Blown Away

KA

wait for it......

wait for it.....

wait for it.....

BOOM!

I feel for the folks at SpaceX. Not so much for their owner. 

Deep down I know these guys are engineers just trying to do their jobs. And I know it's not brain surgery.  But it is hard to feel bad for failure when your boss is a nazi douchebag. 

I'm just saying, Wernher von Braun was a nazi too, but hell, he got things off the ground. 

The difference is von Braun, when not being ok with killing Jews, was about the science, not the showmanship. 

Honesty though, I'm still stumped. 

There is more technology in any of our pockets than was on any of the Space Shuttles. That is just a fact. How is it possible that four decades later we are farther behind at how to make rockets that work?

It's like the prequels to Star Wars. They're earlier and there was more technology then when you get to epiode IV. It is just backwards. 

Oh, for context, SpaceX's Starship spacecraft blew to smithereens on its tenth test flight. 

"Flight" might be a bit grandiose here. It never left the launchpad. One last May and March when Ka-Blooey too, but at least got off the ground for a little while. 

I'd say Mars looks out of reach. The moon too - though we've "been there". {wink wink}. These guys can't even get out of Brownsville, TX. 

Elon wants to go to Mars. No one wants him there more than I. I say, put him on a test flight and let's see what happens. 

Song by: Matthew Sweet

Tik Tok

It's 21:00 and I have nothing planned. 

Pappy Joe disappoints once again by signing that stupid fucking TIk Tok ban.  

I don't even have or use the app and I know the ban is bullshit. 

China (and the U.S.) are spying on each of us 87 different ways. .......including all the apps you already have, along with Goooooogle and the likes of which I'm typing on right here, right now. 

We've all complained about our conversations and then any one of your feeds or ads are now exactly what you were discussing. 

Yes, Tik Tok has stupid shit on it - as does X, IG, Facebook and the likes. But unlike a lot of those, Tik Tok is used as a marketing tool - sometimes the lone one - for a LOT of independent businesses. It's cheap (if not free) and lots of exposure for small business. 

Pappy Joe is trying to score points with lord knows who(m). Again, he's syphoning off zero votes from the GOP on this - or anything. 

To paraphrase Jay-Z, we got 99 problems but Tik Tok ain't one of 'em.  Education. Debt. Wars. Immigration. Voting Rights. Women's Rights. LGBTQ+ Rights. Gun Control. Insurrection,  

Should I do the entire 99 list?  Either way, Tik Tok ain't gonna be on it. 

It's a cheap political point, one Biden can't cash in......ever. 

Song by: Key $ HA

Walking in my Shoes

It's been like almost three years. It was bound to happen:  I needed a new FitBit.

I think this might be my fourth or fifth one.  Seriously. 

The first one was from work. The less than basic model that the organization purchased in mass to hand out to employees to make them healthier.  It got me going, but not what I wanted to wear. 

I don't know the models and too lazy to look them up. But let's say with one, I went swimming in Maine and remembered far far too late that it wasn't waterproof. And it was vacation, so I didn't have a box of rice in which to place the device.  ....so it died. 

The next one was the same model, different colour. It is quite possible probable that I lost it while drunk and in a Thai restaurant.........bathroom. 

I'm not blaming Rebecca on this. I'm just saying she was in Maine when the first one broke, and drunk with me - and a sober 710 - in the Thai eatery.  Coincidence?  Who can say for sure. 

I should say, 710 got me all the purchased ones. Along with the replacement for the last. This is the one that lasted three years. Oddly enough, I was with Becky a few weeks ago when she axed me about it. It was a serviceable model, but useless to look at outdoors. The matte grey lighting left a lot to be desired. Perhaps she put a hex on me, or it. Perhaps not. Who can say? 

But this last Friday and Saturday, it was dying a semi-slow painful death. For a long time, it couldn't keep a charge. Then when it could, it buzzed (vibrated, that is) in a weird manner, and not when it was supposed to. Then it just stopped counting steps. 

710 to the rescue. He hopped on amazon and I got a new one the next day. He didn't ask about a preferred model, but he also knows I don't really care. And I don't. 

The new one is colourful! It's easier to use and read. Well kind of.  That 0714 is the time. I wonder if I can switch that to military time. because 0714 implies A.M. and it's not. 

