Blinkstick – a single pixel controlled by USB

Posted on December 24, 2013 by Brian Gallimore

I ordered 2 blinkstick kits a while back — they came in today!  I dug out the soldering iron and assembled them.  Within a few minutes I had the blinkstick python libraries installed on my computer.  Now I’m wondering what gEEky task I’m going to make these LEDs do.

blinkstick 1.1 in kit form on the left, assembled on the right
diodes and resistors in place
all components soldered
issue the info command and they report their serial number
issue command to set color to random
2 blinksticks set to random color

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Subversion (svn) on shared web host (bluehost) and Linux client setup

Posted on December 22, 2013 by Brian Gallimore

This explains how to configure and use a Subversion client from a GNU/Linux box*  to connect to a Subversion server on a shared web host account.  (bluehost.com)  If you have already set up a shared key for password-less ssh access (see use ssh without a password post), then step 3 can be omitted, but step 3 is useful in case you want to give other people access to a repository on the web host server without giving them full ssh access.

* = I’m guessing any flavor of *nix will work– I use LinuxMint, which is based on Ubuntu

Steps 1 to 3 are performed from the web server (a ssh session to the server)

Step 1 Check to make sure Subversion is installed, or install it.

[~]# svn --version
svn, version 1.7.4 (r1295709)
 compiled Apr 5 2012, 16:46:24

Continue reading →

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use ssh without a password

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Brian Gallimore

Use a public/private key pair to avoid having to type in your password every time you open up a ssh session:

1- Generate a keypair, install the public key on the server and ‘authorize’ it.

2- Copy the private key(s) to the ‘~/.ssh’ directory on your local machine.

3- Set the permission of your private key files to no access for group and world.  (600)

brian@Mint13desktop ~/.ssh $ ls -l
-rw------- 1 brian brian 1743 Dec 19 20:40 id_dsa
-rw------- 1 brian brian 1768 Dec 19 21:28 known_hosts
-rw------- 1 brian brian 1424 Jun 1 2013 known_hosts.old

4- Edit ‘/etc/ssh/ssh_config’ with a line starting with ‘IdentityFile’ for each of your private keys

 IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_dsa

5- connect without having to type a password!

brian@Mint13desktop ~ $ ssh username@briangallimore.com
Last login: Thu Dec 19 20:28:15 2013 from ****.net
username@briangallimore.com [~]#

(local computer is LinuxMint 13, remote is Linux web host)

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Use Logix GSV WallClockTime for Pulse Bit

Posted on December 16, 2013 by Brian Gallimore

If you are using the AB ControlLogix platform and want a bit to cycle on and off at a consistent rate, you can address one of the bits of the register that represents the clock microseconds.  (GSV WallClockTime)  The register containing the microseconds is the 7th element in the array:

Screenshot from 2013-12-16 16:16:07

The scan time of the PLC will dictate how fast the register will update.  I was running under 1ms and the periods longer than 8ms were measurable.

Screenshot from 2013-12-16 16:15:55

Reference the bit with the desired period you want to trigger off of:

Screenshot from 2013-12-16 15:54:21

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Gallimore Family Pictures – December 2013

Posted on December 15, 2013 by Brian Gallimore
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Thankful for Liberty

Posted on November 28, 2013 by Brian Gallimore

The story below tells an alternate history of the first thanksgiving, one I believe is more meaningful and unfortunately not likely to be passed along in an era when the politically correct narrative rules.  The words below are from Michael Quinn Sullivan‘s recent newsletter.

QUOTING…  “Freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people.” — Ronald Reagan

As we gather with family and friends this week to celebrate Thanksgiving, it’s a good time to reflect on what our ancestors were truly thankful for, on that very first thanksgiving.

Interestingly, the real story of Thanksgiving isn’t found in the syrupy-sweet stories of our youth. Instead, it’s that our earliest settlers decided to reject socialism’s central planning and embrace liberty. It’s a decision we must similarly make every day.

Continue reading →

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Canada’s Top Ten List of America’s Stupidity

Posted on November 3, 2013 by Brian Gallimore

10) Only in America … could Democrat politicians talk about the greed of
the rich at a $35,000.00 a plate campaign fund-raising event.
9) Only in America … could people claim that the government still
discriminates against black Americans when they have a black President, a
black Attorney General and roughly 20% of the federal workforce is black
while only 14% of the population is black. 40% of all federal entitlements
go to black Americans – 3X the rate that go to whites, 5X the rate that go
to Hispanics!
8) Only in America … could they have had the two people most responsible
for our tax code, Democrat Timothy Geithner (the head of the Treasury
Department) and Democrat Charles Rangel (who once ran the Ways and Means
Committee), BOTH turn out to be tax cheats who are in favor of higher taxes.
7) Only in America … can they have terrorists kill people in the name of
Allah and have the media primarily react by fretting that Muslims might be
harmed by the backlash. Continue reading →

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Pics and Memes – October 3, 2013

Posted on October 3, 2013 by Brian Gallimore

This gallery contains 15 photos.

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Why Are So Many Violent Criminals Walking Free?

Posted on October 2, 2013 by Brian Gallimore

via “Why Are So Many Violent Criminals Walking Free?” | LearnLiberty – YouTube.

 

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You Have Rights – the Government has Privilages

Posted on October 1, 2013 by Brian Gallimore

(go to 6m43s mark)

“All of our political problems in the United States are based on the fact that Americans do not understand the difference between rights and privileges”

Posted in Politics | Tagged , | 1 Comment