Rants

Mus Musculus Mortus

This one lasted nearly 4 months which is a darn sight better than the 6 week life span of its predecessor, but this evening the laptop’s Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 400 died. I’m guessing from the same malady that befell the first one back in April, it just quit working. The light was still functioning, but no amount of shaking or moving would get the cursor to follow suit and the button transceiver in the laptop’s USB post was quite hot to the touch.

It was the Emperor’s day off. Donna and I went for a 15 mile (actually 14.92) bike this morning. We threatened to drive to Walmart and buy a new mouse, but in the end we just stayed home and watched the last five episodes of Series 1 of New Street Law.

Started down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 830

I Can’t Believe I’m Still Listening

I must be a real fan. As of this morning, depending on which version you believe, the FRS playoff chances stood at 3, 4 or 5%. That was before the Yankees won their game today and the Sox lost the first game, postponed by Earl from last night and will likely lost tonight’s regularly scheduled game (they are losing 3-1 in the 7th.)

As much as I enjoy the coffee (and the coffee cake muffin) from Dunkin’ Donuts I fear they may have lost our business forever this morning. We should have taken the hint. On our way into the place this morning we passed a car with a fellow in the drivers seat talking very loudly to himself, or rhetorically to his passenger inside the store, saying, “How long does it take to get a double coffee?!?” There were three employees with only three customers, so it shouldn’t have taken too long, but somehow it did.

One associate, because of the headset, must have been the drive-up person, who’s job description read, “Do not leave the window for any reason, even if there are no cars in line. And when you are not busy please feel free to carry on a personal conversation with your fellow employees to aid in the disruption their productivity.” Employee number 2 was the main counter person and was either very new at the job or only used to dealing with humans via texting or stoned and having a hard time completing a complex order that consisted of three coffees. To be fair, this person was dealing with someone who had either never been in a Dunkin’ Donuts before or never ordered coffee or was hungover. The third person dressed in a pink polo shirt with DD embroidered in brown on their right breast was probably the “cook” and tried to help out the second person in line (whose partner was outside with steam escaping his ears and possible thinking of driving his 15 year old purple Dodge Neon through the front window), but was stymied by the request for iced coffee and the unexpected return of customer number 1 to ask where they kept the “to go” sugar. We took this opportunity to leave the store.

We headed back across town at a small family restaurant called Autens that we had been meaning to try for some time. We ended up spending a bit more money there and the coffee was nothing special, there were three really nice surprises. First was they offered a salmon cake as a meat side, which Donna ordered, and I sampled, which was very good. The second was instead of having “home fries” as the alternative to grits they offered something called potato scramble, which turns out to be, I’m guessing, last nights mashed potatoes with some butter mixed in and fried on the grill into a sort of pancake. Thirdly, our waitress was Evangeline Lilly who was possibly doing research for her next movie. She is a little younger looking than she seemed on TDTVS and her freckles were covered by makeup, but it was her alright.

Started up, went down, went up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 817

What Were They Thinking?

We received the second disc (of 4) of the British TV show Life on Mars yesterday. We watched the first episode yesterday, there are only 2 on each disc, and today we watched the second. After finishing the two episodes we investigated the extras, of which there was just one, The Return of Life on Mars. We decided to watch it and were greeted with this disclaimer: SPOILER WARNING This documentary contains discussions about key plots and events taking place during Life on Mars series 2.

Mmmmmm…oh, what the heck, let’s watch it anyway. After about 20 minutes they started showing scenes of shows that we hadn’t yet seen. We watched for about ten more minutes before the producers started explaining how Episode 7 was setting up for the series final show that we turned it off not wanting to have the ending spoiled. What the heck were they thinking by putting this sort of thing on the first disc? I know at least they warned us, but shouldn’t this have been on the last disc?

I burned a copy of the documentary to save for watching after we’ve seen all eight episodes. Turns out it is only 45 minutes long, so we have just 15 minutes more to see, but it will be the right thing to wait for it.

Started down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 802

Rule #12

“Bounty paper towels”

I always keep a roll of paper towels in my cube. Donna and I eat lunch together there, so we always go through a couple three then. They come in handy for wiping up desk dust bunnies that develop and hide behind my PC. Plus they are handy for the occasional drip when pouring my daily Diet Dr. Pepper.

This Monday I used the last one on the roll. I walked back to the Tool Crib where they usually have shelves full, except today. The shipment was late and the attendant said, “They are due in Wednesday.” Luckily I had a short roll of brown towels that came out of a bathroom dispenser as a back up.

I went back Wednesday to see if the paper towels had come in. No they hadn’t. Tried again today, but there are still no paper towels and my brown paper roll is just about gone. Hope the real paper towels come in tomorrow.

Started down, went up, back down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 782

When Does 3=1?

When it comes to Samsung monitor warranties.

As I boxed up the dead monitor I found the little clear envelope that held the driver disc, a handy dust cloth, the quick set up guide and a warranty card. Right there in bold letters at the top of the warranty card it stated that this monitor had a 36 month warranty for parts and labor. Huh? An internet search had told me it had a one year warranty.

