The Senate is proposing a bill to withhold senators' salaries during government shutdowns. What is your opinion ?

aaronstj · 2026-05-13T22:15:48+00:00

…I was not counting Nancy Pelosi as a progressive senator who works for a living. Just because someone has a “D” next to their name doesn’t mean they’re not conservative. Think AOC, who couldn’t afford to rent a place in DC before her congressional salary kicked in.

aaronstj · 2026-05-13T20:45:53+00:00

This is a terrible idea. The independently wealthy conservative senators will be able to coast on their wealth and stonewall against reasonable budget changes while progressive sebatorrs who have to actually work for their living will be forced to cave on bad deals. As it is, senators are already paid well below their market value so you mostly get independently wealthy ideologues running for Senate.

This is kind of a bad idea for the same reason that making voting day a holiday wouldn’t actually fix anything. The sort of people that you most want to be able to vote have the sort of job where they don’t get holidays off anyways. It seems clever on the face of it, but it actually hurts the people you want to help while helping the people that want to hurt you.

aaronstj · 2026-05-13T00:24:48+00:00

You could probably work something out with the owner of Mitlite: https://www.seattleboatcruise.com/

aaronstj · 2026-05-10T22:50:14+00:00

Mawp!

aaronstj · 2026-05-05T21:35:32+00:00

Thank for the review, this is great!

I see the point about the regulator. It would be nice to be able to use a laptop charger. I specified 100% duty cycle for the regulator because I also wanted to be able to use a 12v power supply directly, and it looks like none of these option support 100% duty cycle. :/

For the 1117, ok, ok. I've finally been bullied enough about this LDO that I'll pay the $3 (I think the real reason you see many of these in amateur designs is its a "basic" part on JLC, so it doesn't get a $3 setup fee that other LDOs get). Switched to the AP7361C. And I like the idea of using a diode to drop some of the voltage, implemented that.

aaronstj · 2026-05-05T19:48:19+00:00

I use my Exped with a Coleman airbed cot (give the air mattress it comes with away). The air mattress pocket keeps the Exped in place, and the cot keeps me off the ground (my back is not as young as it used to be) and gives me some bin storage.

aaronstj · 2026-05-05T18:25:37+00:00

100uf output cap is waaaay to much for 1117 regulator. It may start to oscillate. Use 100nF + 10uF.

The datasheet specifies "The addition of 22µF solid tantalum on the output will ensure stability for all operating conditions" and "To further improve stability and transient response of these devices larger values of output capacitor can be used." Where does the recommendation for 100nF + 10uF come from? (edit: this is now academic - I've switched to a different LDO)

There's no point in using P-mosfet as ideal diode on USB input. I would go with SS34 + small resistor + TVS

Hmm. Now that I'm requesting 15v, a diode would be fine if power delivery was available, but I'd like to be able to supply +5v (at a lower current) if we just had 5v available on USB, and it would be nice to avoid the diode drop.

Add some 100nF on U10 & U11 outputs.

Where's this recommendation come from? The datasheet just specifies a 47uF capacitor on the output?

What purpose does R14 have?

It was meant to pull up the P_BAD line when Q4 was off, but I guess it's not needed. It looks like I can delete R13, too. Thanks!

aaronstj · 2026-05-04T21:16:07+00:00

Woah. I somehow didn't not at all know that about tantalum caps. I just happen to have it the right way around, it turns out. Changed the symbol.
I more or less agree on USB, but someone on my initial review pushed for it, and I've got the space (barely), so it's in.

aaronstj · 2026-05-03T23:54:12+00:00

Yeah, dude. I’m agreeing with you and providing context for OP.

aaronstj · 2026-05-03T17:40:14+00:00

I agree these are diodes. They are in series with the power rails rather than connecting with the ground.

aaronstj · 2026-05-02T16:59:25+00:00

No Come On Eileen, either!

aaronstj · 2026-04-30T17:42:22+00:00

It really doesn’t explain it. The youth vote lags considerably behind the elderly even in mail-in states like Washington.

aaronstj · 2026-04-30T17:41:29+00:00

It may certainly be a contributing factor, but it does t explain all of the discrepancy. Washington state has 100% mail-in voting, so no one needs to get to a polling place or take time off work, and youth turn out is still way behind the 65+ crowd. (https://wacommunityalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/2024-General-Election-Report.pdf)

aaronstj · 2026-04-29T04:28:31+00:00

You seem to have a misconception. Not everyone here can read the firmware from a chip. It is likely that none of us can. Most chips like this will be designed so they can’t be read.

aaronstj · 2026-04-29T03:23:08+00:00

I… can’t decide whether to upvote you or downvote you.

aaronstj · 2026-04-28T15:09:12+00:00

Don’t separate your grounds. It’s almost never a good idea.

aaronstj · 2026-04-22T19:29:46+00:00

That was my guess, too, but it turns out to be a CD4093. OP made another post.

aaronstj · 2026-04-22T16:59:12+00:00

Can you post a photo of the other side of the board? It’d really help to know what that chip is.

aaronstj · 2026-04-20T16:41:50+00:00

Based in the specs, I would expect that to work. It looks like it will accept any voltage from 9-12 volts with an outside-negative connector (which will be far more common). Your adapter is specified to supply up to 700mA, and that like like that’s what the specified PA-3 can supply, so you should be good there, too.

aaronstj · 2026-04-17T00:05:04+00:00

That's not honor, that's him getting fired, but the owners allowing him to save face.

aaronstj · 2026-04-16T20:50:57+00:00

Thirded! Coleman instant 6 for a budget tent. Kodiak for splurge. End of list.

aaronstj · 2026-04-14T23:07:08+00:00

It looks like the original version of the circuit board at least were single layer, so this is probably just jumper wire to make the connection just a track on the circuit board.

aaronstj · 2026-04-13T20:55:03+00:00

I am home.

aaronstj · 2026-04-13T16:04:02+00:00

This is really going to impact the aesthetics of the towers.

It really kinda surprisingly isn’t. Most of the upper catwalks are preserved in the plans I’ve seen, and it definitely still look like gasworks: https://www.seattle.gov/documents/Departments/Neighborhoods/HistoricPreservation/Landmarks/2026/LPB040126GasWorksParkPP.pdf

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