Upgrading WordPress again … this time to 3.0.3
Posted By RichC on December 8, 2010
Here’s crossing my fingers that WordPress 3.0.3 will be as solid as previous upgrades.
Enjoying Free Google offered AirTran WiFi
Posted By RichC on December 6, 2010
While my Palm Pre’s battery holds out I’m appreciating playing with the free ‘Google’ offered wifi on AirTran flights until the end of the year. So far all the Internet apps on the Pre are working well including audio streaming, web browsing, app catalog downloads and email. Twitter client Tweed is working well too, although the GPS location indicates Atlanta (I suspect the IP for the ISP). Sent a photo as well and speeds aren’t bad (amazed at how many eReaders and iPads are being used).
How’s your credit score doing? Check out CreditKarma.com
Posted By RichC on December 5, 2010
Most people realize it is important it is to keep an eye on what the big three credit reporting agencies say about one’s personal credit history … 
particularly in this age of identity theft. (Equifax, Transunion and Experian) So, if you haven’t requested your once-a-year free report, do it now and be sure your credit report is free from errors, but that’s not the point. One of the items sorely lacking from the ‘free’ reports are the much talked about and used “credit score.” They are available for an extra fee, which might be important if you are planning to apply for a new mortgage or refinance, but not so important (or worth paying for all three) if you just monitoring your credit. Enter CreditKarma.com … a place to get your credit score for FREE (well, for registering on their site and reading ads and advice scattered on the page). Give it a try.
Volkswagen New 2012 Beetle video appears on the Internet
Posted By RichC on December 4, 2010
Volkswagen New Beetle lovers received a video glimpse of the new 2012 VW bug now that a spy video is on YouTube. The smooched down redesign looks less bug-like and a little more Porche/Audi TT-ish. Personally I’m not rushing out to to put an order in… even with a TDI engine. It’s hard to imagine sales being all that strong in the U.S. unless its price point beats other econo-boxes or the performance resembles Volkswagen’s GTI – I could be wrong, there’s always the Oprah effect? (spy video below)
Misfires, fuel efficiency drop and check engine lights
Posted By RichC on December 4, 2010
My 2006 Honda Pilot has been rock solid for 120,000+ miles, but it looks like all good things come to an end and it might be time for some overdue maintenance. Oh, I’ve done the routine stuff, but I have neglected to replace the plugs at about 100K and haven’t tackled the belts including the dreaded $700 timing belt with waterpump, tensioners, etc.
The warning sign arrived about a month ago after boasting on my blog when I noticed the fuel economy slipping from its normal 20-21 mpg number to about 18 mpg (see mid-November on my Fuelly chart right). I didn’t think much about it since the weather was turning cold until the check engine light popped on. A quick run to my buddy with a scanner and he noticed a misfire … to which I ‘optimistically’ thought … “maybe I filled with some bad gasoline?”
After adding a little Heet (methanol) in hopes to dry out any water and driving another tank after clearing the light, the check engine light along with a couple other idiot lights popped back on. Hmm … I think it’s time for at least a tune up … but the expense of a timing belt will just have to wait until after Christmas.
Tech Friday: posting etiquette and email signatures
Posted By RichC on December 3, 2010
Admit it, you’ve been pretty annoyed receiving emails with extensive signatures or while reading in forums where regular users post distracting, offensive or just plain long-waste-of-screen-space signatures. This practice is one of my pet peeves when visiting certain‘permissive’ forums that allow ‘spam-vertising’ by
user signature or avatar. This becomes doubly irritating when the same user posts ‘one-line comments’ multiple times in the same thread requiring page feed after page feed just to sift through the same signature information in order to read the content. That said, some of the items in sigs or avatars can be interesting and amusing. In fact, this little flea had me distracted and brushing my screen for a second (image right)…
My advice is don’t distract readers with obnoxious signatures looking a bit like the nauseous MySpace pages of the past … or current but can’t say I’ve visited one recently (BTW, there’s a plugin for browsers call SanitySwitch to clean up the reading of MySpace pages).
On the off chance you are a sig offender, take this suggestion to heart and consider cleaning up your email and forum signatures.
—–
Sent from my Palm Pre (I added that annoying sig just for the humor; pick a phone)
Replaced my Palm Pre with a duplicate today
Posted By RichC on December 1, 2010
While closing in on 2 years with my webOS Palm Pre, I’ve opted to replace my original Pre smartphone with one of the last of the original Sprint Palm Pre phones before they are gone. (I’m crossing my fingers that Sprint will eventually get the Pre 2)
Thankfully my insurance plan replaced the defective (but still working) model without any additional dollars out of my pocket.
Over a year ago the screen crack in the photo began working its way along the side of the phone about and inch in each direction, but still didn’t impact the touch sensitivity. About a month ago I lost the ability to charge using the Touchstone wireless charger and thought perhaps the battery needed to be replaced. After purchasing a new battery I realized that the tiny copper pin that makes contact with the special Touchstone backplate was missing, so that was issue two. The final straw came when the corner power switch gave out … so it was either time fix or replace.
Unfortunately I exchanged phone while traveling this week and have been scrambling to get the webOS install on the Pre back to my liking. As I type this during lunch, I’m running the Palm Pre Backup/Restore homebrew app and am hoping everything appears magically as it was before – I’m probably overly optimistic.
Wrapping up the busy 2010 hurricane season
Posted By RichC on December 1, 2010
Hurricanes Karl, Igor and Julia (from left to right on Sept. 16) were part of
the onslaught of Atlantic storms this season. Download here (Credit: NOAA)
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) closes the book on one of the was busiest hurricane seasons on record which is in contrast to the eastern North Pacific season which had the fewest storms on record.
According to NOAANews, the United States was spared impact by the majority of the storms, although Mexico and Central America were not as fortunate and suffered heavy rain, mudslides and deadly flooding.
In the Atlantic Basin a total of 19 named storms formed – tied with 1887 and 1995 for third highest on record. Of those, 12 became hurricanes – tied with 1969 for second highest on record. Five of those reached major hurricane status of Category 3 or higher.
These totals are within the ranges predicted in NOAA’s seasonal outlooks issued on May 27 (14-23 named storms; 8-14 hurricanes; 3-7 major hurricanes) and August 5 (14-20 named storms; 8-12 hurricanes; 4-6 major hurricanes). An average Atlantic season produces 11 named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes.
Do you need more power from your diesel?
Posted By RichC on November 30, 2010
Are you thinking about bigger injectors and chipping your Volkswagen TDI for a few added HP and a bit more torque? Maybe an engine transplant is in order … although this little Detroit diesel coming in at 3424 HP might not be the optimum transplant for most VeeDubs? Still, this will be pretty impressive in a big rig (start up video below).
A slew of negative news dominates the headlines
Posted By RichC on November 30, 2010
“The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 88 points, or 0.8% to 10964 in early trading.”
A glance at the headlines of the Wall Street Journal this morning leaves me even more sour than does the gloomy and rainy day … although the at least the rain we need. It seems no matter where one looks around the world we humans have a knack for “fear, worry, bailouts, declines and financial chaos … and that doesn’t even address the two wars, nations vying to get their hands on nuclear weapons and the Korean peninsula on high alert.
On a personal note, business is still slow and it’s a struggle to even call on customers. In my area today there was an announcement that 222 jobs are disappearing as Fedx closes the West Chester Township office. In a conversation with a long friend and loyal customer yesterday he wondered aloud how long his polymer testing company can hold out without an influx of work. It’s no wonder I find myself considering chucking it all and sailing to the Caribbean or the south seas … or at least dreaming about doing it … stay tuned.
Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee
- lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
- digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.