Droopy's Journal

I am in San Framcisco at Ghirardelli Square. I am wearing a t-shirt from a local Pittsburgh university and a guy walks up to me as asks if I am from Pittsburgh. I said yes, and he tells me that he also lives in Pittsburgh. Of course, walking up to a total stranger and chatting them up is a typical thing for a Pittsburgher to do, but this guy has been in Pittsburgh only 2 months. I only talked to the guy for 5 minutes (his mother was hungry) but he was really interesting. He lived in a monastery for a while, lived in the desert for a month, walked the Appalacian Trail and broke his leg, and travelled to Pittsburgh on a whim and said if he can find a job and roommate in 7 days, he would stay and he did.

A real interesting guy.

Posted via LiveJournal.app.

I have been hesitant to do any real live bogging on my twitter account because I have it linked to Facebook for status updates and did not want to clog up facebook with live blog messages. So, I created a separate twitter account for live blogging.


Status updates: droopydog500
http://twitter.com/droopydog500


Live blogging: droopy_liveblog
http://twitter.com/droopy_liveblog

I have been a customer of AT&T and its predecessors for more than 21 years. Through many of those years I had painful customer service calls over something broken in their network. Roaming problems, text message problems, email/SMS gateway problems. I remember the frustration trying to find someone who had any clue about what they were talking about AND recognised that *I* had a clue what I was talking about.

I realised this morning, that I think I have actually gone through a multi-year period where I have not had to call AT&T for a network technical problem. I realised this because I was rudely brought back to reality when AT&T's data network failed in Pittsburgh this morning.

I was flying to DC this morning. When I got up at 4am, I saw that my blackberry was no longer receiving email and was in "3g" (three little g mode), which essentially means it cannot talk to the data network but the voice network is fine. When I got in my car, I saw that my iPhone had no EDGE network access (it was on my wifi network at home). When I get to the airport, I decided to call AT&T. By this time, I had pulled out my Nokia N80 and verified that it also had no EDGE network access. Three separate phones from different vendors all not working.

"Please power down your iPhone and pop out the SIM card."
"I am at the airport, I do not have a paperclip."
"Oh, so you know you need a paperclip to pop out the SIM card."
"Yes, and all three phones I have do not have data network access. Popping the SIM card will not help."
Oblivious to what I just said, "ok, just power up the iPhone then. ....... Does it have network access?"
"No."
"Ok. Since you cannot pop the SIM on the iPhone, lets look at the Blackberry. Take the back off the blackberry and take out the battery and then pop out the SIM."
GRRRRRRRR. I wonder how many AT&T customer service reps freaked when they were originally told that you cannot remove the battery on an iPhone. I mean, that is their primary fix it all.
"I powered on the blackberry. Still no data access."
"Ok, I am going to have to transfer you to technical support."
What, you mean you do not want me to take the battery off my Nokia N80? I know how to take the battery out of it, too.
"Hi, this is [Nate] in technical support. I hear you are having a problem with your iPhone and Blackberry..."
"Yes, and my Nokia N80. None have 3G or EDGE data access."
"Ok. Power cycle your iPhone."
"Ok, I just did that with the previous rep."
"Yes, but I have accesses that she did not have."
"Ok. It is rebooted."
"Ok. Call the number '##' <two digits> '#'".
"Ok."
"Do you now have network access?"
"No. Has anyone else reported problems in Pittsburgh?"
"No. Now on your blackberry, pop the back off and .................."

Finally then, "Ok, I am going to open a trouble ticket."
"ok, well I am boarding a plane now."
"oh, then I will not open the ticket."
"No, open the ticket, I am just telling you that in 15-20 minutes I will have to hang up."
"ok, I will try to create it quickly."
Apparently a ticket cannot be created unless the customer is on the phone...
"Ok, please do."
"Well, it will not really matter. If the network in Pittsburgh really is down, other people will call in."
And get the same idiot treatment I did.
Shortly after that I was "disconnected". Grrrrrrrr.

Well, apparently people did start calling in. When I landed in DC a friend SMSed me and said that AT&T said they were not taking any more trouble reports and to call back later.

I have soooooooo missed these fun calls....  NOT!

This will not matter for most people reading this, but it is great news for me! Starting October, United Airlines is adding direct flights between Pittsburgh/Los Angeles, and Pittsburgh/San Francisco:

PIT-SFO UA #237 0845 1113 A319
SFO-PIT UA #480 1300 2049 A319

PIT-LAX UA #265 1800 2016 A319
LAX-PIT UA #458 0940 1717 A319

Hammer another nail in US Airways coffin!

