For Uzi...

Uzi Nissan is a hero. His family has long held the Domain name of 'Nissan.com' and ultimately won a hard-fought fight against a certain care manufacturer over rights to that web domain name. Uzi passed from COVID in 2020. His family continues to run the website. I urge everyone to view the website: Nissan.com. I am heart-broken of learning of his passing and that I just learned today of his passing. I have periodically visited the Nissan.com website; it gave me purpose and strength to see his words and remind myself of his courageous fight.

Additionally, there is an effort to collect donations to pay for Uzi's medical bills AND generate funds to help his kids attend college. I never got to meet him, and I only today learned of his passing. His story inspired me. Me... the coward who buckles daily to the weight of OCD found strength whenever he thought of Uzi. I toast you today, Uzi. I will never forget you, and I will continually share your story and courage with my students. You, Sir, made a difference. Rest in Peace!

Fundraiser for Ariel Nissan by Erez Halfon : Uzi Nissan (gofundme.com)

Carego Earbuds - A Great Choice for All Generations

Honestly, this review is different. I mean, I can’t really delve into Prehistory for any comparison technology. Now, if you want to be picky, then Earbud-like devices have been around since the mid-1800s (ear pieces for stethoscopes). As for the device we know and love today, that is tied more to ear pieces from the 1950s, leading into the 1970s and 1980s when they really start to pop up. Remember the Walkman from Sony? I had several sets of in the ear headphones during this time, and they were VERY uncomfortable. As for the more official “Earbud,” that is the ear piece that Apple produced with its IPod. Today, these ear pieces are wireless/Bluetooth connected and make for a great companion when walking, jogging or exercising (no need to fret with the clumsy wires of traditional headphones. How’s that for a history lesson?

 

Anyhoo… I recently purchased a pair of Carego 40H Earbuds. They were discounted to $9.99. I’ve reviewed these on the blog and at Amazon (though Amazon took my review down stating it had improper language – yeah… I have no idea what the heck they were talking about). Anyway, I received an email from the company after I registered my earbuds. I thanked them for the earbuds, which in turn led them to sending me a pair of their recently developed 60H earbuds. Now, after nearly 2 months of use, I am happy to report I love BOTH sets of Carego Earbuds. 

As for the 60H, they are a bit more expensive (just over $30), but the quality is certainly a step up from the earlier models they produced. Great sound quality and easy to set up with wireless/Bluetooth systems. For exercising, these are my Earbuds – I powerwalk constantly and these earbuds work great with my MP3 player – the sound is clear and sharp and perfect for my workout sessions. Definitely scored 5 out of 5 Trowels. 

For those who are short on cash, consider the Carego 40H Earbuds, which are currently at $9.99. I still use my 40H Earbuds from Carego every single day. They are high quality and dependable (both the 40H and the 60H charge in little time). Many thanks to Carego for letting me test out the new 60H Earbuds. Cheers!

Rating:  5 out of 5 Trowels

Carego Website:

CAREGO- Wireless Earbuds & Game Accessories | Switch, PS4,PS5, Xbox – CaregoTech

GAMING BLOG – CaregoTech

Carego Amazon Page:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Next-GenAudioInnovators/page/C34FDDE1-5105-4C49-B651-CB5B56F2DE54?ref_=ast_bln&store_ref=bl_ast_dp_brandLogo_sto

2023 Excavations - Lancaster, NY

So, 20 years ago, my wife and I bought a house in Lancaster, that was built in the 1940s. Now, as a Prehistoric archaeologist... that's not old. Having said that, our house was the first in this part of the town on William Street and once was an apple orchard. When we moved in, only 2 Cortland Apple trees remained. I have been expanding our number of apple trees during the last 5-6 years. Any how, the daughter of the man who built our house said that a stone arrowhead had been located when the garage was built. So, I have excavated several test units over the years. No prehistoric artifacts or features have yet to surface. However, I have found some historic artifacts: machine cut nails, old glass, and even a plastic disk that I believe was part of a toy gun from the 70s. I plan to display some of the artifacts I find as I also write a history of the house and a summary of my ongoing findings. This image is of the objects I uncovered and cleaned - all historic (at oldest, late 1800s, but my estimate is early to mid 20th century when the artifacts were used and then lost to time.

***Cheers to all. Tool reviews later this month! Be well!

 

An Old Archaeologist’s Dear Friend: The Knee Brace

And here I worried I wouldn’t get to post in August! Nothing like getting in a post on the last day of the month! For me, summers are brutal with regards to my work schedule. That said, lately I have been constantly reminded of one of the hazards of fieldwork: knee damage. That’s right, the climbing in and out of test units and crouching to scrape at test unit walls leads to many archaeologists having knee problems & needing knee replacement(s). My doctor said I got at least two years left on my knees. Of course, he said that two years ago.

