Thursday, October 31, 2013
Heading To The Big Apple
Two
things sruck me about New York City as the Metro North train
rumbled along from Stamford to Grand Central Station. There is so much trash along the train tracks, especially car tires.
How does it get there? You could hire an army of workers just to keep up with it.
The graffiti under the bridges is
amazing. I don't believe in tagging property, but people went to great extremes to get their work noticed. Nobody seems to
be in any hurry to clean it up.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Going To The Dogs
The local city council plans to study a proposal
for a dog park at a local city recreation area. Dog owners want one, but nobody wants it in their neighborhood. A couple
of sites have been shot down in the past.
Given the location, I think this one is a bad idea. There are too many people who use the trails for
walking. There will be conflicts with the dogs who are running without supervision.
If they approve this plan, I guarantee the park will have a short life. There will be too many complaints.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
A Civic Matter
The recent federal government
shutdown was a great lesson for the American public. Many were outraged over the inability of Congress to get anything done.
People had all sorts of ideas on how to change things. Unfortunately for them, many were contrary to the Constitution.
People seem to forget how a law is passed. They don't understand
the budget process. Some of their ideas would be implemented under a dictatorship. We have a very flawed system, but
it has worked for over 237 years.
I don't know how Civics is taught in schools these days,
but many people don't have a proper understanding of government and how it works.
Monday, October 28, 2013
All For $4.25
I spend $4.25 to buy three newspapers
daily. It's something I enjoy doing, but a real challenge to keep up with. It doesn't take much to get behind on any paper.
I like to read more than just the headlines which is one of the reasons why I don't read them on my Samsung Galaxy.
It would take so much longer to read articles.
My car was being serviced this morning so I brought my papers with
me. I spent 80 minutes reading them at the level I try to maintain.
In the end, I think I got my money's
worth. My $4.25 got me 80 minutes of entertainment.
10:46 pm edt
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Cost Is Driving The Product
We have seen so many technology changes
in the past decade. It's hard to imagine what will happen in the next 10-20 years.
I heard a report in the news
today about driver-less cars. They are already on the road being tested. The cost is very prohibitive at about $100,000 each.
That is too costly to be part of the mainstream, but eventually the price will come down. Once that happens, things will change.
Home computers, VCR's and DVD players were out of reach for many consumers when they first came out. Eventually,
the price came down and they soon appeared in every house.
I wonder if these cars will be on the road in the next
20 years. You never know with technology. Maybe we will look back and laugh at thinking that it was impossible. Many thought
we would never go to the moon.
11:00 am edt
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Safety First
It was probably not the best idea to
go to the post office yesterday at noon. Only one of the three windows was open and the line was long.
The USPS
keeps losing money with no end in sight. People are mailing fewer letters and paying more bills on-line. Stamps are still
a big item because everyone needs them. Many collect the various new issues.
Someone had a bright idea to market
a series of stamps promoting fitness for children. Objections were immediately raised when the stamps showed children
engaged in "dangerous" behavior such as doing a helmet-less handstand, skateboarding without kneepads and performing
a canon-ball dive.
Nobody objected to the stamp showing a baseball batter without a helmet or a soccer player without
shin and knee pads. They decided to pull all 15 stamps from the printers.
It doesn't matter what it cost the USPS.
They have taxpayer money to burn. They just need to be politically correct. It's a good thing they don't issue a stamp of
George Washington crossing the Delaware River. People would have advocated him wearing some type of harness or safety device
because it's dangerous to stand in a small boat.
2:00 pm edt
Friday, October 25, 2013
Time To Recycle
Computer technology changes so fast.
Hardware is outdated before it's time. I bought my first computer in 1998. The Gateway system cost me over $1,000 as
I paid extra for some upgrades.
Three computers and monitors later, it was time to part ways with my behemoth CRT
monitor. I brought it to a local computer business that charged $10 to recycle it.
