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rantings & ravings (december 2021)

these are opinions, the only ones that matter (to me, mine), on both various stuffs and various things.


lego_collection_x_target_minifigure_astronaut_plush

lego collection x target minifigure astronaut plush

friday, december 10th (human rights day)

lego collection x target minifigure astronaut plush

maravilloso! mi hermano encontré este pequeño azul amigo.

*ahem*

spaaace! [echoing.]


hockey_returns

hockey returns!

friday, december 10th (human rights day)

i can't quite recall prior to this, though, since i landed this job that i have now in seattle, the wings/avs game, since the wings moved to the east, the avs would host in spring, more specifically in march, while the wings would host in the fall/winter.  for some reason unknown to me, during the 2019/2020 season, the avs were hosting in january, mlk jr day specifically.  so, in addition to a change in recent tradition, it would also be a day game... during the week, 13:00.  i was actually a bit peeved at it all at the time.  and then the game happened new window internal link... ugh.

i had no idea that 51 days later, the world was going to end... "officially".  looking back at it all, i was grateful for the change in scheduling as it would be 639 days later still until i would attend another wings/avs game.

the 2020/2021 season was... well, it was.  given the travel restrictions, temporary nhl division realignment, and revised game scheduling, even if i could have attended a game, there would be no wings/avs game to even attend.  well, unless playoffs... so, there would be no wings/avs game to even attend.

detroit red wings vs. colorado avalanche, december 10th, 2021

click image to enlarge new window internal link.  detroit red wings vs. colorado avalanche, december 10th, 2021.

the 2021/2022 season marks a return to normalcy, at least with respect to nhl schedules.  this time, december would be when the avs would host the wings, on the 10th.  yup, that game happened.  it wasn't about the game.  and like the game prior, there were moments.  this time, more so than in the past, it wasn't about the game, it was about sharing that experience of the game with the people i was with.  that's what it was about.

omfg! darren helm scored! :-( he's an av now... i've mixed emotions about that.

one thing worth noting, i was able to use my washington state digital proof of vaccination to enter, *sigh*, ball arena.  what is it now, the jar? it was the can since pepsi used to have the naming rights to that arena.  thheeenn againnn... pepsi cans have the ball logo printed on them since ball makes those cans too.  well, not the same ball that has the naming rights, but, they license their name to the company they spun off that makes the jars and cans.  sooo... can it just still be called the can then? hmm?


rapid_phone_chargers

rapid phone chargers

tuesday, december 7th (national pearl harbor remembrance day)

after hearing about them for a bit but not having access to one for testing, i pondered rapid phone chargers.  hearing things like 17 watt or 18 watt chargers and thinking how the hell that was possible, unless either the voltage being kicked out was high and/or the available amperage was significant.  i'm still thinking in terms of usb-a from a computer, five volts at 500 milliamps (max), 2.5 watts.  though, all the usb charging infrastructure i have around me integrated into surge protectors is 2.4 amps, and that's 12 watts.  i once looked into charging lithium batteries "easily" when i was working on solar powering the lego technic set 8043 (motorized excavator).  compared to the simplicity of charging nickel-metal hydride batteries, there was no "easily" for charging lithium batteries.  once while mariposa was visiting, she exclaimed how quickly my surge protector usb ports were charging her phone.  she was attributing it to the cable, but i refuted, citing the wattage (by way of the available amperage), suggesting she was using older chargers perhaps.  maybe it was just a shit cable she had been using.  i don't know.  anyway....

i just bought a 17 watt usb power adapter.  let's try it! i'm skeptical given its cost and having no experience with one of these "new fangled" usb phone chargers.  i plug it in and charge the new cell phone, using a usb-a to a usb-c cable.  nothing exciting.  i check the battery charging status and it indicates it's charging, but not charging rapidly.  so, i test the new usb power adapter with my existing inline usb multimeter which doesn't support usb-c.  yeah... this is no better/worse than the surge protector.

the brain hamsters go back to work after their union mandated break and it becomes apparent.  the reason the oem supplied usb phone charger was an ac to dc adapter with a usb-c output port and a usb-c to usb-c cable was that rapid charging is a function of usb-c supplied power.  i then try the oem supplied phone charger and what do you know, the phone now indicates that it's charging rapidly.  oh, look at that!

once the usb-c supported usb multimeter arrived, i decided to test both power adapters.  the results are surprising (or at least they are to me).

oem usb power adapter

click an image to enlarge new window internal linkleft: oem usb power adapter (back); right: usb multimeter.

oem usb power adapter usb multimeter

the oem supplied usb power adapter has two output ratings, five volts at three amps (15 watts) and nine volts at two amps (18 watts).  when i took a measurement, it was supplying 9.15 volts and the phone was drawing 1.95 amps.

new usb power adapter

click an image to enlarge new window internal linkleft: new usb power adapter (front); center: new usb power adapter (back); right: usb multimeter.

