jaco, Claypool, Dream Theater, Al DiMeola, Leo Kottke, Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller...

I mean I've listened to all of them for years, but that's been MOST of what I've listened to (on my own anyway. Mel mostly listens to country, so I listen to country about half the time just as background noise... I don't consider that real listening) recently.

Listening to all that, I've realized over maybe the last few months, that I really want to get back into bass again; maybe more than I want to play guitar (at least for now)... and given my 25 year love affair with the electric guitar, that's saying something.

Funny thing is how exact that number really is... I know exactly how long it is since I figured out I wanted an electric guitar. It was July 3rd 1985; so 25 years plus five months. 

Anybody know what the significance of that date is? Extra points if you get it without clicking on the link.

What got me interested in bass was something else entirely... and this is going to sound weird... but it was TV theme songs. Specifically, Barney Miller, Night Court, Sanford and Son, and a couple of others.

"Sanford and Sons" was written and produced by music legend Quincy Jones (it's actual title is "The Streetbeater") and the bass on the track was performed by the very well known and respected funk, R&B and fusion bassist Chuck Rainey; who also performed the bass for the M.A.S.H theme (the TV theme, not the "Suicide is Painless" recording used in the movie).

"Miller" was performed by two very well known session bassists, Jim Hughart and Chuck Burghofer; both of whom have performed on literally thousands of famous jazz, funk, and other records. There were two different recordings. Burghofer co-wrote the bass line, and played it on the original recording and the "alternate" version used in the last two seasons, but Hugart played the on air version used in the first few seasons.

The "Night Court" bass line was co-written and performed by one of the greatest bassists (and multi-instrumentalist jazz virtuoso) of all time, Marcus Miller.

NOTE: The "Night Court" and "Barney Miller" themes were both written and produced by the same guy, the late, great Jack Elliott (along with his writing partner Allyn Ferguson); and both are available in full song length versions on Elliotts CDs.

As it happens, the creator of "Night Court", Reinhold Weege, was the head writer on Miller for several years; and he had noted how important the Miller theme was to the shows success... it just stuck in peoples heads, had them thinking about the show. That's part of what a great TV theme gives you.

Relatively unknown except by hardcore fans of jazz, professional jazz musicians, and industry insiders; Elliott was a HUGE force in keeping Jazz alive and well  from the 60s through the 80s. He and Ferguson wrote themes for a dozen or more TV shows; most notably S.W.A.T, Charlies Angels, Banacek, Police Story, and Starsky & Hutch.

Elliott was the music director for dozens TV shows including the Andy Williams show, and the Smothers Brothers show, and was the composer for dozens more films and television shows; as well as the musical director of several jazz bands and orchestras. Notably, he was the long time musical director for the academy awards, the Emmys, and for 30 consecutive years, the Grammys.

Elliott knew talent, and kept as much of it as he could on hand. In so doing, he kept a lot of great talents in the Jazz, Funk, and R&B world employed and playing, for decades, when their particular musical genres weren't commercially viable.

Those shows just had some cool bass playing... In fact, in talking with a lot of bass players around my age, I've found a lot of guys said the same thing... That it was their first exposure to bass as a distinct musical element, not just the background to rock music etc... Judging from the number of youtube videos of people playing the groove from the "...Miller" theme, I don't doubt it.

Then, when I was around 11 or 12, I got into funk (and soul, and classic R&B), punk, and metal, all basically at the same time; and it was all over.

Of course, funk and soul would have been enough by themselves. From James Jamerson with the funk brothers rhythm section on all those great motown records; to Duck Dunn laying it down behind Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, and all the Stax greats; to Bootsie locking it in for James Brown and P-Funk; to Larry Graham slapping the bottom for Sly and the Family Stone.

I think it was Graham slappin and poppin that whole damn bass line on "Thank you (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" that finally made me say: "that's it, I have to have a bass".

I was lucky enough to be able to find a decent used Squier Standard P-bass, and a little Peavey practice amp, that didn't quite take ALL my money; and I started learning the basics.

I think the first "hard" thing (i.e. a real song that wasn't a basic bass line from a book) I learned to play was the line from Stevie Wonders "I Wish" (which of course Will Smith later used on "Wild Wild West"); one of the few songs of that era where Stevie wasn't playing the bass line himself (either faking it on the clavichord, or just playing the bass - having been taught to play bass "motown style" by James Jamerson in 1965). A lot of folks really love the "bass" on "Superstition" or "Higher Ground" for example, not knowing the bass line in both songs, is actually Stevie faking a slap bass sound on the clavichord (and in most covers, the cover artist will play the lines on bass).

It wasn't until my late teens that I really got into Jazz, when somebody gave me Coletranes "Blue Train"; and I pretty much went crazy buying every CD reissue of a Blue Note, or Prestige etc... record I could find (thus finding Miles, and Monk, and Bird and... yeah... I could easily go bankrupt in a record store, trust me)... and of course, that's how I first heard Paul Chambers (one of the best double bassists of Jazz), Ron Carter (possibly the most recorded bassist of all time), and later Marcus Miller...

Then I started listening to more Rush and Cream than they played on classic rock radio (the entire Disraeli Gears album was a revelation, nevermind 2112)... then Primus came out big... Then Tool.

NOTE: For progmetal geeks, I take the position that Paul D'amour is better than Justin Chancellor... No disrespect, Chancellor is great, but "Undertow" is an all time classic album and "Ænema" is just... damn. They recorded most of "Ænema" with D'amour, but replaced him with Chancellor before the tour... Though OK, I'll take the argument that Lateralus is at least as good... I disagree but I see the point.

Then around 1995, I heard Dream Theaters "A Change of Seasons", and it totally blew my brain away.

Then I started listening to the EARLY Chilis records (and I found "Get up and Jump", and Hollywood, and  Jungle Man. and Skinny Sweaty Man... not great "songs", but really great bass playing. I honestly think Flea is the best bassist in rock outside of metal and prog rock) ...

...and I finally started really LISTENING to the really great musicians and music around me, rather than just hearing it.

I had been listening to Mr. Big for years, without ever really getting how amazing Billy Sheehan was (or Paul Gilbert for that matter, but I did at least have an appreciation of shredders).

I had listened to three Chili Peppers albums ("Mothers Milk", "Blood Sugar Sex Magik", and "One Hot Minute") before I ever figured out how great Flea was. Though in my defense, this was post Hillel Slovak, when the Chilis focused less on Fleas rhythms, and more on the vocals and guitar of John Frusciante... and "one hot minute" wasn't very good to boot... but the cover of Stevies "Higher Ground" on "...Milk" alone should have given me a clue, especially since "...Milk" was my first Chilis record).

Finally, I was probably 21 or 22 when I found Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, and the incomparable Victor Wooten. Unfortunately, by then, I didn't have a bass anymore... though frankly, trying to play Wootens stuff back then would probably just have permanently discouraged me...

Anyway, what brought me to bass, was the love of the music... and the fact that I'm a total gear queer. I have a total and complete love for gadgets and gear, and a real love for beautifully shaped and figured wood.

I appreciate guitars, and bass guitars, both for the music you can make with them, and as expressions of the luthiers craft; as pieces of art rendered in wood.

Which brings me back to the hardware side of things...

The Gear Queer

Now, when I started playing, over 20 years ago, it cost a serious amount of cash to set yourself up with a decent bass rig... at least $700 to get a playable four string, if you wanted new, from a reasonable manufacturer, with a playable and stable neck, tuners that wouldn't slip, acceptable pickups etc... and they would of course be passive pickups (active electronics were just starting to really be a thing in basses outside of high end professionals and studio guys then).

