Converting a paper book into an ebook using Ubuntu

My task today, as the title says, is to convert a paper book into a text-searchable ebook on Ubuntu (a Linux-based OS).

I'm using an HP G60 Intel Core2Duo using Ubuntu Jaunty 64-bit.

My plan is to:

1. scan the book (about 100 pages) using Xsane scanner with my Epson Stylus CX3100 (old machine that she is) into TIFF files at 300 dpi
2. crop pages so only one page is showing (rather than two pages side by side) so that I can use tesseract for OCR. I'm hoping to use a batch processing plugin on the GIMP for that.
3. I will need to remove any blemishes from each page, such as shadows and scribbles in the margins from previous readers. Also hoping a batch process will do the lion's share of this.
4. living in Cambodia, this is a copy of an original book, so the 'original' is not that great. I'm expecting some OCR errors because of that.
5. Then I will need to collate the OCR text into a text file, can I batch this somehow? Manual copy-and-paste will be really tedious.
6. Using the text file will import to Calibre to create an ebook of any file I want (pdb, prc, mobi, lib, you name it!)
7. save to SD card for reading (I currently use a Palm TX)

Let's see how I go and I'll let you know any further steps I needed to use.

Exercise Postponed

Sadly I was taken ill Thursday night and spent all of Saturday in a horizontal posture. Exercise will have to wait until I recover sufficient energy to attempt the ride to Kep.

Excerise

One of my (ongoing) goals is fitness. But is like so many goals that
gets pushed to the end of the list, and simply missed in the craziness
of life. Well, the move to Kampot is facilitating excercise - somewhat.

leadership

Two and a half years ago I was asked to take on leadership for InnerChange's Cambodia team. I don't think anyone can be offered such a thing and not feel a measure of pride. I certainly experienced that. But simultaneously I felt fear of such a task. At the time we numbered around 14 team (plus kids). From my perspective at the time there were a lot of challenges for team leadership.

What am I reading?

Power-Under by Steve Wineman

Steve Wineman looks at the political implications of trauma in nonviolent resistance, suggesting that trauma has it's effects on both the politics of the left and the right. The left projects trauma onto systems and structures and push for social change using rage. The right projects trauma onto individuals and groups from minorities, thereby scapegoating them.

My friend the enemy...

Dear friends,

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU.com) released their findings that includes rating Cambodia with a very high risk of social instability (fourth out of 165 countries) due to economic challenges, underpinned by other social factors such as unemployment, inequality, lack of trust in institutions, etc. Also predicting social unrest (not addressed in the report) are factors like the presence of a large number of youth compared to the population overall, low levels of education, and the presence of lucrative natural resources like oil and minerals, trees, arable land, gems and precious metals. Rising nationalism is also of great concern to Cambodia.

I can poop!

It's half past one in the afternoon. Both boys are down for a nap. For Patrick this is somewhat of a relief as he often forgoes the afternoon nap. But he's been sick the last week with an eye infection.

This morning Samantha and I woke to Patrick declaring, "Isaac pooped!". But no matter how much Sam asked, "where?" he wouldn't tell us. Eventually Isaac pipped up for himself and said, "I did poop!", in his shrill 2 year old voice. He was obviously very proud.

I finally made it up out of bed and discovered that Isaac hadn't simply pooped in one place, but several. Ah, the blessings of wooden floors! ___________________________________________________
Support human rights defenders in Cambodia

sign the petition:
http://petitionspot.com/petitions/stoptheintimidation

Lent - a reflection from Cambodia

Lent always seems to come around too fast. Each passing Easter I say to myself, "I'm going to prepare myself for Easter better next year", and next year comes and it's the same old scramble. It's not just a calendaring thing, but a head and heart thing. This year, at least, I've been jolted into a somewhat earlier preparation as CRM, my parent organisation, is sending out a devotional guide for each day of Lent. Just having these, often unread, emails filling my inbox is enough to initiate some introspection.

Intro to prophetic current quarter

Week one. What is violence? How is it manifested? Week two. Personal
and direct. Three. Economic. Four. Structural. Five. Nature of
nonviolence. Six. Response, plan, strategy. Both gospel and non gospel
texts. Nt, ot. Maybe a focus on one or two communities. Pray for them
and their specific issues. Email team leaders for their input what are
the issues of violence for their teams, contexts. Reminder, info on
pico and other trainings.

--
Sent from Gmail for mobile | mobile.google.com

___________________________________________________
Support human rights defenders in Cambodia

sign the petition:
http://petitionspot.com/petitions/stoptheintimidation

Intro to prophetic current quarter

So steeped in our worldview it's hard to imagine a world without it,
and may even feel it immoral to suggest that there is no place for
violence. What about national defence? Personal security? Terrorism?
Crime? Etc. I strongly believe that part of jesus' mission was to live
a life exemplifying nonviolence.