I've never owned a VW Bus and I think I'm missing out on something. True, there was no air conditioning and the only frontal crash zone involved the operator's legs but a VW Bus offers a "coolness" that few other vehicles can match. I did own a VW Bug in the past, a 1967 Convertaible Bug, some say the finest example of VW engineering ever. Sadly that bug died in 1996 when a dim-witted lady who couldn't look in both directions pulled out in front of me and complained that "her brakes didn't stop her". Stupid shit-head. She was at a complete stop but didn't bother to look both ways before pulling out. I could go on cursing this stupid woman but I won't.
In the end I have to admit I want a VW Bus. I'm not sure if I'll ever realize this dream or not but if I do I want "my" bus to be a 21 window bus. Oh yeah, that'd be sweet.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Tonight it begins.
Tonight, provided that I am able to scape together one or two hours of quiet time, I will being writing my third novel. Neither of the first two were published, nor will they be. Could effort #3 see the light of day? Maybe. We'll see. More later when I come up with a title. My titles usually don't gel until late in the process.
What were the first two unpublished novels? Kuiper Adrift, a sci-fi tale and Arizona Sunset, a dramatic novel. Why were they not published? They sucked, that's why. In fact they are too embarrassing to read. I hope this one turns out better! If not, that's ok, I enjoy writing and if I only write for myself that's just fine with me. That said living the life of a highly paid author sure sounds sweet as well! Even being published and continuing to live the life of "INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MAN" sounds pretty good. We'll see where it takes me.
What were the first two unpublished novels? Kuiper Adrift, a sci-fi tale and Arizona Sunset, a dramatic novel. Why were they not published? They sucked, that's why. In fact they are too embarrassing to read. I hope this one turns out better! If not, that's ok, I enjoy writing and if I only write for myself that's just fine with me. That said living the life of a highly paid author sure sounds sweet as well! Even being published and continuing to live the life of "INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MAN" sounds pretty good. We'll see where it takes me.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Treat yourself
Get yourself a copy of The Real Tuesday Weld's London Book of the Dead. I've heard a lot of music in my time but nothing quite like this. And it's great stuff!!! I Believe is a great little tune. So are the rest of the songs, for that matter. Buy this CD!
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Removing color
Magnus tried this a while back so I thought I'd give it a whirl. Far from perfect but I'm tired and want to read a bit before I go to bed and get up at the ungodly hour of whatever it is when the alarm goes off and the rest of the civilized world, not to mention prisoners, the infirmed and even insomniacs are still fast asleep.
Enjoy.
Enjoy.
The Chevy Global Warmer
It has occurred to me that though I have mentioned the Chevrolet Global Warmer many times I have not yet posted a picture. Today I correct this oversight by uploading and posting the following:
Next to upload is a picture of the scooters.
Next to upload is a picture of the scooters.
Cool stuff for the aspiring storm chaser
Technology today is so cool. We have products that people a few years ago could only have dreamed of. If I were going out chasing some storms I'd load up with the following:
The Ride: 2004 Lingenfelter Suburban 4x4
Getting stuck sucks. Getting stuck in the line of a fast-moving tornado REALLY sucks. This Suburban gets the nod of say, a Unimog, because of the top-end speed, cargo carrying capacity, and interior space and comfort.
The Laptop: Apple Powerbook 15"
The Powerbook gets the nod over the Macbook Air because of the included Firewire port and 7200 rpm internal drive. We need the firewire port for video import.
The Camera: Sony DSLR A700P
I'm not sure I could ever do this camera justice, but it sure is sweet. 12.2 megapixel resolution, interchangeable lenses, you name it, the function is probably built in.
The Handheld GPS: Bushnell Onix 400 CR
Oh man, I love this GPS! It's small, hand-held but also has some really neat features generally found only on Aviation quality GPS units namely real-time weather overlay and satellite imagery. Freaking sweet! Watch those hooked echos approach and keep an eye on the tornado at night while you can't even see it clearly! Perhaps you can catch that elusive "tornado back-lit by lightning" shot that people pay big money for.
The phone: Any unlocked phone.
Go with the best coverage for the area in which you are chasing.
The Video Camera: Panasonic AG-HVX200
What's not to love? 24 frames per second, HD video, you name it.
The "other" Video Camera: Sony HVR-V1U
A great camera but unlike the Panasonic you don't have to worry about recording only to P2 cards as this camera records to DV tape. The idea here is you will get a lot more video on the same camera. Shoot the "everyday shots" with this camera and shoot the super-high quality video on the Panasonic.
The Friends: Two or three of your best.