You could expect to go $1200 plus for something really worthwhile; or over $5k for an Alembic, a Conklin, or a Fodera (but that's an entirely different league, and they're about double that now).

And that was in 1990 money.... $700 in 1990 is about $1200 in todays dollars.

A couple months ago when I started thinking about this, I took a look around... and man, things have changed.

You can get a very nice, reasonable looking bass, with decent passive pickups (EMG basically dominates the market), for under $500... You can even get a 5 string, with a through neck, good tone woods and solid active electrics (though generally not particularly pretty) for like $700.

Amps and cabs have come way down as well.

Back then, you could expect to pay over $500 at least... more likely over $1000 for an acceptable head, and another $1000 for the cab (never mind practice amps. I've never heard a bass practice amp I would bother spending any money on. Of course these days you can get one for under a hunny...).

Now you can get a perfectly acceptable head for $400 (or less), and a pretty decent 4x10 cab for another $400 (or less). You can even get a 450 watt Ampeg with a 4x10 cabinet for $1100 (though your classic Ampeg stack is still going to run you $2000+)

So anyway that very day, I was looking through basses at Amazon, and they had the Dean Edge Q5 ($800 list, usually about $550 street. 5 string, with a quilt maple top, bass body, 5 layer laminate maple and mahogany bolt on, and EMG 40hz passives with an active pre-eq), on special sale, $220...

DAMN....

Unfortunately, it was out of stock (not surprising considering the price), but they allowed backorder at that price so I said "what the hell", and I ordered it.

I figure for $220, I couldn't possibly go wrong.

As time went on, and they never updated my "in stock" date, or ship by date, I started getting the feeling they were going to cancel; but I decided I wanted a bass this year anyway.

In particular I wanted a 5 string; for the extended low range, and the ability to use lighter strings for bending and chording on the high frets while maintaining clean and bright tone, and still having that big beefy bottom B string for deep growl and grumble.

I think I'd like a six string at some point, but not to get reacquainted with the instrument. I don't see a 5 string as being too much more difficult than 4 string, but 6 string clearly is, simply because of the size of the fretboard and the string spacing.

So, I started looking for  a 5 string, preferably with pretty wood, active pickups, and neck through body construction.

Given those parameters I did some research, and came up with a pretty long list of possibilities, all between $650 and $800. So, I budgeted $800 for it; sold a couple of things, saved the money out for my Christmas gift budget etc...

As it happens, Amazon did cancel my order (actually they said they regretted they couldn't tell me when they might be able to fulfill my order, but I could keep waiting if I wanted. I didn't)...

...on Black Friday.

So, it being the number one shopping weekend of the year, and everyone and their mother offering special deals, I decided to take a look around; and man I'm glad I did.

... 'cuz I managed to snag one hell of a deal...

So for my Christmas present to myself this year, I picked up this:

It's a Dean Edge Pro 5: 5 string, 5 layer maple and rosewood laminate neck through basswood body with a bookmatched flame maple top and back, in transparent black, rosewood fingerboard, grover tuners, ABM single string bridges and brass string nut, EMG actives with a 3 band EQ (for 2010 they started branding the pickups as "Dean", but mine is a leftover 2009).

Price: $1000 list, about $700 street.

I paid.... $340

Yeah... No way I could pass that one up.

I was seriously thinking about the Schecter Stiletto Elite 5, or Stiletto Studio 5 (both very similar), both available for around $750-800 ($1200 list) from several places; but when that deal came up on the Dean no way I couldn't take it.

It's likely the Schecters are SLIGHTLY better wood (and on the Elite very slightly better fit and finish); but the Dean has better hardware, better pickups, and of course, LESS THAN HALF THE PRICE...

The other great thing about that deal was though, since I had budgeted $800 and since I had only spent $340 on the bass...

... Sweet, I had enough left in the budget for a real amp; instead of just scrimping up a hundred backs for a cheezy practice amp (like I said, I've never seen a bass practice amp worth spending any money on... though people tell me the Roland Cube is OK).

$440 gets a half decent combo amp on discount.

At first I thought I was going to end up with a decent brand 100 watt 1x15 combo or something similar... but looking around I found a deal on a Fender Rumble 350 watt 2x10 ($650 list) for $440...

I was about ready to push the button when I though just for the hell of it I'd look at what amazon had for cabs and heads.

I had already wishlisted a Hartke 2500, 250 watt head ($329 list, $249 at Amazon) and a Hartke 4x10xl cab ($469 list, $349 at Amazon); so I pulled those up, but together, they would've been over my budget.

However, what did I see in "related items", but a neat little Hartke 210xl, the 2x10 little brother to the 410xl half stack cab...

For $146 ($269 list)....

Hmmm...

Ok, I can get the Hartke 2500 for $249 and the 210xl for $146... That's $395 for a pretty decent little setup for my music room.

I was about ready to do that, when I looked down at the related products listing, and saw the Behringer Ultrabass 1800 180watter (list $285), for $143.

Again I say DAMN those are great deals.

OK, combined, that's $289... still under my budget... by $151... So I bought both.

Ok... so 180 watts into a 2x10 isn't exactly a big fat setup. My though was, honestly, I'm not gigging with it, so the 2x10 with 180 watts behind it is probably more than I'll ever need at home.

...but I was being clever.  The Hartke 210XL is voicematched to the other cabinets in the XL product line; and is specifically designed to match up with the Hartke 115XL, a 1x15 cabinet ($399 list, $299 at amazon).

The 210xl has a higher extension, without the bottom, and the 115xl has the big fat bottom without the highs. Together they make a balanced, spacious, clear and defined sound, with plenty of thump; but not requiring the kind of power (or taking up the space) a 15 plus a 4x10 would take (at least 350 watts to really do it justice).

I like the sound of a 2x10 plus a big 15 better than a single 4x10 anyway; and stacked they're a 4ohm load (so you actually get the rated output on the amp) vs. the 8ohm load of each cabinet individually (most decent amps are stable at both 4ohm and 8ohm. Some can handle 2ohm, but most can't. However, stable or not, an 8 ohm load means a lot less rated power. In the case of the Behringer, it's 180watt vs 100 watt).

The one thing I was concerned about, both with the little Behringer, and the small cabinet; was the low B... I thought maybe the rolloff at 31-33hz might be too much for the 2x10 (probably more than 6db), and the power to clearly define that note may be too much for the little Behringer.

More on that later...

So, finally, what to do with that last $151 in the budget...

Hmm... I could get a couple decent pedals for that, or maybe a pedal and a headphone amp... Actually a headphone amp sounds like a good idea, but the Rockman is like $70 and you don't get much for that...

Then I remembered the Line 6 pocketPOD works with bass as well (and there are plenty of bass tones downloadable for it). Plus I don't have a headphone amp for my guitar, and of course it works with guitar... and it's a full multi-effects processor AND a modeler AND a headphone amp...

It's normally $180, but Amazon has it for... YES $129 plus $15 for the external power supply.

SCORE.

So I got a bass, amp, cab, and a preamp/modeler/mep/headphone amp, all for $793.

... or, not quite...

The Player

Everything arrived, and man, the bass is beautiful. It feels great in the hand, and it sounds great... unless I have a CFL light on nearby unfortunately, as the pickups pick up a bunch of noise off them (I may be able to fix that with some extra shielding, and wiring in a noise filter, or I may need to switch to different pickups. My guitar pickups for example don't have that problem).

Most importantly, it PLAYS great. It's got a feel WAY better than any other bass I've played that didn't cost more than $2k.

The amp and cab came in too, and they're great. Good looking, and for the most part good sounding... but for one problem...

...That open low B string I was worried about before.

