Bitter Grounds Magazine

espresso fueled ramblings

New Articles

September 19, 2020

Ok, here’s the new plan for turning 60

Sep 16, 2020 | I'm getting too old for this shit

I’ll be turning 60 in a few days. Unlike many, I’m not dreading it. My opinion has always been, the further I get away from my teen years, the happier I am. I don’t see each decade as a dreaded milestone, but an event to savour. I’ve come up with a plan for turning 60...

The Pringles can, 1 patent & a new design

Sep 13, 2020 | history of tech

Pringles cans have been in the news lately so I thought I'd look up the original patent for the container. Along the way, I learned a few interesting things about the can, Pringles and their “hyperbolic paraboloid-shaped potato chips”, or as the rest of us describe it...

Calm & chilled Stratford through a lens

Sep 12, 2020 | photos & digital art

Spent a great Sunday morning looking at Stratford through a lens. Beautiful city centre and river. I didn't take a lot of photos, I was too busy eating and relaxing. While there, I splurged and purchased a polarising filter for my Canon. I've been thinking about...

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Random articles

Post-it note with the word "epiphany" written on it

It was a brilliant idea – now if only I could remember what it was

by catpaw | October 5, 2017 | I'm getting too old for this shit | 0 Comments

This Post-it has been stuck to my desk for months: The first part is easy - it's a site I wanted to look up. Not a clue what the epiphany moment...

A little home DIY that didn’t end in tears – removing old wood glue from furniture

by catpaw | July 3, 2016 | I'm getting too old for this shit | 0 Comments

I’m shockingly lazy when it comes to repairing things around the apartment. I look at whatever needs fixing, look over at my computer, back at the...

Rings of hell – of kittens, fedoras & frying pans

by catpaw | June 22, 2016 | I'm getting too old for this shit | 0 Comments

Did a search on Bing for images of "Dante's Inferno rings of hell" and this popped up as top results: Can't decide if Microsoft hates kitten,...

Something new – A forum to explore design, art and typography

by catpaw | June 13, 2016 | typography, typos & design | 0 Comments

Okay, I give – I sat down during the weekend and admitted I really do need to create new categories. This is the first one – Exploring Art &...

example of Microsoft Cortana search results

Using Win10’s Cortana for fast online searches

There’s been a lot of chit chat lately about Microsoft Cortana’s voice activated help. What isn’t talked about, as much, is how you can use it for...

Screen capture of settings panel on Creators Update

Win 10 Creators update – how’d my old laptop do?

I took the plunge and upgraded to the Win10 Creators edition last week. Couple of reminders – make sure you’ve done a backup before doing any major...

image of the Theodore Gibon V wing aeroplane patent 1902

What’s old is new again – 1902 called & wants its B-2 Stealth back

by catpaw | August 5, 2016 | history of tech | 0 Comments

I was amused by a discussion on-line not long ago where someone asked “what did people do before technology”, meaning back in the dark days of the...

Twitter winner – Reboot the world

by catpaw | March 22, 2016 | I'm getting too old for this shit | 0 Comments

What do you think? This person wins the Internet?

Tech Support

by catpaw | August 4, 2020 | Tech Services | 0 Comments

Image of an ad from Aerial Age Weekely Magazine 1918 advertising goggles

A little blast from the past complete with a natty little mustache

by catpaw | September 27, 2016 | typography, typos & design | 0 Comments

Interesting isn’t it? Although the basics of ads hasn’t really changed much over the decades, font styles and fashions do. Not the best laid out ad...

Vancouver and British Columbia stamp that went to auction May 2017

A Canadian stamp that collectors dream of having – rare stamp emerged for auction

by catpaw | May 7, 2017 | Stamps | 0 Comments

Canadian stamp collectors had a rare chance to see the first British Columbia & Vancouver Island stamp go to auction last week. Daniel F....

snake throwing for the win - Twitter humour

Whoever is without sin can cast the first snake – Twitter humour win

by catpaw | March 23, 2016 | I'm getting too old for this shit | 0 Comments

Before there were drones …. oat driven parcel post

by catpaw | September 13, 2016 | Stamps | 0 Comments

We read, almost daily, about plans to deliver everything from pizzas to parcels via drones. Forecasters see the skies filled with drones dropping...

KODAK logo – what’s old is new again

by catpaw | October 28, 2016 | typography, typos & design | 0 Comments

Did you know Kodak was still around? I ran across an article the other day that mentioned their logo redesign and was actually pleased to find they...

Ok, so I changed my mind

by catpaw | August 27, 2020 | changelog | 0 Comments

Quick update: Yea, the small tidy up and design tweaking has turned into a full-blown makeover. I'm redesigning each page from the ground up so...

Table of contents – mapping

by catpaw | September 3, 2018 | TOC | 0 Comments

More Toronto wall art – bright city lights

by catpaw | March 8, 2019 | photos & digital art | 0 Comments

I've been digging through older photos of wall art, looking for something a bit cheery to blow away the winter blues. My mom often reads through...

Colour balance issue resolved on Acer Liquid M330

by catpaw | July 11, 2016 | photos & digital art | 0 Comments

I was a bit worried last week when I noticed the colour bleached effect on greens with photos taken on my new Acer Liquid. I was, quite honestly,...

Mother Nature’s wall art – light bouncing off buildings

by catpaw | October 25, 2016 | photos & digital art | 0 Comments

If you wander around any city long enough, and remember to look up periodically, occassionally you are treated to impressive light effects. That's...

Smart phone photography for beginners

by catpaw | September 1, 2014 | photos & digital art | 0 Comments

Everywhere you look, people are snapping photos with their smart phone. They do an excellent job and are quite fun to use - quick, no fuss, and no...

Toronto photographs – streetcars & street scenes

by catpaw | March 18, 2016 | photos & digital art | 0 Comments

Toronto's rare & elusive new streetcars are slowly becoming easier to spot. They have a nifty space age look to them and sound like they are...

NIK plugins for Photoshop / Lightroom – UPDATE

by catpaw | May 9, 2018 | photos & digital art | 0 Comments

Somehow I missed this news from October. Google sold NIK filters for Photoshop and Lightroom to French company DxO. In case you aren't familiar...

Catching a moving target

by catpaw | September 3, 2014 | photos & digital art | 0 Comments

I like close up photography. I don't tend to do a lot of sweeping panoramas or landscapes. Something about the up close and personal view that...

NIK plugins for Photoshop & Elements now free

by catpaw | March 25, 2016 | photos & digital art | 0 Comments

I love plugins for Photoshop. I don't use a lot of them, but the right plugin can make a big difference. Among the best (IMHO) and the ones I've...

Taking time to frame shots – upping my photography skills

by catpaw | September 23, 2017 | photos & digital art | 0 Comments

I'm trying to cure my bad case of "point 'n shootist". It's a pretty sever infection. I have a habit of taking dozens of shots, hoping to get a good...

Index of articles

About the author

Haven't decided what to say. I'll have to chew on this for a few weeks before I figure out what to drop into this section, but it certainly needs...