The display is nice and easier to maneuver through, and it's not an Apple Watch, one of their items for which I can think of having no possible use.  This is just fine. 

Now that weather is slightly better (it's supposed to snow in the a.m. and be 60 later on!), I can make my 10k per day.  Honestly, with the snow, ice and cold since January, I've hit 70k per week only twice since the first of the year.  But soon I'll be able to consistently walk during my lunchtime. 

I'll have to wait for Becky to see it until a newer better model comes out. 

Song by: Depeche Mode

Tape Deck

The inventor of the cassette tape, Lou Ottens, has died at the age of 94. 

In the '70s, we were a cassette family. I suppose it could have gone south if my father had found 8-track first. 

As it was, he was a Betamax instead of VHS guy, so......50 / 50 on his decision making skills?

My memory of his first cassette deck is vivid. 

I wish I remembered the year, but I'm guessing 1973-ish? I went with him to pick it up. True to my father's frugalness, he actually found a way to buy new technology that was already used.

The place was a seemingly rented room in a house in our bucolic town, which was right next to the "insane asylum". 

Of course, Windsor, wasn't really for the insane.........I don't think. It was a mental hospital, for sure. It was also the burn you'd get when someone would try to insult you that "your mom goes to Windsor".  Hilarious!!  Years later, 710 would have that hospital as a client - and I got a sweatshirt with their name on it out of the deal. 

Still, we get the device home and it already has a pre-recorded cassette in there.  Uriah Heep. The progressive rock band, not the character from Dickens' David Copperfield.  I'm sure we listened to it, as we had music there in the tape deck, but I cannot imagine my dad actually listening to it. 

My parents rarely bought any music since after Glenn Miller disappeared. I was raised on big band music and Broadway and Hollywood musicals. You probably don't want to get into a nature vs nurture discussion with me. 

And at this point - most of my father's music was on reel-to-reel. Yes. You read that correctly. 

But he has some albums and some blank cassettes, which he purchased before actually getting the deck. Knowing nothing about it all - as he is recording one of his records on tape, one of my sisters started talking.  I told her to "ssshhhhhhh....", as I assumed when you recorded something, it picked up the other audible somethings in the room. 

I was wrong. 

I'd end up having cassette decks in my house, and every car up until 2001. Hell, I had a DUAL cassette deck, so you could record tape to tape.   Smell me!

Like vinyl, the hipster crowd would try to revive that medium. THANKS Arcade Fire.  They would not be successful. It served me well, but its time - and the hiss and unspooling and caught tape - has passed. 

Not unlike Lou Ottens. 

Song by: Jack Johnson

I Spy

So, with the "new" house there has been very need for anything to do to said domicile. This was one of the reasons for the move. Sure, we painted one bedroom wall that was Pepto Pink, but that's about it so far. 

Unlike the other house, where we were fairly far off the road - which was a plus and minus - no one could see any package when it was delivered. 

This, you can see from the street if a package is on the front porch. And while our delivery requests all say 'please deliver to the back of the house' it's only about a 50 / 50 chance that actually happens. 

We have had no issues with any packages missing, or.people being on-site when they shouldn't be. 

710 felt better if we had one them doorbell cams. 

At best, I was on the fence about the entire thing.  

I think it's a little invasive. While delivery and mail folks might be used to so many people having these things, it just weirds me out a bit. I'm not sure I want people knowing I drove past their house at 17:13 on a Monday, And while I always pick up dog poop, do I want them knowing Shep went on their lawn in the first place? 

Let's not forget - what if my outfit wasn't coordinated and I had on a black belt and brown shoes. Oh the horror!!!  The humiliation. 

Never mind that on a Saturday or Sunday morning walk, chances of me being in grey sweat pants is high. Like, off the charts high. 

Allegedly, you can change the settings so you don't get alerts from the cars driving by, or the animal highway that seemingly happens all hours of the night. 

We have a possum (see above), a skunk, Walter the cat, who just criss cross our front yard all night long. 710 woke up to like seven alerts the next morning of 'activity'.  All critters of some kind. Not a robber to be had. 

I exit and enter through the backdoor (jokes not needed here) so, when 710 starts to think we need another at that point of egress, I might balk. 

