The Corsair Journal

Goodbye

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 06:49:51 GMT

To my friends and readers,

Everyone starts an online journal for different reasons.

When I first started The Corsair Journal, it was because I was at a place in my life where I was looking to make a connection with myself. I had learned from springdew that keeping a journal--especially a public one, one that could invite feedback--was highly therapeutic, in a way.

And it was.

In 2003, my life was a train wreck; there wasn't a single aspect of my life that wasn't coming apart. I was slogging through coming to terms with several major changes in my life, and while I had friends--good friends--you can only go to the 'friends' well so many times before you start becoming a drag. And I don't care how good your friends are; it takes a lot of fortitude to support someone who was going through a divorce, especially someone overly emotional like me. So even though I don't have some of those friends anymore, I will forever be grateful beyond words that they were there for me during that awful time in my life.

Frankly, as lives go, mine is not so unusual; I'm not conceited enough to think otherwise, and I tried to convey that more than anything else in The Journal--I certainly didn't cure cancer or solve any other pressing global crisis within its entries. I had highs and lows, and wrote equally of each. I went through bouts of depression, and bouts of giddy happiness both. And while it certainly was no riveting prose, it served its purpose--it was a creative outlet for me to write almost every day and to exercise my brain muscle. It also served, in a more traditional sense, as a touchstone to let me examine my life with the clarity of hindsight, as we all so often do; for while my life to this point has been not-so-unusual. it certainly has been more fun than it hasn't, and I feel that it is important to remember that very important fact..

But as the days and months go by, I find myself with less and less to write about, and less and less time to write about it--maybe it's because I'm so busy living my not-so-unusual life. However mundane my particular life may be, however, I can say that in the times since I first started The Corsair Journal, I have reinvented myself a bunch of times--hopefully for the better.

So now, with the time between entries growing longer, I think it's time to finally, formally, put The Corsair Journal aside. Maybe I'll reinvent it someday, too. Maybe The Journal has ultimately served its therapeutic purpose for me after all. Or maybe I'm about to crawl back into my chrysalis and reinvent myself yet again--and maybe the Journal will take on a different form and different tack if and when I pick it back up again. We'll see.

And so, I bid what few regular readers I actually have a fond adieu. I really have enjoyed writing for you as much as I've needed to write for me. Thanks for reading, thanks for bearing with my rambling musings, and thanks for understanding.

A lesson that I've learned from keeping The Journal, I will share with you: just remember, that in between writing the pages and chapters of your own lives, be sure you take the time to live, to laugh, and to love.

Goodbye, good luck, Godspeed, farewell, and amen.

The Projector Saga

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:29:17 GMT

I purchased an IBM C400 projector long about 2006 from the IBM Employee Purchase Program, and got a really good deal on it (or so I thought).

Knowing what I know now, I would've never purchased a projector from IBM.

The projector broke on July 8th--it started making horrible noises, and ultimately switched off entirely, never to live again. No sweat, I reasoned, the thing is under warranty. I called IBM on July 8th to get it replaced under that warranty.

And the hoop-jumping began.

For starters, IBM doesn't even own the PC Company anymore, the division who sold projectors in the first place--they sold it to Lenovo. And even when they did, they didn't make than themselves--some other company made them and IBM silked their logo onto them.

First stop: Warranty Entitlement, where they asked me not only for the original invoice (yeah, like I still had it after more than two years and three moves), but also for a photograph of the bottom of the unit showing the serial numbers and so forth. Okay, I've never been asked for a photograph of anything I was submitting for warranty repair, but alright--in order to get my projector fixed, I'll play along. I also simulated the original invoice I got as best I could. And for those of you thinking that this is somewhere in the gray areas of morality, just remember that I am entitled to warranty service on this thing because it's less than three years in-service, and it's warranty period is three years. I'm not asking for anything I'm not entitled to.

After two days, Entitlement came back and cleared the projector on to the next step.

Next stop: Technical support, where I talked to a first-line and second-line, who walked me through various procedures to try to get the projector working again. Kind of like asking a farmer to poke his dead plow-horse with a stick to get it working again, know what I mean? They didn't ask me to do anything I hadn't tried long before I got on the phone with them.

Once they deduced that the projector was actually dead, they had me read them the model/type and serial number off the bottom. Then they had me read some other, longer number off the bottom. Well, the velcro with which I had originally mounted the projector had covered three quarters of this number, and when I tried to remove the velcro, the number came off with it.