It would be a shame to get stuck in a tornado by yourself. Take a few friends along that have some specialized skills: amateur videographer, meteorologist, or just someone to cheer you on.
Got any more ideas?
The Ride: 2004 Lingenfelter Suburban 4x4
Getting stuck sucks. Getting stuck in the line of a fast-moving tornado REALLY sucks. This Suburban gets the nod of say, a Unimog, because of the top-end speed, cargo carrying capacity, and interior space and comfort.
The Laptop: Apple Powerbook 15"
The Powerbook gets the nod over the Macbook Air because of the included Firewire port and 7200 rpm internal drive. We need the firewire port for video import.
The Camera: Sony DSLR A700P
I'm not sure I could ever do this camera justice, but it sure is sweet. 12.2 megapixel resolution, interchangeable lenses, you name it, the function is probably built in.
The Handheld GPS: Bushnell Onix 400 CR
Oh man, I love this GPS! It's small, hand-held but also has some really neat features generally found only on Aviation quality GPS units namely real-time weather overlay and satellite imagery. Freaking sweet! Watch those hooked echos approach and keep an eye on the tornado at night while you can't even see it clearly! Perhaps you can catch that elusive "tornado back-lit by lightning" shot that people pay big money for.
The phone: Any unlocked phone.
Go with the best coverage for the area in which you are chasing.
The Video Camera: Panasonic AG-HVX200
What's not to love? 24 frames per second, HD video, you name it.
The "other" Video Camera: Sony HVR-V1U
A great camera but unlike the Panasonic you don't have to worry about recording only to P2 cards as this camera records to DV tape. The idea here is you will get a lot more video on the same camera. Shoot the "everyday shots" with this camera and shoot the super-high quality video on the Panasonic.
The Friends: Two or three of your best.
It would be a shame to get stuck in a tornado by yourself. Take a few friends along that have some specialized skills: amateur videographer, meteorologist, or just someone to cheer you on.
Got any more ideas?
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Netflix Roku vs. Apple TV
My loving, understanding and tolerant wife Kelly ordered me a Netflix streaming "Roku" player last night for my upcoming birthday. I'm excited about this product even though I believe there is one glaring shortfall of design. My Roku will arrive in 7-10 days and you can expect a full blow-by-blow comparison of the two products even though they are quite different in nature and scope.
So keep your ears tuned, good buddy.
10-4. Over and out.
So keep your ears tuned, good buddy.
10-4. Over and out.
Friday, May 23, 2008
That was more fun than a barrel of monkies!
Riding the scoot was a blast today, not to mention an economical way to get around! I think we'll start seeing more and more scooters on the road, especially if Tanner is correct and gas does indeed reach the $6 to $7 per gallon level.
Part of riding a scooter is knowing you are going to be a slower member of the vast system of roadways (if you are riding a sub 250cc scoot, that is). As such it pays to exhibit some goodwill such as pulling over into a gas station to let a line of cars pass (safely). Most cars seemed ok with passing me to the left, even on two lane roads and most did a very safe job of it but twice today, while on two lane roads, a couple of drivers showed some restraint in passing so I took it upon myself to pull over into a gas station (and later the kayak "put-in" off Falls of Neuse).
Just before my final turn for home I realized that I was low on gas so I proceeded to Sheetz and filled up the nearly empty scoot for a grand total of $4.91. Not bad, considering I can go at least 70 miles on one gallon of regular.
Still I'd feel better with a slight larger, plated scooter (or small motorcycle). Somehow I think I'll end up with a larger scooter rather than a motorcycle; don't ask me why I feel this way, I just do, at least right now. I could be wrong, I'm still quite smitten with the Kawasaki Versys but I wonder how much Interstate riding I'll really be doing. What else is in the running? Perhaps a Suzuki Burgman 400, used primarily as a commuting, grocery go-getting kind of ride. My Chinese Rugged 150 is fun, don't get me wrong, but if I'm going to remain a scooter rider I want something with some underseat storage. I only got the Rugged 150 because Kelly had her 50cc Honda Ruckus and doesn't like to ride alone (there's a master plan at work here, people, but more on that later).
What about price? How does that factor into the purchase of a scooter or motorcycle? Surprisingly, somewhat, "big" scooters and motorcycles don't have a large delta in price. In fact a 650cc scooter can cost more than a motorcycle of the same displacement. So, then, the question is more than "scooter" vs "motorcycle". The real question is what machine better suits my needs? All I know is I'm broke right now, really cash-poor, so I've got plenty of time to think about this quandary. One day next week I will have to take a trip down to Zebulon (Highway 96 from Youngsville to Zebulon). This ride might well be too dicey on the scoot with everyone on Highway 96 at that hour of the morning. Sadly I'll probably take the Suburban. If I had a 250 cc or greater motorcycle or scooter I'd drive that, weather permitting.
