Back to School: Round 3, Week 3

Week 3 already!

We have 1 test this week in our Code class, and are getting ready for 3 tests next week in Electrical Theory, Electronics Theory and Instrumentation Theory.

The Certificate of Qualification Prep course has been quite helpful at reviewing the material from the last 2 terms from school (Basic, and Intermediate). It's too soon to include content from Advanced (this term, level 3) as we haven't covered everything we need to know yet. However, it's certainly reassuring to get some of these practice questions back and knowing if it was the actual C of Q exam, I would pass!

I had to arrange to take Electrical Theory next week for a different day. Thankfully, the teacher was understanding, and we made arrangements for me to write it the day before (and of course sworn to secrecy about the test)!

In PLC (Programmable Logic Controllers - the computer programming stuff) the thing I like the best is being able to download the program to our logic board, and test it. Between that and the live feedback on the program, you can see immediately why something doesn't work. Some of the labs I will program a few things, then test it to make sure it's good before I continue. The quick feedback is helpful for troubleshooting and learning.

Apart from PLC's (which is a new subject), the review in other classes is coming to a close, and we'll be moving onto new content.

I'd agreed to help tutor a couple students from class. I helped people last term, and I found it helped me be concrete in my knowledge. Being able to teach a topic to someone else means you need to know it nearly inside and out, or at least enough to know where to find the answers.

Comments

The "Social Impacts" of a Female Working with "Mostly Male Construction Workers"

The first time I'd heard anything about comments made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was on Newstalk 1010' s The Night Side with Barb DiGiulio . For reference, here is a section of the comments from Mr. Trudeau at the recent G20 summit as posted in an article from the National Post : " Even big infrastructure projects, you know, might now say, well, what does a gender lens have to do with building this new highway or this new pipeline or something? Well, you know, there are gender impacts when you bring construction workers into a rural area. There are social impacts because they’re mostly male construction workers. How are you adjusting and adapting to those?" A lot of people are focusing specifically on the "social impacts... ...of mostly male construction workers" part in a negative light. I'd agree, it certainly doesn't sound good, does it? The resulting public interpretation of what that comment meant spinned the narrative to that of t

The Weasley Family Clock Project

I came across this project stumbling around the internet for interesting things, as I tend to do from time to time. I thought it was a great example of a practical use for some of the electronics stuff I have been learning in school. It also serves to feed my Harry Potter hunger. (Long live Dumbledore's Army!) I might not be at this stage of the game yet, but it would certainly be cool to work towards. It makes use of LED's, and a micro-controller connected via wi-fi. It connects to each family member's smartphones via an app (If This, Then That) to geo-locate the family member and communicate that location to the clock. This lights up the corresponding family member with their pre-set locations. That app has many more uses. It can be used to connect to your HUB wi-fi connected light bulbs; NEST home thermostat; Belkin's WeMo, a plug adapter that you plug your corded device (like a coffee maker, or your Christmas lights). The WeMo is a wifi enabled device tha

Three Seconds

He's going to hit me. If I try to maneuver maybe- Bang! One One-Thousand. The sound of a scream came from somewhere. I realized it was me. I shrink in my seat, recoiling from the impact. The side airbag deployed, grazing the left of my face and shoulder. I barely registered it. Somehow my right hand wasn't on the steering wheel. "I need two hands, two hands on the steering wheel. Steer!" Things were freewheeling now. I'm not in control. What's next? Two One-Thousand. Look left, the airbag was there. Look forward, but my focus was blurred. I could only see on what was happening inside the car. "Pump the brake, pump the brake, pump the brake!" I hit the curb that bounced me up and over the island. Three One-Thousand. "Pump the brake!" I came off the island into the right turn lane, no one was there. The car stopped. I braced for another possible hit. Nothing. I waz vibrating at a higher frequency. Trembling. I

The Sparks Lady

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