"Sorry," the Lenovo agent said. :Your projector's warranty is void then."

WHAT!?

"Oh no no no..." I replied. "Now you listen here. I'm not just some schmuck off the street: I was an IBMer for more than twelve years, and I bought this thing from the IBM Employee Purchase Program. You are obligated to cover this under warranty. I gave you your Model/Type and serial number, and that should be good enough whether IBM manufactured the thing or not. Now you cross-reference it and cover this thing under the terms of your warranty--and if you don't escalate my request to your manager, I guarantee you that I will find your manager in BluePages. And rest assured that my conversation with him or her will not be as pleasant as this one."

That got a definite jarring response from the agent. She didn't expect someone on the phone who knew "the system." She escalated my "override" request to her manager--Mr Ewell Lammy, head of IBM Service and Support for what was once Options by IBM, who took three more days to approve it.

Stop #3 on this journey was IBM CRU (Customer-Replaceable Unit) parts in Boulder, Colorado. Upon calling CRU, I was informed that they would be shipping a refurbished C400 projector to me within three to five business days.

*Groan* Fine. At least I'll be getting the damn projector, at long-last. This had already taken a week-and-a-half, all the while, I had no TV in my bedroom because that was the dead projector's job in the first place.

A week went by. No projector. Two weeks went by. Still no projector.

A call to Boulder CRU for the tracking number yielded an interesting response: they hadn't even sent it out yet. After containing my frustration to avoid taking it out on the hapless CRU agent--who couldn't do anything about my plight even if she wanted to--I calmly asked what department was handling the snafu. I was given the number for stop #4.

Stop #4 was IBM Parts Administration in Boulder, Colorado. I was informed that since they're not really in the projector biz anymore (the Lenovo site sells other brands of projectors, but IBM projectors are a thing of the past) IBM is at the mercy of some facility out in California who refurbishes their broken projectors. Several attempts to get hold of this facility had resulted in no return communication, and it was a waiting game at this point.

Swell.

After a week of waiting--and calling every day for increasingly frustrating status updates--I was finally informed that it was finally shipped, DHL overnight, on the 22nd.

When it didn't show up on the 23rd, I called IBM Parts Administration, Boulder back to get the tracking number from them. They were very surprised to hear from me and even more surprised that the package didn't show up; they gave me the tracking number and I proceeded to http://www.dhl-usa.com to figure out where my replacement projector was.

Someone had not given DHL the suite number for my office, so on the 24th, it was sent back to the Ft. Lauderdale depot.

I called DHL and gave the agent the corrected suite number. And waited until the 25th.

The 25th came and went. No package.

On the evening of the 25th I checked the status of the package on line again. Same error--wrong suite number. AGAIN. The DHL agent I spoke to on the 24th had taken down the suite number wrong. AGAIN.

The weekend came and went; I borrowed a projector from one of our conference rooms, as I have for the last three weekends since my projector broke so Butterfly and I and the kids could at least have some TV in the bedroom while I was waiting the eternity for my projector to be replaced.

I checked the tracking information again just this morning. For some reason. DHL were under the impression that I was going to pick up the package at the sorting facility at Ft. Lauderdale Airport today--and I don't even have a car! I took the train! So it wasn't even put on the MOTHERFUCKING TRUCK FOR DELIVERY TO MY OFFICE!!!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I called them up and told them to schedule it for delivery today if possible, and tomorrow if not.

As of this writing, I STILL DO NOT HAVE MY PROJECTOR!!!

Sad moments

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 22:27:38 GMT

They say that you need the sad moments in your life. You have to have sad moments in your life, they say, because if you don't experience sadness, then you have nothing to compare happiness with--and without a basis of comparison, how would you know they're happy?

It's not hard to remember that at times like this. It is far harder, however, to take solace in that sentiment at times like this.

SunPass changes their STATEWIDE site because of ME!!!

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:44:19 GMT

LOLOLOLOL!

Because of that letter I wrote FDOT, and after speaking with two supervisors at SunPass, they put up in GLARING RED LETTERS on the SunPass.com FRONT PAGE that the Mini doesn't work with motorcycles!!! They just put it up THIS MORNING after talking to ME! LOLOL!!!!

Want proof? Check the Google Cache!

