Controlling iRobot Roomba from the Command Line

If you’re a heavy command line (cli) user in Macos, Linux or WSL, you may it convenient to easily start or stop your robot from it’s cleaning cycle. In this post I’ll you fellow keyboard jockeys how to control and even view your robot as is cleans.

There's more than one way to skin a robot

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New CB Brand Logo

I created a new logo and icon of my initials for my personal brand tonight:


CB Initials

It’s not something that really needs a blog post, but I’m adding it here for posterity. Maybe I’ll mint it as an NFT for anyone that has the initials CB. Ehh, no.

New website - launch.chrisbergeron.com


Next Rocket Launch

I wanted a quick, lightweight way to view rocket launches from Florida’s Space Coast - Kennedy Space Center but everything I found online was bloated. So, I create a simple website and Progressive Web App (PWA) so I could just check it on my phone.
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Disassembling a DirecTV RC Remote

Opening Directv Remote

While visiting with family, I came across an old DirecTV remote that wasn’t working entirely. Some buttons wouldn’t register even after replacing the batteries, so I figured a quick cleaning was in order. I snapped a few pictures of the disassembly so they might be useful to others (you).

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Mcombo 7040 Lift Chair Manual

I recently purchased an Mcombo 7040 Lift Chair for my elderly grandfather. Prior to purchasing the chair my Grandfather had some questions so I figured I would have a look at the manual for answers. Surprised that I couldn’t find one, I thought I’d share it here along with my thoughts about the chair.

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Cheapest Days Calendar

Are you looking for a calendar that lets you know what days of the week are cheapest to shop? If so, look no further.

Cheapest Days of the Week Calendar

I created a calendar for anyone looking to save a few dollars on common purchases. The data for this calendar comes from this Reader’s Digest post. Please check it out if you want to know the reasoning behind the timing. If you know of other days that I should add - comment below!
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Building an Ethanol Still

A few years ago, when gas prices were exorbitant, I started to build my own Ethanol Still. In light of the global energy crisis, I figured that being able to produce my own fuel was a useful endeavor. Creating ethanol fuel requires distilling corn (or other vegetables/fruits) and extracting its potential liquid energy. I did some research on the web and discovered the Charles 803.
I bought plans and began building the still. I’ve put this project on hold for now but perhaps one day I’ll complete it. Until then, here are some pictures of the project:

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How high gas prices paid for my new (used) car

The stage is set:

I drive my VW Jetta exactly 50 miles a day to and from work. When gas prices started going up in the Summer of 2006, I decided to figure out exactly how much fuel was costing me each workday. So, one morning on the way to work, I stopped at the gas station nearest my home. I filled my tank and reset my trip counter to zero. I recorded the price per gallon ($3 something a gallon!). Then, I drove directly to work, worked, and drove back to the same gas station. I pulled up to the same pump I filled up at that morning. I took note of how many miles I had driven, and sure enough it read almost exactly 50 miles. Next, I refilled my gas tank. It cost me $7. I had burned $7 dollars worth of fuel just going to work and back! That came as quite a shock. I knew gas prices were high, but I never thought that I was spending that much each day. $3 a Gallon?!? Somethings gotta give! After doing some homework on the web (fueleconomy.gov), et al., I decided to buy a much more fuel efficient car (and a soon to be FREE CAR).

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