I went online and filled out a service request on the Samsung web site. I entered name, address, phone number, alt phone number, email address (twice) and a password (twice) before I got to the part where you enter the monitor part number and serial number. When I did that is indicated that the monitor had been manufactured in April of 2009. The date was useless for the one year warranty (which was already moot), but helped if there was a three year one as it meant I wouldn’t have to produce a receipt as proof of purchase as it was long gone. When I hit the next button a dialog box popped up that said that my process couldn’t be completed and I needed to call 1-800-SAMSUNG.

So I called the number. Voice mail hell, 2 choices, followed by 3 choices and then 5 more before I got a recording telling me the offices were closed and to call back during working hours. At least it was the old fashioned listen then hit a number kind of menu and not one those where you have to say the words where you have to shout into the phone to have any chance of the machine understanding you.

I waited the hour until they were open and called back. As you can guess by the title of this post, the CSR was very apologetic, but could do nothing for me, nor could she explain why the paper I had said 3 years instead of the official 1 year figure.

A more in depth search on Samsung LCD monitor repair one the web told me the problem could be a power supply board, a main board issue, a burnt out back light. etc. Not worth the time, money or effort on my part. Into the trash it goes.

Don’t worry I’m disposing it correctly because my fair city actually has curbside pickup of electronic equipment. All you have to do is give them a call the day before your regular pick up, tell them what you are chucking out and they come take it away.

Started up, went down, went up, back down, back up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 767

Back In The Saddle Again

We went out geocaching this morning for the first time in a couple of weeks. I had a map with about a dozen caches picked out, but we only managed 4. No we didn’t DNF the other 8, but merely never got to them. There were two new ones along the Boyd Pond Bike Trail south of town. We had done the four caches around the pond last September and we swore we would come back and walk the trail again soon, but never did. Now was our opportunity. Went the more direct route to the cache and opted for the “scenic”, windy way out and ended up walking 4.2 miles total. and quite a 4.2 miles it was.

Turned on the computer this morning and the relatively recent Samsung SyncMaster 2233SW Monitor flashed its display for a second and then went black. Rebooted and it did the same thing while loading the bios, so it wasn’t Windows 7. The updated Bios from the other day? Doubtful. Had to be either video card or monitor. I let the PC boot up and I could make the display come on for a second by turning the monitor off and then back on. Trying to work like that would be very time consuming and annoying after a very short time. To be sure it was the monitor’s fault and not the video card I plugged a VGA cable into the laptop and tried to used the monitor as a second display, but got a the same problem, a brief glimpse of a desktop and then black.

Checked the internet for possible quick fixes, but found none. I did find the the monitor carried a 1 year parts and labor warranty. We bought it on June 14th last year which made it 1.13 years old. to Quote Agent 86, “Missed it by that much Chief.” After lunch we went to Staples to buy a replacement. In our price range there was a Dell and 2 different Samsungs. We picked the Dell, after all the Dell monitor that originally came with the PC lasted 6 years and the Samsung only did a little over a year. The Dell comes with a one year warranty and on the way out the salesman tried to sell us a one year extended warranty for $25. Donna was sorely tempted, but I talked her out of it. I did make a deal with with her, if this Dell only makes it just over the one year mark before crapping out, I would opt for every extended warranty ever offered me.

Finished up Season 2 Disc 6 of Law & Order this after noon. We love seeing the folks who were cutting their acting chops on the show way back in the early 90 and the ones who make one show guest starring plots. The final two episodes on the disc treated us to each of George Costanza’s parents Jerry Stiller on one show and Estelle Harris on the other. We also got Sam Rockwell in only his 10th credited role. We also got a very young Sabrina Llyod, AKA Natalie from Sports Night. The second to last show was the first ever appearance of Leslie Hendrix as the coroner, Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers, who I bet is very thankful for Dick Wolf as she has had pretty steady work since then playing that role. She has done 142 episodes of the original Law and Order, along with 104 episodes of Law and Order Criminal Intent, 9 episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and even one appearance on the short lived Law & Order: Trial By Jury.

Started down, went up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 761

Your Breakfast Is Ready Sir

We got up early again today to go for a bike ride before it got too hot. We headed cross town to DD, so I could get some of their fabulous coffee. I headed inside while Donna walked next door to get the Sunday paper. For her I ordered one plain bagel toasted with butter on the side and a water to drink. I got a small coffee and a coffee cake muffin. By the time I had completed the transaction there was a person standing there handing me small bag with the toasted bagel. I sat at the table with Donna and we split up the paper and waited for the rest of the meal. And waited. After waiting a bit more, I went up to see what was taking so long to pour a coffee and take a muffin off the shelf. As I stood up and headed to the counter I heard Donna call my name. There was a tray sitting at the end of the counter with a water, a coffee and a muffin.

How long had it been there? Couldn’t have someone said, “Your breakfast is ready sir.”? We were the only people waiting for food…

The Emperor hasn’t moved all day.

Started down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 750