Actually I live in Colorado and ride year round. There are a very few days that I'm not able to take the bike out for which I take the bicycle, truck, or public transportation (depending on destination). And I've hauled quite a bit of stuff from clothes, books, groceries, and even my electric guitar (in a hard case). As with every, it's a question of being prepared.
My current lowest temperature ride is 30 minutes at 70mph at -10F with my normal gear plus heated gloves. It's not that hard.
As to taxes, I'm not paying any less taxes because I'm on a bike. The gas pump doesn't differentiate between car, truck, or bike and property taxes are based on the worth of the vehicle, not what sort of damage it can do to the road. Since a bike does significantly less road damage, we're actually shouldering more of a tax burden than folks who drive on four or more wheels.
This was on a trip to a gaming convention. I had soft saddlebags with my heavy stuff (extra tools, oil, first aid kit, etc), tail bag with clothes on the way out and $650 work of gaming books, and a Givi trunk filled with clothes and Level 7 board game. Add in the tank bag and my 6'2" 235 lb self, and I'm not all that aerodynamic:)
That's highway driving. Around town I get closer to 42mpg. I'm an older guy though and don't wick it up too often (I do play in the mountains though:) ).
Just got back from a trip to GenCon on my motorcycle (Hayabusa). According to the bike (likely off by a little due to the stupid bike things), I averaged at least 50mpg for the entire 2,500 mile trip. Since the mpg indicator doesn't go higher than 50mpg, it could be even higher.
My wife had a smaller 250cc bike (Ninja) and was getting upwards of 100mpg and 75ish on her 650cc bike (Ninja).
I'd love to see more folks on bikes. Have motorcycle only lanes just like there are bike only lanes; split a current full sized lane into two dedicated motorcycle lanes:)
And all their non-administrative work has been contracted out years ago due to the small government initiative. So while folks (consultants) working at one or another of the facilities can be quite computer literate, the actual government employees might not be.
I noticed this a while ago. I have a password keeper and record the question and the false answer I provide to the question. Even where I can make up a question, I make up a totally different, unrelated answer and record that.
Not that I'm saying this is true, but what if NASA contracted through Scripps or has a standing contract that all media goes through Scripps for publication management? Everyone wants a smaller government so "outsourcing" their video work doesn't seem far fetched. NASA did outsource their IT function (at least at HQ) so if you did IT type work, you were a contractor and not a public servant.
Yea, that's pretty much me too. I buy a few games I want to play, mostly nostalgia I guess (Diablo III, Starcraft II). I don't buy used games (I figure it has a code which has already been used). And I keep them until they likely can't be used any more, overcome by OS upgrades.
Why put the TL;DR version of a post at the bottom of the long posts? Shouldn't it be first?
Because you start reading it and it goes on and on until after a paragraph or two you skim down to the bottom. Now a 'Summary' should be at the top if it's going to be a long post.
I have four screens for my Win7 system and it seems to work fine from the OS. I can manage the screens from the video software if I like but I seldom need to go into that. And mine are set up with two vertical 23" monitors on either side angled towards me and two horizontal ones (one upside down above the other) in the center. It gives me a main screen for general work and the three adjacent screens to hold PDFs, file directories, ssh sessions, or what have you.
_ ___ _ |--|___|--| |_|___|_|
I actually considered just fixing my screen as well (crack across the face too). The phone seems to work well enough and there's no problem in general with the software. Unfortunately with my wife leaving, I need to come up with a new contract for me and drop off hers. I just figure it's easier to drop me from the contract (she upgraded to a 4S last year) and start a new contract with a new phone. I am checking out what I might need to do to sever the contract or possibly just get a new contract with the same phone.
Yea, I have a 3GS and am ready to replace it with a new phone. I like the iPhone but am waiting on the 5 before I upgrade, especially since it's just a couple of months away.
Well, first thing is I do try to keep things regardless of how much I paid for it. So that $9.99 thingie will likely just sit in a drawer or in a box for years. Heck, I'll likely just buy a second one because I can't find the first one until I move and am going through the boxes in the basement.
Leading to that, if I keep it all, I'll just need a bigger house or a storage place for all the gear (or I'll be on 'hoarders'). So what's the cost difference between having a bigger house (and bigger bills over the long term) over pitching the cheap item?
And sure, I can get it from a yard sale or craigslist for $50 and maybe sell it for $50, but it's still $30 or so more expensive than if I just bought the cheap item that worked for what I needed at the time and I don't have to go through the process of locating one on craigslist and then selling it later. Time isn't cheap either.
