Archive for March, 2007
3/1/2007
Above is a case of Monster LO-CARB Energy Drink (with one can missing since I’m drinking it now as I write this). I don’t drink “LO” because of the lack of carbs. I drink it because it tastes good.
Ever since I started drinking this stuff, I’ve never been able to figure out what to classify the flavor as - until Pop had a sip of it. After he sipped it, he said Hm. Tastes like grape. He was almost right. Since the color of the soda is gold, it’s actually white grape flavored.
If you’re interested in what that big paragraph on the top says, I took of photo of that too.
posted in photos | No Comments »
3/2/2007
Small note: I will be redesigning this site again soon. No, it will not have any drastic changes, but I finally discovered a table-less CSS layout that Internet Exploder Explorer “likes”.
————————-I recently wrote about how I upgraded to City Navigator NT version 8 for my Garmin StreetPilot c340. That went thru without a hitch, but when I tried to update my Pop’s StreetPilot 2720, the update absolutely would not apply. I kept getting an error message (from the update software, not the StreetPilot itself) that the unlock code was not valid.
I finally got around to calling Garmin and discovered the problem. The serial number on the unit didn’t match the unlock code I had for the 2720, and here’s why (this is going to be really long but there isn’t a short way to describe what happened):
A while back the touch screen on the 2720 failed. So Pop and I took the unit to a local West Marine for repair. I mentioned it in a previous post here. The unit was repaired without issue since it was still within warranty.
What I didn’t know is that the entire unit was replaced. I thought it had been repaired, but Garmin decided to use another unit, transfer the data from the old one to the new one (which was very nice), and send it back to Pop. No big deal.
The time comes to order the update DVD, so I get that yellow slip of paper that states the registration code for the 2720 out of its original box, and use that on the my.garmin.com site to order the disc. Anyone who has a SteetPilot knows exactly what I’m talking about. :-)
You can probably guess what the problem was now, but I’ll enlighten you.
The unlock code was for the 2720’s original serial number, but since the unit was replaced, the serial number was now different, and therefore the code generated from the my.garmin.com site wouldn’t work.
Garmin issued me a new unlock code for the 2720 map update without any problems. I applied the new code into MapSource, tried the update again, and ta-da, about forty minutes later (which is how long it takes since it’s a ton of data) the 2720 is now updated to version 8 of City Navigator NT.
I’m writing this here just in case anyone out there with a StreetPilot runs into this issue. The serial number must be accurate in order for an unlock code to work.
posted in gps | No Comments »
3/3/2007
I am mad. Mad mad mad mad mad. Not insane-type type. Mad like pissed off mad.
I don’t like being mad.
Called Pop. He said to come over since I’m mad. So I’m doing that.
No, I’m not mad about the wedding I went to today. That event was quite lovely even though it rained today. What I’m mad about happened after the wedding, and being that no one really gives a shit about personal crap like that - I’ll just leave it at that.
I am going to 7-Eleven, get me some fattening Taquitos, arm myself with a few Monster LO-CARB sodas, and then I’m a-headin’ north where I will arrive at Pop’s, rot my brain on many hours of bad cable television and then head back tomorrow.
Then I will be better.
posted in blog | No Comments »
3/4/2007
One big-ass tree next to Eisenhower Street in Inverness Florida.
Kinda creepy looking.
It’s a-gonna git’cha. :-)
posted in photos | No Comments »
3/4/2007
I feel much better this eve mainly due to fact I slept almost all day.
I realized something today. Even though I’m accustomed to driving long distances, it still beats the shit out of me. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it. Granted, I have put more miles on cars in a few years than most people would in their whole lives, but the road still has a way of beating me up. It doesn’t matter I’m going somewhere new or somewhere that I’ve been to a thousand times before. The road just gets you after you’ve been on it long enough.
Fortunately, I’m skilled as a interstate traveler enough to know when to go and when to stop. :-)
I also realized that Florida is a big frickin’ state. I mean, yeah, that’s obvious, but it doesn’t really sink in until you travel 1.5 hours and notice you haven’t covered much ground.
For example..