Decisions. Your input is welcome.
Part of riding a scooter is knowing you are going to be a slower member of the vast system of roadways (if you are riding a sub 250cc scoot, that is). As such it pays to exhibit some goodwill such as pulling over into a gas station to let a line of cars pass (safely). Most cars seemed ok with passing me to the left, even on two lane roads and most did a very safe job of it but twice today, while on two lane roads, a couple of drivers showed some restraint in passing so I took it upon myself to pull over into a gas station (and later the kayak "put-in" off Falls of Neuse).
Just before my final turn for home I realized that I was low on gas so I proceeded to Sheetz and filled up the nearly empty scoot for a grand total of $4.91. Not bad, considering I can go at least 70 miles on one gallon of regular.
Still I'd feel better with a slight larger, plated scooter (or small motorcycle). Somehow I think I'll end up with a larger scooter rather than a motorcycle; don't ask me why I feel this way, I just do, at least right now. I could be wrong, I'm still quite smitten with the Kawasaki Versys but I wonder how much Interstate riding I'll really be doing. What else is in the running? Perhaps a Suzuki Burgman 400, used primarily as a commuting, grocery go-getting kind of ride. My Chinese Rugged 150 is fun, don't get me wrong, but if I'm going to remain a scooter rider I want something with some underseat storage. I only got the Rugged 150 because Kelly had her 50cc Honda Ruckus and doesn't like to ride alone (there's a master plan at work here, people, but more on that later).
What about price? How does that factor into the purchase of a scooter or motorcycle? Surprisingly, somewhat, "big" scooters and motorcycles don't have a large delta in price. In fact a 650cc scooter can cost more than a motorcycle of the same displacement. So, then, the question is more than "scooter" vs "motorcycle". The real question is what machine better suits my needs? All I know is I'm broke right now, really cash-poor, so I've got plenty of time to think about this quandary. One day next week I will have to take a trip down to Zebulon (Highway 96 from Youngsville to Zebulon). This ride might well be too dicey on the scoot with everyone on Highway 96 at that hour of the morning. Sadly I'll probably take the Suburban. If I had a 250 cc or greater motorcycle or scooter I'd drive that, weather permitting.
Decisions. Your input is welcome.
I'm tried of gas prices too
So Mark was thinking about the good old days when one could honestly make a compliant about gas prices being "just under two dollars per gallon". Yeah, I remember those days too. Today, thankfully, I am working from home, but not because I wanted to save gas. I have two doctor appointments on this side of town and my boss was thoughtful enough to allow me this flexible work option. He's cool that way.
Am I going to drive the 14 in-city mpg Suburban? Hell no! I'm riding my 70-80 mpg scooter to the doctors office (and heck, if I crash or get run over I'm going in the direction of the hospital anyway). It should be fun. The weather is kind of cloudy but temperature-wise it looks pretty ideal. I'm going to have to get "suited up" for the ride; just because I'm on a scooter doesn't mean I can skimp on the "all the gear, all the time" rule, even if I don't own an Aerostitch riding suit. I'd ride my bike but I a) want to get there sometime today and b) the bike lives at the Outer Banks now as my "in-town" transportation.
So, please, if you see a fat man riding a scooter today, don't point and laugh. At least not well enough so I can see you doing so. Please give me some courtesy as a slower user of our roadways. I'll keep to the right and out of the way as best I am able. In fact when it comes time for my left hand turn into the medical facility I'll do you a favor and turn right, flip a U turn and wait for the light to go straight. Deal?
The gas crunch is affecting all of us and the longer I leave my Suburban sitting the better off we, not to mention the planet, all are.
Am I going to drive the 14 in-city mpg Suburban? Hell no! I'm riding my 70-80 mpg scooter to the doctors office (and heck, if I crash or get run over I'm going in the direction of the hospital anyway). It should be fun. The weather is kind of cloudy but temperature-wise it looks pretty ideal. I'm going to have to get "suited up" for the ride; just because I'm on a scooter doesn't mean I can skimp on the "all the gear, all the time" rule, even if I don't own an Aerostitch riding suit. I'd ride my bike but I a) want to get there sometime today and b) the bike lives at the Outer Banks now as my "in-town" transportation.
