Ken Martin's Blog

Hello, static world

Ken Martin — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 19:00:00 -0500

It was time to say goodbye to WordPress. I haven't posted anything for a very long time, but because of the nice Wordfence Security plug-in, I was aware that I was constantly getting poked at with malicious log-in attempts, and it's just bugged me for a long time. So I've gone static with 11ty. Now it's only super-fast non-dynamic HTML pages flying at you.

Everything published here between 2005 and 2019 now lives on as plain HTML files at the exact same addresses as before. If you had a link to a post from 2009, it still works. New posts (like this one) get simpler addresses under /blog/. This is nice for my weirdly popular post on how to fix a Samsung subwoofer. The RSS feed is alive, too.

I haven't looked at this content for a long time... nice memories. :)

2019 SAVHS Chamber ChoiR at B&N

Ken Martin — Sat, 07 Dec 2019 14:32:52 -0600

First performance

Second performance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh_Z3mYMjpo

Henry reads the Grinch

Saint Paul Public Libraries and Lynda.com

Ken Martin — Tue, 01 Nov 2016 05:55:51 -0500

I'm not sure many folks know this, but I didn't until I stumbled upon it: Saint Paul residents having a valid and up-to-date library card can access lynda.com online training for free, and you don't need to be in the library to use it (like you do for some references, like ALLDATA).

It can be a little confusing to sign in. This worked for me:

Visit https://www.lynda.com/ and click "Log In"
Click "Sign in with your organization portal"
Type in sppl.org and click "Continue"
Type in your "Library Card Number" and leave the "Password" blank
Click "Log In"

You should be in and may need to enter a little information to set up your profile.

Solving the refrigerator problem

Ken Martin — Sat, 09 Apr 2016 12:29:07 -0500

We have a refrigerator downstairs that once in a while gets left open, and since it's downstairs, we sometimes don't catch it in time to save to food. Will and I decided to make something to help solve this.

Our plan is to use our Particle Proton (a tiny Wi-Fi development kit) and connect a temperature sensor. We'll report that temp to "the cloud" and if the temp rises above some threshold, we'll use IFTTT to text or call us to let us know to check the fridge.

I got us a free DS18B20 temperature sensor as a sample from Maxim Integrated (how cool is that?) and found some nice sample code here.

The prototype is now sitting in the fridge (photo above), dutifully sending out the temp every 10 seconds. The code is crazy simple.

Things we talked about while doing this:

Resistors in parallel and in series
Reading resistors
Analog-to-digital conversion
What numbers look like in binary
Trusting a component's data sheet first
How to debug when Papa tells you to put the resistor in the wrong place

UPDATE: The 2200mAh 3.7V battery didn't last until morning, so Next up will be to see whether there's a way to reduce power consumption. Fewer temp reports to the cloud will obviously help. I wonder if there's a "low power mode".

Nerd weather in Terminal

Ken Martin — Sun, 21 Feb 2016 10:19:52 -0600

Open Terminal, and type finger <yourcity>@graph.no replacing <yourcity> with, well, your city. So like:

finger saintpaul@graph.no

The "number one" goes dark until further notice

Ken Martin — Mon, 08 Feb 2016 05:01:10 -0600

Saint Paul's First National Bank building has a new owner and they've turned off the wonderful, nostalgic red neon "1" until further notice because of wind damage.

I know; it's only a sign, and I suppose I shouldn't be sad. But I think all of my kids have had that point at which they can recognize that we're close to home, and it's by seeing the red number one.

Also, I just like neon. There's something warm and simple and different about it. (Go admire this amazing picture.) LED restorations are wonderful and I'm glad that iconic signs sometimes get new life that way (for example, the Schmidt brewery sign), but it's not the same.

KARE11 article here.

Before "The Martian" there was "The Cave of Night" (1956)

Ken Martin — Sat, 02 Jan 2016 05:27:35 -0600

If you enjoyed The Martian, you might like The Cave of Night, an episode of the excellent 1950s X Minus One radio series; herculean efforts to save a stranded astronaut. Listen all the way to the end.

https://archive.org/download/OTRR_X_Minus_One_Singles/XMinusOne56-02-01036TheCaveOfNight.mp3

Old time radio disclaimer: Yes, it is a little dated – after all, it's 1950s radio – but it actually holds up quite nicely and is well done and entertaining. The sci-fi and suspense genres hold up better than comedy, oftentimes.

