Tips and tricks for geeks

64 things every geek should know.

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Queen's Gambit Chess References

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Queen's Gambit is the first series I've binge-watched end-to-end in a very long time. Not since Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown have I found a series worth investing so much time into. And it's fitting, considering that although I've been playing chess since my father taught me the game as a kid, and I've dabbled in it off and on ever since, it's the now 9-months long COVID-19 social isolation that pushed me into the next level of obsession with chess.  What follows is a list of all of the factual chess references I could keep track of while watching this riveting series. I have attempted to omit anything that appeared to me to be fictional references, of which there were many. Episode 1: Openings Scholar's Mate Sicilian defense  Levenfish variation  Najdorf variation Queen's Gambit  Modern Chess Openings (book) Reti opening  A simultaneous  Episode 2: Exchanges Backward pawns Forks Knight-rook combination  My Chess Career (Jose Capablanca's aut...
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Milwaukee Appliance Hand Truck

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Milwaukee Appliance Hand Truck, leaning against my shed Also known as a cart or a dolly. The model is HDA700. I paid around $120 for it. Here's a list of the features. Wrought iron frame 800 pound load capacity 6 inch non-marking wheels (solid, non-inflatable, never go flat) Stair climbers to help move loads up and down stairs and curbs Padding to prevent the cart from damaging the appliance (this is the white strip in the picture above) Belt or strap that goes around the appliance to secure it to the cart and keep it in place Manual ratchet belt tightener, the buckle-like part at one end of the belt (more on this below) Belt tightener handle (this is the red handle in the picture above) to add more tension to the belt once the manual ratchet has been used to the tighten the belt  I recently used this hand truck to move a big ass 320 pound refrigerator out of my garage (where it was delivered) and up a couple of steps to the deck, up one more step through the doubl...
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Utility trailer buying guide

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Introduction I recently bought a utility trailer . (I'll explain momentarily what that is and why you might consider buying one.) Going through the process (research, preparation, purchase, registration, setup and maintenance) has taught me that it's not a simple endeavor and very little good documentation exists in the public domain (e.g. on the Internet). Hence, this post. Research In dictionary terms, of course, "to trail" means "to follow" (or to trace the path of a primary vehicle). Alternately, Wikipedia defines a trailer as an unpowered vehicle pulled by a powered vehicle. So, let's get acquainted with what a utility trailer is and why you might consider buying one. If you're a hardworking, blue collar American you probably already have one -- it's the back half of your pickup truck . Well not quite, but that's the reason Australians refer to a pickup as a utility vehicle. A pickup is characterized by the presence of a flat...
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