Scrapbook

Sept & Oct 2000

This area is mostly for my friends & family. Photos were taken with a Kodak DC20 or a Kodak DC120 Zoom.

Sept & Oct saw a trip to Denver. Lately, carrying my huge DC120 around everywhere has become impractical, so I've been taking more photos with my DC20. There are plans to buy a new digital camera as soon as I get my act together.
Also a very brief robot update.

My taste in photographs is becoming more and more abstract as time goes by. This photo was taken during my trip to Denver. I was standing under the land bridge between the Brown Palace and my hotel when a windstorm kicked up. Decided to take a photo of the tree, figuring the lighting situation would make for some fun blurring. Somehow ended up with this crazy composition...

Somewhere between San Francisco and Palo Alto

Future sidewalk.

Somewhere between San Francisco and Palo Alto

Maybe this used to say "Jones Hardware." It amuses me that nobody has painted over this little treasure, considering they took the trouble to paint over somebody's graffiti (as evidenced by the gray rectangle.)

Palo Alto

Once I started looking for these, I found quite a few.

How somebody, probably some anonymous public works employee armed with a can of spraypaint, got such a perfect circle is beyond me.

Here's my pop during my trip to Denver.

I took a photo of my mom here, too, but she was wearing a t-shirt advertising a politician who I refuse to give space on my website. Sorry mom!

Maw & Paw Benz, with my bro.

I was real happy to get a chance to visit my parents during my visit. I also got to visit with some of my friends out there. It was good to see everybody.

Thanks to everyone who took some time out of their schedules to see me. I'll be out again very soon.

This in Denver near where my mom works. I took this picture for a certain new mom in Chicago. Hi Marcy! Thanks for the photos!

Another shot off the train.

And another...

I've had a lot of inquiries into the status of my newest robot.

Here's my best try so far at etching a circuit board. It doesn't really show well in this scan, but all the traces are funky and broken in some places. They run into each other in other places. So I've been stalled these past few months.

The board is my own design and is for the speed-control chips I programmed. Unfortunately, to get a decent etch, it looks like I'm going to have to spend a lot more money or get into some seriously toxic chemicals. Neither of which are attractive options.

Meanwhile, I've been exploring other avenues. These are some worm gears I've made from Sculpey, which is a clay-like plastic you can bake in the oven. After spending a couple months programming chips, I wanted to get into some low-tech hardware. Like, really low tech.

Can't say how useful these will end up being, but I have to confess I really got into working with Sculpey...

Kearny at about Post

Got out of a bus and looked up to find this. It takes me an hour and a half to get back into the city from Palo Alto. Believe me, every time I get off the train I'm like: "Ah! Back in the city!"

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All photos copyright, 2000 Dave Benz

	My taste in photographs is becoming more and more abstract as time goes by. This photo was taken during my trip to Denver. I was standing under the land bridge between the Brown Palace and my hotel when a windstorm kicked up. Decided to take a photo of the tree, figuring the lighting situation would make for some fun blurring. Somehow ended up with this crazy composition...
	Somewhere between San Francisco and Palo Alto Future sidewalk.
	Somewhere between San Francisco and Palo Alto Maybe this used to say "Jones Hardware." It amuses me that nobody has painted over this little treasure, considering they took the trouble to paint over somebody's graffiti (as evidenced by the gray rectangle.)
	Palo Alto Once I started looking for these, I found quite a few. How somebody, probably some anonymous public works employee armed with a can of spraypaint, got such a perfect circle is beyond me.
	Here's my pop during my trip to Denver. I took a photo of my mom here, too, but she was wearing a t-shirt advertising a politician who I refuse to give space on my website. Sorry mom!
	Maw & Paw Benz, with my bro. I was real happy to get a chance to visit my parents during my visit. I also got to visit with some of my friends out there. It was good to see everybody. Thanks to everyone who took some time out of their schedules to see me. I'll be out again very soon.
	This in Denver near where my mom works. I took this picture for a certain new mom in Chicago. Hi Marcy! Thanks for the photos!
	Another shot off the train.
	And another...
	I've had a lot of inquiries into the status of my newest robot. Here's my best try so far at etching a circuit board. It doesn't really show well in this scan, but all the traces are funky and broken in some places. They run into each other in other places. So I've been stalled these past few months. The board is my own design and is for the speed-control chips I programmed. Unfortunately, to get a decent etch, it looks like I'm going to have to spend a lot more money or get into some seriously toxic chemicals. Neither of which are attractive options.
	Meanwhile, I've been exploring other avenues. These are some worm gears I've made from Sculpey, which is a clay-like plastic you can bake in the oven. After spending a couple months programming chips, I wanted to get into some low-tech hardware. Like, really low tech. Can't say how useful these will end up being, but I have to confess I really got into working with Sculpey...
	Kearny at about Post Got out of a bus and looked up to find this. It takes me an hour and a half to get back into the city from Palo Alto. Believe me, every time I get off the train I'm like: "Ah! Back in the city!"