Switches
Posted: 29 December 2005 Filed under: Critical Context Leave a commentSo it was a near disaster today. I opened up Simon, took out the screws holding the circuit board in place and lifted the board up and then all these “things” flew out. It turns out that these were the springs between the buttons and the board (see below). Did a quick count and 5 were missing. I eventually tracked them down after a good half-hour. Most were within a couple of feet from where I was sitting but 2 had managed to fly out the door which I reckon is around 4 feet away. Simon is back together again and in good working order – perhaps I should just investigate the elastic properties of plastic instead!!
Electronics kit
Posted: 22 December 2005 Filed under: Critical Context Leave a commentI’ve just finished working my way thru’ the electronics kit today. Not sure if I’m any more knowledgeable on how things work but at least I think I know the difference between a resistor and a capcitor capacitor now. I also know that a capacitor can store a charge so it’s not a good idea to take one apart shortly after turning the thing off. Hmm, maybe I learnt more than I thought. I’ve fallen behind my schedule by a couyple couple of days but I think there’s enough slack in my plan to be able to catch up.
Portland Square
Posted: 16 December 2005 Filed under: Ramblings | Tags: plymouth 1 CommentSince moving back to Plymouth, I’ve takne taken a bit more of an interest in its history than I ever did when I was growing up. I always knew that the city had a hard time during the war as my parents grew up during it in Devonport and used to tell me stories of what it was like. So it was interesting to read in the Herald of a how someone surrived a direct hit on an airraid shelter in Portland Square. I must have walked past the building maybe at least once a day and never knew anything about the history of that area. I didn’t even know that there’s a bench with a plaque on it in remembrance but eventually managed to track it down. It doesn’t seem much of a way to remember the killing of 76 ordinary people. Surely the city (or maybe the university) can do better than that.