At low volume, or fretted up past low C, they're fine. Unfortunately,  the amp doesn't have the power or frequency response to handle the open B string. The 210XL seems to handle it alright at low volume, but that's all the Behringer can drive at that low frequency without badly distorting (and yes, it's definitely the amp distorting, not the cabinet).

If it was a regular 4 string bass, it wouldn't be an issue, but that low B is just a killer.

So, I'm going to return the Behringer 180 watt, and get a more powerful amp; either the Hartke HA2500 (250 watt), or the Behringer Ultrabass 4500 (450 watt). That should drive the 2x10 enough to be acceptable (though not perfect), until I can afford the $300 to add on the big 15"; and either should be enough power to drive the two cab stack at 4 ohms.

I'm still very happy with the bass and the 2x10 though; and I'm leaning strongly towards going with the all Hartke solution.

In which I get irritated, and show someone what "Expert" REALLY means

Now, I think all my regular readers know, I am without any reservation, an expert on both mobile telecommunications, and on information security. I have both extensive knowledge, and extensive experience in both fields; and frankly this should be obvious by even a cursory reading of any one of my postings on the subject.

Normally, I just use the verbal shortcut "I do this for a living", and that gets the point across... but sometimes, not so much.

So, on another site, someone asked for useful comparisons between the iPhone, and the Blackberry. As I am intimately familiar with both, I decided to chime in; and included a bit of data about Android in the process.

So, here goes:

"I have all three of the major smartphone platform devices (all others are now obsolete if not orphaned - sorry palm, nokia, sony-ericsson et al), a blackberry being required for work, and having switched from iPhone 3gs to Android (DroidX) a few months ago.

The iPhone (platform) is a computer with a smoothed and simplified interface, no hardware keyboard, and a locked down software base, that happens to make phone calls.

The Blackberry (platform) is an email appliance, with a not particularly smoothed and simplified interface, generally a hardware keyboard, and a locked down software base, that happens to make phone calls.

The Android (platform) is a computer, with a reasonably well smoothed but not particularly simplified interface, which is nearly completely customizable, can have either a hardware or software keyboard, has a wide open software base, and happens to make phone calls.

Of the three, the iPhone is the "best done"; as in the smoothest implementation, the cleanest hardware integration etc... It's also the most expensive by far, and the most limited in options... though the huge application base does in part make up for it.

The Android is slightly less "well done", but is improving constantly, has near infinite options, and the application base is growing rapidly.

The blackberry platform will be dead in three years. It is the most limited in functionality, it has serious security problems, it has serious privacy issues; and the one and ONLY thing it does very well, email, can actually be done just as well if not better by the others. The only thing keeping Blackberry alive right now is the large corporate install base, and they are largely looking at the next tech refresh period and looking to integrate Android and iPhone.

My company, one of the largest and most conservative in the world, and one of the largest blackberry customers (over 100,000 blackberries in our various organizations and divisions) has already certified iOs and its enterprise exchange connector, and already offers iPhones. I just can't have on in my area because AT&T's network is crap here. They also offer support the iPhone vpn connection. They are in the midst of validating and certifying the VPN connection and exchange connector over VPN for Android.

I know that pretty much every other company in our sector is doing the same thing, as are many former clients in healthcare and medical, finance and insurance, and technology.

The only big organizational customer not looking to dump blackberry right now is the fedgov, and that's because they have a "special relationship" with RIM regarding security.

Guess what? They also have that same relationship with Microsoft, and there is a trusted secure version of Windows Phone 7 on the way (as it happens, a good friend of mine is a senior developer in the WinPhone7 devteam. I'll have to pick his brain on that). From what I have heard from inside GD though, the next secure mobile telephone unit from General Dynamics, will be running WinPhone7.

Best bet? RIM gets acquired by someone looking to make a play in enterprise messaging (Cisco? MS?) and becomes a software and backend company, offering groupware sync from cloud to mobile and back to desktop. 

WinPhone 7.... ask me in a year. "

So, pretty straightforward right? Nothing particularly earth shattering, or for that matter insultworthy right?

Well, apparently there was....

@IncorrectUser1 "@AnarchAngel, You're wrong about Blackberry. It's the ONLY device that offers full security for the end user."

@IncorrectUser2 "AnarchAngel wow are you uninformed to say the least. RIM and their Blackberry devices are VERY secure, they are highly encrypted and provide great security for their end users. RIM recently risked getting banned in India and the UAE because of the encryption and security they had on their devices because it wouldn't allow the government to spy on their users. Apple and the iPhone don't have this kind of thing. As for Microsoft, they hand over every way they know of to let the government to spy on the users of their software, with little more than a kind word.

As for the security issues with RIM and the Blackberry, they pale in comparison to the iPhone, it gets jailbroken, aka hacked, within days of releasing the new version. I won't even start with the amount of security issues that Microsoft has, however XP was certified with the "you showed up and turned on the computer" security level by the NSA when it went in for test. Blackberry's Unix got rate higher than that."

Whoa boy.... he don't know who he's talking to, now does he....

This is the part where I get tired of half  "experts", and let my inner asshole free for a minute...

"Norrmally I hate this, because it degenerates into pointless shouting, but f**k it, let's play.

Before you call someone uninformed, because they disagree with your marginally informed opinion, you should know who it is you are dealing with.

I'm chief infrastructure architect for the retail, credit card, and internet banking division (yes, they're all one division) of a major bank; and was a security architect and consultant for years before that.

My work as a consultant, included work in information and communications security for Lockheed Martin mission systems, and General Dynamics.

If you know anything at all about security, especially about security in mobile communications, you will understand the significance of that. 

I was also an intelligence officer in the USAF(R). My last two years in the reserves were spent in communications security. In fact, that's primarily how I got the contracts with Mission Systems and GD to begin with. If you happen to know anyone in that world (which I rather doubt), I could give you contacts to verify.

I am being somewhat vague here, because of security considerations, both from a clearance standpoint, and from a professional responsibilities and ethics standpoint; and of course because of NDAs.

Now, if you want to start arguing security credentials, great: I'm a CISSP, and CCIE (security). I'm a certified systems engineer/expert and Instructor for Checkpoint, Nokia, Netscreen, Sonicwall, RSA (SecureID), McAffee, Symantec, and ISS. I am certified as a security engineer and to give instruction on security in Windows Server (up through 2003. I didn't bother recertifying for 2008), Redhat Enterprise Linux, Solaris, HPUX, and AIX.

I should say, I WAS all of those things. Some of those certs have expired, or were dependent on working for a certified training partner (as my information security consultancies were, for various vendors, as were the consulting practices I worked for). I honestly don't keep track. In IT one collects certifications all over the place, and generally you only maintain them if someone else is paying, or they are critical for the job you are doing.

As a consultant and professional trainer, I have trained thousands of other engineers and architects on the principles of information security, on how to evaluate information security, and on the specifics of implementing security technologies in their environments.

I have two published textbooks (co-author) on information security, as well as dozens of published articles in industry publications.

I co-founded and acted as chief technical officer for two different independent security consultancies.

I was the senior security architect and senior consultant for three other nationally and internationally known consulting practices.

I am one of the co-founders of the Linux advocacy council, and a former chair of its security subcouncil. I was a frequent presenter before the Irish Information Security Forum (IISF), including presenting one of the keynotes at the first general meeting in 2001; and the European Information Security Forum; as well as a presenter or co-presenter on information security topics at SAGE, USENIX, Defcon, and several other industry events, multiple times.

I, as chief architect for one of the partners in a technology alliance, along with security engineers and architects for Hitachi, EMC, Brocade, and Juniper; co developed, and assigned as developers, patents on a number of security technologies relating to secure multiuser SAN environments, SAN switching security, secure distributed SANs and SAN firewalling.

