Tag Archives: random

"Roll Your Own", General, Uncategorized

Random Bad Idea

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So, ever since I moved to this apartment in Shorewood and switched over to SBC for the Intertubes, I’ve had a helluva time with the “blogs” section on the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel website.  Specifically, any time I tried to access ANY of those various blogs from my laptop (usually trying to get my up-to-the-minute Brewers news), the page would load-load-load, hang, and… kill my router, forcing me to reboot it.  It was only a problem on that one site, but since I visited it often, it really bugged the crap out of me.

Well, the genius finally had a revelation today, and it dawned on me that at some point in 2006 or 2007, I started using OpenDNS.  I think that I was somehow convinced that it would load pages faster, or in some other way make the Internet a vastly more magical experience.  That might have even been true when I started using it (I had myriad problems with the cable connection at Wright Street, for what it’s worth).  I said to myself, “well, let’s troubleshoot this with something easy.”  And wouldn’t you know it, we have a winner– going back to using my ISP’s DNS servers (which, again, I can’t now think of a good reason not to) not only fixed the problem I had with the Journal site, but the whole goddamn Internet seems a lot faster.

Like I said, maybe it’s just that AT&T kicks Time Warner’s ass in this respect.  Either way, I’ll take it.

Just a little update– yeah, that worked for an hour or two, then all hell broke loose on my Internets to the tune of “totally broken.”  I guess I can contend with one slow/busted site, as opposed to the entire Internet.  What a drag to have any problem whatsoever, though…

General, Uncategorized

Evidence

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I wanted to throw this out somewhere while I’m thinking of it, so if there’s ever any doubt, say, 20, 25 years from now, here it is:

My kids will not be allowed to go to an out-of-state public school for college unless they have a scholarship that completely negates the non-res tuition.  Wanna go out of state?  Go to a private school.

That is all.

PS – I hate college.

General, Uncategorized

In a Haze

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Had a rough weekend, as I started to get sick late in the afternoon on Friday, and basically didn’t get out of bed on Saturday.  By mid-day on Sunday, I was feeling a lot better, but I’m still pretty congested and I’m working through a murky, medicine-induced fog.

The positive thing is that I’m getting all sorts of work done today.  I have to think it’s because my brain is more or less zoned out, and just functioning enough to keep my bodily functions up and running.  Maybe a frontal lobotomy is the solution to the probs I’ve had with getting motivated around here…

General, lists, The Singularity, Uncategorized

Some Notes for Thursday

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Couple random items from around the web for you this morning:

First, a short Obama ad about a summertime reprieve from the gas tax, with a good point:

Second, I do enjoy lists. New Scientist offers a list of the Top Ten Fictional Scientists in popular culture.

Finally, it’s exciting that Kyle and Robin will be headed to Thailand next month to pick up Thanu, but I’m a little conflicted on their plans for conditioning him to accept the reality of the coming robot menace. I guess it will be up to MY children to lead the resistance.
Thanu's robot overlords
And a PS, not from the webs, but from the real world– today is Grandma’s birthday. She is 77!

General, Uncategorized

Digital Crumbs

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Just a few tidbits from the Interwebs today…

Dieting With Fat-Blockers: the old, and the new.

Speaking of embarrassing toilet-humor…

I’m sorry– Midwestern EARTHQUAKES???

The Packers might be putting the era to bed on the first day of the season, but look for the national (and local) media to have SEVERE withdrawal symptoms this fall.

That is all for now…

General, Uncategorized

Easy Schedule

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I found this to be hilarious:
US Seeks Mideast Deal Next Year

Yeah, y’know, that problem they’ve been having over there for the last, oh, I dunno, 12 hundred years or so? Oh it’s longer? Well, whatever, we’re just gonna let it go until ’08. Cuz we figure, y’know, could take care of it now, but then we’ll just be bored from like February until April next year.

But then it’s baseball season, and we DEFINITELY wanna get it cleared up by then…

General, Uncategorized

Facts from the Internet

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Did you know you can listen to Herb Morrison’s live coverage of the Hindenburg explosion on the Internet?

Apparently, you can see some footage from the first human Moon landing, too.

You may also be interested to see the lesser-known NASSA Moon landing.

What sort of facts have you learned from the Internet?

General, Uncategorized

Useless

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So I tried to figure out how to log in to the website for WorldPerks, the Northwest Airlines frequent flyer club. I haven’t bothered doing that in years, since I haven’t actually flown on a Northwest flight for almost five years.

Why would I be trying to do this again, in that case? Well, I had a mailing reach me here on Wright St somehow that said I have about 12,000 miles saved up, but they expire at the end of this year. The mailing suggested that I could immediately redeem these miles for a bunch of shitty magazine subscriptions that no one has time to read. I thought to myself, “well hell– if I’ve got miles saved up, I might as well see if I can redeem them for anything, flight-wise, and then seriously contemplate booking something before the end of the year…”

So I get on to this website and I can’t remember my silly PIN for their site. I don’t even know what the hell my email address might have been back when I registered with these people. I tried a couple things I thought it might be, and soon I was locked out, but the page suggested that I try a “live chat” with a CSR.

