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On Being Prepared – A Product Review Series

by John Locklair on November 11, 2011 in Product Reviews, Tech with No comments

I’m a believer in being prepared. Go ahead…call me MacGyver (http://macgyver NULL.wikia NULL.com/wiki/MacGyver), but I carry several items around with me at all times and I use nearly all of them every day. A buddy recently asked me about the flashlight I carry, so I thought I’d do a review on it – it’s the BEST one for the money…I checked, over the past 30 years. While I was at it, I thought I’d do a mini review on each item that I carry. (OK, OK! So I’m also tinkering with my website content to see how different content affects site traffic and it’s “product review” content’s turn…still…)

  • A ridiculously large Champ Swiss Army Knife (http://www NULL.amazon NULL.com/Victorinox-Swiss-Champ-Pocket-Knife/dp/B0001GS19U/ref=pd_sim_sg_7)…NOT this one (http://www NULL.amazon NULL.com/Wenger-16999-Giant-Swiss-Knife/dp/B001DZTJRQ).
  • A Bullet Fisher Space Pen (http://www NULL.amazon NULL.com/Fisher-Space-Pen-Bullet-400/dp/B000095K9D) for an emergency pen that won’t leak in my pocket.
  • A SanDisk 8 GB Flash Drive (http://www NULL.amazon NULL.com/gp/product/B001T9CTRS/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B001T9EYFI&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0D52E4JXXA4XDB4PXAK2) for moving files to and from client computers.
  • A Zippo 6-foot pocket tape measure (http://www NULL.kyledesigns NULL.com/product/TMTAPE/Brushed-Chrome-Tape-Measures NULL.html) that I got at a trade show about 20 years ago.
  • A Mini Black Sharpie (http://www NULL.amazon NULL.com/Sharpie-Mini-Black/dp/B0026HFW12/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1321061705&sr=8-9), usually for writing kids’ names on cups at Moe’s (http://moes NULL.com/) on Kids-Eat-Free-Nights.
  • A Ronson Jetlite Windproof Lighter (http://www NULL.ronsonusa NULL.com/JetLite NULL.aspx)… you know, for making fire whenever I want to.
  • A half-ounce bottle of Purell Hand Sanitizer (http://www NULL.amazon NULL.com/Purell-Instant-Hand-Sanitizer-Original/dp/B00427BVH8/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1321062021&sr=8-5), for wiping kids’ hands after Moe’s…
  • A compressed 12″ x 24″ Lightload Towel (http://www NULL.amazon NULL.com/Lightload-Towels-Three-12x24-Survival/dp/B000UGVI4G/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1321062098&sr=1-1-catcorr), for mopping up messes, wiping noses, etc.
  • A Dunlop Jazz III Guitar Pick (http://www NULL.amazon NULL.com/Dunlop-Jazz-Black-Stiffo-1-38mm/dp/B0002D0CL2/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1321062202&sr=1-1-catcorr)…because I can never find one when I need it.
  • A pair of +1.75 reading glasses (http://www NULL.amazon NULL.com/OPTX%25221920-20-3PK-175-ClassicReader/dp/B00305GWQS/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1321062457&sr=1-1-catcorr). I buy 4 pairs at a time at the Dollar Tree.
  • A Streamlight MicroStream LED Flashlight (http://www NULL.amazon NULL.com/Streamlight-66318-MicroStream-LED-Flashlight/dp/B00143JZ08), the absolute best flashlight for the money. Ever.
  • I also carry a Streamlight Nano LED Flashlight (http://www NULL.amazon NULL.com/Streamlight-73001-Miniature-Keychain-Flashlight/dp/B0011UIPIW/ref=pd_sim_hi_2) as a backup, clipped either to my keychain or my jacket zipper pull.
  • About 24″ of duct tape (http://www NULL.youtube NULL.com/watch?v=dkqTH4-11wk) wrapped around my Blockbuster Video card. I use it all the time…the tape, I mean.
  • About 8 feet of black parachute cord as a 4″ Key Fob (http://www NULL.amazon NULL.com/Paracord-Chain-Black-Perpetual-Revolution/dp/B004RC116Y/ref=pd_sim_misc_1) for tying stuff down, fixing broken stuff, etc.
  • A Timex Expedition Watch (http://www NULL.timex NULL.com/Timex-Adventure-Tech-Digital-Compass/dp/B000SZNSWY?ie=UTF8&prevPageletDesc=DP%3AAccessories&suggestedItem=B000SZKGX8), including digital compass, alarms, timer for letting me know when the water for tea is boiling.
  • And last, but not least, my beloved Buxton passport size wallet with a small Moleskine softcover notebook (http://www NULL.amazon NULL.com/Moleskine-Ruled-Cahier-Journal-Pocket/dp/8883704894/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321066941&sr=8-1) in the middle + business cards, Bandaids, BC powder, a place where money is supposed to go, credit card slots, receipt storage, etc. There is no link on the wallet text because I am currently in search of this particular wallet. I will review it sooner than later and add photos. If you see one just like it, let me know. The one I have now is 7 years old and doing fine, but I want to get a replacement for, you know…(that day).
In addition to the stuff I carry in my pockets, I am never far from…
  • My iPhone 3Gs (http://www NULL.apple NULL.com/iphone/iphone-3gs/specs NULL.html)…phone, camera, video camera, document scanner (http://itunes NULL.apple NULL.com/us/app/jotnot-scanner-pro/id307868751?mt=8), email, internet, credit card processor (https://squareup NULL.com/), filing system (http://itunes NULL.apple NULL.com/us/app/dropbox/id327630330?mt=8), Bible, music and movie player, gaming system, weather radar, alarm clock… (BTW, the “s” does not stand for Siri. If you would like to contribute to my iPhone upgrade fund, please email me (john null@null johnlocklair NULL.com).)