So, please, if you see a fat man riding a scooter today, don't point and laugh. At least not well enough so I can see you doing so. Please give me some courtesy as a slower user of our roadways. I'll keep to the right and out of the way as best I am able. In fact when it comes time for my left hand turn into the medical facility I'll do you a favor and turn right, flip a U turn and wait for the light to go straight. Deal?
The gas crunch is affecting all of us and the longer I leave my Suburban sitting the better off we, not to mention the planet, all are.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Finshed two books
The Big Change: America Transforms Itself 1900 - 1950
Frederick Lewis Allen
This was an interesting book, if a touch "dry". How interesting can fifty years of history really be? As it turns out interesting enough to finish the book and learn a few things along the way. I picked this book up off the paperback 1/2 price rack at Durham's Book Exchange and paid little more than a dollar, quite a bargain when Amazon carries the same book, a later printed edition of course, for just under $28. The only problem with reading the book was I had no personal perspective of 1950 so when the author would say things like "the same man who paid $5.24 in income tax in 1900 would today pay close to $15.89", well, I just couldn't put that into a frame of reference. Still, this was a good book, thoroughly researched and well written. My favorite quote: "one day the newly discovered transistor may totally displace the vacuum tube." He hit that one on the head!
Carrie
Stephen King
Ah, King's first published novel. It was an odd one, flow wise, with the story being interjected with copies of police reports, commission findings, and the like (all fictitious, of course). Adding these "extras" help draw you into the story and made you feel more like a witness by the end. As with all King's books the story is well written and imaginative. I don't remember my proms all that well, they were nothing of special note, but the population of Chamberlain, Maine will never forget the prom of '79!
If you have seen the movie I'd suggest you read the book, especially if you liked the movie. As these things usually are the book is far better and I found the ending to be much more believable. Good stuff.
What's next on the reading plate? I was going to reach for The Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway but instead I picked up The Wastelands, Part 3 of King's seven part epic The Dark Tower. I wanted to take a break from King, as I feel that any reader should enjoy the works of many authors, but I wanted to find out what happens to Roland Deschain next. I suppose I'll find out shortly (not much as happened yet, I only managed to read 10 or so pages into this book after finishing Carrie last night).
Frederick Lewis Allen
This was an interesting book, if a touch "dry". How interesting can fifty years of history really be? As it turns out interesting enough to finish the book and learn a few things along the way. I picked this book up off the paperback 1/2 price rack at Durham's Book Exchange and paid little more than a dollar, quite a bargain when Amazon carries the same book, a later printed edition of course, for just under $28. The only problem with reading the book was I had no personal perspective of 1950 so when the author would say things like "the same man who paid $5.24 in income tax in 1900 would today pay close to $15.89", well, I just couldn't put that into a frame of reference. Still, this was a good book, thoroughly researched and well written. My favorite quote: "one day the newly discovered transistor may totally displace the vacuum tube." He hit that one on the head!
Carrie
Stephen King
Ah, King's first published novel. It was an odd one, flow wise, with the story being interjected with copies of police reports, commission findings, and the like (all fictitious, of course). Adding these "extras" help draw you into the story and made you feel more like a witness by the end. As with all King's books the story is well written and imaginative. I don't remember my proms all that well, they were nothing of special note, but the population of Chamberlain, Maine will never forget the prom of '79!
If you have seen the movie I'd suggest you read the book, especially if you liked the movie. As these things usually are the book is far better and I found the ending to be much more believable. Good stuff.
What's next on the reading plate? I was going to reach for The Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway but instead I picked up The Wastelands, Part 3 of King's seven part epic The Dark Tower. I wanted to take a break from King, as I feel that any reader should enjoy the works of many authors, but I wanted to find out what happens to Roland Deschain next. I suppose I'll find out shortly (not much as happened yet, I only managed to read 10 or so pages into this book after finishing Carrie last night).
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Fun with Photoshop last night
Ok, some background: a friend of mine had the misfortune of having her step-father in the hospital for unexpected not major but not minor surgery not too long ago. I think he was in the hospital a total of two days, which by today's standards is pretty long. The day following surgery he was in-and-out of consciousness, in a dream-like state where he was lucid one minute then rambling on about something bizarre the next. I've been there, your body digesting massive doses of, in drug terms, some really good sh*t. Hallucinations abound and you can't really tell what is real from what isn't and, on top of that, you don't really remember most of it anyway but it is somewhat entertaining for those that are witnessing your recovery.
One of the waking dreams my friend's father in law had was of Bill Clinton endorsing Manischewitz wine (Manischewitz is a company that makes Kosher products, wine being one of those products). My friend told me about this little hallucination so I thought, what the heck, why not just create a fake advertisement using Photohop Elements. Below is the result. I wish I would have had more time to "fix" the minor stuff, but I didn't. All graphics, including Bill's signature, came from the web. Enjoy.