Getting rid of it freed up some
space for me. It sat on a bureau for the last seven years. It was time. The thing was still working when I upgraded back in
2006.
8:37 pm edt
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Ticket In The Gutter
Profiling does have a purpose
when used with additional research and observation.
I wonder who would spend $20 on a lottery ticket
and discard its losing version on the street.
Why couldn't they dispose of it properly? Did they throw it into
the street out of frustration when they lost? If so, they are being selfish because their litter becomes our problem.
I think people who litter are only thinking of themselves. They feel that someone should pick up after them. It tells
you a lot about a person's character.
5:29 pm edt
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Don't Bite The Medal
It's always a good sign when I receive
my New York City Marathon handbook for participants. The 50 page guide has everything you need to know to prepare for race
day. The New York Road Runners Club does a great job in putting the booklet together.
They use photos of runners
entered into the race. It adds a personal touch to the booklet. One picture that bugged me was the one on the cover that showed
a guy in his 20's biting his finisher's medal. This was a common pose in the 2012 Summer Olympics. I wish they didn't use
the photo. It looks so lame. Why would anyone bite their medal? It's so ridiculous.
You can tell the photo was
posed for. Biting on a medal is only going to help you crack a tooth.
12:51 am edt
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
The Price Was Right
Candidates running for public office
often twist the facts about issues in order to suit their own agenda. We are seeing that with the local city council race
where someone is trying to make an issue of the naming rights for the local stadium.
They are claiming that the
city got a bad deal when it sold the naming rights for three years to a local company for $25,000. They try to compare that
price to what a company would pay for a full page colored ad in the Yellow Pages.
They are right on several points,
but missed a major one. When the naming rights were sold three years ago, it generated little interest among local businesses.
The city took what it could for a price. They were not in a negotiating position. It might not be any better this time
around.
The candidate said that they will work to get the best deal for the city. Good luck with that. On the other
hand, they are creating their own issue.
10:36 am edt
Monday, October 21, 2013
A Series of Memories
The Boston Red Sox made it to the World
Series for the first time since 2007. They will be going up against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Series has two of the best
teams in baseball.
Nobody knows how it will end. One team will be forever known as World Champions while the other
can claim to wining their league's pennant. Fans in one of the cities will be disappointed.
They should all be
thrilled that their team got to this point. It took 18 years for the Soxs to get back there after losing in 1986 to the New
York Mets. The team's success in recent years with wining two championships three years apart has spoiled fans and given them
some sense of entitlement.
The players from both teams will be in the biggest game of their career. So many great
players never even played in a World Series. It's the chance of a lifetime.
2:34 pm edt
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Public Art
My city has been developing a rail trail
for walking and jogging. It's been a long process to get a half mile segment covered with gravel. The good news is that they
got to this point.
A group of high school art students have painted a mural on the back of a building that faces
the trail. I thought it was a great idea. The local newspaper published some nice photos of the work.
Unfortunately,
the mural faces the trail and will be out of sight. That raises the likelihood of vandalism and graffiti. It remains to be
seen what happens to this piece of public art.
11:04 pm edt
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Heating Up Soon
The heating season is right around the
corner. People will be spending a small fortune to stay warm. It's not easy for some.
National Grid sent out
a special notice to promote energy conservation. I just received an energy report which showed my use for the last two months
in comparison to my neighbors.
I live in a small three room apartment. It would be normal for my natural gas use
to be less than others. When I'm home, I keep my thermostat at 72.
They also sent a little placard which looks
like a hotel "do not disturb" sign that can be placed on my front door. It says "58 degrees when I'm away".
The other side reads "68 when I'm at home".
I turn my heat off when I go out or go to bed. When I'm home,
it's in the low 70's. My place is small enough that I would rather pay a little extra and avoid a 68 degree room.
12:36 am edt
Friday, October 18, 2013
Better Late Than Never
We all spend time procrastinating. It's
hard to understand sometimes. Decisions never get made. Actions are never taken. We all do it.