Now, every few months, I get injections in my knees. It helps… a little. The biggest support I get is from knee braces. These are devices that help me endure pain when standing, sitting, or walking about. Braces help deal with pain and can help prevent injury (ask your doctor for guidance on use and need for knee braces). I just purchased a new brace: Futuro knee brace made by 3M. What can I say, the new brace, different just slightly from the Futuro knee brace I bought 6 months or so ago. The new brace is a better fit, more comfortable, and better than any of the other braces I have tried in the last two years. The Futuro brace also holds up well to daily use over time; I highly recommend it. 5 out of 5 Trowels! How’s that for a quick post and review?

All this said, how old is the knee brace? The first ‘lateral’ knee brace was invented in… 1967, by Dr. Robert F. McDavid, to address and help prevent injuries. (1).

1967?! Yeah, I was startled by articles I read acting like Humanity waited thousands of years before developing knee braces. The so-called “modern” knee brace (invented in 1967) has precursors just like most technologies. So, when was the first knee brace invented? I suspect our ancestors back in the early days of Hom sapiens discovered the importance and effectiveness of bracing the knee for comfort and support. Let’s try a different approach. As of my writing this blog post, the oldest “splint” still in existence dates back to circa 2600 BC (2; 3). Found in a grave, the wood/cloth splint was discovered in a grave dating to Egypt’s Nubian Period (2). Tree bark, branches, cloth, plant leaves, and other materials found readily in nature would serve to make a brace. Even to this day, those caught in the wild during storms or lost in dense forest still rely on such materials for splints and braces. Sure, the leap forward in 1967 was tremendous and certainly influenced brace and splint developments since. Yet, as I brace-up my knees each morning, I get a kick out of the fact that Humans have undoubtedly been dealing with pain in a similar way for millennia.

*** THANK YOU, 3M/Futuro.

 References:

(1)   https://www.donjoystore.com/blog/the-brief-history-of-knee-braces/#:~:text=It%20might%20be%20interesting%20to%20know%20that%20the,knee%20brace%20designed%20to%20prevent%20injury%20or%20reinjury.

(2)   The History and Classification of Knee Braces. Wirth, Michael A. et al. Clinics in Sports Medicine, Volume 9, Issue 4, 731 – 741. https://www.sportsmed.theclinics.com/article/S0278-5919(20)30679-7/abstract

(3)   https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0894113002500260

 

Bissell Heartache: Recall Notice (I still love Bissell)

I love Bissell!

When I went to restore Mom’s chair, the estimate I received was around $1700… for a $200 chair. I have no doubt Mom, God rest her soul, would be upset if I spent that much money to restore her chair. Enter the FABULOUS Bissell company and their ‘Steam Shot’ steamer. It saved the chair. Now the heartache. Years later I receive a notice from Amazon (thanks for the heads up, Amazon) that the Steam Shot has been recalled. So, if you have a Bissell Steam Shot, check out the following site: 

https://support.bissell.com/app/steamshot-safety-recall

Check out the recall now BEFORE you even reach for the Steam Shot on your shelf. That said, I write reviews on tools here. As an archaeologist, researching technology is a major part of my existence. Consequently, while I literally cut the cord to my Bissell Steam Shot, I am even now looking to Bissell for a replacement tool. Recalls happen. In my experience as an archaeologist, homeowner, and DIYer, even the best companies have to recall tools now and again. So, while Bissell is looking at sending out refunds to Steam Shot owners, their history shows their tech to be top of the line. Looking on websites now, there are a lot of generic steamers that seem LIKE the Bissell Steam Shot. For me… I’ll wait for Bissell to come up with a replacement!

The Circular Saw - A mini-History

So... I test tools. After testing, I donate tools to non-profit organizations (any tool tested that I love and can use in my collection, I then buy my own). Recently, your crazy neighborhood archaeologist received a mini-circular saw from the Hychika Tool Company (on Twitter: @HychikaTools). I tested the saw and will leave a review below (definitely gave it 5 out of 5 Trowels). But first, a circular saw history.

Believe it or not, the circular saw has been around for a long time. No, not 100 years. We're talking thousands of years. Now, if someone does a quick check of Wikipedia (as I know many people do), you will quickly see mention of circular saws being found at Bronze Age sites in the Indus Valley (the site of Lothal being named). The approximate date of the Lothal discovery is 4300 years ago. Me, I like to use scientific journals for research (Jstor is my favorite search engine for journal articles - you can likely access it through a public library). Anyhoo... I was not finding much published research from Lothal excavations, but I did encounter a report by a team of archaeologists who worked at a mid-late Bronze Age site in Britain. Their report mentioned evidence of a small circular saw being used to cut bone (Bruck and Booth 1988:198). Suffice to say, the idea and use of circular saws is not new. Now, let's jump ahead in time to the last few centuries. (It's a blog post not a dissertation).

