Alex
December 30, 2013
Alex got this strange "energy stick" toy for Christmas 2013. Normally, when touching both ends with your fingers, the lights turn on brightly and the buzzer sounds loudly. However, he noticed that the lights will not go on and the buzzer will only sound weakly if a wire with no resistance is used to connect the metallic bands at the ends. It seems the circuit inside looks for resistance within a certain (large) range.
Here's a video of a circuit we made tonight that uses a motion detector module, a transistor, a relay, a resistor, and this "energy stick."
December 22, 2013
There is an old tree swing across the overflow ditch.
December 14, 2013



On the train at the Railroad Museum in Galveston.



December 7, 2013
Boys Choir concert. Alex is in the little kids choir.
November 30, 2013

Someone needs to give this kid a gun-safety course.

Alex's wish list for Santa at Bass Pro Shop...

... Heather reports that the Santa was a bit confused (re: wish list, above).
November 23, 2013
Putting Ivory soap in the microwave. Apparently, you are not supposed to do this with ordinary soap.
November 10, 2013
"The Windmill". Alex worked hard on the diminuendo and ritardando.
November 3 and 4, 2013
Three attempts at a graphite light bulb using mechanical pencil lead (graphite).
November 3, 2013
Alex needed a little help from me to get the stiff wires on to the terminals, but he told me exactly where everything needed to go. (Note the 9V battery pack and the 3V battery pack in series to get 12V -- According to Alex, the minimum required for this fire alarm.)
Special thanks to Chris Soto, store manager of the Home Depot in Missouri City for helping out Alex with getting parts for this project.

October 26, 2013
September 22, 2013

One of the pages from Alex's writing notebook. Two transformers, a DLP chip, two clocks, an 8 ohm 0.5 watt speaker, a lens, some LEDs, a bright lamp. A circuit board or two. A fan driven by a DC motor. And lots of wires. I'm guessing this is a projector.
September 21, 2013
Laptop + Scratch + PicoBoard + SnapCircuits Sound + iPod + TV + Alex + Dad = ?
September 18, 2013

Coke and Mentos -- and Alex... Evil mad-scientist "Disaster Alex". (A.k.a. Danger Mouse.)

Coke and Mentos.
More photos:
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