Song by: Guster

Virtual Insanity

Virtual Reality is here.

Thanks to the Sunday New York Times. And assuming you subscribe and have home delivery.

In this last week's Sunday edition, came a cardboard box that allowed you to insert your iPhone and venture off into the world of virtual reality. As long as you downloaded the app, of course.

I don't know why it says it takes you halfway around the world. Depending which direction you go, I think you can go all the way. Kind of.

There are different programs from which to view. The big one is a VR film Displaced  about children uprooted due to war. I suppose it is the right thing to say that is what you're actually using the device for.

You can also travel to other cities. I'm likening this part to be somewhere between a GAF ViewFiner and Google Street View. Say you're in Venice, you get a 360 view of the one place whomever took the picture is standing. It's nice. It's clear. But there are quite a few more square miles of city you'll never see this way. However, unlike Street View, you can look up at the sky, or tops of buildings, or you can look down at the walkway or street.

Personally, I had a lot of trouble not being able to click on the New York setting. It would skip right past Venice to Rome, even though NYC was next in line. And I tried about two dozen times. It wasn't there for me. 710 must have seen it, because he commented on it.

There are also ways to see a 3-D kaleidoscope. And you can be at the Smithsonian to see dinosaurs and the Enola Gay and a Space Shuttle. All very cool. Some very close up.

You do have to recalibrate your equilibrium a bit. The device and some of the programs throw off your sense of balance a little bit. And it's not horrible easy to use while using glasses. That is something someone will have to work on - though Google and the NYT did a decent enough job on one size fits all for the 1.7 million folks who received one of these devices.

I tried without glasses, but I'm blind enough to not get clear images - even that close up.

Of course, I'm hoping someone will add to the app, or other apps, where you're flying, or having a speeding train come right at you or some such activity. Maybe there are other apps out there already. I haven't looked.

But at least we now have the device to play with our reality.



Song by: Jamiroquai

the Future of the Future

Oh, I remember a skit on the Carol Burnett show regarding when  / if we get video phones and how hard it would be to keep things secret as one talked.

I'm sure the Jetsons covered it too.  I'm guessing Carol & Co were funnier about it.

We have that issue with FaceTime now, or Skype or any other of the mobile apps.

But I finally had to endure the future (for us anyway) of a regional teleconference meeting. Eight hours of 16 people in seven locations talking, giving or listening to presentations.

It's a new, fresher Hell.

Can I tell you how often I wanted to nod off?  Or to look at my Blackberry Galaxy S3?  Or my laptop?  But nooooo......you can't do that with these.

One must feign interest.

I don't do that well.

As you might imagine, it probably took the first 45 minutes to work through the technological issues and then we were just playing catch-up after that.

Sadly, this probably is the wave of the future. It's cheaper than getting 16 people off-site, with air fare, hotels and food.  I have friends who have interviewed via video-conference - that seems less of a disaster, but you might be able to get away without pants while going through your skill set and background.

Too bad I couldn't have gotten away with sitting through the meeting in sweats.  Or with a doggie next to me.



Song by: Everything but the Girl

Twilight Galaxy

I need another electronic device like I need a hole in the head.

But my work Blackberry Curve was dead - or at least close to DNR - so replace it I must.

Actually, I didn't have to. They were encouraging us to use our own mobile devices, but that wasn't working for me on multiple levels.  First, that means all my staff and clients have my personal cell phone number.  No way Jose.

Secondly, while they'd pay for a new device, they weren't going to throw any cash my way for using my own iPhone. So, let me get this straight - you want me to use my own device for work and pay for it without being compensated?

Je don't think so.

So, I had my choice of a new Blackberry (been there), an iPhone (done that) or a Galaxy S3.

Oh, what the fuck, I went for the S3. If nothing else, I wouldn't get confused by which phone was which, right?

The screen is pretty enough, but I can't say I'm thrilled with the phone itself.  It's cumbersome, it's not that intuitive and......well, I'm sure there's something else.

I suppose it is fine for work, but I don't see me changing over to Samsung once my Apple / AT&T contract is up.



Song by: Metric

Calling For You

It's official - I'm a douche.....and I love it.