Christmas Nerdery

Ken Martin — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 10:27:56 -0600

William and I made a Bluetooth wireless arcade game controller. :)

Project inspired by this project on the adafruit web site. Using the controller with MAME OS X.

Using your zeal wisely

Ken Martin — Tue, 10 Nov 2015 13:17:27 -0600

So how have you moved through these months? Has there been a passion to support something? To change something? Lawn signs? Bumper stickers? Facebook posts hoping to inform or convince your friends?

Or perhaps it hopelessness: What can one vote change anyway? Or perhaps fear? Or disdain? Or grief?

I don’t trivialize or judge any of these responses. I understand them. I've felt all of them. But it may be profitable to see that these feelings can provide clues concerning where we stand with our Lord.

Why are we passionate? Is it zeal to do good? May it be so. But zeal can hide things. It can hide self-righteousness. It can hide fear. Well-founded zeal is good and important, but it’s worth examining what underlies it. Paul was zealous, but he eventually counted it as loss and rubbish. It is at least possible that our zeal may need to be refocused, as Paul’s was.

Why are we hopeless or fearful? Perhaps we fear a cultural slide, or maybe we see weakness or corruption. Perhaps we weary of war, or ache that the needy still need. Be comforted, because we are told ”do not fear or be dismayed.” But also be cautious that this isn’t an expression of faithlessness.

But I started by saying that we are presented with a special challenge: what is that? The challenge is that we are called to bring our faith to bear on our lives and decisions. In doing this, we each uniquely draw upon our faith, experience, knowledge, and skills. Bringing these to bear upon our political expression is complicated because usually the issues don’t really lend themselves to a simple vote.

I think zeal, fear, and challenge all come into view when Peter writes “and who will harm you if you are deeply committed to what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear or be disturbed, but honor the Messiah as Lord in your hearts.” Here zeal is commended and doubt is given voice, and Peter says you are blessed, don’t be afraid, but honor.

It seems strange that there is a sense of both safety (who will harm you?) and risk (even if you should suffer) in the pursuit of the good. But this should ring true for us. The servant is not greater than his master, and this is exactly how we saw Jesus operate. He only did good, and sometimes the results would seem wildly successful, and sometimes they seemed less so. But really he was always and perfectly successful. Though he suffered, unjustly, deeper good was pursued and obtained.

Some want to portray Christ as a political figure, and others as politically indifferent. I don’t find either of these compelling. He teaches us that it is the mere coin that bears the image of Caesar; man bears the image of God. The primary lesson here is not about our relationship to government, but our relationship to God.

Our passion, zeal, hopelessness, and fear all need to be considered. Are they expressions of the political moment? Or of a heart at rest in the love and provision of a God so at peace in His victory that his son could stand “judged” before Caesar? Here was passion. Here was fearlessness.

If we tend towards zeal, it might be that we should temper that with humility, because Christ was humble. If we tend towards hopelessness or fear, it might be that we need to be renew our trust in God, because Christ, seeing the true gravity of our situation far better than we ever have, had faith in that which His Father called Him to do.

Let us understand ourselves - our strengths and our weaknesses - by observing ourselves in the light of our circumstances, Scripture, and relationship to the one we call Lord. Because whatever our responses have been during this election season, this is merely one election. In the end, merely the exercise of a particular responsibility on a particular day.

But daily we have before us transient matters that won’t be remembered 20 days from now. And frequently the crucial themes of human existence - love, life, mercy, justice, suffering, death - demand our attention. We are called to bring Christ to bear on all these circumstances. We are the coin of the realm. Let us be spent well.

Ken Martin is a freelance writer, programmer, manager, father and husband … in reverse order. He loves reading, learning, thinking and teaching about the richness of the Christian life and what it means for the world.

Love as Witness

Ken Martin — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 04:54:44 -0500

The conversation moved on to other aspects of the movie, and one particular scene highlighting when ministry is sometimes embarrassing or "cheesy" was brought up. The movie dealt with the scene very well: sympathetic characters in the movie were kind but uncomfortable. When this came up, there were laughs and groans and sighs in the audience. And there was one person near me whose response took me aback. He appeared angry. He nearly scowled when the topic of ministry done so embarrassingly came up.

