January 7, 2013

           The only location in Broward full of carefree, unattached, party-loving babes is the want ads. At least that is what the want ads say. I was walking past my reclining chair when it activated magnetic mode and once down one cannot arise. Resistance is futile. While sitting, I read up on memory circuit design. The student is apparently supposed to know they are called complementary metal oxide semiconductor logic. Thus, the nerd-factor is operating full bore on that topic. Intelligence is futile.
           The book shown, "CMOS Memory Circuits" is the title of the definitive memory circuit work, by Tegze. There are more parts to his name but spelling them gives me typer’s cramp. And he wants $270 per copy. That’s risky for something that might not contain what you want. It is not likely to appear on my nightstand for a while, at least not any faster than a Broward party babe at those prices.
           That’s it for fun times today. Until that batbike is on the road again, I’m doing the scooter thing around town. It’s been a fine winter so far but without music and women in over-supply, it is still just another winter. I was able to pick up a silver ounce today, buying a round (coin-shaped piece). Seems somebody bought up all the bullion pieces in the area and you can’t get them any more. Several people said this round was the one “from TV”. Really? Do you recognize it?
           These rounds have no special value, just the silver metal. They are pretty and remind some people of money but that has a downside. Really old people remember when something like this was a “silver dollar” and argue the price. An ounce this morning was $30 plus the $2 bar charge. Nor does selling them sets or commemorative issues increase their value. Like coin collecting, it is a sucker’s bet. The only person who really profits is the dealer. He gets his $2 whether you buy or you sell. That’s more than 13% profit today.
           Life should have a little mystery. I’ve always been the type to leave town for a week just to say I did it. The question is where? It’s the middle of winter and I don’t even own a decent jacket. Why let that stand in the path of adventure? That nip of cold weather leaving Denver reminded me of Montana, and that says if I leave the south this month, the batbike stays home unless they make a heated suit or something.
           To any new readers, this blog deals primarily with the present and recent past, but my plans, research, and commentary over potential trips have proven too popular to drop. Stay tuned, I've traveled without backup before and we might just get a warm spell.
           How to travel? I found the car delivery jobs so unreliable and poor-paying that I deleted their speed dials months ago. But I have found renting a room in an upscale neighborhood for the entire month (if need) be as far more economical than any hotel. I have not done this since Venezuela in 2000, when I weekly paid less for a penthouse than the daily rate downtown. And it was a house full of young lady police officers and cadets. They still want me back. There may be a use for Craigslist yet.
           There is the highly touted Airbnb but I can’t find any believable reviews and they seem to have allowed highly overpriced regular hotel/motel ads to overwhelm their pages. Plus their site search engine has been confusingly redesigned (the trick is to use the tiny inset map to zoom in). It’s too bad, because Airbnb had such promise.
           [Author’s note: So you know, Greyhound is not an option after their obnoxious performance of 2009. I can’t find my own post concerning that episode now that Google has taken over my blog provider and deleted the internal search function. It must have been better than their own. My frequent mention of the Greyhound race track makes a MicroSoft search equally useless.
           But it [the blog post] was about Greyhound stranding eighty-two of us in a Jacksonville room with sixteen plastic chairs and two snack vending machines for an entire night and following day. The staff turned off the sound of the only TV and refused to report the bus missing until past midnight. They would not allow people to go into town even to eat saying they would definitely not hold the bus if it arrived meanwhile. Anyone who dared complain was ejected from the depot by the local police, under the Greyhound “zero tolerance” policy. Up yours, Greyhound.
           Ah, there it is. April , 2009. Shame on you, Greyhound. I pity anyone who is forced by circumstances to associate with you. I gave, not loaned, some people who ran out of cigarettes $5.00 because I used to smoke. Greyhound can’t show mercy. People might like it. Refund? Are you kidding? Every Greyhound ticket has printed on it they are under no obligation to provide the service you paid for. And so you know who’s really driving the bus, you can bet your ass they’ve got the best lawyers in Dallas writing that fine print.]
           Today’s only trivia. Credit where due? Here is some McD’s sauce I chose because of the ingredients, not in spite of them. The only unusual additive is torula yeast, a byproduct of paper manufacturing. It’s what gives vegetarian pet food a “meaty” flavor so your cat will eat it. Compared to what the clown café used to serve up, this is practically health food.
           “The Worm That Turned”. That is the most searched keyphrase that brings people to this blog. And the hits are from America, not Britain, where it was released in 1980 by The Two Ronnies. A slow-moving comedy with canned laughter, it concerns a female-controlled state set in the year 2012. I referred to the show and posted a picture on January 20, 2011 but have no idea why it is drawing such attention. If you want, take a look (at my post).
           So what have I stumbled into here? There must be some explanation, some quirk in the search engines. Figure it out and make some money on it. This is the type of “mistake” that causes innovation.