I have a voice in the government! Whoopie! Either that, or I guess they weren't expecting an angry rider to call them up demanding a new windshield for their motorcycle.

A small victory, to be sure, but a victory nonetheess!!!

The SunPass Mini

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:12:54 GMT

Sorry folks, this is a long one--but it's mostly for the spiders who search for this article.

If you ride a motorcycle, DO NOT get a SunPass Mini! The Mini is not compatible with motorcycles because of the Plexiglas windscreen. The Mini uses the glass of a car's windshield to amplify the RFID signal it exchanges with the transmitters at the plazas.

I found this out after purchasing one and affixing it to Lorelei. Here is a copy of the correspondence I had with a representative of Florida's Department of Transportation; I had originally written the state about the debacle that is 95 Express--but I'll save that for another entry. This one is more important.

Good morning Ms. Lena.

Thank you so much for your very rapid response to my concerns about 95 Express. I sincerely appreciate the time you spent responding to me, and appreciate also knowing that every once in a while, I do have a voice in my government.

Thank you also for informing me that the SunPass Mini is not compatible with my motorcycle. You have the dubious honor of being the very first person in the employ of the state of Florida to tell me so. Until I received your correspondence this morning, I hadn't the slightest notion that my new SunPass Mini was compatible with my bike.

It would have been nice to know that the SunPass Mini was not designed for motorcycles and does not work on motorcycles before I purchased one and affixed one to my BMW K1200LT's Plexiglas windscreen, threw its packaging away, and filled it with prepaid tolls. Nowhere on the packaging or in the product literature that I received with the Mini did it indicate that it is incompatible with motorcycles. Nowhere on the SunPass website does it indicate that the Mini is incompatible with motorcycles--not even while I was registering it and filling it with tolls on SunPass.com. In fact, the instruction booklet that came with the SunPass Minis that I purchased at my local Publix in Lake Worth is the same instruction booklet that comes with the hard-case transponders.

After calling the SunPass service center, I was informed that I must now remove the Mini from my motorcycle--lest it interfere with the operation of my hard-case transponder. Unfortunately, this is far more difficult than one might expect. Motorcycle screens are Plexiglas that is specially with a couple of different coatings to resist ultraviolet light, trace chemicals in "acid rain," and scratches and discoloration from dirt, bug-strikes, and other road hazards. Were I to attempt to remove the Mini, and the powerful adhesive that holds it in place, this coating would come off with it--creating a SunPass-Mini-sized hole in the coatings that would very quickly yellow, haze, and scratch as the bare Plexiglas is exposed to the elements--even though it is on the "inside" of the shield. The replacement cost of a new windshield for my BMW K1200LT is $404.87.

Had I been informed by the website on the packaging that the Mini comes in that it did not work on motorcycles, I would never even purchased one for my bike--much less installed it.

I spoke to a member of management at SunPass Customer Service explained to her what I just explained to you, and asked them to reimburse me for the shield, as well as the SunPass Mini. She was nice enough to open a case for me and it is being reviewed as I compose this. Maybe something will come of it; maybe it won't. Maybe they'll tell me to go pound sand. I'm a realist, but I'm also reasonable--I know that the folks at SunPass won't fall all over themselves to cut me a check, so I told them I'd settle for toll credits equal to that amount. But I do expect the State of Florida to make good on my shield somehow.

Despite all this, I actually consider myself fortunate. I may have only realized that my Mini was incompatible with my bike after I'd gone through the SunPass lanes a few times with it and gotten a $100 toll violation. At least now I have the opportunity to take care of this now, before I broke any laws and potentially put myself and a State Trooper at risk, pulling me over--and for that, I thank you.

If the SunPass Mini is, in fact, incompatible with motorcycles (I have not yet had the opportunity to try mine), would you please please have somebody change the packaging the Mini comes in--or at the very least have them stick a big red label on the existing packages that say "Warning--incompatible with motorcycles!" to it. A similar message should go up in equally bold type on the front page of the SunPass.com website--before more riders ruin their windscreens affixing incompatible Minis to them, go through the plazas with them, and become toll violators.