Denton got me a bluetooth headset for the home office. You might remember me wearing the headset that Judy from Time-Life would take your order for One Hit Wonders of the '70s.

That headset died a horrible static-y death. I had to resort to using - ughhhh - my hands!

For those short calls, it wasn't a problem, but for three back-to-back hour long phone meetings, it was tedious.

It is a little bulky to go behind the ear, especially wearing glasses. Actually, I can only wear one pair easily. My big bulky Spongebob glasses make it difficult.

However, I'm not tied to the desk. When on a conference call, I can pace the office - and I do. Quite a bit, actually. Oddly enough it keeps me focused on the task at hand. When I sit in front of my monitors, I can get distracted by incoming emails.

The sound is great - incoming and outgoing.  And it pairs-up with two phones....so it works with my iPhone and my work Blackberry.

I really didn't think I'd like it, but I am loving it.

...and I promise not to wear it in the grocery store or anything.  No promises about wearing it at the airport.



Song by: Iris DeMent

Human

I'm not big on human interaction now and again. Specifically in the service industry.

I am the guy who gets annoyed when you walk into a store and the salespeople/clerks accost you to see if they can score a sale from you assist you. But I'm equally annoyed when they're not around or are around and then they don't or won't help you. You can't win with me some times.

In my former, and now again current, parking garage at work, no matter which exit you went out you had inferior attendants you could not avoid unless you had a key card (which I did not have for my first year) and had to pay cash to exit.

Attendant #1 was more focused on dancing in her enclosure than taking your ticket and sheckles so you could leave. Attendant #2 had a hard time taking and sorting money even when you gave her exact change. G-d help you if she had to make change. You may as well get out your copy of War & Peace and finish a chapter or two.

So now fast forward a year and there is a new system in place. A wonderful, magical place: no humans.

You take your ticket, put it in a machine in the lobby, pay there and use the ticket the machine returns so you can exit the garage via another machine. Ok.

Four of the five days this week worked like a charm. I loved it. LOVED it......and let's face it, I do not love a lot of things. No lines at the gates waiting for these "workers" to process the hundreds of other people who share my garage.

But on day five of five was a FAIL. A big one.

I left the office, late-ish. 18:00, or there abouts. But it was a Friday and impending bad weather had the office and building cleared out fairly early. So I go to exit the garage and there is a line of people waiting to get out. However, it is a no-go. The ticket-taking / gate-opening machine does not work at one exit. The gate is closed completely at the second exit.

....and no human.

A button the machine did summon a human voice - and as we all sat there with our collective engines running, doing the slowest mass suicide by carbon monoxide, we waited.....and waited....and waited.

Secretly I was hoping the soul sitting in front would just drive through that wooden gate and free us like Moses did the slaves. But he had a really nice car and I suspect he wasn't willing to scuff it - even a little. Even for precious precious freedom.

Eventually some sad sack worker appeared, most likely from another garage where there was still humanoids who manned the structure.

Yeah, I was annoyed that it was a Friday and I wanted to be gone, but I was dry, I was in a warm car, but still delayed for 30 minutes. On the plus side - I get my key card in the next few weeks and I won't have to worry about this crud.


Song by: Maria McKee

Give A Little

Tis the season - no?

For the last few months, or even a year, we have been hearing about One Laptop Per Child. Or at least I have. Have you?

The idea is to provide each and every child who needs a laptop - regardless of the socio-economic status, but clearly focusing on the underprivileged.

The idea is the brainchild of an MIT professor. Knowing that many of the places these folks live do not have internets access or even electricity, the laptop is built with a generator that kids can wind up to well.....generate power. It also has an built-in antenna for folks to get on-line. The casing isn't indestructible, but they make it as much so as possible.

The other idea was for each laptop to cost no more than $100. They are not quite there yet - but it still is at the somewhat reasonable price of $400. BUT....get this......purchase one for donation, and they send one to you also. So, that makes them like $200 a piece. Wicked!! .....but in a good way.

Denton ordered/donated one. Mostly because he wants to play with it. We need another computer/laptop around here like a hole in the head. I am hoping we only play with it for a bit, but then send it on its way to a family in need. We're not that family.

But I think it's a great idea. Give the gift of education - if you can.



Song by: Nicolette Larson