I thought about
getting an E-Z Pass and transponder for the last few years. I always knew it made sense, but never took any further action.
A few weeks ago, I heard a radio ad about setting up an account and getting the transponder at no cost.
I finally signed up. It took only a few minutes. The transponder should arrive in the mail next week.
I don't
know why it took so long to apply for one. In the end, I finally did it. Better late than never, but I should have done
it sooner.
1:49 am edt
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Going Wireless
A friend of mine gave me a wireless
router. Now, I can run my Samsung Galaxy Notebook off my network without using any of my monthly 4 gigabyte data download.
The installation went very smoothly. I was surprised how easy it was.
So far, things are working well. I hope to
keep it like that. Sometimes when you install hardware or software, there is an inclination to think that something is going
to get messed up. It's always a surprise when things go well.
2:13 am edt
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Name That Kid
Parents have been getting very creative
in naming their children. Traditional names have taken a back seat to some of the more interesting ones according to the Social
Security Administration.
Last year, 762 boys and 49 girls were named Messiah. There were 243 girls named Princess
and 588 boys go by Prince. Who would name their kid "Greatness," but 6 boys now have that name.
People need to realize that a name might sound cute when a baby is little, but kids eventually become adults. It can be
a burden to go by that moniker. I wonder how the kids feel about it.
11:19 am edt
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Sock It To Me
I went to a sporting goods store today
and bought 12 pairs of white NIKE athletic socks. They were split between crew style and ankle high.
There
are so many pairs in my bureau draw. I bought 12 of each about four years ago. They were washed many times, but never lost
their thickness until recently.
What do I do with all of my old socks? Many pairs are still wearable. Where do
you draw the line in throwing things out?
8:55 pm edt
Monday, October 14, 2013
Halloween Hype
Halloween is a huge industry. I just
heard a news report that $2.5 billion will be spent on costumes for adults and children. Candy and decorations only add to
the total.
I'm all for things that cause people to spend money and buy things. However, I could care less about
Halloween. I never got into it when I was a kid. I thought it was a lot about nothing back then. Why should people have to
open their door and give out candy?
People are over the top with some of their decorations. That is their choice,
but I'll be glad when the day passes.
2:29 pm edt
Sunday, October 13, 2013
All About The Roll
I don't have much experience eating
lobster. I never had one until I was 26. I've had about three lobsters and five rolls in my lifetime.
Those who
trap lobsters get almost nothing for their work. However, it certainly shows up in the retail price.
I don't
think you could ever have a good feeling about getting a lobster roll at a reasonable price. It won't happen.
11:27 pm edt
Saturday, October 12, 2013
The Cold Riders
People who drive convertibles love them.
They will be out there in spite of the weather. That's the part I try to understand.
I saw two this past week.
The first was a small Triumph, not sure what year. The day was cool and sunny. I was also out for a daily run. It must have
been chilly in the car because I was running and didn't feel warm.
Today, I saw one on Rt 495. The people
in the front seat had to be cold. It was in the low 50's, with a slight mist in the air. They were also driving too fast.
I have no desire to ride in one. I had only a few rides in my lifetime. There is no reason or need for me to ever
ride in one. I'll leave that to those who will be out when the first snow flakes are falling or there is any sign of
spring. Safety is another issue.
4:28 pm edt
Friday, October 11, 2013
The Bricks Are Back In Town
I love brick sidewalks, especially near
historical buildings. Many have been there for decades. They start to show their age by cracking. Sometimes, the surface gets
wavy and can be a challenge to walk on.
A local road construction project has been replacing and building sidewalks
along a three mile stretch. One old historic house had a brick sidewalk in front. It definitely needed some work. It was torn
up about three weeks ago to my shock.
I assumed we would see another concrete sidewalk in its place. Instead, the
contractor is replacing it with new bricks. I hope it lasts as long as the other. It probably won't because the bricks look
cheap and not like the ones from years past.