If you have any idea who works in security, we can talk about the people I know, and who knows me...

Oh and just coincidentally, I happen to know the delivery manager for the next generation Sectera mobile Secure Telephone Unit from General Dynamics. As it happens, she's engaged to my best friend. They're supposed to be married in April, but I think they're changing the date again. She works out of the facility on McDowell in Scottsdale. Great lady. Third generation Mexican American, but she talks like a California girl. 

... but frankly, I really don't need to do any more dick waving. If you know anything about information security, or have worked in the field, you probably already know who I am. If not, it would be meaningless to you anyway.

But, let's just get this clear.... I am almost certainly better informed, more knowledgeable, and have more experience in this subject, than you.

Now, having taught someone what "Expert" REALLY means, I get down to destroying their misinformed points.

I know all about Blackberry and RIMs security; both in the commercial and government context.

For one thing, I know that the NSA, DIA, CIA-S&T, and DISA have both been working with RIM and simultaneously trying to get rid of them in government service BECAUSE OF SECURITY CONCERNS, for years. I have worked on several associated projects and contracts.

Why the hell do you think they made Obama stop using the blackberry for presidential business. It's certainly not because it was "too secure" and the NSA wanted him to use something less secure. There is a REASON they made him move to the GD Sectera mobile STU.

Why do you think JSOC just put out the order to switch to Android phones and iPhones, with a newly developed set of security tools; and are migrating their enterprise connectors away from BlackBerry Internet service and Blackberry Enterprise Server, and to Android and iPhone enterprise connectors as soon as they can (last I heard they estimated it would take two years).

Thanks to NDAs, I know a hell of a lot more than I WANT to know about RIM and Blackberry "security".

Now, the difference between Blackberry, and the iPhone and Android systems, is that Blackberry pretends to be secure, and assumes a trusted third party. Neither Apple, nor Android do.

If you are using Apple or Android in an enterprise messaging application, you encrypt all the traffic end to end, with encryption that you manage, using industry standard protocols. At no time in flight is any communication un-encapsulated or decrypted, and at no time does un-encapsulated cleartext pass through any systems controlled by either Apple or Google (though like all encapsulation systems, endpoint analysis and volume analysis are possible for elements of traffic analysis).

All three operating systems have exploits. Most of them are zeroday rooted with every update and revision. The point is, DON'T TRUST THE PLATFORM, and most certainly don't trust any third party.

No system that requires a third party controlled messaging server can be guaranteed to be secure or private.

No system that requires proprietary protocol use, managed and controlled in an unaudited code base by a third party in a remote location, can be guaranteed to be secure or private.

No service that depends on the good auspices of a third party to function (excepting public key services with a trusted certificate authority), or that requires third party management access (in the case of enterprise, onsite, organizational, or nationally controlled blackberry servers for example) is reliable or highly available, in the context of high security.

That is how BES and BIS function, therefore no system depending on BES and BIS can be said to be secure.

The three elements of security are Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. With Blackberry, you can't guarantee any of the three, not because of the base technology, but because their system architecture builds in this weakness explicitly.

There is a REASON why, repressive governments allow Blackberries. It's because RIM build holes in BES, and BIS, to allow those governments to spy on blackberry users within their countries (to varying degrees. RIM has proven very willing to work with governments). They allow the NSA and the FBI to spy on users in the US and Canada, BY FEDERAL LAW in both nations; as well as by consent decree.

They don't disclose this publicly in plain language, but it's not exactly a secret either. It's easy enough to understand when you read what they DO say.

No, Blackberry email services and blackberry messenger are NOT secure; with regard to governments.

They are regarded as secure commercially, only because any company that could prove a breach by RIM would sue them into oblivion; and for commercial purposes that is considered adequate.

Apple and Android have their own security issues; but they are host based, and can be addresses at the host level, rather than an inherent weakness based on infrastructure architecture.

... Or at least no weakness every other device that depends on the TCP/IP stack doesn't also have anyway.

And that folks, is what Expert REALLY means.

I want this, simply because it is AWESOME

I want this in a way only a hard core airplane geek can. I don't play any games that could even USE this thing, but I lust after it.

Hell, I don't even think there are any games currently out that I would WANT to use it with. The combat flight sim genre has almost completely died. The last one I particularly enjoyed was about 10 years ago. The space combat game genre is dead too... There aren't even any good mech games to use it with anymore (which is why I bought my LAST Thrustmaster HOTAS controller... about 10 years ago).

It's stupid. It's hilariously overpriced.

IT'S AWESOME!!!!

There's a map for that, and it covers our area...

Very very very irritated at the moment.

I just spent four hours writing a several thousand word post, on the current state of the smartphone market, and the relative strengths and weaknesses of iOS4 vs. Android,  AT&T vs. Verizon. , and todays Android hardware vs the iPhone 4.

I saved drafts the whole way. I checked to make sure those drafts actually saved. Everything was working fine.

It was a great post.

I finished it, and hit publish... and I got a message from blogger about "conflicting edits", so I backed up.... and it had erased all my content. I tried opening an older draft  but no, it was empty as well.

AAAAAARGH!!!!!!

I really don't feel like rewriting all that right now. It's 0340, I'm tired, and I'm pissed.

Yes, I know, I shouldn't trust blogger. I should compose in a third party editor and copy and paste to publish. I should copy the entire post before I hit publish....

I didn't.

Ok, the upshot of the post...

Mel and I were able to, through special offers, buy two Droid X handsets for only $40 more than one single iPhone 4 (buy it online, with a new contract, and use the discount code SMART30, and a new DroidX will only be $169).

We now live in a service area with no 3g from AT&T but great 3G from Verizon. Verizon has lowered their pricing and increased their service on family plans and data plans, and increased the discount I get from my employer. AT&T has lowered their services however, adding data caps. Our AT&T contract is up at the end of this bill. Verizon is now offering us more service than AT&T at the same price as AT&T.

Given that Android 2.2 is about to come out, and that the Droid X seems to be at least as good as the iPhone 4, and given the pricing and network functionality; we decided to switch to Verizon and Android.

As of Monday Mel and I are Android users, on the Droid X.

Any must have apps?

Anyone have a recommendation for a good ebook reader that can handle a lot of formats?

There's a map for that... with nothing but toll roads on it

I've been thinking about getting the Droid to replace my iPhone 3g for a while.

Not that I don't love my iPhone; but we're moving next near, and the area we're moving to doesn't have AT&T 3g service yet.

We'd been planning on moving to either Verizon or Sprint, who both have 3g in that area (t-mobile doesn't either); and since Sprint doesn't have any phones we like (and is going out of business rapidly... but they'll be acquired soon... probably by Verizon if the regulators allow it), and Verizon has the Droid, and Droid Eris, they were our default choice.

I've played with a friends droid for a bit, and I like it. I don't like the keyboard or directional pad, or the feel of it in the hand; but I like the OS, and the actual open source apps... overall, I think its a pretty good phone.

It's not as good as my iPhone 3g, but it is pretty good, and it's getting better.

Then yesterday, my iPhone broke.

Oh, it's still functional, but the plastic casing on the back has a couple cracks.

As it happens, I use my iPhone with several docks (one at my desk, one by my bedside, one for my home stereo, and one in each of our cars); and the many times a day the thing came in and out of those docks torqued the plastic around the connector enough to crack it, and to widen another crack that I put in the back when I dropped it one day.

This is no weakness in the phone; this is me beating the hell out of the thing for 18 months (almost to the day actually), and it finally showing it.

The thing is perfectly fine, so long as I just use it with a cable, and don't use my docks.

