The Nibbana Family

After more than a decade I weigh less than 200lbs. Although I have been trying to lose weight on and off for years, I finally got serious this past July when I discovered an incredible application for the smartphone called, “MyNetDiary“. Most doctors and dieticians will tell you in order to lose weight you need to count calories and track what you eat. Writing down everything is headache enough, but having to look at each package and write down the caloric and nutrional information is cause for a migraine! I simply don’t have that kind of time or discipline. Enter MyNetdiary. This little gem contains a database with just about every conceivable food item including calories, nutritional information, sodium, protein, fiber, cholesterol and carbs. Eat a McDonald’s hamburger today? It’s in there. Slice of pizza from Pizza Hut? It’s got it. Make your own spaghetti? It’s got that too! MyNetDiary also keeps track of the foods you eat most often and populates them first as you begin to type. Too tired to type? You can even scan the barcode on the food and MyNetDiary will find the info for you!

MyNetDiary has literally changed my life. When I started back in July I weighed in at 239lbs, the heaviest I have weighed in my entire life. Years of outside sales and eating on the road coupled with a lack of exercise had taken its toll. Every New Year’s I made the same resolution: This year I’m going to lose the weight. I would try for a while by lowering my total consumption but not changing what I ate. Gradually I would fall back into my old habits and be back where I started. Through MyNetDiary, I learned [...] continue »

Since I began capturing concert videos a lot of people have asked how I take such incredible quality footage. Getting great live video breaks down to the type of camera you use, your location in the audience, and your ability to hold the camera steady. Here are my techniques for capturing great concert videos.

The type of camera you use is the single most important aspect of capturing great video. Most cameras available today record 720p or 1080i HD video, so getting great picture quality isn’t too hard – it’s the audio quality that’s difficult to obtain. Even the best current camera models that capture HD video and Dolby stereo sound deliver distorted audio when faced with extremly loud volume from a concert venue. Unfortunately there isn’t anywhere on the side of the camera box where it reads, “Works well at 140db concerts!”. Finding a camera which works well in this environment is mainly hit or miss, and the best solution is to look at videos shot by others and ask them which camera they use.

The camera I use is the [...] continue »

Ask anyone using a Home Theater PC in their entertainment center to define the “ultimate HTPC” and you’re sure to get a myriad of answers. When I set out to build my own version, I outlined three areas of most concern: power consumption, storage capacity, and quietness/volume. What I designed and built ended up meeting those requirements:

• 74 watts at idle, 83 watts under load (Blu-ray playback).
• 8tb of storage capacity with another 8tb of expansion available.
• <17dBA noise. That’s quieter than a library!

With the initial requirements in mind, I set my eyes on a case from atechfabrication.com called the Mini-Server 5x. This case blends easily with other audio components, holds five hard drives, and utilizes a low power consumption 200 watt power supply with a fanless CPU heatsync design which dissipates heat directly into the aluminum case fins. Atech offers a lot of options to customize the case to your liking and for this build I chose an IR port for a Windows Media Center remote and a Griffen Powermate control knob for volume control. Customization comes at the expense of build time however, as it took 10 weeks (or about the same time it would take to build a custom Porsche) to get a fully completed case. Granted, I had the almost completely assembled case in my hands at 5 weeks, but it took another 5 weeks to get the Powermate knob back after refinishing. Initially quoted at 2-3 weeks, Atech didn’t come anywhere close to the quoted timeframe but I can attest the wait was well worth it. The build quality of the case and components is top notch and the machine work is remarkable.

Atechfabrication Mini Server 5x case.

The Intel DH57JG motherboard was the logical choice for its great feature set in a mini-ITX footprint. Consisting of an integrated 1.3 HDMI port with a 1080p output and ten-channel Intel high definition audio with Dolby Home Theater, the DH57JG contains everything needed for a great home theater experience. I loaded the motherboard with an Intel Core i3-530 2.93ghz processor and a matched pair of Corsair XMS3 4gb DDR1333mhz memory. The i3-530 was chosen because [...] continue »

When my buddy James planned his latest visit one of the first things he said was, “Do you want to rent exotic cars again?”. I laughed while trying to determine if he was serious or joking. Turned out he was serious. Although I wasn’t in a position to rent a car of my own, James was kind enough to share his ride… and he even let me drive!

After driving the Lambos, there was only one car worthy of comparison: the Ferrari F430 Spyder. For those of you out there who have never gotten the opportunity to pilot a Ferrari – well then, I’m sorry. You see, words can’t adequately describe the exhilaration felt when taking the 490hp 4.3l V8 to it’s 8500rpm redline and the symphony roaring behind your head that’s more melodical than mechanical. Videos don’t do it justice. Imagine trying to explain to someone who’s never flown what it’s like to fly. You simply must experience it for yourself.

The cabin in the F430 is all about the driver, with every control and display angled that way. Passengers are clearly meant to sit in awe, thankful to get a ride. A crimson-colored tachometer nods to tradition and a 8,500 rpm redline, flanked on each side by F1 style paddle shifters to make quick duty of shift work. With a quick push of the engine starter button the Ferrari fired to life and we were off.

The highway is where the Ferrari really shines and it becomes apparent right from the get go, this is where this car is at home. Blipping through the gears is met with pure delight as the transmission shifts smoother than anything else that I’ve had the privilege of driving. The really fun part though is when you drop it down a couple of gears and put your foot in it. The noise that comes out of the exhaust will make other guys jealous and women blush. It’s addicting, intoxicating and will get you thrown in prison if you’re not careful.

The F430 comes equipped with carbon ceramic brakes – a $14,000 option imported from the Enzo. You can use these to terrify your passengers. With brakes this efficient, you can wait so long to hit them that each turn can feel as if it will be the last for the F430. When stopping with conventional brakes you want to apply hard pressure at first, then ease off as the ABS activates. But with the ceramic brakes, you brake lightly at first – then, after the ABS jiggles, you brake harder. Compared with regular brakes you are braking for a shorter overall amount of time.

Running up and down the coast of New Jersey, we had adequate opportunity to stretch her legs and see what this beauty could do. We received several nods and partook in several skirmishes with a Corvette Z06, Porsche GT3, and a Subaru STI. Handling amongst traffic is a cinch. The steering is so intuitive and so beautifully weighted that placing the car is effortless, and the chassis is so fluent and poised that it’s easy to dial out understeer with raw power. The F430 corners flat and true. This is sensory overload, and it’s great!

At the end of the day it was hard letting this one go. Part of me began contemplating ways to trade in my mortgage for an F430 payment and figuring out sleeping accomodations. To own one is worth the price of admission few can afford. To join the few who have had the opportunity to pilot such a divine work of art is an honor. One more check off the bucket list.