Tag Archives: Mac

On the Hoof, off the Truck

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We search the ends of the interweb here to bring you the latest in livestock on freeways. This is the tale of Christine Gamache, of Vancouver WA. Christine was driving on I-205, when she observed a 500 pound pig fall out the back of an open-top box trailer. She dodged the pig and another vehicle, stopped her car, and stood by the porker in the median until state patrol and sheriff’s officers arrived on the scene. She had no cell phone, according to the article, so it’s not clear to me how help was summoned.

Later, Gates (State Trooper), paramedics and a Clark County sheriff’s deputy joined them on the median until a man who works with livestock arrived on the scene to take the pig to safety until its owners could be located.

I presume the paramedics were called for the pig. In any event, all hands and trotters safe.

-k-

GTD – GID1

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Dave Slusher writes of his struggles with GTD. He provides pointage to a David Allen/Merlin Mann podcast that said:

it takes two years to really get the GTD system internalized.

After reading Dave’s post, I see that he and I are in approximately the same GTD status: we both have Hipster PAA cards out the wazoo, an we’ve both been dutifully adding more day by day. In both our cases, we’ve not progressed steadily on the processing of that information.

I’m using the PAA as input into my Palm PDA, and to do information has been flowing smoothly. I look through the balance of my cards, and find that what needs to be handled is the reference type information (the command to initiate a Linux kickstart from an Open Firmware prompt, stuff like that). The plan is to transfer this info from cards, to properly categorized Palm memos. The Missing Synch for Palm OS does a wonderful job in synching everything from the Palm to a Mac-based desktop. Contact info goes to the Mac’s address book, calendar info to the calendar, etc. Plus, and this is a big plus, categories are created on the fly; for example, if you see a need for another to-do category, create it on the Palm, add the to-do, and Missing Sync will create the item and the category on the desktop at the next sync. Prior versions had a catchall category to lump items, and it was a real pain to have to edit items after a sync, just to get them properly categorized.

So, I’ve got all the tools, I know what needs to be done, and like Dave, I just need to do it. Once caught up, I think the daily portion will be easily maintained. And Dave has it right; pick a time for daily review (with the AM java is a great time), and weekly review (weekends are a great time), and then just do it, dammit.

If it takes two years to get this process internalized, there’s no time like the present to start.

-k-

1 – GID = Get It Done, not the gid in the Unix sense. And not GED, in the Larry the Cable Guy Sense.

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To Whom Do I Complain?1

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I sat down a couple of hours ago, all primed to watch Kansas Jayhawks basketball. They played the DePaul Blue Demons in Chicago this afternoon.

SWMBO and I buy the ESPN Full Court package each year, at a cost of $100.00 or so for the season. That usually gets us our games of interest. Today, ESPN saw fit to broadcast the game on something called ESPN/U, also one of their channels. DirecTV wants another $12 per month to get ESPN/U, which is part of something they call their “Sports Package.” This package includes 24 or so Fox Sports Channels, any 8 of which are broadcasting the same game simultaneously at any given point in the day.

Not willing to extend our DirecTV plan, we listened to the game on XM Radio, and cringed as the Jayhawks went down to defeat today.

I don’t know if it’s ESPN’s or DirecTV’s policies that resulted in our not seeing the game on TV. It’s not even worth the effort to call either network. What I will say is that I’d be all for kicking TV out of my life entirely, if there were a way to view the following:

  • Prison Break
  • CSI Miami
  • Jericho
  • Friday Night Lights

    • In addition, I’d like to be able to see a few sporting events throughout the year. I’m even willing to buy a Mac Mini, or something comparable, and dedicate it to teevee watching. I’d lash up any kind of gear necessary to make that happen, and pull the plug on the whole bunch. For what we pay DirecTV in a year’s time, we have a good down payment on an alternative.

    -k-

    1 – That headline, proper English and all, is in memory of all the long-suffering English teachers in my life.

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    Happy Thanksgiving

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    From Hot Springs AR, where SWMBO and I arrived tired and crabby yesterday afternoon. A good night’s sleep, and excellent weather, and we’re much better now.

    I’m posting this from the blog’s admin interface; a first for me. I’m also using my brother-in-law’s Windows powered machine to post. I’ll try not to make the Windows thing a habit.

    Happy Thanksgiving, and safe travels to all.

    -k-

    The Service is Gone from Customer Service

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    As I’d mentioned here, SWMBO and I are doing some sprucing up here at Casa tbbs. The fan is installed, the remote control is awesome, and the drywall squares that were cut out to get power to the fan are carefully numbered and boxed for the paint guy to replace.

    This whole episode is an exercise in coordination; SWMBO and I plan to rent one of those PODS1 to store the stuff from both levels, so the workmen will have free rein to the work area. This involves fan install(done), paint guy scheduling(in progress), with carpet guys to follow lastly.