If you were to travel the distance between two points of Florida that are on opposite ends of the state, such as Mc David to Key West, it would take you over thirteen hours worth of driving to traverse that (just shy of 860 miles).
In Connecticut, it’s Thompson to Greenwich, and that’s only about 2.5 hours of driving (just shy of 140 miles).
To think, I used to believe Niantic was a long way from Dayville.
And it’s also funny knowing Rhode Islanders pack an overnight back to go from Warwick to Scituate. I say this with love because y’know it’s true. :-)
posted in blog | No Comments »
3/5/2007
When you think Jenna Jameson, you think “hot chick”. She is a porn star, after all. But you won’t think she looks that hot after seeing this.
((shudder))
It is a cryin’ shame when girls that hot turn into that.
But at least she doesn’t look like this. Yet.
posted in blog | No Comments »
3/6/2007
Note before starting this one: I’m pretty sure this is a Tampa-only thing, because up north, stuff like this would never happen (unless at a Dunkin’ Donuts - more on that in a moment).
Tampa - 5:45am
I run an errand this morning to pick up some Memorex DVD+R discs. Previously I had decided to save a buck and buy Maxell’s. Not a good choice. They’re just as bad as Sony discs. This time I bought the ones that I know work correctly.
Tampa - 6:00am - Busch Blvd.
I decide to stop for breakfast at Burger King. The sign on the door says they open at 5:30am. So I walk right in.
Once inside, I see two guys scrambling around. No food is prepared. One of the employees tells me they’ll be ready in five minutes. I told him it was okay, it wasn’t that important, and I left.
Bear in mind they were supposed to be ready at 5:30am.
Tampa - 6:07am - a short way from where I was.
I stop at McDonald’s for breakfast. Once again, I park. I read the sign on the door. It says they open (both drive-thru and dining room) at 5:30am. I attempt to walk in. Locked. The people behind the counter don’t even bother to come open up the door.
Not dismayed, I decided to get back in my truck and pull around to the drive-thru. I see a few people in front of me angrily speed thru there.
They weren’t ready either and no orders were being taken.
Once again, bear in mind they were also supposed to be ready at 5:30am.
Tampa - 6:15am - a little further down the road.
I stop at 7-Eleven. I walk right in. There’s a small heating case full of breakfast food ready to go. I pick up a hot breakfast sandwich, go to the counter, pay, and leave.
To note, I got twice as much food for half the price I would have paid at the two other places.
Also note, 7-Eleven was ready.
Also also note, the food is better.
Also also also note, the coffee is better.
I don’t know why I even bother stopping at the McD’s or BK in the first place.
The sad thing is that I’m used to it.
And oh, I mentioned the Dunkin’ Donuts thing. No matter where you are, the service sucks. The only thing ready is the coffee - usually. Any D.D. with a drive-thru is a joke, so I always go inside. I always seem to encounter the guy or girl who can’t speak English and it’s their first day on the job.
To my New Englander friends: Most D.D.’s here are not 24/7 places. They close at 7pm. Weird, eh? And while you can find one anywhere in New England - you’ve gotta travel far and wide to find one down here.
Yeah, I know. Doesn’t make sense to me either.
Floridians just don’t take their coffee seriously like New Englanders do. I mean, it’s just.. mandatory for us. For many, no coffee = bad day.
This is why I make my own. It’s always at the ready in just a few minutes. :-)
————————-
Something that sorta/kinda has to do with the above:
I am seriously considering getting all the store numbers for the establishments that piss me off, then send each of their respective corporate home offices a letter.
Believe me, I’ve got plenty of ammo ready to fire off at these guys.
But I honestly wonder if it would make any difference. Maybe?
posted in blog | No Comments »
3/6/2007
Remember how I said recently I wouldn’t do the vlogging thing? I lied. I did one. A small one. And it sucked. So I most likely won’t be doing it again. Regular blogging is much easier and a lot less aggravating to get online.
I think YouTube overall is beginning to suck.
Why?
Two reasons.
1. Google has been fucking around with it too much.
Change the categories so they make no sense, change the upload process, change this, that, the other thing..
