Here’s a short little camera hack for those of you having trouble with re-charging the flash by adding an external battery.  It might be a hack but it will work if you are shooting photos in long sessions.

If you’ve been shooting with a flash for a while, I’m sure you had some battery problem or another at least once. Like when one of four batteries goes bad and quickly discharges the other three. Or when it’s cold and the batteries don’t hold their charge so well anymore. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could have a more reliable source of power? One that virtually lasts for ever (well, not forever, but for a darn long time).

via make, DIY Page

This might not be for all of you but for those Linuxers out there, here’s an example of how to setup your mirror:

(Mirror is a way of replicating one server to another btw if you didn’t know.)

To download the mirrors I use this script:
<script sync_mirror.sh>

#!/bin/bash
OPTIONS="--nosource --progress --postcleanup --ignore-release-gpg --ignore-small-errors --pdiff=none";
MIRROR=`basename ${0} | cut -f2 -d "_"`
DEST="/home/debian-mirror"
case "${MIRROR}" in
        "debian" )
                METHOD="--method=http"
                HOST="--host=ftp.de.debian.org"
                ROOT="--root=debian"
                DIST="--dist=etch,etch-proposed-updates"
                ARCH="--arch=i386"
                SECTION="--section=main,contrib,non-free"
                DEST="${DEST}/debian/"
                ;;
       "security" )
               METHOD="--method=ftp"
               HOST="--host=security.debian.org"
               ROOT="--root=/debian-security/"
               DIST="--dist=etch/updates"
               ARCH="--arch=i386"
               SECTION="--section=main,contrib,non-free"
               DEST="${DEST}/debian-security/"
               ;;
        "volatile" )
                METHOD="--method=http"
                HOST="--host=volatile.debian.org"
                ROOT="--root=debian-volatile"
                DIST="--dist=etch/volatile"
                ARCH="--arch=i386"
                SECTION="--section=main,contrib,non-free"
                DEST="${DEST}/debian-volatile/"
                ;;
        "multimedia" )
                METHOD="--method=http"
                HOST="--host=www.debian-multimedia.org"
                ROOT="--root=/"
                DIST="--dist=etch"
                ARCH="--arch=i386"
                SECTION="--section=main"
                DEST="${DEST}/debian-multimedia/"
                ;;
        "backports" )
                METHOD="--method=http"
                HOST="--host=www.backports.org"
                ROOT="--root=debian"
                DIST="--dist=etch-backports"
                ARCH="--arch=i386"
                SECTION="--section=main,contrib,non-free"
                DEST="${DEST}/debian-backports/"
                ;;
        * )
                echo "${0} called incorrectly"
                exit
                ;;
esac
debmirror ${OPTIONS} ${METHOD} ${HOST} ${ROOT} ${DIST} ${ARCH} ${SECTION} ${DEST}

</script sync_mirror.sh>

To setup the permissions I use this script:
<script permissions.sh>

#!/bin/bash
MIRROR=`basename ${0} | cut -f2 -d "_"`
DEST="/home/debian-mirror"
case "${MIRROR}" in
        "debian" )
                DEST="${DEST}/debian/"
                ;;
        "security" )
                DEST="${DEST}/debian-security/"
                ;;
        "volatile" )
                DEST="${DEST}/debian-volatile/"
                ;;
        "multimedia" )
                DEST="${DEST}/debian-multimedia/"
                ;;
        "backports" )
                DEST="${DEST}/debian-backports/"
                ;;
        * )
                echo "${0} called incorrectly"
                exit
                ;;
esac
echo "Setting Ownership"
chown -R www-data:www-data ${DEST}
echo "Setting File Permissions"
chmod -R 660 ${DEST}
echo "Setting Folder Permissions"
find ${DEST} -type d -exec chmod 770 {} \;

</script permissions.sh>

And then to pull it all together I have thefollowing directory structure (mirrors left out as it’s a ling list of files)

