“General” collection
Access a diverse collection of miscellaneous technology reviews, specialized DIY tool assessments, and unique lifestyle articles. From niche electrical equipment to general digital organization tips, this section covers the broad spectrum of a tech-focused life.
HTD Tech Briefs
View all →January 27, 2013
Are You Ready For Some Football and the Next Episode of the Cast of Dads Podcast?
I simply love this time of year, that of the football playoffs and the biggest game of the year, the Super Bowl! While I don' t have that much time to really follow sports, I have spent the past 35 years in the San Francisco Bay Area and consequently am a San Francisco 49ers fan (and SF Giants as well…
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January 23, 2013
Holy Crap, I’m 45 Today! And Toasting with a Glass of Water
I have no qualms about telling my age. In fact, most of the time I can't remember how old I actually am. I have to plug in my birthdate into some sort of age calculator. Is that a sign of old age? Today I turn...uh...wait, right! 45. I'm five years over the hump. 40 is the hump right? Or is…
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January 11, 2013
How To Disable Java in Chrome, Firefox, Safari & Internet Explorer on Mac OS or Windows to Prevent 0-Day Exploit
If you have been reading any of the Technical publications online, you will probably know that there is currently an exploit in Java that affects most internet browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer on systems that have Java installed. This is being called a zero-day or 0-day exploit which essentially means that there is a security vulnerability in…
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January 11, 2013
A New Year Means New Security & a Google Nexus 7-Inch Multi-Tablet Twitter Party Giveaway with Trend Micro – #SecureNewYear
I am hoping that this New Year is already off to a great start for all of you, apart from my plumbing issues and a flu-ridden child, our family has been enjoying 2013 thus far. And as most of the celebrations should have died down by now, here's one more that you might want to attend. For the past year,…
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January 10, 2013
A New Respect for Plumbers, Learning from Trade Professionals and The Zen of Snaking Out a Sewage Line
I have a bit of a "crappy" story to tell. Literally. And it doesn't have to do with technology, it involves sewage. I believe that the house that I own has plumbing possessed by Mother Nature. Ever since we have owned our home, there is an annual tradition (sometimes more than once a year) where we have to call out…
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January 9, 2013
iOS Apps & Backups are Hogging Up Your Hard Drive – How To Easily Free Up Disk Space
I don't know about you but I am always looking for ways to clear up my laptop's precious free hard drive space. I have tools that clean caches, temporary files, language files, logs and files in my trash. But I never seem to get ahead of the game. I probably never will but a periodic cleaning is always an important…
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January 7, 2013
Jumping Into January – What I’m Missing & What I’m Not and Why It’s Relevant
Who would have believed what a busy month January 2013 would be. As is customary for me, I can barely see the end of my nose, the end of the day or the end of an article. How the heck can I look through a month and plan ahead? Honestly, I wish that I had actually planned ahead a bit…
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December 28, 2012
13 Security Resolutions for 2013 – Follow Them or Get Hacked!
With just a few hours left in 2012, it's time to think about ways to make 2013 an even better year. I'm sure that all of you are planning on going to the gym about 20 times a day, or eliminating all fat from your diet, or working to become Time Magazine's Person of the Year for 2013. I wish…
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December 21, 2012
Reacting To and Remembering the Tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary – Cast of Dads Podcast #55
A week ago today, innocent children, students and educators were horrifically gunned down at Sandy Hook Elementary School. I don't believe that anyone will fully understand the "why" but all of us have been struggling to comprehend it as well as be able to talk about this event with other adults as well as our children. The Sunday after this…
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December 19, 2012
Boom, Boom, Pow! The Boombotix Boombot2 Rocks Bluetooth Audio Streaming with an Edgy Design
With so many speaker solutions out in the market these days, it's nice to see a company that makes their design a little edgier and with character. Literally. The Boombotix Boombot2 brings functionality and collectible character in their Bluetooth and wired portable speaker, making is a pretty neat gift for kids (and they even have a boring gray version for…
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December 18, 2012
Why and How Ballerinas Break In Ballet Pointe Shoes
With the holidays upon us, ballerinas of all ages become a bit more inspired. One of the primary reasons is that various renditions of The Nutcracker are being interpreted and performed widely, from local community dance groups to large scale professional productions. Whether you are "into" ballet or not, you simply cannot help being sucked into this magical story. For…
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December 14, 2012
The Loss of Innocence
Innocence was lost today, not just in Connecticut but across the world. Our future was tragically and horrifically gunned down in yet another act of senseless violence. After 9/11, our nation changed. We became paranoid, more careful and we thought, safer. Today's events prove otherwise. Violence can come from anywhere, from strangers or from people that we know. It can…
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