So, that is my EDC (Every Day Carry) (http://en NULL.wikipedia NULL.org/wiki/Everyday_carry) list, as it’s called in society these days. I’ll get going on the reviews soon.

P.S. – Today is Veteran’s Day and I am reminded that I also carry a USAF coin from my friend Jonathan’s (http://plaidzebras NULL.blogspot NULL.com/) squadron. I promised him that I would carry it every day until he returned home, to remind me to pray for him while he is stationed overseas for an extended tour, and indeed for all of our military personnel and their families. Jonathan, I am keeping that promise every day and I thank you for all that you sacrifice for our freedoms.

(My Favorite iPhone Apps…) I mean a bit about Steve Jobs

by John Locklair on August 24, 2011 in Tech with No comments

John & Erin opening the new MacBook Pro for the first time!

Note:  This started out as a long-overdue list of my favorite iPhone apps that several friends had asked me for over the past few months. As I sat down to write it, I began to reflect on technology in general and then I remembered that today is a landmark day in the world of technology. So, I will write my list…later and I’ll finish these thoughts now. That’s just the way I roll.

Steve Jobs resigned as the CEO of Apple today. I don’t know the man personally at all, but he seems to have made quite an impact on the stuff that I work on and with every day these days. I have been a Mac guy since 1984, when I made those first AppleTalk phone wire connections to a couple of Classics at a planning company where I worked. Now I’m typing this post on my beloved 17″ MacBook Pro I purchased about a year ago in August 2010 to replace my G5 desktop (see the first photo on the right that Erin and I took with the onboard camera that first day we opened it). Back then, our hard drive was a 3.5″ diskette that we popped in when we wanted to save something. Now, as I look around my office, I have over 15 TERABYTES of disk space across various hard drives – and that’s not really a lot if you think about it. In 3 years, the terabyte will be the “new” gigabyte. Mr. Jobs hasn’t been responsible for ALL of the advances in technology, just most of the ones that have been done with excellence. And for that, Steve, we thank you.

Only a few months ago, I caught Mr. Job’s 2005 commencement address at Stanford University on YouTube. He tells three stories and it’s worth watching. Take a look – it’s about 15 minutes long.