Scott VanDenPlas

Simultaneously to our doorbell breaking at skinnyCorp, I discovered the amazingness that is Bleep Labs’ Thingamagoop.

I thought it would be fun to replace our doorbell with a booping beeping crazy synth-robot. I came up with a really simple, quick hack to get the robot connected to a wireless doorbell button that could really be used on any battery operated device. First, we needed some sort of signaler to trigger the robot. I purchased a wireless doorbell for the hearing impaired (any will do, I used the Sonic Alert DB100). The DB100 has a base with a single AC outlet that will turn on and off 5-10 times when the remote button is pressed. Perfect.

Next, we had to convert the robot to work on AC power. I went to Radioshack earlier this week, picked up a 9 Volt battery snap, a 9 Volt AC adapter (any will do) and a 2.1 mm DC female coax jack. I soldered the 9V battery snap to the DC jack, and connected it to the thingamagoop. Then I plugged in the AC adapter to the doorbell base. I just found that Bleep Labs actually sells the pre-made adapter to get the thingamagoop working on AC, so go buy one.

Next time you get a chance to swing by Threadless, make sure you say hello to Boopers the Doorbot. Video coming shortly.

I’m not quite sure John McCain knows who he is anymore, either that or he is completely full of shit. Probably a mixture of both.

I caught an interview with him this morning on NPR:

Steve Schmidt, who is running your campaign, has said something kind of simple and understandable. He said that a campaign needs one positive message about its candidate and then one good, strong negative message about the opponent.

I never heard that statement, and I’d have to know who attributed it to him before I would agree with that. We’re not sending any negative message in our campaign. We’re drawing differences in positions between myself and Sen. Obama, which are significant. He wants to raise taxes; I want to keep them low. He doesn’t want to drill offshore or have nuclear power; I want both. I’ve never heard Steve Schmidt say we need a negative message in the campaign.

I’m quoting The Wall Street Journal here.

I’ve run many, many campaigns, and I have never believed that we need a strong negative message. And I’ve been in –-

However, do you not consider it a negative message, though, when a campaign ad goes on TV that blames your opponent, Barack Obama, for high gas prices or –-

I believe strongly that if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. And he voted for the energy bill that had all kind of tax breaks and giveaways for the oil companies. I believe if you’re not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. And it’s a big problem in America today.

And are you comfortable with ads where your opponent is being compared to Paris Hilton

I’m very comfortable with my campaign. And I strongly recommend that people who don’t find humor in that relax, turn off the computer and go on it and get some fresh air and try to regain some —

Well, Paris Hilton found some humor in it.

Yeah, sure.

Well, I also found some humor in it. I find it incredibly funny that a man of such alleged character has the audacity to give it all away. Yes, John McCain, we are all laughing at your campaign.

Obama and McCain do have one thing in common. The most used word in their blogs is “Obama.” Still think you’re running a positive campaign? I guess I can’t hold that against McCain, since he has no fucking concept whatsoever of what the internet is. Exactly _how_ many technology bills has he voted on in the Senate without ever using a computer?

That is just plain irresponsible.