Despite the hundreds of positive reviews surrounding the new Star Trek movie I didn’t watch it tonight expecting to see a good movie. I didn’t have expectations of failure (although I wouldn’t be surprised given the franchise’s history), the quality of the movie was simply irrelevant. I wasn’t going to see the movie, I was going to pay respect to an institution that has been with me for as long as I can remember.
Like so many geeks my age, I grew up watching Star Trek. For my family it was a weekly tradition to catch new episodes as they aired and I remember being annoyed at football season (which often displaced episodes) and being downright pissed when George Bush (senior, not junior) interrupted the show with his boring speeches. In retrospect this was far better than the later Bush who annoyed my simply by talking, but my younger mind didn’t understand those things. Star Trek was an important part of my life, and I remember our weekly episodes with my father with as much fondness as our shopping trips and the rare chance to get dinner from the hot case at the deli they entailed.
Our family had the the entire Original Series on VHS and most of the Next Generation episodes as well. Columbia House would ship them to us every so often and seeing that package in the mail was a definite high point for me. I remember the cost of the subscription being an issue and I remember that it seemed important to continue even when we were living a modest lifestyle. The franchise is embedded into my consciousness in a way that matches so few other things.
So from all of that, I should be identified as a trekker (trekkie, Star Trek enthusiast, take your pick), but I’m not. The entire franchise produced an absurdly small amount of really good material for the amount of air time it earned. The Next Generation and The Original Series both were full of boring lectures and poorly developed characters and plot holes the size of very large things. The science was horrible and there was absolutely no continuity. Despite the impact it had on my childhood, I don’t feel comfortable identifying with it.
Still, if you plop me in front of a The Next Generation episode I will watch it. I’ll also know exactly which episode it is and everything about that episode within seconds. I did have a communicator, tricorder, AND a uniform at one point. Oh, and a tribble, although that was technically my dad’s. I also follow Wil Wheaton’s blog and twitter.
So I don’t identify as a fan but I was compelled to watch this movie. Even if the reviews had been universally horrible I would have watched it.
The scenes were Star Trek through and through with blatant nods to key elements from The Original Series down to a nice pan of the hull and the designation NCC-1701 (no bloody A, B, C, or D) painted across it. The ship felt like the Enterprise as it would be if it were built today (ignoring NASA’s reliance on technology developed when the The Original Series was first aired), with bright large LCD displays and glass everywhere, without giving up the pipes and LEDs and switches that make it believable.
The characters were unmistakably younger versions of their Original Series counterparts to the point of being almost obnoxious about it. Chekov’s accent was over the top and an obvious comedic gag, and, yes, we get it, Kirk was a hot-head. Still, overall, the elements were there with characters like Bones and Sulu being spot on. Kirk, especially, felt like Kirk with his various quirks showing through (like the way he sat when using the intercom). The voice acting, thankfully, did not follow the famously Kirk style. It was great to hear Majel Barrett in her role as the computer again.
So there was a lot of pandering, but that was expected. A movie based on an institution this well ingrained can’t ignore the history of the franchise without significant backlash. J. J. Abrams (and the writers, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman) got that exactly right.
It was a movie brilliantly done and it feels right. It has moving drama (both my girlfriend and I shed tears for characters we barely knew just minutes in), awesome action, impressive fighting, and a pace that meant I didn’t feel bored once throughout the entire movie (a rarity for me). They pull it off and you don’t even care that they kill off the entire future franchise and explain it all away with a time travel paradox. Hey, that’s Star Trek, too.
So thank you to those who made it happen. For tonight, at least, I am a Star Trek fan again.
When I explained that I was wiring the Vi’s house with network cable in preparation for my move, my friends expressed curiosity as to why I wouldn’t just use wireless. There are some obvious reasons like not wanting to have to buy adapter cards for desktop computers. The most important reason, however, is that this area is wifi-hostile. Nothing stays connected consistently, even in the same room as the access port. It’s not an access point problem (we’ve replaced the one already). Just look at the insanity: This is the view just from my new (home) office. (While I was typing this, 3 more APs popped up!)
We’re exacerbating the issue by having two access points in the house (third floor and second floor). There’s a chance one will even go on the first floor, although that’s yet to be decided. The two APs (Miss Piggy, which is really WPA2 / AES, not WEP) are backbone-linked with cat-5e (should be 6, but I forgot to pre-order from Monoprice.). They both are WRT-54GL routers running Tomat. Because they share the same SSID and security information my devices roam seamlessly between the two. It’s pretty damn cool.