However, as I said, we were looking to replace our carrier with Verizon anyway; so this looked liked a good time to grab a Droid for me, and a Droid Eris for mel ($199 and $99 respectively if you buy online, and Mel prefers the shape and feel of the Eris).

So I went to the Verizon web site, entered in the phones we wanted, and went on to the voice and data plans...

That's where things started going bad for Verizon.

Our current plan on AT&T is a 1200 minute family plan, with rollover (so unused minutes roll onto the next month), 2 lines of service, free family calling, 200 texts each line, and unlimited data on each line; for which we pay $127 a month including taxes, after our $20 a month discount for my employer.

It's a great deal by the way. Everybody who works for my company gets the discount, if they ask for it. You have to tell them you work for us, then ask, and you'll get it starting the next month. We also get a additional reward points on our cards if we pay our AT&T bills with our employee credit cards.

If you work for a company that has a corporate phone account with a major carrier, you should ask that carrier if they offer a discount to employees of your company. A surprising number of companies get these types of discounts.

With Verizon, I could get a 700 minute plan without text or family calling (and no rollover on any verizon plans), and add unlimited text, mms, video, and family calling for $20 more. Or I could get a 1400 minute plan with family calling but no text for $20 more, and add unlimited text, mms, and video for another $20.

Ok... none of those were particularly good deals, but I chose the 1400 minute plan, with family calling but no text. I have no interest in MMS or video, and I'm not willing to pay $20 a month extra for it.

However, we do use text, and texts are either $0.50 a piece, or $5 each phoneline, for 250 per month... or $20 for unlimited. They REALLY want you to pay the extra @0 upfront to get the voice plan with the unlimited text, mms, and video.

Visual voicemail was $3 a line extra, so I declined it (I want it, I love it on my iPhone, but I'm not paying an extra $6 a month for the feature. Insurance was $9 per month per phone (at&t has a $70 one time charge per phone) so I declined it. Then came the real killer...

Data...

The whole point of having a smartphone like the Droid is to have unlimited data, wherever you are, whenever you need it.

Data was $45 per line, per month, for a total of $90.

Or, you could get just unlimited email and web (but no data for applications), for $30 a month per line... Yeah I don't think so.

$90 it is then.

Added together, the whole package, was $189, plus $18 in taxes and fees.

$207... vs. $127 a month for AT&T... Thats frikken $80 a month difference... 66% more expensive.

Oh, we get a Verizon discount too, that same $20 (but without the extra credit card reward points)... so I guess it would only be $60 a month more... Plus the $300 for the new phones of course; and that discount wouldn't apply for 90 days after activating new service.

Now, as it happens, I am eligible for upgrade pricing on the new iPhone 3GS with AT&T; but I still have six months left before I can terminate my contract without penalty (smart move for AT&T, making the upgrades available before you can terminate. Gets more people to roll over since they can get a new device). If I terminate now, I owe an $80 etf.

And I've still got 3 billing cycles left until we move; which would be a $240 savings, plus the $80 etf... $320... on top of the $300 for the new phones...

We just checked the coverage map again today, and there's still no 3g coverage where we want to move to; but AT&T HAS put coverage in along the major road leading by there, and the major towns north and south of there... And they're expanding coverage in the area generally. They may have full 3g coverage up by the time we move.

If not, they have a femtocell available, that lets you extend the 3G coverage to 1/4 mile around your own house, plus the phones have WiFi; so as long as we had our home internet connection, the only place we wouldn't have 3g or better coverage is the 5 miles between where we want to move, and the main road...

And Mel misses her iPhone.

She smashed it up a few months back (well and truly crushed it, dropping it onto the screen, on concrete, while the case was off), and we just grabbed a cheap prepaid phone and swapped sims; expecting we'd be upgrading when we moved anyway, and not wanting to pay the $250 out of warranty repair charge.

But Mel doesn't use those docks like I do... and superglue and a new thin hardcase that keeps the back supported, and my cracked back iPhone 3g is completely good to go...

So we decided to use the upgrade, and I swapped out my iPhone 3g with Mel, and upgraded to an iPhone 3gs.

Basically, it's just like the 3G, except it's a fair bit faster (it's very noticeable), has slightly better battery life, a much better GPS, a much better camera; and the new oleophobic screen coating is AWESOME, and completely gets rid of the smears and smudges of the old iPhone.

All in all, we're very happy with this choice. Even if we can't get 3G when we move, they're still useful as iPod touches; and the cost of the 3GS is actually LESS than we'd have to pay in early termination fees and the extra cost of going to Verizon.

So, Verizon.. Can I hear you now? No... not over the roaring of that extra $80 a month you want to extort out of me thanks.

Measure for Measure

How fast is that bullet REALLY going, from your 28" barreled thumpenblitzenboomer wildcat special?

How much velocity are you losing from your 4" 357 down to your 2" pocket gun?

What about from your 5" Government model, to your 3" officers model?

How consistent are those handloads really? And are you SURE you aren't exceeding pressure limits?

Are you REALLY making major power factor with those bunnyfarts?

To answer any (or all) of these questions, you need a way to directly measure the speed of the bullets flying downrange from your barrel. Everything else is just guessing.

You need a chronograph.

Actually, I think that's an imperative statement for any shooter interested in accuracy, any handloader, any competitive shooter... Really anyone but the most casual shooter.

If you're doing anything other than plinking, and practicing your defensive shooting; you really should have at least a basic chronograph available to you.

Of curse that brings uo the question, which one should I buy and how much should I pay?

Ahhhh the dreaded "buyers guide" post. And just in time for Christmas too.

The Players

Basically, there are six choices out there (from four companies) in the market right now (there are a few others but they are designed for ammo companies, and they start around $5,000):

1. Shooting Chrony of some kind (there are 4 basic models, with 2 variants for each model, and several options)
   
   
   • F1 chrony - $80 or $100 for the master version with remote display (which you want), but don't bother because...
     
     
   • Alpha chrony - $100 or $120 for master. It has a multi shot memory, which you want. The F1 doesn't. Again though I wouldn't bother because...
     
     
   • Beta chrony - $100or $135 for master. It has a multi string, multi shot memory, that stays persistent even after being turned off. Basically, just buy this one or the Gamma because...
     
     
   • Gamma chrony - $175 to $200 depending on sales. Includes 15 times the memory of the Beta, a timer function, and the printer (which sells separately for $90).
     
     
2. Competition Electronics Pro Chrono Digital : $100-$110 plus $50 for the USB interface and software, and $90 if you want a remote control, and you do if you want to do anything but basic velocity recording. They sell a stripped version for $20 less, but don't bother.


3. CED Millennium 2 : $200, no printer, but it has built in USB and you can get an accessory printer. The original Millennium 1 is still available, but you want the M2. It's the same price, has more memory and a faster processor, it has USB instead of serial, and it does more statistical functions and ballistic calculations. Even on a major discount for the M1, I'd go for the M2.
   
   
4. Pact Model 1 XP: $130, includes nothing but the skyscreens and the chrono. Good basic chronograph, and the cheapest one with separate skyscreens. The only option is the $90 IR skyscreens.
   
   
5. Pact Mk IV XP competition timer and chronograph: $200 for the chrono and timer, plus $70 or $90 for the separate skyscreens (get the IR ones. They're better). No printer or PC interface, but it's a full featured competition timer; and it includes some of the ballistic computer features of the Pro XP (but not all of them).
   
   
6. Pact Professional XP: $229. The most expensive of the listed chronographs (well... not including the timer plus skyscreens), but includes PC interface (serial. Requires a $30 adapter for USB, plus free download software), printer, and a full ballistic calculator and computer.
   

Really, what you go for largely depends on what you want out of a chronograph, and what you want to spend.

