https://www.steventammen.com/pages/ Recent content in Pages on Home Hugo -- gohugo.io Mon, 17 Aug 2020 18:35:52 -0400 https://www.steventammen.com/pages/getting-clear-audio-on-recordings/ Sun, 18 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.steventammen.com/pages/getting-clear-audio-on-recordings/ The basic problem I want to have excellent, clear audio on all the videos recordings I upload. I could care less about audio balance, audio color, EQ, and so on – an audio engineer can have my head. I don’t care. What I want is for all speakers on every recording I have to be roughly volume-matched (so no one is noticeably louder or quieter than everyone else – kind of a tall order given that I’m a pretty loud person), for the audio to be relatively clear (without background noise getting amplified to the extent that it obscures speech), and without clipping or distortion anywhere, because that’s just annoying. https://www.steventammen.com/pages/on-buying-a-house/ Sun, 20 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.steventammen.com/pages/on-buying-a-house/ Background After I made the determination that I am content in my place of employment for the long-term (I’ll explain why that is at a later point – why I think my job as a civilian Software Engineer for the Air Force is the right place for me, despite the fact that I keep getting other offers), in mid-April 2021 I set myself to the task of purchasing a house. https://www.steventammen.com/pages/a-long-completely-justified-rant-against-equifax/ Sat, 19 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.steventammen.com/pages/a-long-completely-justified-rant-against-equifax/ There are three credit bureaus in America: Equifax, Experian, and Transunion. I don’t particularly like credit bureaus on principle, but I kind of understand why they exist (as a form of risk-screening for lenders and other people doing background checks, like employers and apartment offices). So far my experience with Experian and Transunion has been perfectly fine. However, over the years I have yet to have a truly positive experience with Equifax. https://www.steventammen.com/pages/issues-i-have-with-the-american-public-school-system/ Sat, 19 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.steventammen.com/pages/issues-i-have-with-the-american-public-school-system/ When I say I have issues with the American public school system, I speak as someone who went through quite excellent school districts in public schools K-12 growing up (Brevard County in Florida, and Gwinnett County in Georgia). I was in accelerated/gifted programs all the way through, and graduated high school having taken 12 AP classes. (AP classes are one of the two options for accelerated study in high school proper. https://www.steventammen.com/pages/learning-programming-only-what-you-really-need/ Sat, 19 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.steventammen.com/pages/learning-programming-only-what-you-really-need/ 27: Starting to set up a local development environment - Python in VSCode Video Link to wider playlist Download video Download audio Download slides Summary One of the most intimidating parts of starting out on one’s journey of learning programming can be setting up a development environment: getting a programming language installed, a text editor, a package manager, and so on. It never quite becomes pleasant, but over time, you get kind of used to dealing with annoying configuration errors, and learn how to solve them. https://www.steventammen.com/pages/mountain-biking/ Sat, 19 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.steventammen.com/pages/mountain-biking/ Introduction Cycling around on pavement is certainly an option for cardio (you get some of the variety and “going places” benefits described here), but cycling on mountain biking trails blows it completely out of the water, in my opinion. In fact, it seems to me that while there are some other activities that can compare to mountain biking in terms of raw fun/enjoyment/adrenaline (riding motorcycles, carving at speed on electric skateboards, surfing, downhill skiing and snowboarding), it is rather unique in being extremely fun while at the same time providing a good workout. https://www.steventammen.com/pages/decision-analysis/ Sun, 02 Aug 2020 11:20:48 -0400 https://www.steventammen.com/pages/decision-analysis/ The hidden complexity of life It is a common occurrence in life to need to select between two courses of action, two products to buy, and so forth. While winging things works in some circumstances, as soon as things get complex, its effectiveness falls off a cliff and drowns miserably. So too with the slightly more considered “going with your gut” approach. Even the most seemingly straightforward things become excessively complex once you peel back the layers. https://www.steventammen.com/pages/stand-up-bikes/ Sun, 19 Jul 2020 12:36:55 -0400 https://www.steventammen.com/pages/stand-up-bikes/ The one I own Cyclete Cyclete Facebook group Advantages of stand-up bikes No seat, back, or neck pain from a seated posture. Better visibility, both seeing and being seen. Standing tall gives the rider much more visual information, which is more important when on non-motorized vehicles that cannot take a full lane. Likely safer in traffic because people will not be used to seeing such a vehicle and therefore will pay attention to you, as opposed to normal bikes which are more commonplace and therefore easier for drivers to ignore and miss due to adaptation effects (our brains our programmed to respond to new stimuli to a greater degree than things to which we are already accustomed).