HOME --- DAVINCI LAB- --- GENEALOGY ---  --- ---

A Robotic Thanksgiving Break

    November 19, 2011

I've brought the robot drive train home to get a handle on the programming, electronics, hardware before we start our build season. Always easier to teach the students if I know what I'm doing myself.

First went over the robot to make sure hardware was working, found two bad speed controllers and had to replace them. Also found sketchy electrical connections and some misdirection in the programming code. After a few hours of fiddling, the wheels are turning in the right direction. Now onto the rotation.

---

Downward Trend?

    April 16, 2011

OK, so I was beginning to wonder if my theory was a load of crap. All of my recent games had been fairly even, I had an upward trend going, not dramatic, but steady.

There there was the game this morning where I got blown out. The tile elf seemed to have it in for me this game, or was that just the way the tiles fell. Is the universe telling me I should have stayed working in the garden this morning or otherwise using my time better? Does it really matter?

So will my downward trend continue? How far will it go? Is it me? Is it the computer? Now that it has been stated I expect to go on a losing binge, will that affect the outcome, create a self fulling prophecy? Does it matter? Do I really care? Not really, Is it interested fodder to consider, alas yes. All posibilities still exist, but can I influence the outcome?

---

Graphing My Scrabble Ranking

    March 29, 2011

Spent some time yesterday and today creating a graph where I can look at my scrabble ranking over time. I spend most of my time in the 900's, with occasional forays into the 800's and the 1000's and above. 1000 is a psychological barrier I have trouble staying above. Guess if I want it bad enough I'll have to work for it. This was a fund project to figure out how to do this. Each day I can enter in my score, doesn't look very pretty now, but I will keep refining it.

If my thoughts about this game are right we should see wild swings up and down. Real data to back up what may be my imagination swinging wildly up and down.

Click on the image to the right for a better view.

---

Lessons Learned From Scrabble

    March 28, 2011

Not much of a secret I enjoy a game of scrabble. I like to think that since it involves words and strategy it is somehow elevated in possible past times. While it may be better than many other possible choices I still regard it as a guilty pleasure, one that can,if not kept in check can become adictive.

I like to win, who doesn't, but can't claim very victory as my own as there is a strong element of luck involved. Take the game to the left. I had the Q, Z, J, both blanks, and an s. Hard to lose (although I've done it) when the tiles are stacked in your favor. Did I deserve that degree of luck, did I do something right and am being rewarded for it? Did my opponent kick his/her cat this morning and is being punished. Is it totally random? No such thing as random except at the quantum level, I'm told. Maybe there are degrees of randomness? That's kind of like degrees of pregnancy, so what is it? Maybe the secrets to the universe lie in a good game of scrabble. I think that'

---

Scrabble Theory #3

    March 6, 2011

So far my theories have all had to do with something outside myself. The tile fairy has it in for me or the stars are out of alignment. This theory pulls it closer to home, that is

I get the letters I deserve

. This is the first theory I actually have control over. By making good choices, leading a good clean life, I can somehow effect the letters that come to me. Good things come to those who do good. Of all my theories, this has got to be the lamest. Tons of rotten people have all sorts of good fortune visited on them and there are good people who live in situations with little hope. Still maybe if I promise to floss every day I get the QJX and Z, and maybe even a blank or two?

---

Scrabble Theory #2

    March 3, 2011

My second theory on winning vs losing Scrabble:
Sometimes you just have a bad day
Some days seem better than others for no apparent reason. I hit all the green lights driving to work, unexpected check comes in the mail, my fingers don't fumble when I pratice the pipes and I hit all the notes right, I get all the right letters, plus both blanks playing scrabble. Nice surprises everywhere, and then there are the days that are the exact opposite, you know what I mean.

Why is this? I don't believe in astrology or other such things that could be used to explain it. The planets lined up correctly... I don't buy it, but I really don't have a good explanation. Today was a good day, I won two games, I'm all caught up at work and machines behaved themselves today, 'Social Network' came in and is on hold at the library waiting for me. Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket? I don't think so.

---

Theories on Scrabble

    February 27, 2011

I have some theories on Scrabble play. I play a fair amount on one at the Internet Scrabble Server, playing against nice folks with similar ability. I win more than I lose just barely. What confounds me are the obvious streaks that seem to run in my play. The win/loss pattern doesn't seem random enough. I win 8-10 games in a row, build up my ego and then come crashing down with 8-10 losses in a row. I've wondered why this is, it seems more logical I should win a couple, lose a couple when playing against people at my level. Sometimes it seems god, or at least the tile fairy, is intentionally playing games with me. How else can I explain a rack with the following letters:

 

iiiiuul

 

If that isn't a sign someone is out to get me I don't know what is. So scrabble theory #1: Some higher power is screwing with me and having a good time doing it. More theories to come later. Wonder if there is a life lesson to be had here?

---

Marie Antoinette Lives

    February 23, 2011

Another year, another robot, affectionately named Marie by the students. This year's team was larger and more enthusiastic than ever and wore me down to the bone. The robot is bagged and tagged and sitting in the shop. We still have work to do and a short six weeks minus a spring break to get it done. We'll take a breather and then address some minor and some not so minor issues to get ready for the April 7-9 competition. Each year it becomes less and less about the robot and more about the learning. Congrats Shazbots!

---

My Name, is it really that hard to remember?

    October 31, 2010

I find it curious that many people shorten my name from David to Dave.

Except for a short stint in high school (when I believed Dave sounded cooler), I've always introduced myself as David. There was a time in college when I was Davey, and I'd actually be ok with that as that is closer as to how my name would be pronounced in Gaelic, which speaks to my heritage.

David is Hebrew for beloved and the name of a king. I don't believe it was King Dave who wrote the Psalms.

I think people think they are being friendly by calling me Dave, but it seems a more friendly thing to do to actually learn how someone prefers to be called and use that. I've let it go by for a long time, but believe that is going to change and plan to start correcting people.

---

Great Week in Chicago

    July 24, 2010

Spent last week in Chicago studying architecture, specifically tall buildings. During the day we had lectures, tours. Fantastic week of professional development offered by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Chicago Architectural foundation. Can't wait to try out some new ideas with Monarch design dtudents this coming school year.

---

Shazbots win awards at Colorado Regional!

    March 28, 2010

The Monarch High School FIRST robotics team won two awards at the Colorado FIRST Robotics competition March 25-27 at the University of Denver.

The Shazbots won the Best Website award which can be viewed at shazbots.org.

They also won Gracious Professionalism™ Award sponsored by Johnson & Johnson. This award celebrates outstanding sportsmanship and gracious professionalism in the heat of competition, both on and off the playing field.

Participation has paid off big time for many of the student members. Members of this year's senior class have been accepted at MIT, Case Western Reserve University, Gonzaga and other top ranked schools. Twom members of the team are headed to the Johnson Space Center this summer in Houston where they will serve as paid interns with NASA.

---

archived posts