I was searching for cheap motels again, you know, maybe a little getaway. Forget Marco Island with rates beginning at $509 per night. Who would stay in such a place, by which I mean somebody with that much money should know better. To avoid a St. Augustine style wilderness, now I’m checking for Karaoke addresses before I go anywhere. Now that is not saying I’m heading to Ft. Meyers to knit socks or anything. I’m just looking into things, that’s all.What I did find for a laugh was a series of Karaoke clips in Naples. Or, should I say I found in laughable. I wonder what happened to their local bars that got named in that big Karaoke lawsuit a while back. Anyway, it is not unthinkable I could win a contest so I watch the competition very closely. Most of it is dry monotone, the “I Did It My Way” singers, nothing at all like the sparkling interactive show I put on. (So you know, my act is carefully designed to make me appear the reluctant amateur. The only giveaway is you never see me look at the screen for lyrics.)
Then, exciting day that it is, I looked under Craigslist for musicians. I’m amused by how “Christian” bands have taken to advertising there. They don’t post in electronics or auto parts, so why music? Then again, if you discount the religion forum (a.k.a “verse vomit”), CL doesn’t really have a category for “Jesus Freaks”. I say if you are a Christian first and a musician next, you should post at the church. I once worked with a long-hair, Mr. Cool, musician with the Christian edge thing. I found him abrasive. It seems to me a real hippie rebelling against the establishment would find religion to be another trapping.
As the year end looms, so my attention to retirement rules and such. I read an article on “retirement killers” and most of it was common sense. It makes me grin to know there are people out there 50+ who need to be told not to take out a 30 year mortgage. If the USA was a senior citizen, it would be in deep doo-doo. Methinks the largest winner of the government stimulus package was Winn/Dixie, with 3.3 million Floridians on food stamps.
Again, let me express my extreme displeasure at Adobe. Their constant “updates” are as annoying as hell. It is well known they are an excuse to install spyware on your computer (see Cookienator). There is absolutely no difference in performance before or after the so-called updates. Worst is the need to stop what you are doing and close your browser. Up yours, Adobe, and basically the same to people who always post with a new format that requires an update—but they are likely so dumb they don’t know they are doing it. You are not progressive people. Find something that works and stick with it.
Speaking of the unqualified, folks, uploading raw unedited amateur video to youTube isn’t funny any more. You waste everybody’s time. At least make some attempt to edit your crappy, shaky shots that do little more than let the world know you don’t have what it takes to be in the parade. And please, somebody write a search engine that skips over any posting with ads that cannot be deleted instantly.
Until then, if anyone doubts America has gone downhill beyond redemption, go to the MSN (MicroSoft Net) home page and look at the spread of topics. Just when you think there is a limit to sleazy, meaningless drivel, they’ve got an article on Oprah or another diet fad. Sadly, MSN wouldn’t be shoveling out slop if the pigs weren’t eating it. Not since “Designing Women” has so much dumbing down been done to so many by so few.
The cost of the robot club, active since May 9 this year, has totaled out at $480.73, of which half is represented by tools and materials still on hand. I may rant about individual prices, but this has been one bargain hobby. Actual expenses have been $86.15. The return in new knowledge is incalculable. Study time is probably 200 hours, mainly deep reading. Like the 741 now in focus. I’ve learned it amplifies a “milliwatt signal”, but not one of the Internet geniuses has the guts or brains to specify where one finds such signals. Is it another one of those things you’re supposed to know?
The scooter is completely tuned up and purring. A half-hour in the shop revealed a leaking gasket, one of two factory-installed motor seals. The decision is to just keep topping up the oil and increase vigilance. The scooter shop is closing next month. The computer shop is still vacant, now having lost some $30,000 in rent from us. And Wally’s Folly is sitting there with the sign in the window, out his $18,000 and a free place to live forever. It truly makes you wonder.