Sincerely,

[Corsair2]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Lena, Maribel [mailto:Maribel.Lena@dot.state.fl.us]
Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2008 8:52 AM
Cc: Udvardy, James; Hollingsworth, Lora; Dodge, Jeffrey; Keaton, Patricia; OHagan, David; Merrell, Warren; Turnpike PIO
Subject: FW: 95 Express Toll Collection is dangerously flawed

Good Morning Mr. Pius:

Thank you for your recent comments regarding 95 Express toll exempt travel. I apologize for any misunderstanding about the SunPass Mini. In your instance, your 95 Express registered hybrid vehicle does qualify for toll exemption regardless of the number of passengers in the vehicle. I would like to share with you that we are currently exploring means to automatically handle the toll exemption within SunPass, as you suggest in your e-mail. This solution does not work for the carpoolers since we have no way of knowing how many people are in the car, and not all days would the carpooler be toll-exempt. The disabler or hard case transponder would provide the customer a choice.

SunPass is coordinating with our partners, and SFCS will have the latest information regarding the correct solution for toll exempt travel on 95 Express. SFCS is tracking customer issues and will provide the correct solution for each specific situation. It is our highest priority to satisfy your needs and we value your feedback.

If the solution is to utilize the hard case transponder, please be assured that there will be no additional cost to you the customer for obtaining the hard case transponder. If the solution is a disabler plate, SFCS will provide you this device (when available) with instructions at no additional cost to you. A similar type device was recently introduced in Washington State for their HOT lane project, but does not meet our needs. Again, we are currently exploring solutions for registered 95 Express hybrid users only, whereby SunPass would automatically filter customers who qualify for toll exempt travel regardless of the number of occupants in the vehicle.

In regards to your motorcycle, please be aware that the SunPass Mini does not work on Motorcycles. Motorcycles do qualify for toll exemption on 95 Express. It is the customers responsibility to make sure that the hard case transponder is properly shielded. Please remove the SunPass Mini from your motorcycle and return it to the retailer for a full refund.

We thank you again for your continued interest in the 95 Express project, and your patience and understanding as the project team is working towards a mutually beneficial solution for registered toll exempt travel on 95 Express.

Maribel Lena

Public Information Officer

Florida Department of Transportation -Dixtrict Six

1000 NW 111 Avenue, Room 6134

Miami, Florida 33172

305-470-5277 office

305-470-5820 fax

From: Gregory Pius [mailto:gregory@gregorypius.com]
Sent: Tuesday, July 22, 2008 1:00 PM
To: fdot@dot.state.fl.us; 'Jeffrey Dodge'; 'Lora Hollingsworth'; Udvardy, James; 'Patricia Keaton'; 'David O'Hagan'; 'Warren Merrell'; turnpike.pio@dot.state.fl.us
Cc: 'Lawrence Pius'; 'Laura Pius'
Subject: 95 Express Toll Collection is dangerously flawed

Dear Sirs/Madams,

In my opinion, the proposed toll-collection system for 95 Express is ridiculous, ill-conceived, highly inconvenient at best, and highly irresponsible and dangerous at worst.

I myself own two vehicles exempt from paying tolls on 95 Express: a 2007 Toyota Prius, and a 1999 BMW K1200LT motorcycle. Both are equipped with the new SunPass Mini--and as you are no doubt aware, being a sticker, it cannot be removed from the windshield and placed in an RF bag. The 95 Express website, www.95express.com, makes reference to a "SunPass Mini Disabler Shield" (http://95express.com/#HwhoCan); I assure you that I received no such shield in the materials that came with my SunPass Mini stickers--and after talking to a SunPass agent after calling 1-888-TOLL-FLA (and after she talked with her supervisor), I was informed that no SunPass Mini shielding device actually exists (and if it does, it's news to the folks at SunPass). Ultimately, my research led me to call the 1-800-234-RIDE number and speak to two people before I was finally able to confirm that no, a SunPass Mini shield does not exist and that I had to scrape my Mini off my windscreen and replace it with an standard electronic transponder.

In the first place, having driven on other freeway systems employing this concept of this type in Los Angeles, I can quantitatively say that the Expressway-Within-an-Expressway concept is a dangerous, ill-conceived failure. Compounded by this is the fact that a good job has not been done at all getting the word out to the driving public about 95 Express. A mailed flier should have gone out to every licensed driver in Metro-Dade and Broward county in English, Spanish, and Creole alerting them to this new driving paradigm at the Golden Glades and directing them to your 95express.com website and 800-234-RIDE numbers.