Hey Google, stop it. It if ain’t broke, don’t fix it. If you keep changing it around, you’re going to piss off too many people.
2. The most subscribed list.
Way more than half of what’s on that list is absolute fucking garbage. Unfortunately, the users on YouTube’s list suffers from the same thing that many popular-for-no-reason regular web sites do. And that reason, simply put, is that it’s full of “firsts”.
If you happen to use a web site in its beginning stages that gains popularity afterwards, you are one of the early users and therefore are popular by default. You’re a “first”. You see many comments on several most-subscribed users’ videos that state “Why is this popular?” The answer is because that moron is a first.
Very few firsts ever capitalize on their ‘net popularity, and I can totally understand why. Pushing online-world publicity to real-life is very, very difficult. Dare I say, almost impossible.
For example, the firsts on YouTube’s most subscribed list are known by thousands and thousands of people - but only online. The clerk at the local corner store has no clue who they are. And why would they?
True stardom still belongs to television and movie stars. And to be honest, thank God for that. If there were a “comments” or “ratings” section at the bottom of the silver screen in the theater, that would turn me off of movies forever. ;-)
posted in blog | No Comments »
3/7/2007
Photo taken today whilst I was at Kinko’s doing some faxing. Please forgive the dorky pose.
As of today @ 1:42pm…
Tampa FL: 72° F
Inverness FL: 73° F
Johnston RI: 20° F
Putnam CT: 18° F
Danbury CT: 16° F
Just thought I’d let’cha know. ;-)
posted in photos | No Comments »
3/8/2007
(I should note this really doesn’t have much to do with iTransact as they were just trying to save me a few bucks. It has more to do with crap-ass banks.)
I’ve had a merchant account (i.e. the ability to accept credit cards) for six years. My business has been dormant for some time, but it’s going to resurface soon. Even though the biz hasn’t been active, I’ve been paying the monthly fees to keep the account “alive”, so to speak.
Recently I received an e-mail from iTransact requesting - very strongly - that I switch processors. The e-mail was filled with all sorts of happy information to the tune of “You’ll save a bunch of money by using this new processor! Lots of fees eliminated! Seriously!” It didn’t say that verbatim (obviously), but on read, that’s what it sounded like.
So I called to find out why this was necessary at all.
I was informed that Nova Information Systems was causing certain “issues” and that iTransact would prefer if I used this new’n'wonderful processor instead of Nova.
So I said okay. Why not.
I had to fax over a crapload of forms to iTransact. It cost me over $30 at Kinko’s to copy, scan and fax everything.
I get a communication back from iTransact.
“We need a copy of your driver’s license.”
Not cool. I am absolutely 100% against sending anyone a copy of that information.
But I sent it anyway. This is for a merchant account, after all.
I get another communication.
“The bank wants to know better what kind of business you have - and they want one of your example contracts you use to conduct business with your clients.”
My honest reaction: What the FUCK do they need THIS for?
So I send over this big fucking e-mail explaining what my business is, the services provided and so on. And I sent over one of my contracts that I use. Totally not necessary - but I sent it anyway.
I get yet another communication.
“The bank has to review this information.”
I sent an e-mail back stating the following (in nicer terms):
a) I’m pissed off I had to send everything and the kitchen sink just to get the “Uh.. we have to review this” bullshit explanation.
b) I’m pissed off because the fact they have to “review” the app indicates the bank processing the merchant account application has no fucking idea what they’re doing.
c) I’m pissed off that this was supposed to be easy, but is turning out to be a nightmare.
I also set an ultimatum. Either they get the fucking ball rolling with this, or I’m ditching this new’n'wonderful processor and staying with Nova Information Systems. They may not be cheap, but at least they’ve always been reliable and never required any explanations of what my business is and what it does. As long as I process legal items (which I always do), there’s never an issue.
But this new bank iTransact wants me to use? They suck. This application process alone is enough to drive anyone up a wall.
posted in blog | No Comments »
first time here?get notifiedcontact rich
more info
contact rich
rich@menga.net
Rich's Facebook Profile
Rich's Flickr Photostream
Rich's YouTube Channel