/home/debian-mirror/
|-- debian
|-- debian-backports
|-- debian-multimedia
|-- debian-security
|-- debian-volatile
|-- scripts
|   |-- permissions.sh
|   `-- sync_mirror.sh
`-- scripts.d
    |-- mirror_backports -> ../scripts/sync_mirror.sh
    |-- mirror_debian -> ../scripts/sync_mirror.sh
    |-- mirror_multimedia -> ../scripts/sync_mirror.sh
    |-- mirror_security -> ../scripts/sync_mirror.sh
    |-- mirror_volatile -> ../scripts/sync_mirror.sh
    |-- permissions_backports -> ../scripts/permissions.sh
    |-- permissions_debian -> ../scripts/permissions.sh
    |-- permissions_multimedia -> ../scripts/permissions.sh
    |-- permissions_security -> ../scripts/permissions.sh
    `-- permissions_volatile -> ../scripts/permissions.sh

And then I just setup a cronjob:

0 0     * * 0   root    /bin/run-parts --verbose /home/debian-mirror/scripts.d | /usr/bin/mailx -s "`uname -n` - Debian mirror sync completed" root

This was to disable the mirroring of one of the repositories I just need to remove the symlink from the scripts.d folder

via nighthawk

Here’s an incredible speaker hack that involves a styrofoam plate in the making of a hi-fidelity speaker.

As you can see on the picture, I did use a foam plate. I tried other materials and I found the best quality of the sound is produced by a lightweight material but strong enough to avoid excessive vibration. Paper plates are too soft, plastic disposable plates produces excessive vibration.

via eksith, DIY Page

Here’s a guy who managed to come up with an iPhone stand out of paper clips.  He’s even providing printable sketch sheet for those of you who want to make one.

It looks pretty simple, brilliant idea.  They could sell these with different colors of paint or somethin’

Get the template here. Print it out with your favorite PDF reader. Be sure not to stretch the document. If you have a ruler, do a reality check to make sure the document didn’t get resized when printed.  When the paper clip is straightened out, it should be the same length as the grey line in the template.  A pair of pliers will make your job a lot easier.

via lifehacker, DIY Page

Did you just happen to buy a giant fish tank for your shark that you caught the other day?  Well, if you want to put that fish tank by your bed, you will need to make a fish tank stand and here’s how to make one.

I don’t have any production pictures, but it should you show the general idea on how to assemble a very sturdy stand. It’s pretty simple to build, because it kind of squares itself.

I got the idea off of another member on here. It’s also the same design as my 120 and 220.

via make, DIY Page

Kimchi is a traditional food in Korea, lettuce marinated in spices with vegetables, fish sauce, and more.  Kimchi is a great way to get all your vitamins while keeping your stomach filled with good bacteria that your body needs.

There’s also many varieties and types of kimchees with different ingredient depending on what region of Korea the kimchee-maker is from.  (This is due to the number of different regions/countries Korea used to have/has.)

The above pic actually illustrates a big pot that people make right at the beginning of winter.  Once the pot is filled with marinated Kimchee, it is stuck under the freezing-snow for 3 months.  Once that’s done, you got some really good Kimchee.  Nowdays, they have Kimchee fridges that do this, which you can also pick up at the Korean market for around $1000 to $3000.

Just an advice: If you want to buy some authentic Kimchi, buy Kimchi from a Korean market, don’t buy the ones from Safeway, Chinese market, etc…etc…  Well, that’s if you want the real Kimchi, not some crappy copycat that’s going to taste horrible.  Just an advice from someone who knows Kimchi inside out.

Oh yeah, if you want to pick up on Kimchee girls, you will have to learn to master the taste of Kimchee, they will be impressed for sheezy.

Here’s a cool set of pics I picked up on Flickr the other day, directly from the Kimchee Museum in Korea.

