Month: January 2012

Life’s Little Questions

So many questions…

Libertarians

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Republicans

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Democrats

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Any you’d like to see me answer?

Replacing Turn Signal Bulb in 2010 Ford Fusion

Replacing tail/brake/turn signal/backup lamp bulbs
The tail/brake/turn signal and backup lamp bulbs are located in the tail
lamp assembly. Follow the same steps to replace either bulb.

  1. Make sure the headlamp control is in the off position and open the
    trunk.
  2. Lift out trunk floor carpeting panel to access a luggage scuff plate
    (hard molding) and a trunk side panel (dark grey, soft wheelhouse side
    trim panel) at the lamp area.
  3. Carefully pull/push the trunk side panel (dark grey, soft wheelhouse
    side trim panel) outboard to expose the lamp assembly. The most
    effective point to grasp the trunk side panel when pulling it out from the
    luggage scuff plate is at it’s bottom edge where that edge meets the
    exposed sheet metal of the trunk floor.
    Note: Do not allow the trunk side panel to remain bent and untucked
    from the luggage scuff plate (hard molding) for a long period of time.
    Doing so may result in permanent deformation.
  4. Remove the bulb socket byimage
    turning it counterclockwise and
    pulling it straight out.
  5. Pull the bulb from the socket and
    push in the new bulb.
  6. Install the bulb socket into the
    lamp assembly by rotating it
    clockwise.
  7. Carefully push the trunk side
    panel (dark grey, soft wheelhouse
    side trim panel) back in position to the luggage scuff plate (hard
    molding).
  8. Install trunk floor carpeting panel.

SOURCE: 2010 Ford Fusion Owner Guide 4th Printing, Page 70

Blue Marble

Can’t believe I haven’t seen anyone share this neat image as a Silverlight “Deep Zoom” (aka Seadragon) image. So here you go:

http://zoom.it/iIYmT.js?width=auto&height=400px

Full screen: http://zoom.it/iIYmT#full

Image was captured by the Suomi NPP weather satellite. Image captured and stitched into this detailed 8000 pixel by 8000 pixel image.

GoPro HD Hero2 vs. Contour+ (Contour Plus)

I was talking to my brother a few weeks ago about an idea for mounting my Windows Phone in my car for capturing HD video while driving. Down side is that you lose phone functionality (such as checking traffic) with such set-ups.

I started talking about getting a Flip cam for the purpose and he pointed out that the PoV camera market was really heating up with some nice offerings.  He suggested the GoPro HD Hero2 camera that released in October. I also researched the Contour+ PoV camera.

I ultimately ended up going with the GoPro HD Hero2 for now, but there were quite a few things I liked about it over the GoPro.  One thing that is hard to ignore though is the community behind a device.

Compare the Twitter news feed traffic:

@contour_cam – https://twitter.com/#!/search/contour_cam
gopro – https://twitter.com/#!/search/gopro

In the past 24 hours or so, people have Tweeted about GoPro cameras 2200 times, and Contour only 56.  Sounds like the marketing folks at Contour cam have their work cut out for them.

Ultimately the reason I went with GoPro was the apparent picture quality compared to what I could find for the Contour.  Seems like there’s room enough in the PoV camera marketplace for two high-end competitors so I hope it stays that way for the sake of innovation.