All posts by cs

a man who lived it!

movies

I managed to slog through 6/10ths of PEARL HARBOR, the 2002 remake on DVD. Mostly watered down and at the same time exaggerated Hollywood spin. I WAS intrigued however by the info-mmercial style perspective of historical background. I mean let’s face it: The audience for this entertainment is by now 3 generations removed. Wow. The cast and crew only know about W.W.II from previous film iterations and watching Ernest Borgnine , Cliff Robertson, Vic Morrow, Charlton Heston… It seemed to emphasize that the movie’s storyline has been told and re-told to the point of becoming legend and fantasy.

needforspeed

social

Having laid low for the last 15+ years and without a bust, I decided try my luck at rapid transit. Kids! Don’t let me catch YOU doing this. It shaves a mere 15 minutes from the journey. Not really a big payoff for the downside risk. You can not sit back relax, as safety is the number one priority. Plus you must maintain a visual scan for Smokey. Cruise control is out. You must constantly adjust your speed to flow with traffic. BTW, that’s your alibi if you are pulled over…”Officer I was flowing with traffic. Sir.” Find a line of cars with a good fast rate (not go-to-jail fast). The key word there is line. Crazy and or frequent lane changes, with turn signals or w/o, will attract unwanted attention. Bail out and wait for another tow if traffic intervenes. Avoid being the lead dog. Think vulnerability. You don’t want to be tail gunner either. A radar detector device would add a nice sense of (false) security. Note: The author is not responsible for any fines or insurance rate increases incurred as a result of reading this article

goat

cars

B.O.U.R.Girl recommends today’s Dave Barry’s column about muscle cars. Funny guy. Saw an interior shot of the ’04 NEXT generation GTO. First generation ’64 Good ol’ Boy behind the steering wheel has his hand wrapped around the gear shifter like he’s going to slam a speed shift. Noticing the dash and the rest of the modern plastic pieces I realize not a good idea. Everything would shatter disintegrate. The old cars had a massive steel shank by Hurst bolted to an HD truck tranny. You could abuse and live another day. Light ’em up!

Next card…

opinion

DULLES, Va., July 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ –The Company has been engaged in discussions periodically with United Airlines, Inc. related to the terms of a new agreement to replace the existing United Express Agreements between the parties. Although the Company and United have recently exchanged proposals, the parties were unable to reach an agreement onterms the Company believes acceptable during their last discussions on June 30. The Company continues to develop contingency plans to allow it to establish an alternative to the United business in the event that satisfactory arrangementsfor future United Express service cannot be agreed with United. The Company would pursue such an alternative if it is considered by management to offer more favorable prospects than offered by United. The Company cannot predict the timing or outcome of any decision by United with respect to the Company’s code share arrangements.

More negotiations (in public) via press release. Aside from attempting to calm the investors and prevent stampede, this latest was certainly directed at bunkered UAL negotiators on the other side of the card table. With their best poker face ACA hints that there is an ‘alternative’. While I like to think that there IS a contingency plan(s) for ACA, this gem could have been pure bluff. (See your hand and raise you ____ ) ACA does not wish to accept new adverse terms forced by UAL’s bankruptcy advantage. Is ACA posturing for escape or extracting their best deal. Great struggle! The stakes?: UAL looses – route network takes big hit, emergence from Ch. 11 postponed. Or ACA looses – negative growth, slow death… Do they have the cards??

up

social

Eating alone in Barouche’s I’m waiting for my change to arrive. Head tilted, eyes rolled upward toward the ceiling, contemplating, brain deep in thought. I did not notice the restaurant manager’s approach. I lower my gaze to discover her presence and concerned look. “Are you alright?”, she asks seriously. Maybe she figured she was witness to a seizure or fit. Reflecting now, I guess I must have looked the part… I was studying the architecture. Honest. I know it’s derigueor but the ceilings are bare-ass frame trusses, air-conditioning ducting and electrical conduit. The corrugated sheet metal roof — stock galvanization. Odd that interior designers (and bean counters) spend large sums on tile flooring, and sponge painted wall surfaces adorned with antiques or theme knickknacks and then halt. Not one dime for the ceiling. Not even a dark coat of paint. Hey! I should be staring at the young waitresses instead?