Google just rolled out a new layout for Google Reader. I like it overall, but the TOC uses a font that’s entirely too big for my tastes. This is fixed with the following Stylish (a Firefox extension) CSS code:
In a move that will likely cause a ripple effect of ill-will towards them, replacement voicemail service CallWave, has decided to leave open (free) beta by giving all customers one day’s notice that their accounts would be canceled if not switched to a paid plan.
Here’s the email I received today, at 1700, on 15-Sept-2008. All emphasis is mine. Notice the date the service expires 16-Sept-2008 and the fact I received this email on 15-Sept-2008.
Thanks for trying our beta version of Voicemail-to-Text. To improve the quality of our Voicemail-To-Text service, CallWave is discontinuing the beta version you are currently using on September 16 and we are making available a new higher-quality service.
We need your help in this transition.
(1) To upgrade to the high-quality Voicemail-To-Text service, please do the following:
a) Log in to Callwave.com
b) Visit the Account page
c) Select “Change Service” d) Choose a package
(2) If you do not wish to upgrade your service, please follow the instructions below to stop having your voicemails “forward” to CallWave.
a) Please find your deactivation code(s) in the table below.
b) Dial the code(s) as you would a phone number
c) Press “Send” on your phone to dial that number.
d) Repeat steps b) and c) if there are multiple codes for your carrier
<Decactivation code table omitted>
NOTE: if are not upgrading, it is very important that you do step-2 above as soon as possible because after Tuesday, September 16th you will not receive any voicemails from CallWave.
Thanks again for participating in our CallWave Voicemail-to-Text Beta.
Sincerely,
The CallWave Team
Callwave never really gave me any indication (that I can remember) that the free service would be going away. Yes, they provided for-pay service for better translation but I had the impression that the free service wasn’t going away. Fine if they choose to stop service, but to only give one day’s notice is just a dick move.
This should be a real heads up for everyone who relies on a free beta service to take care of any essential services. This includes Gmail, which has lost mails in the past. Imagine if I actually relied on my voicemail and didn’t have a chance to switch things over (due to, say, travel or vacation).
The cheapest plan CallWave offers is now $4.95/month (with 0 free messages included), and with a move like this one I have no interest in giving them anything. Luckily other voicemail competitors are out there.
This seems to be a trend lately with Jott pulling a similar move (but a bit more reasonable) recently. Is this just another .com bubble of sorts? Are companies realizing that the cheap services over the web doesn’t scale so well when they go beyond purely virtual?
Update!
It seems CallWave realized how badly they screwed up. Here’s the updated email as of today around 1700 again:
Upgrade now…
And never miss a call again.
Yesterday we notified you that your Voicemail-to-Text service would be discontinued today. We apologize that this may have caused you some concern, and realize that this is not a sufficient amount of time for you to make a change to your account.
Therefore, we have extended the upgrade period to Monday,
September 22nd.
We also want to explain that if you choose not to upgrade, only the transcribed message feature in your service will change. You will still be able to access all of your voicemail through your existing account. Visual voicemail and your Message Center will continue to be accessible. However, you will no longer receive transcribed voicemail messages.
We appreciate your continued support, and look forward to providing you with high quality communication solutions.
Sincerely,
The CallWave Team
This seems to contradict their previous email, but at least they are only dropping the transcription if you don’t pay.
Too bad for them, as I’ve already switched to YouMail.
A good friend of mine has an incredibly clever shirt from a fundraiser by the Pecos, NM EMTs. It’s a great conversation starter and usually people think he’s an EMT until they see the back. Judging by the list, I’m definitely a potential supporter of my EMT community.
The back:
PET THE ELK.
FEED THE BEARS.
CLIMB ON THE ROCKS.
PASS ON THE DOUBLE LINE.
LOOK AT THE SCENERY, INSTEAD OF THE ROAD.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
PECOS, NM EMTs
And the front:
The two bears, btw, are in front of an awesome coffee shop and cafe in the middle of nowhere, US, The Purple Fiddle. Definitely worth checking out this large coffee shop with awesome food including a turkey dinner sandwich with all the fixings (turkey, gravey, cranberries, stuffing, mashed potatoes).
The decoration is eclectic at best including advertisements on a safe:
For refreshments they offer coffee and a good beer selection.
For entertainment they have live music every weekend night:
I recently embarked on the installation of the SW-MOTECH Side Racks on my 2002 (1st generation) SV650n (naked). The installation is fairly straightforward, but I had some questions going into it, and I could not find any resources on the internet concerning the installation. The only installation booklet I could find is in German and is on the same Twisted Throttle product page.
The bags I chose were the Givi E360 bags. This was a hard choice as I didn’t want to choose a bag so small that it would be useless, but I also didn’t want to sacrifice width more than absolutely necessary.