The first big question: All in one, or separate skyscreens?

The biggest difference structurally, is whether the chrono uses separate skyscreens, or if you shoot over the body of the chronograph itself.

Obviously, the disadvantage of shooting over the chrono, is that sometimes you might not shoot over it, but into it. With a replaceable screen model, if you kill your skyscreens, it's a $70-$90 replacement, not a total loss (though Chrony has a great deal that I'll talk about later).

Also, with remote skyscreens, you don't have to worry as much about placement, and you don't need a separate remote; the display (and printer if you have one) are right there on the bench with you.

All the PACT models, and the CED models all have remote displays and separate skyscreens. The Shooting Chrony models (non master), and the CEI ProChrono Digital both package the skyscreens and the display and controls (and "brains") together.

The Master Chrony models are a little bit different. They pack the display inside the skyscreens for travel; and give you the option of mounting the display and controls either on the screens, or remotely. I don't know why you'd bother with mounting the display on the screens however, since in addition to being less convenient, that incurs the risk of shooting the display and controls... but more options are better.

Oh and both the Pact Pro XP and the CED M2 have infrared skyscreen options, so that you can get better results (or any results at all) indoors, or in dim lighting, without separate accessory lighting (which require either AC power or a separate battery pack).

The CEI and Chrony models offer light kits to fit over their existing skyscreens, but they require separate AC power or battery packs.

The advantage of the all in one designs (and the master Chrony), is that they are generally MUCH less expensive (usually by at least $50, sometimes by more than $100); and they are more compact and easy to transport. This is especially true of the Chrony designs, which fold up and carry in a box small enough to fit into a large range bag.

The second big question: Do you want a PC interface?

All of the major chrono brands offer at least one; though some models include it free, and some are optional accessories.

The CEI Pro Chrono USB (a $50 accessory for interface and software combined, on top of the pro chronos $110 price) is the only one that gives you a modern, clean, graphical interface, with real time outputs etc... You can hook it up to your PC and get an EXCELLENT remote display, or to a USB/serial reciept printer for printed chronograph results.

For the CED M2, and Pact Pro XP, you get a USB or serial interface included respectively (you'll need a serial to USB adapter for the Pro XP).

For the PACT, you can download free software from PACT, or buy more full featured software. For the CED you'll need to buy software.

With the Chrony, the PC interface is also an option ($60 for USB without software, $110 with it). It's available for all newer Chrony models but the F1 (which needs to be upgraded to an Alpha to get the port the interface plugs into).

The other two PACT models don't have any PC interface option.

The third big question: Do you want a printer?

You may think you'll never want one, but they can be remarkably useful things. Not having to go through the memory of the machine for a particular shot string is great. Printing velocity and load data out to label a cartridge box with is invaluable.

Even better, is being able to print a custom ballistic table for the rifle and load you're shooting, for the conditions of the day; as the Pact Pro XP can do.

The PACT pro XP has a printer built in to the body of the chrono. That means you've always got it, and you don't have to worry about separate batteries.

The Gamma Chrony includes one with it, or you can buy it as a $90 accessory for all the other Chrony models (you should just buy the gamma if you want the printer. it'll save you $$30-50).

The CED M2, and Competition Electronics Pro Chrono can both print either through a PC, or with an accessory serial/usb printer (the kind used for cash registers and point of sale terminals etc...) , that you can pick up for about $90.

The last big question: Just a chronograph, or lots of extra features?

From a functionality standpoint, the Chronys, the Pro Chrono Digital, and the Pact XP, are just basic chronographs. They record a velocity, they display a velocity, that's pretty much it.

The CED M2 and the Pact Pro XP, both include ballistic calculators/computers. They can calculate standard deviations, extreme spreads etc... And the Pro XP can even calculate ballistic drop tables.

The PACT Mark IV is a really good competition timer (the standard timer for many competitions in fact), that throws in the chronograph capability as an extra, along with some basic ballistic calculations.

Of course, do you really care about that extra stuff? If you're a precision shooter or reloader, maybe; but then again, you already have computer software and ballistic calculators to do that for you anyway...

Warranty, customer service, and other relevant factors

Oh and it's worth noting, all of the models mentioned above have a lifetime warranty, except the CEI Pro Chrono Digital and CED Millennium 2 (both are two years).

All of the companies have a reputation for good customer service; though CED is Hong Kong based, so they may be more difficult to communicate with if local reps can't handle it.

PACT and Chrony make their products in the USA, and their support is local. They're shooters, and they're big sponsors of the industry and our sport as a whole.

CEI is a US company, their products are US made, and support is local; but they are not as big a participant in the industry and the sport.

If you care, CED are made offshore, and the company are not as visible in the shooting world.

A special mention for Chrony

Chrony has the best warranty and replacement policy in the business, and in general the best customer service.

If you break a Chrony in any way that doesn't involve clear abuse of the product (like running it over with a truck, or shooting through it), they replace it no questions asked.

Actually, there are a lot of people who have shot up their chronys, sent them back expecting a charge; and had a repaired, or even brand new Chrony show up on their doorstep for free.

If you do shoot it and it's repairable with basic replacement parts, they'll usually just charge you $40 to fix it (another reason to buy the master chrony models, since everything but the sensors is in the remote unit, which would be hard to shoot since it's next to you on the bench).

If you shoot it, crush it, destroy it, abuse it... it doesn't matter, so long as it's still recognizably a chronograph of some kind; they replace it for a reasonable fee ($70 to $100 depending on the model... maybe less than the cost of new skyscreens for the external skyscreen models).

If your chrony is obsolete, or you want to upgrade it to any other chrony model, they will do so for between $35 and $130 dollars (depending on which model you started with and which you end up with, and whether you want a printer).

Also, they offer a trade-in program for anyone elses chronograph, offering the same trade-in credit as they would for one of their own (again, it will generally cost $70 to $100 depending on model, or $160 for the gamma with a printer).

Ok, so which one should I buy?

Really it comes down to what you need to do, what your preferences are, and the bells and whistles you want.

On the lower end of things, I wouldn't bother with the F1, or Alpha chrony models; since the Beta is only $20-$40 more, and gives you several times the functionality.

If you don't want a remote display, don't want remote skyscreens, and don't care about connecting to a PC, the Beta Chrony and the CEI ProChrono Digital cost almost exactly the same. Frankly, I think the Chrony is a much better value for money; since it's upgradeable, has a better warranty, and the accessories are far cheaper.

If you want a remote display, the Chrony models are only $20-$35 more to move to a master chrony model (I HIGHLY recommend doing so).

The ProChrono doesn't have a remote display option, or a printer option; only a remote control box, and they charge $90 for it. On the other hand, with the $50 remote USB interface, you can hook it up to a laptop (or a netbook), and get the best remote display, controls, and data of any chronograph on the market; and you can print from your laptop, or from a USB/serial point of sale receipt printer (about $90 street).

The Beta Master Chrony basically sells for the same price as the Pact XP1, and you get basically the same functionality. Both have memory, remote display and controls, and remote skyscreens. The only real advantage to the PACT, is that you can buy IR skyscreens for it for $90 more (not an option you should discount).

The PACT doesn't give you a computer interface, or printer option. The Beta master does, though they charge $90 for the printer, $60 for the USB interface or $110 for the USB interface plus software... at which point, it is by far the most expensive option of any of the chronographs here (if you want the printer, just buy the Gamma. It's cheaper).

So if you don't want IR skyscreens, a printer, or a really great computer interface, I say buy the Beta Master Chrony.

Actually, given the warranty, the customer service, and the options... Unless you absolutely need the IR (and Chrony sells a lighting kit that will work indoors), I'd STILL say go with the Chrony.