Rand ( )

cars

Noticing that some trucks and some trailers have begun appearing with very bright, somewhat distinctive looking light patterns behind their brake/tail light lenses. I believe that I am witness to the new generation LED. Have you seen?

Wondering why automobile mfgrs. as well as aftermarketers haven’t offered an in-dash player that reads MP3 format. CDs are so 90’s. Tape Cassette players — Yawn — Could it be that the specter of the RIAA (and their lawyers)? The engineer/designers fear to act thinking that they expose themselves to being named in download copyright infringement litigation?

Decided: That the Japanese, known to emulate the American and German automotive designs themes, have come up with some unique Japanese chic of their own. The HONDA Element is a notable departure. B.O.Y.R.Girl is going to argue counterpoint but I’ve decided that I like funk. In addition to the Element, I applaud Japanese micro cars for breaking the ‘boring’ mold.

New! software

computers

In an effort to become paperless ( think save trees ), I have designed a form application for the Pocket PC. This particular Form is for logging airline flights. The pilot enters his/her data with stylus pen which saves the record to an .cdb database. This converts to an .mdb access db during desktop pc sync operation and can be utilized in a display application or archived for permanent log storage. The source code was written using eMbedded Visual Basic. Next task is to make it distributable and build a display UI. The image above is an actual screen capture of my product in action.

WEAPONS OF MISDIRECTION

opinion

So, who won the debate? The French and Germans were vocal in saying that we had no business invading Iraq and that the imperialistic US was out of line. The administration was adamant anyway that we go in and wipe out the WMD. It was a hard sell as you recall. Plenty of exaggerations and hyperbole from both sides. Those who didn’t subscribe were chastised and scolded, embarrassed, labeled cowardly (traitorous ?)

You’d think that those who were then against US policy would now have something to say. Like to rub-it-in. e.g. Ya see! We told you so! – It WAS all about the OIL afterall, eh? – Where then are the WMD? I spoke with an actual French Citizen today and I asked: “Why have the French not seized the moment?” Their national pride is at stake. What an opportunity to restore huge face. The consensus reply was that ‘they ARE jumping up and down… Just read the foreign press and you will see. The US media has ignored that spin on the story…’ Wait a minute. I don’t subscribe. Is this right? Can this be?

rolled and spat out

adventure

Surfs up! I tried to catch the BIG ONE this afternoon and got beat up. I was a little late on the timing. The wave made an abrupt break and I fell over the top. Luckily I was spun broadside and thereby avoided the dreaded break-your-neck-head stand, but ended up body slammed on the shallow seabed just the same. The final insult before being held down, pummeled, and then raked across the rough sand by its turbulence. I have tender ribs and skin removed from my arm (roadrash) to vouch for my performance. Oh! Did I not mention that when I came up for a look around, the LEASH tethered to my boogie board (the other end is velcroed to my wrist) had somehow taken a dally around my neck? Talk about crossed up. Mother nature must have been ROTFL.

major turn off

social

That dang dawg rolled. Primal regressive instinct? Does it send a message to other dogs that he encounters that he’s a rough tough s.o.b.? Some kind of fecal war paint? I wonder what another animal, crossing the stinking path of mine, would do… Be totally confused and shocked into excited weirdness… or be freaked and shy away. The dog message that I get is total disgust. It assures him a splash swim in the lake and a hose down bath. I keep him close to me on the path but in this case he lagged behind and then I realized why. Makes you want to cuss a blue streak when you see (smell). Kind of puts a whole new spin on the outing :-)I think that the ultimate bad dog belonged to my dear brother. His family pet found the rotting carcass of quite a large road kill and rolled big time at a most inopportune moment. They were miles from remedy and had to share a closed vehicle on the long ride home. I believe that they had the windows down. euuuuwee