One of the waking dreams my friend's father in law had was of Bill Clinton endorsing Manischewitz wine (Manischewitz is a company that makes Kosher products, wine being one of those products). My friend told me about this little hallucination so I thought, what the heck, why not just create a fake advertisement using Photohop Elements. Below is the result. I wish I would have had more time to "fix" the minor stuff, but I didn't. All graphics, including Bill's signature, came from the web. Enjoy.
Monday, May 19, 2008
CNN asks is $5/gallon gas possible by summer?
I'd say yes, it is! In fact I paid $3.99 9/10 for two gallons of gas this past weekend (just enough to ensure I could make it off Hatteras Island to the "cheap" gas station where I only paid $3.75. It wouldn't surprise me to see Liberty in Rodnathe charging $5.10 per gallon this summer.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Watching a rented movie on the Apple TV was more difficult than it should have been
I wanted to rent The Simpsons Movie last night. I have an Apple TV. You'd think it would have been easy, but no, it wasn't. When I tried to rent the movie the Apple TV software threw up and quit because, get this, I had my TV connected to my Apple TV via a HDMI cable. I can hear you going "what?" in the background but I assure you it is the truth. I don't have HD component cables at the condo so I was out of luck there.
What not rent the movie to the laptop and then watch the movie via my "Shared Movies" on the Apple TV? That doesn't work either. I downloaded the rental to my laptop but the rentals will not show up via the Shared Movie selection on the Apple TV. Really.
Time to throw the hands up and give up? No way. How about synching the movie to an iPod? You can do that, but only if you have an iPhone or an iPod Touch as Wi-Fi is required to be active when the movie is watched (I presume so the iPod can communicate with Apple and let them know a movie has started or completed). Luckily we have an iPod Touch and I was able to place the movie on the TV via the Touch.
Doesn't this sound unreasonably complicated? Had I not had the $50 iPod to TV converter cable I would have been SOL. It just seems bizarre to me that Apple would have made such a big deal about rentals yet rentals won't work on the Apple TV if you use the HDMI connection. Bizarre.
What not rent the movie to the laptop and then watch the movie via my "Shared Movies" on the Apple TV? That doesn't work either. I downloaded the rental to my laptop but the rentals will not show up via the Shared Movie selection on the Apple TV. Really.
Time to throw the hands up and give up? No way. How about synching the movie to an iPod? You can do that, but only if you have an iPhone or an iPod Touch as Wi-Fi is required to be active when the movie is watched (I presume so the iPod can communicate with Apple and let them know a movie has started or completed). Luckily we have an iPod Touch and I was able to place the movie on the TV via the Touch.
Doesn't this sound unreasonably complicated? Had I not had the $50 iPod to TV converter cable I would have been SOL. It just seems bizarre to me that Apple would have made such a big deal about rentals yet rentals won't work on the Apple TV if you use the HDMI connection. Bizarre.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Outer Banks Beach Closure Report
The way people down here talk you would think Judge Terrance Boyle had not only closed some of the beaches but also closed Highway 12 and told everyone to get the hell off the island. It's not quite that bad but the closures have had a measurable effect on local and vacationing populations alike.
Islandfreepress.org keeps a very detailed page about ongoing beach closure issues that make for a great resource for anyone interested in the issue regardless on which what "side" you happen to reside. The current beach closures just South of Salvo, NC have resulted in what amounts to a bunch of sandy cul-de-sacs where it is now impossible to drive on the beach from one access ramp to another. The result of the closure are very packed and congested areas along the beach where vacationers and locals are stacked cheek-to-jowl. Ok, I'll admit, it's not that bad, but I've never seen so much congestion this early in the season. Personally I think the result is going to be a lot of people, like me, just saying "forget it" and spending your time somewhere other than the beach.
As I have year-round access to the Outer Banks and I travel here through all four seasons this closure isn't the end of the world for me, only an annoyance. Today after abandoning our efforts to enjoy a spot on the beach that was "all ours" we cut over to the Pamlico Sound where we spent a very enjoyable couple of hours throwing the tennis ball into the water, have a beer or two (shhhhh! Don't tell anyone), and taking a few pictures. It was an enjoyable day despite our inability to find a tranquil spot on the beach for the first time in 12 years.
I'll give up my summer spot on the beach for the fishermen; fall, winter and spring are still mine. It's a fair trade, I think.