Since its introduction, there are already many accidents every day because people panic as soon as they hit the entrance to 95 Express, and completely ignore the advice of your own office to simply ride it out to the Glades--probably because they don't know that they can, thanks to the sub-par public information campaign (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flbexpress0715sbjul15,0,237246.story). Once actual tolling starts occurring on 95 Express, adding to the already-dangerous melee of the uninformed will be drivers of toll-exempt vehicles saying "Oh, snap--I forgot to take the SunPass transponder down," attempting to pull it off their windshields and bag it while at freeway speeds. Drivers who forget altogether to take down their transponders will be calling the SunPass office on a regular basis for 95 Express refunds, potentially overburdening the SunPass customer-service system, and drivers who forget to un-bag their transponders and re-affix them to their windshields risk becoming toll violators--or worse, in a scramble to get their transponder back up on their windshield, cause an accident at Turnpike speeds. This is hardly the way the SunPass toll-collection system was designed to work and certainly not the way it was proposed to work.

Finally, did the introduction of 95 Express have to coordinate almost precisely with the introduction of the SunPass Mini (without informing anyone that the folks with the Mini will still be charged for 95 Express even if they're in an exempt vehicle)? The agencies responsible for this debacle couldn't possibly have timed the introduction of the Mini and 95 Express any worse--and then not communicated with each other (or us) about it.

Imagine, the ridiculous notion of a model, fully-automated, state-of-the-art toll-collection system having to rely upon its own users to do anything to their toll-collection equipment other than affix it to their windshields. A far more elegant toll-collection solution would be to simply record the transponder numbers of qualifying vehicles and not charge them tolls on 95 Express rather than inconveniencing the driving public--this should be easily implementable under the SunPass toll-collection system. Your toll-collection scheme, as designed, would penalize drivers for driving exempt vehicles, effectively negating a large part of the convenience of driving on 95 Express for those of us who drive exempt vehicles.

I can only hope that as 95 Express is phased in, its toll-collection will improve. Please reconsider adding a database of 95 Express-exempt transponders to the SunPass database and spare us at least that much dangerous inconvenience. It is only a matter of time before someone is killed because a hybrid owner forgot to pull their SunPass off their windshield and causes an accident doing so--it is tragic beyond words to think that a life could be irrevocably altered, or perhaps even be snuffed out, over a $2.50 toll.

Sincerely,

Gregory Pius
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
561-512-5333
gregory@gregorypius.com

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This town ain't big enough...

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:08:14 GMT

Whoopie!

I had heard through the grapevine that this may happen, but have gotten confirmation yesterday that this definitely will happen by month-end.

My arch-nemesis, ElectricFence (and his wife Felicity), are moving to Gainesville!

It isn't Seattle--like I'd hoped (frankly, Abu Dhabi wouldn't be far enough away)--but it's at leat out of my area code!

Good #@&$! riddance. This town wasn't big enough for the two of us.

Drillcat!

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:30:33 GMT

More BASH fun

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 03:25:17 GMT

Every once in a while I see a really good quote on bash.org--one that makes me laugh my head off and wake up my sleeping wife in the other room.

#866112 +(622)- [X]

<glyph> For example - if you came in here asking "how do I use a jackhammer" we might ask "why do you need to use a jackhammer"
<glyph> If the answer to the latter question is "to knock my grandmother's head off to let out the evil spirits that gave her cancer", then maybe the problem is actually unrelated to jackhammers

The Daily Commute

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:15:14 GMT

In an attempt to save even more gas, Butterfly and I commute together now.

This became possible over the summer; what with the kids out of school, Butterfly had more time in the morning, and as it happens, she doesn't work too too far away from the train station in Lake Worth. So she's been driving me to the train station in the morning, and then continuing on to work. She also picks me up at the station in the afternoon on the way home.

Y'know what? I really enjoy it. And Butterfly says she really enjoys it, too. We really love the extra time we get to spend with each other.

And we're saving gas, to boot.

More bitching about Tri-Rail

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:18:01 GMT

My Tri-Rail schedule provides me something of an absurd before-and-after view of worlwide train service.

In the morning, I take the DMU--which, when it's running on-time, is smooth, efficient, comfortable and cool, with working AC and plenty of room to spread out; service which would be expected here in the States.

In the afternoon, the train is the older Bombardier consist, with air conditioning that barely works (when it is working), packed to the rafters with people, old, smelly, and cramped. In other words, service you'd expect to find in, say, Guatemala.

