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Taming the IoT Beast: How I Overhauled My Home Network with Firewalla and Ubiquiti
I’m far from a professional network engineer, but I recently found myself frustrated with constant Wi-Fi issues and a growing number of smart devices. After hearing repeated praise for both Firewalla and Ubiquiti from cybersecurity enthusiasts, I decided to piece together a more secure, more organized home network—complete with a shiny new 12U network rack…
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Musical Mosaics: Blind Melon “Soul One”
There was a long night of coding shortly after I gained initial access to DALL-E 3 through my ChatGPT subscription. With several hours of playlists echoing through my headphones, I found myself deeply immersed in both work and music. The melodies and lyrics provided a steady backdrop, fueling my creativity and focus. As the night…
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Musical Mosaics: Alice in Chains “No Excuses”
One of the very first Musical Mosaics I did, as DALL-E was first introduced into the ChatGPT interface was for “No Excuses” by Alice in Chains. The image format was different and I hadn’t quite figured out the prompts for different artistic styles. The images were still interesting, so I figured I would include them…
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CoalCracker Musical Mosaics: Blind Melon “Change”
Musical Mosaics is a new category on CoalCracker.com. For over two decades, I’ve been a PHP developer and independent contractor in the heart of Pennsylvania’s coal region. Recently, my passion for AI technology and travel inspired me to transform CoalCracker into a platform where I explore AI’s applications in my work, share travel adventures, and…
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Pap’s Homemade Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe: Where Bread Meets Greatness
Let’s face it: when it comes to comfort food, stuffing is near the top of the list. As far back as I can remember, Thanksgiving was a significant holiday in my house in Ashland, right in the heart of the anthracite coal region, with my grandparents living right next door. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas, the…
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Double Down at Ocean: A Tale of Two Casino Escapades
Diversifying Our Atlantic City Adventures: Discovering Ocean Casino Resort On both of our recent visits to the vibrant Hard Rock in Atlantic City, our journey included a final-day detour to the Ocean Casino Resort. This intriguing side trip was partly inspired by the high praise from my wife’s boss, a frequent patron of Ocean, whose…
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Hitting the Jackpot: A Rocking Encore at Hard Rock Atlantic City
Encore Prelude: Setting the Stage for a Return Trip By now, the allure Atlantic City holds for us is undeniable. When we set out on our first trip in January, there was a lot of uncertainty. But, as we started getting a feel for the different casinos and how things worked, we really started to…
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Ready to Rock: An Atlantic City Escape
The engine is revving, the suitcases are packed, and we’re set to hit the open road for a leisurely 3.5-hour drive. Our destination? The vibrant and ever-thrilling Atlantic City, home to the iconic Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. It’s time to unwind, enjoy a few days off, and embrace the excitement that awaits us. Back…
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A Warm Hug in a Bowl: CoalCracker French Onion Soup
Let’s wind the clock back a bit. A good while ago, I found myself immersed in the lively world of a well-regarded restaurant, navigating through steam and sizzle, pots and pans, and along the way, learning tricks of the trade that made creating great dishes a little easier. French Onion Soup was one of those…
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Turning Travel Woes into Comfortable Nights: My Portable Ottoman Solution
Following our recent CoalCracker Adventure to Tropicana Atlantic City, I recognized the importance of having a backup plan for sleeping comfortably should we ever receive a different room than what we booked. This seems to be a frequent occurrence in AC and in numerous other locales, as evidenced by several reviews I’ve encountered. The challenge…
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