Things get complicated in the late 1700s as multiple inventors are promoted at this point as 'THE' inventor (Yorksaw.com). For me, I remember seeing a big saw in the TV series 'Little House on the Prairie', which was used at the mill in town. From that perspective, Shaker Tabitha Babbitt (1810) invented a circular saw that moved in concert with a spinning wheel to help with mill work (she did not seek a patent per her religious beliefs tied to sharing ideas freely). Before Babbitt, in 1777, Samuel Miller received a patent for a circular saw, but it appears others were using circular blades already, his invention/patent tied more to his specific machine assembly.

Edmond Michel created the first 'portable' circular saw (early 1920s). He ultimately partnered up with Joseph Sullivan in creating a tool manufacturing company that would become SKILSAW. From there, Art Emmons creates a "helical drive" circular saw (early 20th century) that truly brought portability and reasonable safety after which the industry expands to include the multiple brands and power sources we see today.

I bought my first mini circular saw (corded electric) around 2014. I don't remember the brand. I picked it up at a local hardware store. I used it a few times, but not on a regular basis. One day the engine started smoking and I needed a small circular saw quick. So, I picked up a Genesis compact circular saw that has worked well. A corded electric device, the Genesis saw works decently and is lighter/easier to carry. Yet, there was a noticeable power loss given the size of the saw. Enter a cracked deck board just when the Hychika Company sent me a mini-circular saw to test out. The Hychika is a larger tool but still small in size making it easy to lift and maneuver. For those who worked in construction, deck building, and home renovations, I am sure you appreciate a circular saw you can safely use in tight spaces. The Hychika didn't disappoint in this regard. As for power, it is quite noticeable how much more power the Hychika has compared to the Genesis model I had. The amp jump was from 4 (Genesis) to 6 (Hychika). The extra power made it easy to cut through pressure treated deck boarding compared to the Genesis and the first brand I'd purchased years before.

Now, I used the Hychika for a project and then donated it to the Buffalo Tool Library. As such, I can't speak to longevity of the tool. It certainly had more power and seemed a more sturdy tool then the previous mini circular saws I've owned. It's easy to use and has ample power behind it. It also has all the bells and whistles including 3 blades (for wood and plastic cutting jobs), a guide to ensure straight/accurate cuts, and an adapter to connect the saw with a shopvac so you can keep sawdust from blowing all over the place.

This saw has a 4.4/5 rating on Amazon with over 80% of reviewers rating it at or above 4 out of 5 stars. For my test, I give 5/5 Trowels (stars). Next time I am in the market for a mini circular saw, I would buy the Hychika saw!

*** I have joined Hychika's affiliate program. In turn, the company provided me with a coupon code (Neil10) for my readers for a great discount should you purchase their tools from their website (they ship all over the world).

Here's a link to their mini/compact circular saw: https://shorturl.at/tibSt

AFFILIATE NOTICE: For those of us who are 'affiliates' for companies, we receive small compensation for sales when customers use links and codes posted on our blogs and other websites. I recommend ALL readers check reviews beyond mine to see the range of feedback customers have provided. Be a smart shopper and do your research.

REFERENCES

Bruck, Joanna and Thomas J. Booth

        1988  The Ambivalent Dead: Curation, Excarnation and Complex Post-mortem Trajectories in                               Middle and Late Bronze Age Britain. In Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, 2022-12,                           Vol.88, p.193-220

https://www.yorksaw.com/history-circular-saw/

https://craftlikeapro.com/who-invented-the-circular-saw/

Power Up! Thank You Westinghouse!!!!!

 I live in a place with extreme weather. Buffalo, NY. Storms throughout the year, we have a chance for basically all weather, though the harshest parts of a hurricane don't ever hit us. For this reason, I built up my own power grid. As followers know, I have two solar panels, two inverter generators, and a variety of batteries. And, it all started with my Westinghouse inverter generator. (See my base backup system recommendation below).

Check Out HYCHIKA: Awesome Tools for DIYers

This little trooper has been a Godsend during multiple storms as well as having a need for power far from any structure/power outlet. The other inverters have not lived up to the standard that Westinghouse set. And, I've tested many.

In the last week, the difference between Westinghouse and its competitors has never been more stark. This post grew out of my stress and chaos experienced over the last few days in particular. Having a solar panel is key, but choosing the right power inverter generator is just as important. For anyone looking to create a backup power system for 'what if' scenarios, I recommend you start with a Westinghouse inverter generator. THANK YOU WESTINGHOUSE!!!!!!!!!

Westinghouse (the electric company) was founded by George Westinghouse in 1886.

*** For the record, I researched power inverters and purchased the Westinghouse inverter generator with my own money (just as I purchased other inverters with my own money). As for a basic backup system I would currently recommend (relatively low-cost):

My recommendation for a start is: 1 Westinghouse 194Wh Portable Power Station, 1 portable solar panel (100W) by Solar Popo (check out Amazon coupon). That's the heart of my system and has saved me hundreds off electric bills.