Don't order from Motorcycle Pro Shop

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 12:27:26 GMT

This is a review about Motorcycle Pro Shop.

The reason that the business name is in bold and at the very top of the entry is because I hope that the web robots find this entry and put it at the very top of their listings when people ask for "review of motorcycle pro shop".

If you have a motorcycle, and need parts, do not under any circumstances order them from Motorcycle Pro Shop. If you have an interest in a new helmet, or a pithy T-shirt, or anything else related to motorcycles that Motorcycle Pro Shop could potentially carry, do not order them from Motorcycle Pro Shop.

I placed an order over the web at http://motorcycleproshop.com for a full set of new brake pads for Lorelei two weeks ago. Motorcycle Pro Shop lost my order, and then when they finally found my order, they sent it to the wrong place. It took me three queries to even find the tracking number for my order--one of them was on the phone, where I was put on hold for five minutes, and then hung up on.

Motorcycle Pro Shop

1 out of 5 stars.
Booooo!

RIP Windows 3.11 1993-2008

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 21:12:47 GMT

It's a dark, dark day. Microsoft will finally stop licensing the 15-year-old operating system.

What a bummer.

First-generation SunPass toll collectors

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:40:52 GMT

Wow!

An eBay auction for two first-generation SunPass toll collectors just wrapped up for a hundred bucks!

These are the first SunPass transponders out there. Y'know, the ones that used to tell you your balance without having to log onto that obnoxious website of theirs.

FUCKING TRI-RAIL

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:25:21 GMT

Stranded at the god-damned motherfucking station AGAIN thanks to the incompetent boobs at Tri-Rail. Signal problems stopped ALL the trains. Fuck.

Prius gouging

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:36:04 GMT

Let this be a lesson to you: Don't buy a new Prius in Florida.

A co-worker is trying to buy a new Prius because her SUV died (thankfully). All around town, dealers are charging a three to four thousand dollar premium for the cars. And by the way, the wait is two months, at the least.

Since she's not afraid to drive, she called around a bunch of dealers in other states (mostly throughout the Midwest). Guess what? None of them are charging the "gouge fee."

So unless you really liked getting fucked in the ass, buy a Prius from a Florida dealer.

I have a new Mac Powerbook!

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 19:02:34 GMT

Ask and ye shall receive, as the old adage goes. Well, I asked, and I have received a new (to me) Apple 15" PowerBook G4.

My new 15" PowerMac G4

It's really neat, although, I must admit, it came to me in a somewhat beleaguered state. A few keys on the keyboard were broken, and the power supply was all beat up. Both of those problems were solved with an trip to the Apple store across the way from my house. They had a few "keyboard graveyards" from which I was able to pluck replacement keys and affix them to my keyboard (a trick in itself, one I had learned long ago out of necessity). I also picked up a new power supply while there, and did so on the company nickel (it is a company machine, after all).

Here are its specs:

It also has an 80gb hard drive, too.

I've already installed Office for the Mac and in the coming weeks will install Microsoft Virtual PC, since the thing has the horses to handle it.

Happy 4th, everyone!

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 14:08:12 GMT

bunny42 sent me this great YouTube video:

Happy 4th, everyone!

Doing Karaoke gigs again!

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:49:12 GMT

It's a good thing I got a new wagon--I'm doing Karaoke gigs again! I'm gigging at this little place in Lake Worth. If you'd like details, leave me a message.

I'd forgotten how much fun Karaoke gigs are. I'm very, very happy. Last night the place was absolutely RAWKIN'! I even stayed an extra 45 minutes because everyone was having so much fun.

KJing has changed quite a bit from when I did it four years ago. Gone are the days of schlepping around a rack full of equipment and cases of discs to go with your PA. Nowadays, your whole library can be contained on an external 3.5" hard drive and the whole show can be hosted with a laptop and some microphones.

No more discs to lose, drop, and scratch. No more illegible song slips written by drunk-ass patrons on a cocktail napkin. Sophisticated software manages the gig for you: I use a program called CompuHost to do the show. It is so totally awesome! It manages the rotation, song lists, plays the music, presents the lyrics to the singers, shows the rotation throughout the bar, and even plays 'tween music between acts automatically.

About the only thing I would change about my current venue is that it's a real bar, and they allow smoking inside. Ecch. Oh, well. They can't all be winners.

Hopefully I'll be getting another gig during the week, too. That'll put some money in the ol' gas tank.