I realized that I was seeing two sides of the same coin. Here was the director sharing with pathos the how he'd felt so wronged that his well-intentioned efforts were being scorned by the very people whom he thought would empathize. And near me was a man who was willing to scorn the ministry efforts of others, because he judged them poorly done. I acknowledge that I could have misread either Taylor or the man next to me, but I think I nevertheless stumbled into something worthwhile.

We might think we know what a "Christian movie" should be. We might think we are right to expect a certain level of excellence from our ministers. We might think the coffee at church should be stronger (I often think this). Or today's sermon should have emphasized something else. Or his shoes are too nice, who is he trying to impress? Or not nice enough, doesn't he have any respect?

Followers of Christ are not to "pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or a hindrance in the way of a brother.” But we do. And when we do, it subverts our mission.

Think of what Jesus said: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35 (ESV)

There are so few things specifically declared to speak to "all people" of our faith, but our love for one another is explicitly one of them. I believe, conversely, that when we are seen hurting one another, we speak counter to the gospel. We bring shame on the one we call “Lord”, and we give the world reason to disbelieve that the Prince of Peace has come.

This is tough territory. We acknowledge that truth exists and that some things need correction and reproof. We see things that are wrong and desire to see them made right. This is a great and powerful strength of our faith. But we are to do this in love, humbly, self-sacrificially.

How might Taylor have been spared some pain, and how might the heart of the man near me been softened, if we were more obedient, loving as we have been loved? How might God be lifted up when the world sees grace and humility answer disagreement?

Concerning my neighbor’s complaint, he’s right; sometimes we do communicate the gospel artlessly. Like the widow’s pennies drawn from meager savings, sometimes those who have little skill nevertheless want to communicate God’s love. In this they offer much. Let us see with God’s eyes. And love as Jesus loved.

Will's Independence Day Nerdery

Ken Martin — Sat, 04 Jul 2015 09:01:59 -0500

William wanted to make a little project for Independence Day, so we did this. Almost entirely his idea, and he did most of the coding. It's red, then white, then blue, and then some fireworks.

https://vimeo.com/132607175

We'll leave it running in a window tonight, I think.

Problems with Blade Nano QX 3D Replacement Motors

Ken Martin — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 12:11:37 -0500

We recently got a Blade Nano QX 3D and it's really quite cool. However, after not really very much flight, and no poor treatment, we had to get replacement motors as one of them just stopped working.

I got official replacements from a local hobby store, but they seem... weaker. We tried both new motors in the front right spot. The motor works but the help can't get off the ground anymore.

https://vimeo.com/130588164

Anyone have ideas on how we can resolve this?

2 oz. of Scottish Breakfast from TeaSource

Ken Martin — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 16:17:30 -0500

OK. Re-steeps well, and doesn't go bad if accidentally left steeping too long. A little… thin. Like something was missing.

Next up: 1995 Sheng Puer from TeaSource. (The expensive stuff.)

(Notes to myself about tea, because I forget.)

Tasty fish and chips @ Ward 6

Ken Martin — Sat, 16 May 2015 05:26:32 -0500

Really tasty fish and chips last evening at Ward 6 on Payne.

I've been trying fish and chips at a lot of places over the last couple of months, in Saint Paul, Minneapolis, and Charleston, SC.

Other favorites (no particular order):

The Anchor (but no malt vinegar... kind of lame)
Brit's Pub

Oddly, I haven't found a great place in Charleston yet, but even though they're oceanside, Charleston is more "low country cuisine", which doesn't seem to be my thing.

Saturday Morning Nerdery

Ken Martin — Sat, 25 Apr 2015 09:02:16 -0500

Will and I have been working on some electronics fun, mostly because I wanted to try this Instructables using a microprocessor.

Of course, this was one of those things where you need to complete some projects in order to do the project. In this case we needed to build an AVR programmer so we could program the microprocessor (an ATtiny85). Building the programmer was fun, and Will did a whole bunch of the soldering!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/49817980@N08/17021850082/in/photostream/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/49817980@N08/16400891744/in/photostream/

Once that was done, we tried programming the chip...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/49817980@N08/16400890404/in/photostream/

...and the trashing began. It turns out I didn't understand how to read the pinouts from the programmer. But once we got help and re-wired and re-tried, we finally got it working! We were able to make our NeoPixel Ring do cool things via this nice code.

