Participate in Discovery Coffee's T-Shirt contest · Friday October 26, 2012 by colin newell
Hey everyone – In coffee news, I have entered the Discovery T-Shirt contest – you can view the entries at the Discovery Street Cafe-Roastery location (just below Douglas Street) – Mine is one of 7 entries. Having fun with it – hope you do too.
Voting closes on November 5. Come on down…
And not only that, Discovery Coffee at 664 Discovery Street is a great place to hang out and enjoy some mighty fine bean.
Bonus blog - serving the social media masters - but why · Tuesday October 9, 2012 by colin newell
Between my blog (right here), my coffee website and my radio-tech-geek site, I have upwards of 100K readers per month.
100 thousand. Unique readers.
And the stats to back it up.
But I consistently ignore the bigger audience (you folks out there in blog land)
in favor of spending my free time quipping on Twitter and posting the periodic axiom on Facebook.
But why? Why? WHY?
Well. I have been thinking about it.
Part of having 1800 twitter followers – which is a small number in the big scheme of things, is that I can attach a face to so many of these good people. It is, in fact, a conversation – a back and forth if you would. A kind of interaction that does not really happen as effectively on the Blogosphere. Unless of course the occasional blog reader chooses to comment on something – which is great. I LOVE comments.
Twitter is great. No question. But it can be frustrating at the same time. Every one of the 1800 followers is a sentient personality, with fabric, substance and real edges. Twitter is blog-3D. And a twitter writer needs to put substantially more energy into the 140 character snippets because you are trying to convey a focused thought and be aware that potentially several thousand sets of eyes might take a peek at your thought… and react to it… good or bad… in near real time.
So. I love twitter and my following readers.
And if twitter is fun (and not effortless) then Facebook is even more challenging and more frustrating… because you are preaching to a largely converted choir, who are going to be less tolerant to the spectrum of your (my) muse.
Meaning, as over the top as I can be on Twitter – as funny or unfunny as I can be – or as cynical or jaded, my thoughts are quickly lost in the conversation as other funnier quips move up the feed chain.
Not so much on Facebook. Things are moving a little slower – and I find it way easier to become impatient with my FB friends and likely they are experiencing the same thing about me. I am challenging at the best of times – and not always in a good way.
So. My big audience gets nixed more than occasionally. I guess it is about balance and managing all the social media tasks. I will most certainly talk more about this – because the discussion has merit and it’s an opportunity for me to dial it down a bit… and who in my social media circle would not want that!
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Testing odd looking antennas in the Victoria area · Tuesday October 9, 2012 by colin newell
What has 50 surplus Russian made ferrite rods (ferrite rods are crushed iron and resin – and little more? They look like licorice cigars and are used in AM radios… no really!)
Sections of PVC pipe?
A dozen turns of exotic insulated wire? (known in geek world as “Litz” wire…)
and a variable capacitor? (Not a flux capacitor by any stretch of the imagination.)
If you have ever taken apart a transistor radio you have likely seen some of these innards — on a much smaller scale.
But what does it do?
Well. Most of you folks know that long distance radio reception is possible on your little AM radio at night? You did not know that? Well it is.
For instance, a station in San Francisco on 810khz on the radio dial is audible from Mexico to Alaska. It is called “KGO” and it is part of the ABC radio network. You can hear it on your car radio or anything that tunes AM – no, really you can.
And unless you do not already have an AM-FM battery powered radio in your emergency kit, you should have one handy. Oh yea, internet radio is all sexy and everything but after an earthquake, the only thing you will be hearing (apart from the screams for help) is going to be low power AM and FM stations locally – running on back-up power. Forget your cell phones, cable TV and internet. None of that stuff is going to work. Be prepared.
I digress.
I am testing this gizmo (seen in the photo) It is one of about 10 ever made – and there are 9 other ones in use in North America.
What does it do? It pulls weak radio signals out of the air and boosts them for virtually any AM radio.