Islandfreepress.org keeps a very detailed page about ongoing beach closure issues that make for a great resource for anyone interested in the issue regardless on which what "side" you happen to reside. The current beach closures just South of Salvo, NC have resulted in what amounts to a bunch of sandy cul-de-sacs where it is now impossible to drive on the beach from one access ramp to another. The result of the closure are very packed and congested areas along the beach where vacationers and locals are stacked cheek-to-jowl. Ok, I'll admit, it's not that bad, but I've never seen so much congestion this early in the season. Personally I think the result is going to be a lot of people, like me, just saying "forget it" and spending your time somewhere other than the beach.
As I have year-round access to the Outer Banks and I travel here through all four seasons this closure isn't the end of the world for me, only an annoyance. Today after abandoning our efforts to enjoy a spot on the beach that was "all ours" we cut over to the Pamlico Sound where we spent a very enjoyable couple of hours throwing the tennis ball into the water, have a beer or two (shhhhh! Don't tell anyone), and taking a few pictures. It was an enjoyable day despite our inability to find a tranquil spot on the beach for the first time in 12 years.
I'll give up my summer spot on the beach for the fishermen; fall, winter and spring are still mine. It's a fair trade, I think.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Schultze Gets the Blues: Viewing #2
What a difference a few months can make between the first and second viewings of a movie! We watched Schultze Gets the Blues for the second time this weekend and what a treat! I really enjoyed this movie. In the end it's never too late to discover your true calling. For when you do and you live your calling it is then that you discover true personal fulfillment.
*** out of *****
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Charter vs. Time Warner vs. Cox
I've been talking about my cable modem service most of this week because I've been so frustrated with it. Fark linked to a story yesterday about Charter which lead to an interesting discussion about cable speeds. It appears that Cox Cable wins hands-down for provided very high speed downloads (their basic upload speeds could be improved). Having seem the discussions that cropped up yesterday I asked my parents if they could run a speed test on their basic cable connection provided by Cox. The results? 18 meg down, 512 k up. Yes, eighteen meg down.
That is a damn fine connection though, as I previously stated, the upload speeds could be improved. I'd like to see a 1 or 2 meg upload speed personally. Heck, if Cox provided that I'd move the family to Vegas.
What did Charter provide today? 4805 kbs down, 469 kbs up. That's close enough to the advertised 5 meg down, 512k up. Believe me, it can get a lot worse.
On that note I'm not longer going to shut off the cable modem and router (Airport Extreme). It seems like a crap shoot every time the "system" is rebooted hence I'll just leave it up and running with the hopes that when I arrive next time things will "just work". I'll keep you posted.
That is a damn fine connection though, as I previously stated, the upload speeds could be improved. I'd like to see a 1 or 2 meg upload speed personally. Heck, if Cox provided that I'd move the family to Vegas.
What did Charter provide today? 4805 kbs down, 469 kbs up. That's close enough to the advertised 5 meg down, 512k up. Believe me, it can get a lot worse.
On that note I'm not longer going to shut off the cable modem and router (Airport Extreme). It seems like a crap shoot every time the "system" is rebooted hence I'll just leave it up and running with the hopes that when I arrive next time things will "just work". I'll keep you posted.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Natual (Male) Enhancement
It's a web "enhancement" courtesy of Charter Communications (my ISP on the Outer Banks).
"NYT Bits scribe Saul Hansell (SAI 100 #29) confirms an earlier report that Charter Communications, the No. 4 cable company, has started warning its cable modem subscribers that it will start tracking all of the Web sites they visit. Charter (CHTR) will sell the data to a firm called NebuAd, which will use subscribers' browsing history to target which ads they'll see. Charter will test the system in four markets within a month and will then decide whether or not to roll it out to its nearly 3 million Internet subscribers, Hansell reports." alleyinsider.com, may 2008.
Looks like time to use the reverse proxy at home while surfing the web at the beach. Granted they say Charter told us about this (I don't recall hearing about it) and they mailed a letter on how to opt out of the technology. I'll have to dig that up because I'll be opting out. I'll also be using my Squid-via-SSH proxy at home, just in case.
"NYT Bits scribe Saul Hansell (SAI 100 #29) confirms an earlier report that Charter Communications, the No. 4 cable company, has started warning its cable modem subscribers that it will start tracking all of the Web sites they visit. Charter (CHTR) will sell the data to a firm called NebuAd, which will use subscribers' browsing history to target which ads they'll see. Charter will test the system in four markets within a month and will then decide whether or not to roll it out to its nearly 3 million Internet subscribers, Hansell reports." alleyinsider.com, may 2008.