    We’re working out the timing of the paint guy’s appearance, which leaves us with carpet guys. We’ve made appointments with no less than two carpet companies to come out, measure, and provide quotes for the work to be done. In both cases, we’ve waited thumb up for an hour; not only did no carpet guys show up, but they never even called. Can carpet guys afford to be so arrogant? If either of them calls us back, they’ll get my “piss up a rope” speech. In the meantime, I think a call to Empire Carpet is in our future. Next day service, they say. In business 45 years, they say. At home service, they say. We’ll find out; if they even return a call, they’re one step ahead of these other schmucks.

    -k-

    1 – PODS = Portable On Demand Storage. Thus far, AFAIK, not sued by Apple.

    Update: We’ve called and scheduled Empire. SWMBO, instead of using the “piss up a rope” speech, will used one based around FOAD with the other companies. Wherever does she get these things?

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    Only One Poll Matters

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    After the NBC Evening News tonight, our local affiliate switched to MSNBC, where Chris “Hardball” Matthews was holding forth with a Democrat mucky-muck, and a Republican mucky-muck. The topic of discussion was current poll numbers. When the USA Today numbers were put on the screen, each mucky-muck took pride in citing at least two other polls showing that their guy was in the lead. This is TV at its worst.

    I guess these asshelmets don’t realize that the only poll that matters takes place tomorrow across America, where votes will be accurately tabulated by gazillions of dollars worth of electronic voting machines, all of which are bulletproof in their integrity and accuracy. Yeah, right.

    If we really wanted to instill democracy in all the puppet regimes we’ve knocked over, we should send Chris, his talking head buddies, and the Diebolds over there. Then we could have some peace and quiet.

    Seriously, here in Virginia, Sen. George Allen and his opponent, James Webb, were getting their lawyers stationed in strategic places around the state, “in case of irregularities.” It makes that purple “I voted” dye look damn attractive. I wonder if voters get the choice of which digit to dip? If so, I know which one I’d choose.

    -k-

    Shufflin’

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    I faithfully try to avoid going to Best Buy. They usually have a decent selection of stuff, but in my experience, are always crowded, and extremely noisy. There’s something about large crowds in the midst of electronics that brings out the rude in people.

    Today, I made an exception, and returned with a new Apple iPod Shuffle II from the aforementioned big box retailer. I also picked up a set of Griffin Ear jams to go with the new rig. There was nothing wrong with my existing shuffle, and SWMBO has expressed an interest in it.

    Anyhow, the new model doesn’t disappoint. I saw the pictures, I read the numbers, but man, this thing is tiny. I think the usual Apple-opulent packaging weighs more than the device itself. The device fits easily in the ear jams case, making for unheard of portability.

    I plugged it into the laptop, upgraded to iTunes 7+++, transferred a tune, and all worked well. The first song I played was 50 Dollars and a Flask of Crown. Thanks, Scott.

    -k-

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    Upduped

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    I don’t think this anomaly is related in any way to my usage of my laptop while in Raleigh last week, but this morning when I went to retrieve mail, I received 645 duplicated messages; these were filtered by my mail app rules into their proper mail folders, spam and all. Something in the mail delivery process was obviously seriously verfuckled.

    I’d have gone blind trying to clean this up by hand, but The Google led me to this nifty collection of mail-related Apple Scripts. One of the scripts was entitled RemoveDuplicates.app, which deletes duplicate messages from a folder or folders of your choice, and moves them to a folder called “Duplicate Messages”. Slick and painless. Several other scripts are included in the bundle, and it’s a free download. Order is restored.

    -k-

    Update: The script considers messages to be duplicates if they have the same message id. This is as it should be.

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    Disco Health

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    Whilst enjoying my morning cuppa joe, I saw an ad for Kaiser Permanente on teevee. The ad features an older black gentleman, who is moonwalking down the street, eating an apple, and shooting a basketball, to the tune of the BeeGee’s Stayin’ Alive.

    That song has always absolutely frayed my last nerve. After seeing the ad in the morning, though, the song runs in my head in an endless loop all day long.

    As much as the song sucks, I am envious of the guy’s innovative plaid bermudas/cardigan/sneakers wardrobe. And I’m old enough to get by with dressing like that.

    -k-

    Porktoberfest

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    That’s what I had for dinner last night, at the local Famous Dave’s. SWMBO, I, and another couple we hadn’t seen in quite a little while met for an early dinner.

    Mmmm.. A perfectly sauced smoked pork cutlet, served with St. Louis style ribs, baked beans, drunken apples, and corn on the cob. All washed down with a few Bud Longnecks.

    Good food .. good beer .. good friends. A nice evening made nicer by the fact it was their turn to buy.

    -k-

    Famous Daves has another special item called “The Pig Dipper”. Bacon, plus two other varieties of pork, on a bun, served with dipping sauce. Wish my workplace was close to one of these places.

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