The USB on the CEI is great, but I don't think it can overcome the other weaknesses of the product in comparison... Unless you're putting the thing in as a fixed installation on a range with a display screen, in which case it's a great choice.

If you want a printer, you can buy the Chrony Gamma Master, or the Pact Pro XP. There's anywhere from a $0 price difference to maybe $30 depending on what sales are going on at what time. Both have lifetime warranties, remote displays, and great customer service.

The PACT has the extra functionality of a ballistic computer, and it has a PC interface built in with free software; plus the IR skyscreen option for $90, or replacement skyscreens for $70.

The Chrony is a little cheaper, much more compact and easier to transport, has that spectacular replacement policy (so you can replace broken skyscreens fairly cheaply), and gives you the option of slightly better ballistic software. However, Chrony doesn't offer IR skyscreens, you can't buy spares (only replacements after you've broken the original), the computer interface and software are WAY more expensive ($110 together) eliminating the price advantage completely; and the separate printer increases the hassle and bulk of the whole rig.

The CED Millennium 2 is an excellent chronograph. It has a built in USB interface. It has replaceable skyscreens, and an IR skyscreen option. It has a lot of ballistic calculator functions (though not as many as the PACT). It's also $30 cheaper than the PACT and about the same price as the Gamma Chrony.

Unfortunately, for that $30 cheaper, you don't get as much ballistic functionality as the PACT, and you don't get a printer.

That's a lot of stuff to consider, by in my opinion it boils down to this:

If you don't want remote display, get the Beta Shooting Chrony.

If all you care about is the computer interface, get the CEI Pro Chrono Digital. Really, it's great for a fixed range. If I build a range like that, I might just buy a cheap laptop and LCD screen and this chrono and permanently install them. It's also great if you run competitions, since you can put the chrono results up on a bigger screen so everyone can see them.

If you don't want a printer, IR skyscreens, or a computer interface, get the Beta Master Chrony.

Honestly, I think if you want a printer, or you want a chrono with a ballistic calculator, you should just buy the PACT Pro XP. The Gamma Master is a great chronograph, but the PACT is better, and it has the IR option and the PC interface built in, for just $30 more.

I wouldn't bother with buying the PACT Mark IV XP as a chronograph; though if you're going to buy one anyway as a timer, why not buy a set of IR skyscreens for $90, and have the extra functionality in your pocket when you want it.

A lot of people buy the CED Millennium 2 and love it; and I think it's a great chronograph. I just dont see why you would buy it vs. the PACT when you get the extra ballistic calculator functionality, the printer, and a lifetime warranty vs. two years, for $30 more.

The one advantage it does have, is that you can buy the computer unit for $110, and the IR skyscreens separately for $90, and end up with IR screens cheaper than any other solution.

If you absolutely need IR screens, the CED M2 will cost you $200, the Model 1 XP will cost $220 (and not have a PC interface, or a ballistic calculator), and the Pro XP will cost you $320.

Oh one other option. If you have, or can find an old used chronograph of any kind, but especially an old used Chrony, cheap (I got my old F1 for free); you can do either an upgrade (if it's a Chrony), or a tradein (if it's not), to a gamma master chrony for $100 or $110 without a printer, or $130 or $160 with a printer.

There is no better deal on a good chronograph anywhere.

Bottom Line:

Realistically, I'd say there's three choices; unless you have a specific need met better by one of the others.

1. $100 for the Beta Shooting Chrony, for the best value most compact choice, with no extras
   
   
2. $135 for the Beta Master Chrony, for the best value with remote display and options
   
   
3. $230 for the PACT Pro XP, for the best value with a printer, extras, and options

So... what does the AnarchAngel use?

I've shot with Chronys for years, I had an F1; and frankly I really like the product, and the company. However, I needed more functionality, and wanted a printer.

I could have taken my old F1 and upgraded to a Gamma Master chrony with a printer for $130, under their tradein program; but I decided I wanted the option of IR skyscreens, and a computer interface.

The computer interface and software would have cost me an extra $110, bringing the total to $240, plus $60 for the indoor lighting kit (which isn't IR and requires an AC power source) for a total of $300.

Or I could buy a PACT Pro XP for $230, and the IR skyscreens for $90.

So that's what I did.

Actually, I haven't bought the IR screens yet, because they're sold out everywhere at the moment; but I have the Pro XP and have used it, and I'm VERY happy with my choice.

The old F1 won't go to waste however. I gave it to a friend of mine who doesn't care about the bells and whistles of the Pro XP, and HE'S going to do the upgrade program to a Gamma Master with printer, for $130.

New Crackberry

So, as I mentioned last week, my work laptop died horribly... again...

I also mentioned that I was on the crackberry from then, until my new work laptop arrives. Which was supposed to be this week, but I figured it wouldn't be.

As it happens, looks like I'm right about that, as it hasn't even arrived from the vendor to our desktop support folks (who have to reimage it with our corporate image, security software etc...), and they'll take a day or two with the thing before I can pick it up.


Anyway, the earliest I'll probably get the thing is Tuesday, so I will have been sans work PC for two weeks.

Joy.

As it happens, my blackberry has been getting progressively crappier as time went on. I don't install any third party apps... hell I don't even use the thing as a phone 90% of the time, I just use it for email and calender...

But ooooohhh how many email and calendar items I use it for.

I get about 300 emails a day, many of which are in rich text format, many of which have large attachments.

Also I have on average 30 or so meetings a week, and many of those ALSO have large attachments (which I hate, and attempt to discourage whenever possible, but for some reason "project managers' LOVE attaching crap to meeting invites).

At any rate, I would do a hard reset on the damn thing every day, and still within a couple hours, the response time on the POS would be completely unusable. I'd press a key or receive an email, and I'd get the hourglass spinning for 20 or thirty seconds.

The real problem is, I have a Blackberry Curve 8330, and it's a piece of crap. Slow processor, not much memory etc...

So I called up our blackberry support people (we have a department in verizon dedicated just to us, which is nice. Instead of the half hour on hold most people get, we get 30 seconds or so) and I described the problem, and what I was doing about it etc... and at first the rep was confused, but then I told her about the workload I was putting on the poor little bastard...

Yeah, about half way through the description, she's audibly nodding and saying "oh yeah, I know EXACTLY what the problem is".

Basically, the poor bastard can't handle it.

So, they arranged to upgrade me (again, we have our own department in Verizon. We get upgraded whenever we need to, don't need to wait two years. There are a few perks to being one of the largest companies in the world).

I got my new Blackberry Tour 9630 today.

DAMN...

It doesn't suck.

No, seriously... I know... A blackberry that doesn't suck didn't compute here either, but there it is.

Basically it's got twice the CPU and 8 times the ram my curve had (528mhz and 256mb ram, vs 225mhz and 32mb); plus it's a world phone with a GSM radio (and sim card) for international, and a 4 gb "media card" (they don't let you store apps on the card for some reason, so it really is just for media. Also a 2gb is standard, but they give us 4giggers for some reason).

No, it's still nowhere near as good a mobile computer as my iPhone and I doubt it's as good as the droid (and mobile computers is what the iPhone and Droid really are. The BB is really more of a smartphone); but as an email device that will only occasionally be used as a mobile computer , it aint bad.

Too bad they decided to change the cradle and the charging cord AGAIN.

Anybody got any app suggestions? Also are any of the visual voicemail solutions for BB on Verizon other than crap?

Works as advertised I guess...

Real Actual Field Tests #1 from Woot Video on Vimeo.

Hmmm... I remember them announcing this a while back as "the toughest flashlight in the world" or some such, and thinking "How good can it be, it's made by energizer?"