Looks like time to use the reverse proxy at home while surfing the web at the beach. Granted they say Charter told us about this (I don't recall hearing about it) and they mailed a letter on how to opt out of the technology. I'll have to dig that up because I'll be opting out. I'll also be using my Squid-via-SSH proxy at home, just in case.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
My odyssey with Charter Communications
Today I had a tech visit my condo. I haven't had Internet service since last Friday and it was becoming, as you can imagine, "a bit of an issue". We moved the cable modem around the place until we found a spot where it was happy in the bedroom. Only thing was it wasn't very happy: my fastest Internet up and download speeds were 100/24 kbs. Not only slow, but freaking slow!!!
So I called and canceled the service and began to investigate DSL (which has a bad reputation on the Island and being totally unstable and nearly unusable. A couple of hours ago Charter called me and wanted to see if we could "get the modem working". I told them about my speeds and reason for canceling but they wanted to "save an account" and "try to get it working". I need Internet and I don't need a phone line and Embarq doesn't sell "naked" DSL in this area so why not? We managed to get it working pretty well I'm happy to say. Granted I'm not getting the 5m/512k speeds I'm supposed to get but I'm happy with what I can get.
I also have things set up so I won't have to turn everything off each time I leave. Yeah, I'll be eating up a bit of extra electricity but quite frankly I don't care. Rebooting your cable modem seems to be a crap shoot down here so if I can just keep my modem and Airport Extreme going I'll be a happy camper.
Oh, almost forgot, I also have my Airport Express running as a 2.4 Ghz network for my devices that can't do 802.11 a. So that's cool, I think.
And for all you Apple TV owners there is a new update waiting for you so get downloading, ok?
That is all for now. Over and out from the Outer Banks.
So I called and canceled the service and began to investigate DSL (which has a bad reputation on the Island and being totally unstable and nearly unusable. A couple of hours ago Charter called me and wanted to see if we could "get the modem working". I told them about my speeds and reason for canceling but they wanted to "save an account" and "try to get it working". I need Internet and I don't need a phone line and Embarq doesn't sell "naked" DSL in this area so why not? We managed to get it working pretty well I'm happy to say. Granted I'm not getting the 5m/512k speeds I'm supposed to get but I'm happy with what I can get.
I also have things set up so I won't have to turn everything off each time I leave. Yeah, I'll be eating up a bit of extra electricity but quite frankly I don't care. Rebooting your cable modem seems to be a crap shoot down here so if I can just keep my modem and Airport Extreme going I'll be a happy camper.
Oh, almost forgot, I also have my Airport Express running as a 2.4 Ghz network for my devices that can't do 802.11 a. So that's cool, I think.
And for all you Apple TV owners there is a new update waiting for you so get downloading, ok?
That is all for now. Over and out from the Outer Banks.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Friday, May 9, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Monday, May 5, 2008
Movies Watched (this past weekend)
Into the Wild
Director Sean Penn filmed a great movie and he didn't take (very many) great liberties with the source material. Kudos to him on that front. Emile Hirsch plays Christopher McCandless, a college graduate who yearns for freedom and a life less traditional. McCandless' great vision is to head, literally, into the wilds of Alaska where he can live off the land, a man alone with his thoughts.
Having read the book I can say I was a bit put-off by the fact that Sean Penn made no mention of McCandless' fatal missteps and no mention was made that had McCandless taken the map offered to him by the person who dropped him off he would likely be alive today.
But my problems with the film are few and the rewards for watching are great. Hal Holbrook should have won the Oscar for his performance.
*** 1/2 out of *****
This Film Is Not Yet Rated
This movie attempts to shed some light on the MPAA rating board that just so happens to operate in total secrecy using anonymous persons to rate every single movie released in the United States as either G, PG, PG-13, R or NC-17. Oh, and if you don't like your rating you can appeal it, to the MPAA Appeals Board who again use people not named and you can't cite any other movies are references to what you can and can't display. Oh, and if you're an independent film maker good luck getting any kind of notes that the big studios receive for direction how a movie can be cut down to get a R rated (as apposed to NC-17). As for the members of Clergy who are on the ratings board, well don't ask them what they do or why they are there.
