A Mega Man DIY

I don't know about you, but growing up Mega Man was my game. I love the little guy.
From the bad Gameboy graphics to the still-bad-but-a-little-less bad graphics of Playstation I could play any Mega Man for hours.
Naturally I wanted a memento to decorate my room with, something simple but impressive.
If you're bored at home, have some glue and construction paper, and maybe 8-10 hours, go for it.

Step 1: PLAN

You've got to know what you want the end result to look like or you'll be up shit's creek not without a paddle, but with a million little useless paper squares all over the place.
Count how many squares you need of each color. Determine a proper measurement so you aren't making an Eiffel Tower hanger. I believe these are 2in x 2in.

 

Step 2: Template

Now of course I'm didn't build this directly on my wall, so grab yourself a poster board.

Measure measure measure. Don't think about cutting the poster yet, it won't be perfect in the end due to some human error, so you don't want to lop off a part you may need.
As long as you don't have Parkinson's it'll come out just fine.

Step 3: Cut some squares and start gluing

Make more squares than you need, especially if you have a mischievous cat.

Rubber cement is an excellent medium for getting these things to stay in place, with enough time between drying to remove and reposition.

Admire (but mostly check) your work every so often.

Step 4: Checks

Rubber cement likes to get nasty when it's dry. Too many mess-ups could cost you your project, be diligent and know which color is next.

Looks nice coming together.

Step 5:

Last but not least, cut the poster to the edges of your squares. It'll look a lot better handing on the wall like this. Leave a small amount at the top to stick a push-pin in so you don't ruin your beautiful work.

AND there you have it! The perfect nostalgic weekend project.  

Total cost: DOES IT MATTER??

Dip, and all that that implies.

Alright, time to give my perspective on dip.
I'd just like to say that I'm a Skoal man, straight if I can get it in pouches.
Here and there I like to try other kinds and see if anything new floats my boat. As I do this it becomes increasingly apparent that Skoal is probably as good as it's going to get.
Tried Copenhagen, seemed waaaay too bold for my style. Don't get me wrong I love a good campfire, riding on anything with wheels and a motor, and the great outdoors, but it's a bit much.
Naturally, when I saw an 80 cent trial sized pack of TimberWolf.. I had to have it. 80 CENTS WAS TOO MUCH! Worst buy with dip I've ever had. It's powdery and dry, like Jack Links beef jerky chew.
Skoal it is for me, and a fair warning to all of you.

Heat Pump Efficiency

Well, this profession sure has its ups and downs.

After reviewing the Carnot heat engine and doing a few calculations, it really is genius how engineers analyze the efficiency of various heat pumps, etc. 11 pages of thermodynamics work absolutely kills. I'd recommend for anyone interested in math to check it out.