So I put in my info (which, as I said, was on the mailing that I received) and say, “look, I don’t remember hardly anything about my account, much less what the PIN would be for their online service, but– well, y’know, here is a transcript that they emailed to me. Peruse for your enjoyment:

Q: Re: WorldPerks PIN Reminder
From:
Jason Bock
6524 W Wright St
Wauwatosa, WI 53213

WorldPerks Number: some number
Haven’t logged in on the web in a very long time. Can’t remember PIN or even what email address was at the time I registered.
A: Hello, you have reached Blanche with nwa.com Customer Service.

I am unable to verify the address you provided with the information on file in your WorldPerks account. Please respond with any other mailing addresses and ZIP codes that may be associated with your account, including past residential, business, or post office addresses.

I trust that once we have all the necessary information we will be able to assist you. Please click “Reply” to provide the requested information.

Sincerely,
Blanche
nwa.com Customer Service

Q: 470 N Main St apt E
Oshkosh, WI 54901
A:
I am unable to verify the address you provided with the information on file in your WorldPerks account. Please respond with any other mailing addresses and ZIP codes that may be associated with your account, including past residential, business, or post office addresses.

I trust that once we have all the necessary information we will be able to assist you. Please click “Reply” to provide the requested information.

Q: I’ve moved several times since I opened my WorldPerks account. Not sure what address you might have. Somehow, though, a mailing reached me at my current address.
A: I would be happy to assist you with your PIN. For security
purposes, please reply back with any full postal address, including ZIP code, that may be associated with your WorldPerks account. Once I have verified this information, I will delete the PIN and you will be able to create a new one online. I trust that once we have all the necessary information we will be able to assist you. Please click “Reply” to provide the requested information.

Q: 2080 Dickinson Ave
Oshkosh, WI 54904
A: I am still unable to verify the address you provided with the information on file in your WorldPerks account. Please respond with any other mailing addresses and ZIP codes that may be associated with your account, including past residential, business, or post office addresses. I trust that once we have all the necessary information we will be able to assist you. Please click “Reply” to provide the requested
information.

Q: 2716 Woodridge Ln
Waukesha WI 53188

606 Nelson Story
Bozeman MT 59715

Johnstone Hall, Rm 4415
Bozeman MT 59715
A: I am unable to verify the address you provided with the information on file in your WorldPerks account. Please respond with any other mailing addresses and ZIP codes that may be associated with your account, including past residential, business, or post office addresses. I trust that once we have all the necessary information we will be able to assist you. Please click “Reply” to provide the requested
information.

Q: You have to be kidding me. Is this a real person or a machine?
A: We are indeed real people.
I am unable to validate the address or zip code you provided with the information on file in your WorldPerks account. For security reasons, this verification is necessary before I am able to reset your PIN. If you are unable to provide the correct address and ZIP, please answer the
following questions:
– Last flight activity on the account
– Last redemption activity
– Last non-flight mileage posted to the account
– Birth date
– Telephone number
– E-mail address

I trust that once we have all the necessary information we will be able to assist you. Please click “Reply” to provide the requested information.

So anyway, I’m gonna get Sports Illustrated, Time, Esquire for 2 years, Cigar Aficionado, and US News & World Report. I predict that I will read barely any of these, but I might get some ideas for haircuts or wardrobe in Esquire.

What a waste of 90 minutes.

General, Uncategorized

A Little Time Off

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On Wednesday night, Mundschau and I made our way up to Ma & Dad’s house in Eagle River. We were planning to try to get some wireless internetting rocking and to help Dad with his project du jour. In this case, it was putting in the OSB on the ceiling of the garage. That needed to go in so the insulation could be finished.

Dad had off from work on Friday, so we wrapped that up that day. Today (Saturday), Joe and I slept until about 8:30, then by about 10 or 10:30, we took a ride to town to get on the webs. The coffee joint in ER that we’ve used in the past went from charging 2 bucks to completely free internet access, so I guess we don’t even need to be inside, technically speaking. Nice to have the power outlet, though.

The drag is the handful of screaming children that a parent just brought in a couple minutes ago. It really does make it hard to concentrate. Note to self: upon procreation, make sure there is a room in the house that kids don’t enter, as a refuge from the madness.

It’s nice to have a few days off from work. I don’t know why, but I’ve been a little paranoid lately that I’m going to do something to get fired. I don’t think I’ve been doing anything that would actually be grounds for termination, but I guess I just have this streak of paranoia in general. It’s not that much fun.

Reminds me– I should really go to a doctor. And a dentist. And an eye doc. I need to make a whole bunch of appointments.

Jesus Christ these kids are loud. I mean, holy shit.

59 and sunny here in ER. We should try to wrap up the Interwebbing and get back outdoors. I need to pick up some booze.