The key questions I had going in were:
How difficult is the process? Not very. Future installations would take well under an hour.
Is the stock plastic fender necessary? Yes. See below.
How much weight will I be adding to my bike when the bags are not mounted? The brackets and bolts that remain on the bike weigh just under 4lbs.
How much weight will I be adding to my bike when the bags are mounted? All told, shipping weight was 40lbs. Not much of that was packing materials.
How much width am I adding to my bike? How manageable will it be? About 18″ from the widest points without bags (the foot pegs)to the widest point with bags.
How much will this affect handling?
Still not sure. The bike seems more floaty now, but I didn’t adjust pre-load. I’ll have to evaluate this later.
If you have a 2nd generation SV650, then you can find a similar walkthrough on the SVRider forums.
The materials (minus the actual racks) are lined up first to make sure everything is present.
The brackets that come just for mounting the racks are very solid pieces of metal coated with a hard black paint. They feel very sturdy and are probably significantly stronger than the rest of the system. The failure will not come from these brackets.
The brackets included with the system:
2 top grab-rail mounts (straight black metal).
2 turn-signal relocation brackets (S shaped black metal)
1 license plate bracket (V-shaped black metal, connects bags to fender).
2 large rectangular metal brackets with three arms off of them - The bags mount to these.
2 passenger peg brackets (F shaped, mount to passenger foot pegs)
All necessary supporting hardware is included with the system. All of the nuts are metric sizes and all of the nuts use hex bits.
The mounting hardware for these brackets included with the system is:
Grab rail hardware:
2 long bolts - these replace the stock grab rail bolts.
2 short spacers - these go under the brackets to keep them off of the fairing plastic.
License plate bracket hardware:
2 long skinny bolts
4 washers
2 locking nuts
Turn signal relocation hardware:
2 big bolts
2 big washers
2 big nuts
2 small bolts
2 small washers
2 small nuts
Passenger foot peg bracket hardware:
2 bolts - these replace the stock bolts
The instructions included are very unclear, unless you can read German. I can not.
Luckily, the steps are not very difficult, especially if you do not insist on trying to use the turn-signal relocation brackets on the passenger grab-rail (this took the most of my time before I realized my mistake).
Step 1 - Install Passenger Foot Peg Brackets
This part is the easiest by far.
1) Remove the two bolts holding the passenger foot peg.
2) Install bracket with replacement bolts (slightly longer than the stock ones) and washers. Proper order is <inside> > bolt > washer > bracket > bike > passenger peg > <outside>.
Be sure to use blue (removable) thread locker to make sure these bolts do not wiggle back out.
These are very obviously installed in one way only:
Both sides are exactly the same, excepting the muffler holding the right side in place.
Step 2 - Install the Grab-Rail Bracket
The passenger grab rail bracket is actually a lot easier to install than I originally thought. As I mentioned previously, I was trying to use the S shaped turn signal relocation bracket here, but you need to use the straight brackets. The diagrams provided by SW-MOTECH really could make this clearer.
Once you have the right parts and order, it’s just a matter of coordination of a bunch of parts that don’t want to line up properly.
Leave the bolts finger tight until you get the entire system mounted, as you may need to shift the brackets slightly.
Step 3 - License plate bracket
Unfortunately, the previous owner had chopped the bike’s fender to pieces for appearance reasons. It was necessary to order a new fender, as part of the rack’s support system involves the rear fender. There is a single bar which attaches to the license plate bracket portion of the fender. The installation here is straightforward - just unbolt the license plate, and then remove the license plate bracket. Install the long black metal bar behind the fender so that the final mounted installation is rear>license plate bracket>fender>side-rack bracket->inside. Be sure to use the replacement bolts, washers, and locking nuts. (The long skinny bolts).
I do not have the stock license plate bracket in these pictures, so the license plate is bolted directly to the bolts provided by SW-MOTECH.
Step 4 - Turn Signal Relocation
Not having the stock signals or stock fender, I didn’t need to do this step…
That means some left over parts:
(Stock bolts also “left over” pictured here as well)
Step 5 - Mount the Side Brackets
The final step is to mount the side-brackets on the mounting hardware. The long arm goes down and towards the front. The side-brackets always go on top or in front of the mounting tabs. The mounting screws thread through, with the small metal washers between the side-racks and the mounting tabs as so:
The first time you put the washers on, they will take a little force to get over the metal tabs.
You will need a screwdriver or coin to tighten the mounting screws.
