Welcome

Welcome to Dan Becker's Other Hobbies, an area of my web site for discussing various hobbies and projects. I frequently spend my leisure pursuing strange ideas, investigating crackpot schemes, or dreaming up ways to make my friends laugh. Many of the ideas are presented here with the notion of making others laugh too.

On the left side is a navigation menu for browsing the topics. You are currently in the Dan Becker's Other Hobbies page. Here is a brief description of the subsections:

• Books - discussion of books and book reading lists.
• Computer Science Projects - a collection of computer projects from my University of Miami Master's degree.
• Java Page - a collection of useful Java utilities.
• Motorcycles - some pages on Hill Country trips and an adventure to Las Vegas.
• Tandem - riding in the Hill Country (password protected).
• Trebuchet - design, construction, and firing of a 1/6 scale trebuchet model. Especially for people who like to hurl!
• Video - some random clips of the goofie video and home movies.
• Created a dancable remix of the Lords of the Rhymes first single. Support the dying art form of hobbit rap by listening to DJ Mook Munster's LOTR Slave Remix (MP3 format, 96 kbs, 2.2 MB, 3:12 duration). The song is also available in high definition (MP3 format, 192 kbs, 4.4 MB, 3:12 duration).
• The World's Tallest Water Sphere - history, impact, and modelling hints for this impressive tower.
• Brien Muschett Should Eat at Tan Tan - yes, you are craving Vietnamese food.

People interested in ancient technology and society may also find these articles interesting:

• Ancient Britannia figures - scale figures for board gaming with a bit of history thrown in.
• Hadrians Wall Map - a 3 dimensional model of Hadrian's Wall.
• Trebuchet - a 1/6 scale trebuchet using basswood.
• Toothpick Trebuchet - a tiny terror using toothpicks.
• Scale Armor - explore the construction of a shirt of ancient plate armor.
• Scale Armor Revisted - a much better attempt of making scale armor.
• Constructing chain mail - making a chain mail curtain for a spangenhelm.
• Make a Five Dollar Spangenhelm - make a cheap replica helmet great for costumes or casual pillaging.
• Weave wire into a mail coif - flexible steel armor protects the head and neck against blades.

Enjoy the site.