Now, some notes for the aspiring film maker: shooting a million people in a movie is ok, if you don't show any blood you're likely get aPG-13, so killing people is ok, and you can say FU**, but not as it relates to sex ("OH FU**!!!!" is alright but "I just fu**ed her hard" will get you promoted to "R"). Blood and guts is a R rating, but violence towards women? Violence towards women is ok, you can beat a women senseless and still not get a R but killing an animal will usually bring out the R. What about sex? Now that's just downright complicated. Showing people having sex is ok, as long as the camera angles are tight and you are only showing from the mid-back up. Pull the camera back where you can see some humpin-and-pumpin' and, well, that's an R (beyond the allowable first three pumps, really, I'm serious, any more than three and you are in R territory). Gay sex is totally out of the question and will likely get an automatic NC-17 no matter how little of the actors you show (or gender of the actors). Here's the weirdest part: having actors portray they are actually enjoying (if you get my drift) the filmed act of simulated sex will being out the NC-17 every time. Go figure. Except in the case of 'A Fish Called Wanda' but remember, you can't cite any past movie as defense against ratings of your movie.
Worse yet are military movies. If you want to use military stock footage, or any footage of any military member, stock or not, you have to get buy-in from the Pentagon who will, assuming they like your script, assign a handler to your film so they can be assured that the military is shown in a positive light at all times. Think Top Gun or Saving Private Ryan. You want to make a movie about Abu Gharib or Guantanamo Bay? Good luck.
While this documentary was entertaining it was, in the end, really complicated. Plus I think they could have included less sex in the footage, quite frankly. Some is ok but parts of the movie I confused for a straight-up porno. In the end Kirby Dick and his hired private investigators succeeded in finding out the name and occupations of the members of the MPAA review and appeals board. I'm not sure what that accomplished but it did shed some light onto the secret proceedings.
** 1/2 out of *****
Friday, May 2, 2008
Sir! We seem to be losing rats!
When is it time for a rat to leave a sinking ship? About the same time a horse should leave the burning barn? Whatever the metaphor even the Evangelical Christians are distancing themselves from Dubya saying the Evangelical "Party" has become to politicized. God, that's a fucking laugh if I've ever heard one. When, at least in the last seven years, have the "Evangelicals" been non-political? I'd say, oh, never. But now even the Evangelicals can't deny they marched goose-step behind an idiot to the brink of oblivion. Good job! Let me know how it works out for you.
Whig Party '08 (yes, that's a joke)
Whig Party '08 (yes, that's a joke)
Una Paloma Blanca
When the sun shines on the mountain
And the night is on the run
It's a new day
It's a new way
And I fly up to the sun
I can feel the morning sunlight
I can smell the new-mown hay
I can hear God's voice is calling
For my golden sky light way
Una paloma blanca
I'm just a bird in the sky
Una paloma blanca
Over the mountains I fly
No one can take my freedom away
Once I had my share of losing
for they locked me on a chain
Yes they tried to break my power
oh I still can feel the pain
Una paloma blanca
I'm just a bird in the sky
Una paloma blanca
Over the mountains I fly
No one can take my freedom away
Una paloma blanca
I'm just a bird in the sky
Una paloma blanca
Over the mountains I fly
No one can take my freedom away
And the night is on the run
It's a new day
It's a new way
And I fly up to the sun
I can feel the morning sunlight
I can smell the new-mown hay
I can hear God's voice is calling
For my golden sky light way
Una paloma blanca
I'm just a bird in the sky
Una paloma blanca
Over the mountains I fly
No one can take my freedom away
Once I had my share of losing
for they locked me on a chain
Yes they tried to break my power
oh I still can feel the pain
Una paloma blanca
I'm just a bird in the sky
Una paloma blanca
Over the mountains I fly
No one can take my freedom away
Una paloma blanca
I'm just a bird in the sky
Una paloma blanca
Over the mountains I fly
No one can take my freedom away
Photoshop class
I am really enjoying my Photoshop class taken via Durham Tech's School of Continuing Education Ed2Go program. Why take a class? Why not just get a book? For whatever reason I find it easier to complete a class than self-train. Between work, home, keeping two households up and running, etc, my "free time" amounts to less than what I would like. Hence if I take a class with schedules and tests I am more likely to make time because I don't want to get behind. It just works out better for me.
Another advantage is I do not skip ahead to the one thing I want to learn thus bypassing 99.9999999999999% of the functionality of the program. I've learned quite a bit so far about color correction and that kind of thing, more than I would have if I had picked up a book.
The next program I'd like to learn is Final Cut Express and I think I'll be learning that via Apple's One to One program as I can find few offerings for local training.
Another advantage is I do not skip ahead to the one thing I want to learn thus bypassing 99.9999999999999% of the functionality of the program. I've learned quite a bit so far about color correction and that kind of thing, more than I would have if I had picked up a book.
The next program I'd like to learn is Final Cut Express and I think I'll be learning that via Apple's One to One program as I can find few offerings for local training.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Listening to
Wynonna's Big Brown Beaver by Primus. Lordy, Les Claypool can play the bass. Yes sir he sure can.
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