Fully mounted:
Step 6 - SW-MOTECH to Givi Adapters
The Givi adapter kit is also straightforward, although the picture doesn’t quite match the actual hardware. Particularly, bolt holes aren’t labeled where they physically are:
The mounting hardware installed:
The key differences from the diagram involve the mounting of the rubber grommets. In the diagram they are shown as going into the far holes on the left and right sides - in reality they belong on the inside holes. Also, the plastic piece on the top should be mounted so that the notch is pointed downward.
Step 7 - Mount Luggage
The luggage mounts very easily. Make sure the key is unlocked, and slide the bottom part onto the two pegs. The top part clips right in with a light push.
The luggage are Givi E360 cases, also purchased from TwistedThrottle.com. Each case is supposed to hold 40L and can hold one large Shoei RF-1000 full sized helmet if you remove the document holder (which I see little use for anyway).
All Finished
Width Concerns
There’s no way around it, the E360 cases are wide. This definitely adds a lot of width to the bike, to the point I was initially concerned that it would be more of an annoyance than it helped. After a couple of days riding with the bike, I can safely say that the convenience factor is significant - and probably enough to overcome the extra width. An ideal situation would be to have support for a tail bag as well - and switch out the side racks for just one E360 on the tail when you don’t need all of the storage space.
In terms of hard numbers, here’s what I measured:
Stock bike at widest spot (foot pegs): 24″
Just the racks (no bags): 19″
E360 bags installed: 42″
So approximately 18″ extra width in the worst place possible - behind you. It’s a lot easier to evaluate if you’ll hit something if the front is wider.
Handling Concerns
As I mentioned at the top, the bike feels more floaty with these bags. I think that’s partly due to not adjusting the pre-load, which I will do and re-evaluate. The bike also seems more susceptible to cross winds, which makes plenty of sense (bigger surface area). There’s definitely more weight in the back (remember, 40lbs empty), so it’s much more prone to lifting the front wheel under hard acceleration. Otherwise, handling seems perfectly fine.
One huge benefit is I feel a lot less constricted than I did with the soft tail bag on the passenger seat. I can move around and the bag’s not constantly sliding into me. That’s a huge benefit for enjoying the ride.
It all began on August 17th, 2007, as these things do, with an invitation. Actually, the invitation came a few days prior as is common with such things. The 17th, however, was the crucial date, for that was when I got hooked. I certainly did not realize then that one seemingly harmless Thursday night would lead to me spending hundreds of dollars and countless hours on a hobby that had, before that day, never entered my thoughts.
It started with an instant message from Nick suggesting a deviation from the normal Friday night routine. His suggestion of rock climbing took me aback a bit, but in retrospect I am not entirely sure why. Like I mentioned before, rock climbing was something I’d never considered. I only remember one time prior, when I was in my early teens, that I had been presented with the opportunity. On that earlier occasion I turned it down the offer much the same reason as Nick’s offer a year ago made me a little apprehensive.
Despite having been extremely active throughout most of my life, with typical diversions including running, long distance bicycling, backpacking, and hiking, I have never really thought of myself as very fit. On both occasions where I was presented with opportunity to climb I was nervous that I would be unable to make it up the wall at all. Luckily I matured a good bit since the first time, and I decided to give it my best shot. It was only afterward that I realized most people do have issues making it to the top of the higher gym walls, and that I was in an exceptional state of fitness. While most have trouble climbing the 40 foot wall on their first night, Nick and I did a number of times before leaving.
I agreed to join Nick that first night mostly on a lark. I later learned that for him this was all part of his grand plan to climb Mount Rainier before he turned 30. Sadly, at almost 30 now he won’t be able to achieve his goal. He’s had two attempts at the mountain and has been thwarted twice due to dangerous weather. Despite not achieving what he set out to do from the start, I think he’s gained as much from climbing as I have. Still, he’s a mountaineer at heart, and the tall mountains sing his name. He’ll be back on Rainier again next year.
Although I am sure he would have continued climbing without me, I think we have both benefited greatly from the other’s influence. We complement each other nicely with extremely compatible temperaments, strengths and weaknesses. Time and time again we have attacked problems that were just at the edge of our reach and, through mutual encouragement and coaching, conquered all. There is little that can withstand our united attack; if one of us succeeds on a problem, he is able to coach the other. It just works.
After only two classes we both realized that climbing was a hobby that we wanted to pursue. By the third class we had already spent hundreds of dollars at REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.) purchasing gear: rope, helmets, climbing shoes, harnesses, chalk bags, carabiners, and ATCs (belay devices). We attended that third and final class with our gear in tow at a time when all of our classmates were still wearing rental gear and looking as if they weren’t sure if they should even bother attending. To call us gung-ho would be a significant understatement.