Which is not to say I do that for everything. I'd be hard pressed to think of a "cheap" thing I bought from Wal*Mart (or other cheap place). It's been a while since I needed to save a few bucks on something and I'm just as likely to get it from Goodwill or something than buy it new or make it myself. Most of the cheap Wal*Mart stuff I get are consumables. Heck, I even buy and use bar soap vs the body wash stuff just because a bar of soap will last 4 or 5 times longer than a bottle of Suave body wash.
Heck, what would you get that's cheap at Wal*Mart vs a more expensive item? Bookcases maybe? Perhaps I'm not your target audience here.
It's more like, why buy something that lasts forever for $100 that I'll use maybe 10 times over 2 or 3 sessions when I can buy a $9.99 one when I need it which might last until the second time, or not. Then I can save 80 or 90 bucks. And in the event the $100 lasts until I die, my kids will likely already have that particular item or even worse, they won't know what the hell it is or why I'm still carting the damn thing around with me 20 years later.
Maybe we need a poll for this to see how normal it actually is. Because I have my packaging for those sorts of things; steamer, blender, etc plus I have my game packaging sitting on a shelf even though I have the CDs and DVDs in a big CD notebook and the game codes in my password keeper.
Now I don't mount the iPad packaging on the wall or sit it on the mantle but it is sitting on a bookshelf in my Man Cave.
Sure, why not. Most of the time they're saved in your browser password keeper anyway. I have a similar number of accounts with different levels of passwords. For the 200 or so that I don't go to often, I just check my password database. Not a big deal. I periodically roam through the browser db to make sure I have all mine in the pwdb up to date.
The "identity sites" have different password model vs a same password. They are associated with me and my information. It would blow if my account started spamming 5 or 6 forums that I use.
The best part about the security questions is the answers are easy to find (in general). What's your mother's maiden name, where were you born, etc are many times easily available. When I have to use those, I pick something totally different from the true answer. Then it doesn't matter which security question I have. I do record them in my password database though:)
I have all the numbers. Unfortunately with a few exceptions, they hang up without leaving a message. I do a search on the number and find out others have answered and they're one spammer or another so I add the number to my list.
I think just not answering the phone unless you're in my contact list is probably the best idea (that's what I do now).
Slashdot Mirror
Actually I live in Colorado and ride year round. There are a very few days that I'm not able to take the bike out for which I take the bicycle, truck, or public transportation (depending on destination). And I've hauled quite a bit of stuff from clothes, books, groceries, and even my electric guitar (in a hard case). As with every, it's a question of being prepared.
My current lowest temperature ride is 30 minutes at 70mph at -10F with my normal gear plus heated gloves. It's not that hard.
As to taxes, I'm not paying any less taxes because I'm on a bike. The gas pump doesn't differentiate between car, truck, or bike and property taxes are based on the worth of the vehicle, not what sort of damage it can do to the road. Since a bike does significantly less road damage, we're actually shouldering more of a tax burden than folks who drive on four or more wheels.
[John]
The more people that ride, the less likely there'll be as many injuries (relative to the entire riding population).
[John]
This was on a trip to a gaming convention. I had soft saddlebags with my heavy stuff (extra tools, oil, first aid kit, etc), tail bag with clothes on the way out and $650 work of gaming books, and a Givi trunk filled with clothes and Level 7 board game. Add in the tank bag and my 6'2" 235 lb self, and I'm not all that aerodynamic :)
[John]
That's highway driving. Around town I get closer to 42mpg. I'm an older guy though and don't wick it up too often (I do play in the mountains though :) ).
[John]
Just got back from a trip to GenCon on my motorcycle (Hayabusa). According to the bike (likely off by a little due to the stupid bike things), I averaged at least 50mpg for the entire 2,500 mile trip. Since the mpg indicator doesn't go higher than 50mpg, it could be even higher.
My wife had a smaller 250cc bike (Ninja) and was getting upwards of 100mpg and 75ish on her 650cc bike (Ninja).
I'd love to see more folks on bikes. Have motorcycle only lanes just like there are bike only lanes; split a current full sized lane into two dedicated motorcycle lanes :)
[John]
And all their non-administrative work has been contracted out years ago due to the small government initiative. So while folks (consultants) working at one or another of the facilities can be quite computer literate, the actual government employees might not be.
[John]
I noticed this a while ago. I have a password keeper and record the question and the false answer I provide to the question. Even where I can make up a question, I make up a totally different, unrelated answer and record that.
[John]
Not that I'm saying this is true, but what if NASA contracted through Scripps or has a standing contract that all media goes through Scripps for publication management? Everyone wants a smaller government so "outsourcing" their video work doesn't seem far fetched. NASA did outsource their IT function (at least at HQ) so if you did IT type work, you were a contractor and not a public servant.
[John]
Yea, that's pretty much me too. I buy a few games I want to play, mostly nostalgia I guess (Diablo III, Starcraft II). I don't buy used games (I figure it has a code which has already been used). And I keep them until they likely can't be used any more, overcome by OS upgrades.