Tightly wrap the stuffed cabbages with the trimmed off outer leaves and put them in an earthenware pot for the fermentation process and storage.

via flickr

More resource on how to make Kimchi:

How to Make Kimchi

How to Make Kimchi on Youtube(This one I recommend)

How to Make Kimchi by Soosun Oh

With the gas prices these days, it makes sense that you do your part to help cut down on energy costs.

Here’s a couple tips for green commuting:

1. If you drive an SUV or anything that guzzles gas more than 20MPG, you should really either get a smaller vehicle for commuting or take public transportation.

2. If you want to have fun while saving gas, try getting yourself a motorcycle such as the Suzuki GSX-R1000 pictured above, you will get 50MPG+ on every commute to work while being able to cut through dense traffic.  (In California, it’s legal to drive between cars, of course, this isn’t super safe but pretty safe if you are in a dead-stop traffic.)  This is the method I used to use when I had a 9 to 5 (8 to 5 actually) job.

Electric cars are great but they still get you stuck in traffic with its massive body, a bike is probably the most efficient way to get around without having to spend more time in public transportation or dead-stop traffic.

3. Public transportation is great for saving some money and you can relax while going to work.  Even better, get a netbook equipped with a broadband card then you can surf the web while going to work.  Map out the shortest public route using Google’s bus route feature.  (I use this on my Blackberry on the go if I am taking buses in San Francisco and works great for real-time adjustments)

4. Move to an urban area with lots of people and public transportation, preferably a metrolpolitan city such as San Francisco or New York.  If you are going to live in LA, you will have to suffer the consequences of bad traffic and long travels between “anything”.  Avoid cities where you must drive a lot or in constant traffic.

Metropolitan cities dense with population usually means short walking distances to most things in life such as groceries, retail shops, etc…etc…  On an average, people in big cities save more energy since a big percentage of people use transportation and are also more green-conscious.

I have to admit to living in a suburban neighborhood where it took 5 miles to get to 7-eleven or even a gas station, that’s a big waste anytime you want to do something.

If you really feel you can’t be a city slicker, you will need to get the Suzuki Gixxer man…

5. If you job can be done from your home computer, ask your boss if you can work from home at least once a week.  Everybody’s doing this and if your boss says no, he’s called an A-hole.

6. If you do drive your car, make a short to-do list of where and what so you get everything done efficiently.

7. Turn your electronic devices off when not in use such as the cable box, lights, etc…etc…

8. STAY AWAY FROM TRAFFIC whenever possible.  Always schedule yourself to stay out of rush traffic hours.

I used to go to work 5 in the morning just so I could avoid traffic, you should too since early bird eats the worm.

Well, I am sure there’s more stuff you can do, it’s really common sense and trying to help earth will also help your life.

Here’s a cool DIY on how to turn your rear projection TV (or DLPTV) into a 100-inch cinema screen by ripping the front of your TV and adding a bigger screen further away.

I do like it but I assume that the video quality will degrade when doing this so don’t blame me because everything gets bigger after this hack.

I bought Sony KDFE50A10 rear projection TV that has 50″ screen. After an year or so, I started to feel like the screen size is shrinking, really, ask any one who has a big screen TV. I wanted to buy a projector and have 100″ screen. But with more than $2500 already invested, the WAF (Wife Approval Factor) is zero. So, I have been thinking to convert this RPTV into a rear projector, but I couldn’t find any help on the net.

via hackaday, DIY PAGE

Click Here to View in Full Screen Mode

Check out this DIY on how to use your tow hook as a digital camera mount.  This will be good for those of you speed racers out there who can’t get enough digital footage of your own car.

Now, I’d like to see someone put this on a Tow Hook on a SUV to get some backdoor footage too.

What this is good for: autox, backroads, a camera you don’t care that much about.
What is it not good for: on the track (you need the tow hook operational duh!), in the dirt (might work, but the camera might die), snow (see dirt).

Warning: Some people have claimed that in an accident the tow hook will prevent the airbags from deploying properly. I haven’t tested this, be warned that this may or may not be the case and there is some risk involved with this.

via make, DIY Page