With knowledge gleaned from some books, internet sites, and a lot of consultation with anyone we could talk to about it, Nick and I went outdoors for the first time. This first expedition was a mere week after the third class, and we had been on indoor walls no more than a handful of times. Not really knowing better, we attacked one of the more ambitious local places for our first outdoor climb, with full 30m rock and limited anchor material. We weren’t reckless, but we certainly were excited. Our research paid off, partly due to some help we got from other climbers, and we survived with a lot of pictures to tell the tale.
Being outdoors has always been a source of solace for me. For a long time I went on frequent backpacking trips accompanied only by my thoughts. At other points in my life I sought the comfort of a long bike ride or a run through the woods. Rock climbing is just another outlet for that need, and one I’m enjoying every minute of.
Since that first day climbing, my life has changed significantly. I’ve lost a lot of weight, and I’ve grown a lot of muscle. I’ve gone from having issues with the lowest rated climbs in the gym to being able to climb routes with holds so small I scoffed at the thought of them being used as hand holds just 6 months ago. I’ve gone from the training wheels of placing anchors at the top of the route to carrying the rope up with me, shoving protection into whatever cracks I can find. I’ve done climbs so long we had to stop and rearrange things four times before getting to the top.
Most importantly, I’ve met some really great people and seen some awesome things. It’s been worth every minute.
From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
-Psalm 61:2
This post was meant to be about my recent climbing trips over the Fourth of July, but this came out instead. Until I get those up, here are a few teasers…
I just finished a solid two weeks of climbing/vacation - including my first experience seconding (10+ pitches) trad, and my first time leading trad (3+ pitches). Besides the obvious conclusion (trad climbing is a lot of fun), I came out of this absolutely loving the Black Diamond ATC-Guide.
I picked mine up on a whim when I lost my regular ATC (Black Diamond XP). The Guide feels very solid and I thought I might get around to using the extended capabilities eventually. For a fewdollars more, it was a no-brainer.
It was when I led my first trad climb that I realized how this thing really shines. The auto-locking capability is awesome, and it only needs an extra carabiner to realize. With this properly set up there’s no worry about having to hold tightly during cruxes or accidentally dropping the second due to fatigue or poor footing. This also allows for a more flexible top belay, as the anchors can be back from the edge and you can stand closer to the edge and minimize rope drag (and better see the second).
Like my previous ATC (the XP), the variable friction modes of this work especially well for rappels on thin ropes. The openings are a little bit tighter than the XP’s, so this device has a lot of friction on thicker (think gym) ropes. For anything you’ll be dragging up behind you, however, the walls are very nicely spaced.
The only downsides I can see are the weight (it’s a bit heavier, but the extra weight is a minimal portion of the full rack) and that it’s hard to lower someone (the auto-lock is very aggressive).
Lowering IS possible, it’s just a lot trickier than with a normal non-locking ATC. Black Diamond also has instructions for using the device in this manner:
All in all, this is the best accidental climbing purchase I’ve made yet.
The television show Bones comes through again with another great song and another great artist. This time it’s more of a hip-hop piece, although you can’t quite tell that from the short bit that’s played on the show. No, what grabbed my attention was the singing and the beautiful sample played in the background.
The song is “Sea Lion” by Sage Francis. Enjoy:
I love the opening melody, but the song quickly goes from there as Francis starts speaking/singing. The man has a great sense of rhythm and can certainly keep up. The lyrics are full of metaphor and are worth at least few listens (and a read-through or two). The full YouTube pages for both of these videos contain the lyrics to the songs as well.
Paul “Sage” Francis (born November 2, 1977 in Miami, Florida) is a hip-hop artist based in Providence, Rhode Island. Sage Francis’ style blends a varying tone and delivery with subject matter that focuses on intricate sequences of widely varying imagery, metaphors, the occasional pun, absurdism, word play often times in the form of phonetic mix-ups and rhetorical excursions, and pop culture references, while including touchstones of traditional hip hop such as storytelling and self-promotion. -Wikipedia article on Sage Francis
This has everything I love about hip-hop. It’s the stories, the rhyming, the metaphor, and the visuals that have always appealed to me. Sadly, I got tired of the “bitches and hos” and money talk pretty early on and drifted away from the genre. It still has a lot of appeal, and artists like this renew my interest in the genre.
Unlike my last article on music found on this show, this artist’s works are quite available on the usual sources. Amazon is still my dealer of choice, and a couple of the albums have made it to my hard-drive already. Damn you, Amazon, for making high quality DRM-free MP3s so easy to obtain.