new usb power adapter (front) new usb power adapter (back) usb multimeter

the new usb power adapter has an output rating of five volts at 3.4 amps.  when i took a measurement, it was supplying 4.94 volts and drawing 2.54 amps.  despite being about that of the output on the surge protectors, it still indicates rapid charging.

i also observed a weird behavior that i only just prior to it happening learned about while reading about rapid charging.  once while monitoring the power output from an adapter, i noticed the amperage draw drop considerable to nearly non-existent, though, the phone's battery had only charged 80%.  this was due to the adaptive charging.  had i not prior knowledge of this, i'd have been most confused (and wasted time troubleshooting a non-existent problem).  i'm sure if i bothered to rtfm i'd already be aware of this feature.


things_i_bought_online_55

things i bought online #55

saturday, december 4th (national cookie day)

umm... i still need more cables, more!

additionally, it is needed, a cable/adapter kit case for my go bag and my travel bag.  oh oh oh, it's an in-line usb multimeter that supports usb-c connections, also needed, you know?

thingfrom whereskuhow manyhow much (each)
amazon basics double braided nylon usb-c to usb-c 3.1 gen 1 cable with power delivery (5 gbps) | 3 feet, red amazon basics double braided nylon usb-c to usb-c 3.1 gen 1 cable with power delivery (5 gbps) | 3 feet, redamazonb07d7szcv6 new window external link1$16.89 usd
usb tester type c meter - usb digital multimeter amperage power capacity reader & usb c current voltmeter & voltage monitor tester & amp amperage charging usb detector checker dc 0-30v/0-6.5a usb tester type c meter - usb digital multimeter amperage power capacity reader & usb c current voltmeter & voltage monitor tester & amp amperage charging usb detector checker dc 0-30v/0-6.5aamazonb07dctg6lh new window external link1$15.99 usd
portapow usb-c data blocker (twin pack) portapow usb-c data blocker (twin pack)amazonb099f521jz new window external link1$12.99 usd
amazon basics 1 foot nylon usb-c to usb-c 3.1 gen 1 cable with power delivery (5 gbps), red amazon basics 1 foot nylon usb-c to usb-c 3.1 gen 1 cable with power delivery (5 gbps), redamazonb07d7nlkkm new window external link1$11.32 usd
electronic organizer, bubm travel cable bag/usb drive shuttle case/ electronics accessory organizer for home office-grey electronic organizer, bubm travel cable bag/usb drive shuttle case/ electronics accessory organizer for home office-greyamazonb01ipjpgw4 new window external link1$10.99 usd

including tax, i paid $87.29 usd.  shipping is free since i've amazon prime.  i'll say it again, this little shitaddsupdammnnn!


things_i_bought_online_54

things i bought online #54

wednesday, december 1st (world aids day; hump day)

now with my new cell phone (still lacking a nickname, let alone a catchy one, for it), i have five usb-c things, a pulse oximeter, a laptop, a rpi4b, and a rpi0w being the other four.  my cable/adapter kits in various bags don't have any usb-c cables.  apart from the cable that was included with the pulse oximeter, the only other usb-c cables i have are to power the rpi boxen (and likely have spare of each one used but whatever).  i also need a travel charger, preferably one that can support plugging in a usb-a or usb-c cable.

so... bought such things i have.

thingfrom whereskuhow manyhow much (each)
amazon basics double braided nylon usb-c to usb-c 3.1 gen 1 cable with power delivery (5 gbps) | 3 feet, red amazon basics double braided nylon usb-c to usb-c 3.1 gen 1 cable with power delivery (5 gbps) | 3 feet, redamazonb07d7szcv6 new window external link1$16.89 usd
amazon basics double braided nylon usb type-c to type-a 3.1 gen 1 charger cable | 1 foot, red amazon basics double braided nylon usb type-c to type-a 3.1 gen 1 charger cable | 1 foot, redamazonb07d7sl6l9 new window external link1$11.52 usd
cable matters 17w 3a usb c charger combo with usb-a cable matters 17w 3a usb c charger combo with usb-aamazonb076ctwy17 new window external link2$5.99 usd
amazon basics 1 foot nylon usb-c to usb-c 3.1 gen 1 cable with power delivery (5 gbps), red amazon basics 1 foot nylon usb-c to usb-c 3.1 gen 1 cable with power delivery (5 gbps), redamazonb07d7nlkkm new window external link1$11.15 usd
amazon basics double braided nylon usb type-c to type-a 3.1 gen 1 charger cable | 3 feet, red amazon basics double braided nylon usb type-c to type-a 3.1 gen 1 charger cable | 3 feet, redamazonb07d7s93ch new window external link1$12.43 usd
portapow 3.3ft data block usb-a to usb-c cable portapow 3.3ft data block usb-a to usb-c cableamazonb07d9qtdj8 new window external link4$6.99 usd

including tax, i paid $101.35 usd.  shipping is free since i've amazon prime.  this little shitaddsupdamn!

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