New car!

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:36:02 GMT

Unfortunately, in this austere fiscal climate, I had to get rid of my minivan.

However, in its place, I got me a new ride: a 1997 Volkswagen Passat GLX Wagon!

Click the image for a (much) larger one

Here are some other views of my new ride. Again, click any one for a humongous picture of it:

I picked it up a few weeks ago in Miami. It's a GLX, which means it's got all the options that VW offered in 1997--except for an automatic transmission. It's got a 5-speed. Cool. Precisely what I was looking for.

It gets better mileage than the minivan. It isn't perfect, but it's mechanically sound, and has ice-cold air. I'll have fun fixing it up.

Deja-Vu

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:45:49 GMT

It's Deja-Vu All over again...

At least I have the Internet...

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:54:24 GMT

The train may be hateful and slow and never on-time these days, but there's at least one good thing: I have the Internet on my PC throughout my journey.

Not only that, but it works well, too. I tether my BlackBerry Curve to my new PowerBook G4 (thanks, work!) via Bluetooth. And despite my dislike of the protocol, it seems to work well--although every once in a blue moon while tethered, the phone spontaneously reboots.

And unlike the other wireless carriers (AT&T springs to mind), Verizon Wireless has super-fast EV-DO and no dead spots. AT&T (especially EDGE iPhone) users: Stick that in your hair and rub it.

In fact, I'm on the train right now, posting this entry. We're just pulling up to the Pompano Beach station.

So what if he can't use the Internets?

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:37:01 GMT

Don't be so hard on John McCain. So what if he's a self-professed "computer-illiterate" (a term I despise, by the way)? The dude is an aviator. Not a pilot, but an aviator--the difference being that he got his A-4 Skyhawk shot out from under him by the Viet Cong and spent a good number of years at the Hanoi Hilton--much in the same way as former President George H. W. Bush got his TBF Avenger shot out from under him by the Japanese.

Both men are war heroes, in my opinion, and their computer skills don't even rate a blip on the radar--pardon the pun.

If you're going to rag on McCain, rag on McCain the politician--as he slowly turns himself into a George W. Bush Mini-Me. That's far more worthy of ridicule.

Two wheels = less gas

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 03:02:34 GMT

It looks like people are finally starting to get it: Two wheels = less gas.

Dealerships are setting sales records. Police departments are increasingly turning to "mounted patrols" (as in, on a steel horse I ride). And article after article after article after article about how people are dumping their "cages" and taking to the street on two wheels are appearing with greater frequency.

Of course, this isn't without its problems. I've been riding two-wheeled vehicles most of my life and consider myself a very experienced rider. I also ride one of the biggest production motorcycles on the planet. Some novices aren't so lucky. More motorcycles on the road lead to more motorcycle accidents--in some localities, they're up more than fifty percent as untrained novice riders take to the streets.

The two best things that any novice rider can do for themselves is to register for the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Basic RiderCourse, and to go buy a good helmet. They won't let you on a bike without one and issue you a loaner if you don't have your own.

Trains late again

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:56:21 GMT

I was waiting for the train this morning when they announced that the train after mine was going to be late. I would have been mad as Hell if my train was late.

I remember back in 2006 when I first started working down in Ft. Lauderdale that taking the train was easy and fun. The trains always ran more-or-less on-time and though there were delays, they didn't happen every day like they do now. Even taking the bus to and from the train wasn't so bad; it was free, and I always had room for my bike.

Then the price of gas started to climb, and more and more people ditched their cars in lieu of the train. Ridership grew at a much faster pace than the system could handle, and the once-small cracks have really begun to show now.

I had to stop taking my bicycle when everybody started taking their bikes and there was never any room on the trains for them. Then the delays started more and more frequent. Now they're so bad that it's intolerable--especially in the summertime when it's incredibly hot, humid, and unpleasant to wait at the station for a delayed train, and especially after you bust your ass to get to the station on-time in the first place.

I'm seriously considering commuting by private vehicle again. I can't take this anymore. It'd be worth it to pay the extra money just so I don't have to put up with this aggravation.

Happy Anniversary to us!

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:11:01 GMT

Today is the second anniversary of my first date with Butterfly!

On June 24th, 2006, we went to The Bamboo Club for lunch, and saw Click at the movies afterward. I took Butterfly on Lorelei, which is significant, considering it rained afterward.