Apparently quite good, and since woot has it for $20 at the moment, I think I'll snag one just for the heck of it. It's not like I have enough flashlights (it's not actually possible to have enough flashlights).

The Gift for the (LARGE) Man Who has Everything

Among the many and varied vicissitudes of life common to large men, especially those of us who are both big, and tall; is the common household toilet.

Simply put, up until very recent "jumbo" designs, most toilets are simply not made for us big guys. They are too low for tall folks, and the bowl is too short for big guys...

...especially if you happen to be, shall we say, large in other ways... One's ...equipment... ends up uncomfortably close to things, one might prefer it not be close to.

This problem is even worse if you happen to have bad knees, as I do; because the too low seat height, combined with the torqueing you tend to apply to the seat as you sit down, adjust yourself, and get up...

Well, let's just say I've broken my share of toilet seat hinges.

They are generally just flimsy plastic after all. Seriously, I'm not THAT fat. Besides, I did it when I was much thinner too.

There is a solution to all of this however; and it doesn't rely on buying some fancy japanese, heated, automated, superjumbo handicaped toilet.

Gentleman, I give you, the BIG JOHN:

Perhaps that doesn't tell the story well enough... I think you need some scale (click to embiggenificate):


Or perhaps the dimensions might be more illuminating:


Seriously, this bugger is HUGE. I cannot begin to describe how LARGE this toilet seat is.
Monkeys should be worshiping it, as the sun rises to the strains of Also Sprecht Zarathustra".

Oh and I'll never have to worry about a broken hinge again:


Truly, the seat of best repose, is made a throne by the Big John.

Today, my wonderful wife decided to ease my suffering; and grace our home with one of these glorious gluteal supporting water closet appurtenances.

So gents, how does it sit?

I can honestly say, it is the most comfortable toilet seat I have ever had the pleasure of using.

The seat provides a 2" lift, which greatly relieves the pressure on my knees during.. mount and dismount, as it were.

It also has an unexpected, but much appreciated benefit. As I mentioned above... let's just say, mine do indeed hang quite low. While seated on my old toilet seat, when flushing, "the boys" would frequently receive a "cold shower" so to speak.

Not the most desirable effect; though I must say, it would quiet effectively wake one into full alertness of an early morning. Bracing.

The open front, which I prefer, not only gives more room for the tackle; but it prevents the rather shockingly unpleasant effect (which thankfully only happened rarely), that I less than fondly refer to as the "junk pinch"; which would sometimes occur when I would adjust my position on the throne.

I must say, I wholeheartedly recommend the Big John for anyone of large stature, large girth, large endowment; and especially those who possess those attributes in combination.

It may not be a Ferguson, but I think Al Bundy would approve.

A Crackberry User Once More

No, I'm not giving up my iPhone 3g. I love it, I use it constantly, and once jailbroken with useful non Apple apps added, it's exactly what I need in a PDA, a phone, and a portable personal computing device (minus the few Apple induced annoyances).

I've been resisting this for three years at work. Unfortunately, our workload has doubled over the past six months, and is going to double again over the next six months. We've already added one more person, and we NEED to add four more people.

So instead of leading a group of six (including me) I'll be leading a group of 10.

Plus I'm more and more involved in stuff for our CIO, and for the entire enterprise as a whole...

Anyway, yesterday my boss rather pointedly suggested to me that it was past time for me to have a mobile device 'pon which I could send and recieve corporate email.

Now technically speaking, I know a hack to let my iPhone do that; but that wouldn't be enterprise approved, and would be against security policy etc... etc...


Also, corporate mandate is now (well, it actually always had been but up 'til now they weren't enforcing it) that we can't tether, connect, sync, download etc... off our corporate systems with any non corporate devices. No pdas, cellphones, smartphones, external hard drives, or memory cards; and no syncing to external services like gmail or mobileMe.

Understand, my life is run off my outook calendar. I'm double booked 4 hours a day most days; and I can't keep things straight without calendar and contact syncing.

So I will once again be dragged kicking and screaming into crackberry land; and will also be a multi cellphone user once more.

At least it's not like when I was on call for a secured facility. I had my on call phone (secure), my secure phone, my non-secure phone (and yes, they made us have one of each. The ones that operated in both modes weren't out yet), my satellite two way pager, and my personal phone to deal with.

Yes, I was a walking Dilbert cartoon.

They gave me the choice of Sprint, T-Mobile, or Verizon; but if I went through either T-mobile or Sprint I'd have to pay the bill myself and then get reimbursement... Verizon it is then.

Then they gave me the choice of the 8130 (pearl), 8330 (Curve), the 8830, or the 9530 (storm).

Firstly, none of them have WiFi, which irritates the hell out of me. The T-Mobile versions have WiFi, the chipset supports WiFi, but Verizon doesn't want their customers using WiFi, so they disable it.

Also, why are they still offering the old curve and 8830, and not the new 9000 series Bold and 8900 series Curve?

The pearl is just WAY too damn small. I'm guessing it's actually better as a phone than the others, but the keyboard is useless.

The 8330 is heavy, large, and awkward to hold; yet has a worse keyboard than the curve. The whole point of this is remote email access, so a bad keyboard is a dealbreaker. It DOES have quad band capability and a SIM card slot, which is nice; but I don't plan on doing any international roaming with my work cell at the moment.

The storm is cool looking, and has a touchscreen. I HATE the touchscreen. Seriously, the thing actually clicks, like a chicklet keyboard... It's awful.

So the curve it is then.


At least the 8830 has mostly 3g (it's ev-do, but Rev 1 only, no Rev A. So 700k down, and 30k up ) and tethering. Oh and they are throing in the car charger, the leather holster, the bluetooth headset, and the 4gb memory card (remember, no non corporate memory cards allowed).

So at least I won't be stuck with the bill for the stuff, or stuck with a useless phone without it.

So, any worthwhile apps in the blackberry app store? Do they have an SSH client? How about VNC?

Eating Nikons Lunch

Last week Canon officially announced their new high end consumer camera, the EOS 500D / Rebel T1i (in the U.S. they use the Rebel name, everywhere else it's just another EOS); and to be honest, it blows basically every other consumer, and most prosumer cameras out of the water.

Here's the new product page.

and Gizmodos preview.

and Imaging Resources preview.

and finally DPreviews preview.

The salient points:

• 15.1 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
• 1080p and 720p HD movie recording with HDMI
• Native ISO 100-3200 (expandable to 12800)
• 3.4 frames per second continuous shooting
• Max. 170 large JPEG images in a single burst
• 3.0” ClearView LCD with Live View mode
• List price, $799 (body only, should street for $649-$699 once demand calms down)
  

Seriously, this makes my Nikon D80 (which premiered at a considerably higher street price) look like a toy in terms of total features and capability.

Importantly, it also knocks Nikons current top consumer camera, the (currently several hundred dollar more expensive street price, though most likely not for long) D90, into the weeds. At the expected street price, it even obsoletes Nikons rumored new D40/D60 replacement, the D5000, two weeks before it's even going to be officially announced.

I predict that every pro Canon shooter is going to buy this as their backup/lightweight camera, it looks that good.

More importantly for Canon though, this is the camera that gets consumer/prosumer level Nikon shooters to switch to Canon. It's better than any Nikon short of the D700, at under 1/3 the price; and in some ways even more features (that HD video mode).

Yes, it really does look that good. Read the previews and watch the video:

15.1 megapixel APS-C sensor, very similar to the 50D at less than half the price (but without the "gapless microlens" technology; so it's not quite as fine, sharp, and good in low light); with live view, 1080p and 720p video...

Now, I've been solidly in the Nikon camp for years, but a camera this good, at this low a price... It has me seriously considering switching.