One of the things we want to do with all this is help Jack have an "arc reactor" and "repulsers" for his Iron Man suit, so we needed an easier way to program and test our chips, because it was a little hard to work with wires for programming vs. wires for trying things...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/49817980@N08/16645211974/

So this morning I made this...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/49817980@N08/17241680996/in/photostream/

...which let's me program and test easily without a bunch of jumpers and without having to keep moving the chip back and forth. Pretty sweet, and cost about $2 in parts (the board was $1.25).

And now we have easy-to-use joy. :)

https://vimeo.com/126004065

2 oz. of Grand Keemum from TeaSource

Ken Martin — Sat, 04 Apr 2015 04:44:33 -0500

Pretty nice. Full enough. Resteeps up to twice nicely.

Next up: Scottish Breakfast from TeaSource.

(Notes to myself about tea, because I forget.)

Fixing a disconnected Samsung HW-F450 Wireless Subwoofer

Ken Martin — Sat, 14 Feb 2015 11:05:18 -0600

I had a hard time of fruitless Googling trying to find how to fix my subwoofer. Turns out it's very easy. Here you go. You're welcome.

In case the URL goes bad one day, turn off the sound bar, plug in the subwoofer, stick a paperclip into the "ID Set" hole on the subwoofer and hold for five seconds, then press the mute button on the remote for five seconds, then power up the sound bar.

Problems mounting an iPod on Mac 10.9 + iTunes 12.1

Ken Martin — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 16:03:58 -0600

I had a bear of a time getting an older iPod Mini to mount. It worked on my laptop, but not on my Mac Mini. Restoring didn't solve. Turning off both "Manually Manage..." and "Enable Disk..." on my laptop fixed it for the Mac Mini.

Replaced Windshield Washer Pump on 1993 Toyota Paseo

Ken Martin — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 07:59:40 -0600

Some quick notes in case anyone find themselves having to do this:

I used the Trio replacement... seems nice
It is in the driver-side wheel well, and you'll need to remove a couple of bolts from the mud guard to get at it
Turn the wheels all the way left (in) not right (out), counter to what the instructions say
You'll need to cut the wires... no big
Blue goes to positive (HT ToyotaNation.com)

$20... 20 minutes... happy repair.

Disappointed with CenturyLink

Ken Martin — Tue, 23 Dec 2014 06:23:30 -0600

Recently the weather was a bit odd; extremely humid and warm for winter. It turns out that apparently this does very bad things to our phone line. Our internet has been terrible; phone calls nearly unusable.

Hard to believe? Take a listen...

That just me holding my iPhone next to the phone receiver. On a clear dry day, it's quiet and normal.

But how's my DSL? Glad you asked. SNR Downstream around 6-10 dB (which seems pretty bad). Dozens to hundreds of retrains a day. (On a clear day SNR is fine and it really doesn't retrain.)

So, of course we called CenturyLink. They sent someone out... two days later. Yeah, weather had cleared. Yeah, "everything was fine". Sigh.

Happening again today. Called again today. They'll send someone out... Friday.

On the same call today, I'm told:

It's probably my modem, because it's old (but it seems fine on clear days)
It's probably my modem settings (but they're unchanged since CenturyLink set the settings many months ago)
The line is clear
The line is not clear

Really, really frustrating. Not sure I have any hope this will ever be fixed, unless we just get "lucky" and have humidity problems that coincide with a technician visit.

UPDATE (6 days later): As far as I can tell, the technician never came last Friday. Voice line still sounds just as bad. Terrible internet.

UPDATE (6 days and a few minutes later): Checked "Where's My Tech" and it turns out my December 26th visit got quietly moved to December 30th. Sigh.

UPDATE (6 days and a few hours later): Yep, it happened. Over the last few hours humidity dropped to 60% and the line is clear, voice and internet. Both were unusable 3 hours ago. So grumpy.

UPDATE (yet later on the 29th): Clear voice line and seemingly good S-to-N on the modem, but modem reports connection speed is about half of what I pay for.

UPDATE (Dec 31): Well, no one showed up. Again. The "commitment" to Dec 26 became a "commitment" to Dec 30 and is now a "commitment" to Jan 3.

UPDATE (later on Dec 31): Nothing much interesting, but did see a SNR of -5 dB... haahaha!

UPDATE (about 4pm on Dec 31): Some progress! @CenturyLinkHelp jumped in and a couple of hours later a tech called me saying that he'd found and fixed bad wiring on the phone pole. Voice line seems clear now, as does SNR, but DSL speed is pretty low, so a little more work to be done.