Times must be bad, I ran into another program that requires Win 98. Are people keeping their junk that long? Almost as long as I keep my cars. And I have a radiator leak that I cannot find, hoping it is just a hose. This happened right when the first Spring rain came along and it is not fun trying to find a leak when everything is dripping wet. That’s the good news, that Spring arrived early this year. Global warming.I cornered a guy today who works on cell phones. He says it is not much more difficult than plugging an interface cable into a computer and watching what program boots. He resets the chip by either putting in the customer’s old number or getting a new one online from a list of what is available. If the customer wants service he acts as temporary agent for one of the existing carriers. I figured as much but in all these years have never seen anyone do it. Now you know why the sellers don’t let you watch them work.
Here’s some trivia. I heard that the Taliban-type terrorist groups have a rule about cell phones. They buy them by the truckload and use them for only one call each, then toss them. Since they would only do that for security reasons, what do they know that we don’t?
I went over the ads for student housing again, remember I promised to check on that. I was right, students these days are able to borrow money to live in luxury unheard of in my time. When I was in school, you got rent, tuition and books. Even bus fare was extra. While I can’t compete with Jacuzzis and rec centers, our huge back room must have value to somebody. I mean, it has its own air conditioner, fridge, micro and bathroom.
I’ll be thinking this week on what can be done to make that space productive. Maybe Wallace and I are not considering all the options. It has other qualities like being secure, dry and quiet. Remember Sonny, the guy who had that “office” three blocks west of here? He was paying $850 a month, it had no windows and it wasn’t half as nice as what we’ve got. All he did was come in twice a day, make phone calls and go sit in Ricki’s (restaurant) the rest of the time. I’m just saying.
I don’t really need to waste another two paragraphs on the topic, but I’m now questioning why I keep pitying that old coot, the Hippie. Every time he is faced with a problem that requires brains, he tries to cover up his lack of education by turning into a miserable brat. It is a worn and tired act you’d expect from a child, like he’s been wronged and you just won’t listen. When he bought the laptop, I told him in person he had to turn on the antenna, and I even pointed right at the switch for him. I normally charge $45 for that service. I told him twice when he phoned since then, bitching at me, that all he had to do was turn on that antenna.
Despite the finest help available, he (and his “computer expert” friends) repeatedly could not follow this simple instruction. Predictably, he resorted to hiding his ignorance by flinging around malicious accusations. He accused us of conspiring to sell him junk. When he brought it back to the shop (two friggin’ weeks later) crying like a baby, the switch was still off. Are we talking double-digit IQ here, or what?
If this seems harsh, people, recall the old saying, “If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime.” The blog is mightier than the guitar pick.