[John]
Why put the TL;DR version of a post at the bottom of the long posts? Shouldn't it be first?
Because you start reading it and it goes on and on until after a paragraph or two you skim down to the bottom. Now a 'Summary' should be at the top if it's going to be a long post.
[John]
In DC it's called the Metro.
[John]
I get blue screens pretty much daily but I blame the crappy ATI drivers more than Windows 7.
[John]
I have four screens for my Win7 system and it seems to work fine from the OS. I can manage the screens from the video software if I like but I seldom need to go into that. And mine are set up with two vertical 23" monitors on either side angled towards me and two horizontal ones (one upside down above the other) in the center. It gives me a main screen for general work and the three adjacent screens to hold PDFs, file directories, ssh sessions, or what have you.
_ ___ _
|--|___|--|
|_|___|_|
[John]
I actually considered just fixing my screen as well (crack across the face too). The phone seems to work well enough and there's no problem in general with the software. Unfortunately with my wife leaving, I need to come up with a new contract for me and drop off hers. I just figure it's easier to drop me from the contract (she upgraded to a 4S last year) and start a new contract with a new phone. I am checking out what I might need to do to sever the contract or possibly just get a new contract with the same phone.
[John]
Yea, I have a 3GS and am ready to replace it with a new phone. I like the iPhone but am waiting on the 5 before I upgrade, especially since it's just a couple of months away.
[John]
Well, first thing is I do try to keep things regardless of how much I paid for it. So that $9.99 thingie will likely just sit in a drawer or in a box for years. Heck, I'll likely just buy a second one because I can't find the first one until I move and am going through the boxes in the basement.
Leading to that, if I keep it all, I'll just need a bigger house or a storage place for all the gear (or I'll be on 'hoarders'). So what's the cost difference between having a bigger house (and bigger bills over the long term) over pitching the cheap item?
And sure, I can get it from a yard sale or craigslist for $50 and maybe sell it for $50, but it's still $30 or so more expensive than if I just bought the cheap item that worked for what I needed at the time and I don't have to go through the process of locating one on craigslist and then selling it later. Time isn't cheap either.
Which is not to say I do that for everything. I'd be hard pressed to think of a "cheap" thing I bought from Wal*Mart (or other cheap place). It's been a while since I needed to save a few bucks on something and I'm just as likely to get it from Goodwill or something than buy it new or make it myself. Most of the cheap Wal*Mart stuff I get are consumables. Heck, I even buy and use bar soap vs the body wash stuff just because a bar of soap will last 4 or 5 times longer than a bottle of Suave body wash.
Heck, what would you get that's cheap at Wal*Mart vs a more expensive item? Bookcases maybe? Perhaps I'm not your target audience here.
[John]
It's more like, why buy something that lasts forever for $100 that I'll use maybe 10 times over 2 or 3 sessions when I can buy a $9.99 one when I need it which might last until the second time, or not. Then I can save 80 or 90 bucks. And in the event the $100 lasts until I die, my kids will likely already have that particular item or even worse, they won't know what the hell it is or why I'm still carting the damn thing around with me 20 years later.
[John]
Maybe we need a poll for this to see how normal it actually is. Because I have my packaging for those sorts of things; steamer, blender, etc plus I have my game packaging sitting on a shelf even though I have the CDs and DVDs in a big CD notebook and the game codes in my password keeper.
Now I don't mount the iPad packaging on the wall or sit it on the mantle but it is sitting on a bookshelf in my Man Cave.
[John]
Slashdot's user database was hacked and all the passwords are on one of the hacker sites. So it's not who you think it is.
[John]
Cash. That's what I've been doing lately especially with many places starting to not accept credit cards.
[John]
Sure, why not. Most of the time they're saved in your browser password keeper anyway. I have a similar number of accounts with different levels of passwords. For the 200 or so that I don't go to often, I just check my password database. Not a big deal. I periodically roam through the browser db to make sure I have all mine in the pwdb up to date.
[John]
The "identity sites" have different password model vs a same password. They are associated with me and my information. It would blow if my account started spamming 5 or 6 forums that I use.
[John]
The best part about the security questions is the answers are easy to find (in general). What's your mother's maiden name, where were you born, etc are many times easily available. When I have to use those, I pick something totally different from the true answer. Then it doesn't matter which security question I have. I do record them in my password database though :)
[John]
I have all the numbers. Unfortunately with a few exceptions, they hang up without leaving a message. I do a search on the number and find out others have answered and they're one spammer or another so I add the number to my list.
I think just not answering the phone unless you're in my contact list is probably the best idea (that's what I do now).
[John]
I'm on the list and still get a crapload of idiot calls.
[John]