December 4, 2019

Yesteryear
One year ago today: December 4, 2018, net neutrality = confusion.
Five years ago today: December 4, 2014, A.I. is “bad for humanity”.
Nine years ago today: December 4, 2010, a few rattles.
Random years ago today: December 4, 2008, my first legit compliment.

           I took a new route home, south from Cookeville to Chattanooga. The mileage depends on who you believe, but the GPS indicated it was an extra hour’s drive time. Wrong, the road is beautiful and seemingly undiscovered by long distance truckers. Here’s a quick video of a sleepy Tennessee valley south of Cookeville.

           I was able to sail down it at over 75mph, emerging on the east side of Chatanooga, another savings. The other route seems constantly under repair and involves a mountain grade that slows to a crawl. I reached the Atlanta bottleneck an entire hour early and was through in just under a half-hour. If this happens again on my next trip, it is good-bye I-24.
           For the record, a Tennessee driver almost killed me. The jerk pulled onto the highway from a right side intersection directly into my path. Fortunately, this not being Florida, there was no peckerhead driving parallel in the next lane and I was able to brake hard and swerve around this black van. It was broad daylight, around noon. Several towns up the road I stopped for gas, around 15 minutes. I see him pull into the bank next door, where he (or an ugly she) saw me telephotoing this shot and ducked. And stayed ducked until I pulled away. This is America, they do not put many bad drivers in jail unless they are drunk. If they did, it would empty the Miami streets.

           I keep an eye more on Internet technology prices than technology itself. Have you hear of Cool Pad? Not the phone but the hot spot device that gives Internet access anywhere you have cell service, but with out the bullshit cost of other systems. The have one product, it's 50Gs for $50 a month. But since I don't stream, is that a little or a lot? If it gives me home service without the contact and related nonsense, we could have this service by the weekend.
           Wait for more news, for instance you know that place I scored that 2HP router table for $35? I stopped in and fot that long-awaited table saw for $40. It too 97% of my life to pass before I finally got one--but remember these are heavy tools (10" blade) and part of the acquisition was contingent on having a place to set it up and use it. Last I heard, they get antsy if you power up your table saw in a condo on Sunday morning.
           The situation got put on hold while I drove over to the Funbar and got the laptop and manual. It's Karafun, a system I've used enough to know that every version is different. Phooey on their claim that you can "rent" their downloaded operation for 2 hours for a birthday or New Years. It is not a simple system even if you know the features. For instance, to change key you don't type a letter of the musical alphabet, but slide a scale. Which millennial came up with that one?



           Here's a raft of pics from the trip to Waterton. That's it for now, but pay attention to that shot of Sparkie at the tree in front of City Hall. We walked long the trees, we walked the path beside the post office, does he dump? Nope, he sniffs around, sniffs around. Waits until we get to the town circle where a group of carolers are gathering. The he does the scrunch and drops a three-lumper.

ADDENDUM

           A few words on the “Barnacle”. It is being touted as a parking enforcement device. It is a GPS and credit-card swiper that uses a suction cup to clamp onto the windsheild of a car, obstructing the driver’s view. The fact is the unit is not used primarily for parking violations, but allows the police to roam around in search of vehicles with outstanding parking tickets. The cop carries a supply of the Barnacles in a mini-van and uses a phone app to check license plates. He then attaches the large plastic plate to the windsheild, where it can only be removed by swiping a credit card. For now.
           Somebody will invent a coating or something to loosen that suction cup. My beef with this contraption is two-fold. One, the cop driving around looking for trouble violates the presumption of innocence principle. Two, what if a driver does not have a credit card? Shame on you, Utah and the un-American bastards who would manufacture such a product. While I agree people should pay fines, the Constitution forbids police to go out intentionally looking for trouble. They do, but they are greatly restrained on how they must behave—and that is what was intended.

Last Laugh