Believe it or not, when you are driving to work in the morning (on or about sunrise) in Victoria (or anywhere on Vancouver Island or on the West Coast) you are picking up signals that have traveled the entire distance across the Pacific ocean… from Japan, China, Korea, Australia, Hawaii, etc. Yup, they are there – but they are pretty weak most of the time. Sometimes (right around sunrise) they will be enhanced and you may hear Japanese or Korean… it happens. No cause for alarm.
The gizmo above gives them a huge boost so they become readily audible on virtually any small radio. I will produce a you-tube video in the next few days (conditions permitting) to better demonstrate what this thing can do.
But why build one? Well, it takes basic antenna principles to a bit of an extreme – for the purpose of receiving radio signals over vast distances, but also enhancing signals within a 100 mile circle… so when you absolutely positively must be able to receive a radio signal under stressful conditions. Yup, that is pretty much it.
I will be testing this gadget around the Victoria area for the next while. You may see it on top of my blue 2012 import along Dallas Rd. or in the Gonzales – King George Terrace look-out. Do not be alarmed. It is a passive receiving antenna. I am not transmitting any signals. And yes, the device looks odd and potentially scary. But not to worry. Stop. Come by. Ask for a demo.
It is all about making radio and retro electronics fun and staying safe during an Earthquake or civil defense emergency!
Life update - Hello from the other side... of a book · Tuesday September 11, 2012 by colin newell
No I have not fallen off of the Planet. Still here.
Currently working on a small book for Christmas – and I have a pretty tight deadline…
October 15th. Coming fast.
Doing a small project on profiling the top cafes of Southern Vancouver Island – up to and including Nanaimo… out to Sooke… maybe Tofino.
Here are some of the good coffee people that have made the cut – still room for more.
This, in my opinion, is the coffee winners circle for the lower Island. Take a bow folks…
Not in any order of greatness actually!
1.) Caffé Fantastico – Quadra and Kings, Dockside Green
They ratcheted up the coffee scene in Victoria to new levels and they are holding their own…
2.) Habit Coffee and Culture – Pandora Ave, Blanshard at The Atrium
One man thought this up – name of Shane – he had a singular vision and brought it to life. We thank you every day.
3.) Discovery Coffee – Discovery Street, Oak Bay Avenue and Menzies Street
Great coffee. Great whole bean. Great people. Coffee excitement and education by the barrel full.
4.) Bubby Roses Bakery & Café – Cook Street
Bakers go back way further that cafes – add great coffee to a great cafe. You are in heaven… right here in Victoria.
5.) Cornerstone Café – Fernwood and Gladstone Ave.
Funky neighborhood – funky cafe. More to say…
6.) Spiced Water – 727 Courtney Street
Their are new and bold – featured coffee roasters – mixed methods and doughnuts!
7.) 2% Jazz at the Hudson
Sure, they are at the Times-Colonist but this joint rocks the Douglas and Fisgard hood big time – and on site roasting.
8.) Bean around the World – Fisgard Street
Why not have a great cafe in the heart of China Town? and they do good cafe food too.
9.) Mirage – Blanshard Street, Yates Street and Government Street
They roast, they serve and they have lots of coffee home prep schwag!
10.) Café Artigiano – at the Bedford on Government
A Vancouver super-power in a modest sized cafe in Victoria.
11.) Fernwood Coffee at The Parsonage
The boys and girls of Fernwood coffee took a previously hum-drum cafe and brought it big time.
12.) Yoka Coffee Roasters on Mason Street
They were legend in Vancouver… and now they are old school legend here in Victoria!
13.) Broken Paddle Café – Happy Valley Road, Metchosin
Quirky fun in the middle of no where!
14.) Sooke – Stick in the Mud Café – Eustace Rd.
Owned by a rock star – serving rock star worthy coffee… for everyone!
15.)Cobble Hill – Drumroaster Coffee Cowichan Bay Road
Best of the best – more reliable than gravity.
16.) Gulf Islands Coffee Roasters – High Street, Ladysmith
Started as a modified hair dryer roasting coffee – and now BIGGER!
17.) Mon Petit Choux – Commercial St. Nanaimo
Drumroaster coffee and amazing baked stuff!