12:19 am edt
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Third Post Today
I just learned a couple of important
things about applications. I closed my active ones out. I'll see what happens now.
1:07 am edt
Today's Second Post
My earlier post indicated a different
way to get to my website. I did the posting, but when I went back to edit, there was some type of issue.
I think
I'll shut the system down and see what everything looks like after I power up again. I'm learning as I go along.
12:44 am edt
A New Way To Post
Windows 8 is very interesting, especially
after being with Windows Vista for seven years. I'm looking at the "Windows 8 for Dummies" book as I type this.
I'm trying a different way to update this website. As a rule, I only do one post per day. I might try and do
another one later on and see what happens.
The differences between Vista and 8 are quite profound.
12:32 am edt
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Test
Something happened to my last two posts.
They both disappeared after trying to edit them. I'll see if this one posts and whether I can do any editing.
Yes,
everything looks good now. I can edit. I have no idea where those two posts went.
I think I'll leave their
blank postings in place.
10:55 pm edt
Cars and People
1:57 pm edt
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Rushing The Season
1:41 am edt
Monday, October 7, 2013
Reaching A Boiling Point
It's always a good idea to do the dishes
after a meal. That way, they won't pile up and look unsightly. It was a bad idea not to clean the top of my stove after a
pot boiled over.
I let it go until the next morning. At that point, the stains appeared to be melted into the stove.
A scouring pad only got me so far. I'm hoping that the heat from cooking will make it easier to clean up the rest.
The stove is white and shows everything. Hopefully, I can finish cleaning it again and get it back to normal. The best thing
in the future is to ensure nothing boils over. It makes such a mess and is hard to clean up.
7:01 pm edt
Sunday, October 6, 2013
More Steps Taken
Things are working well with my new
computer. Windows 8 is a huge upgrade over Vista. It's like night and day. I just installed my printer without any issues.
There was some concern about Windows 8, but HP does a great job in updating this device.
I'm still learning how to navigate from the desktop to the
various applications. This PC is so quiet compared to my last one which had numerous operating issues. It was only a matter
of time before that one died.
I hope to get a router soon. That will allow better use of my Samsung Notebook. Right now, I have a 4 gigabyte
monthly limit on my downloads through Verizon. The router will give me more flexibility.
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Finally Back
I finally made it back to the desktop
when I bought my fourth Gateway today. The last one lasted seven years. I should have upgraded a long time ago.
Now I have my "Dummy" guide for my Samsung notebook.
There is a lot of work to do to get the most out of it.
My technology has really been upgraded. The phone is next.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Learning Slowly
It's day two of updating this website by using my new notepad. I ordered
"Samsung Galaxy Notebook For Dummies". There is so much to learn about using this device. The only instructions
I have show how to get this thing up and running.
This is a wonderful piece of technology.
There are many things I'm doing wrong. You don't know what you don't know. I'm a very slow typist and make many mistakes.
I
still believe that certain things are easier to do on a desktop computer. This will be a long learning process. I don't know
why getting the font size is so difficult.
I'm also doing this last paragraph using voice recognition
software. I'm not sure if it's easier this way.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
The New Device
I finally bought a Samsung tablet. My PC is still down. It's future
is very uncertain. It will take time to get use to this. I also need to read all of the documentation for this device.
This
is the second time I've written this post. Hopefully, I save it properly. The font size
and color is another issue.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
A Sudden Crash
It's a small miracle that I'm able to
write to this page from my desktop computer. The hard drive crashed the other day. The outlook was very bleak for ever recovering
from it.
After a few hours of effort, I decided to use the system restoration disk. My hard drive was wiped out.
I only lost a few things, but most of it was backed up.
I still have issues. I can't access my AOL mail yet. I'm
not sure what the problem is. I also need to do a little work with my security software. I should reboot the system and see
what happens. This has taken much more time than I ever thought.
9:22 am edt