I got a postcard from my eye doctor to schedule my next regular check-up. Sounds normal enough. Except that they are now booking appointments for July 2010!!!! Maybe I should book July 2012 at the same time...

This is the latest attempt by a Starbucks' employee to write my name on the cup. In this case, I even spelt it out for her. And she writes "DORKEY".

Posted via LiveJournal.app.

At the same time I was looking at this picture from my flickr buddy firephoto's new posts, I received the following tweet on my mobile from Wil Wheaton:

wilw: We don't need no water, let the motherfucker burn.

We need this guy to visit the USA for a few weeks...



[I am sorry for double posting this, I accidentally deleted it when I was trying to delete a post from flickr which ended up being posted behind the original version of this post. Confusing? Yes.]

So, on the original version, FJ commented something to the effect of not hearing the Conservatives say anything about how they would solve the current problems, only saying that Labour has it wrong.

I responded by referring FJ to: 'Reconstruction - Our Plan for a Strong Economy'

David Cameron at Prime Minister's Questions yesterday caused me to laugh more during PMQ than I have in a long time:


I had a hard time driving to work while listening (and laughing)...

For those not familiar with British politics, Lord Myners is involved in the British equivalent to the AIG bonus issue. For more information, see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7947844.stm.

I guess I bought some book from Amazon that led it to conclude I am interested in women's magazines. I cannot figure out what it would have been. i wonder which of these books triggered it:

• Welcome to Obamaland: I Have Seen Your Future and It Doesn't Work
  by James Delingpole (Author)
• Gaming the Vote: Why Elections Aren't Fair (and What We Can Do About It),
  by William Poundston
• The Privy Council: The Arnold Prize Essay, 1860 (1887
  by Albert Venn Dicey
• The Royal Prerogative and the Learning of the Inns of Court (Cambridge Studies in English Legal History)
  by Margaret McGlynn
• Inquiry into the Rise and Growth of the Royal Prerogative in England
  by John C. Allen
• The House of Lords: Its Parliamentary and Judicial Roles
  by Brice Dickson (Editor), Paul Carmichael (Editor)

-----------

Greetings from Amazon.com,

 

Thanks to your recent books purchase, you can now get up to five women's magazines at 50% off each. Eligible magazines include: Allure, Glamour, SELF, Seventeen, Ladies Home Journal, Redbook and Marie Claire.

 

No promo codes needed and no strings attached, the discounts will apply automatically at checkout. Return to the list of eligible magazines to make your selection: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/?docId=xxxxxxxxxxxx

 

Thank you for being an Amazon.com customer.

Stuck in Atlanta. All United Airlines flights cancelled...

Snow in Peachtree City

Posted via LiveJournal.app.

I am reading the Senate version of the Stimulus Bill. I am trying to find the sections where jobs are created. All I can find so far is money appropriated to existing government programs, most to be spent by October 2010. What is the rush if it is spending until the end of 2010? I see appropriations for WIC, school lunches, Filipino war veterans pensions, increased funds for inspector generals, blah blah blah.

This is in page 320. What does this have to do with job creation?

PART I—IMPROVED PRIVACY PROVISIONS AND
2 SECURITY PROVISIONS
3 SEC. 13401. APPLICATION OF SECURITY PROVISIONS AND
4 PENALTIES TO BUSINESS ASSOCIATES OF
5 COVERED ENTITIES; ANNUAL GUIDANCE ON
6 SECURITY PROVISIONS.
7 (a) APPLICATION OF SECURITY PROVISIONS.—Sec-
8 tions 164.308, 164.310, 164.312, and 164.316 of title 45,
9 Code of Federal Regulations, shall apply to a business as
10 sociate of a covered entity in the same manner that such
11 sections apply to the covered entity. The additional re-
12 quirements of this title that relate to security and that
13 are made applicable with respect to covered entities shall
14 also be applicable to such a business associate and shall
15 be incorporated into the business associate agreement be-
16 tween the business associate and the covered entity.
17 (b) APPLICATION OF CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PEN
18 ALTIES.—In the case of a business associate that violates
19 any security provision specified in subsection (a), sections
20 1176 and 1177 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
21 1320d–5, 1320d–6) shall apply to the business associate
22 with respect to such violation in the same manner such
23 sections apply to a covered entity that violates such secu-
24 rity provision.
25 (c) ANNUAL GUIDANCE.—For the first year begin
26 ning after the date of the enactment of this Act and annu-
1 ally thereafter, the Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
2 ices shall, in consultation with industry stakeholders, an
3 nually issue guidance on the most effective and appro-
4 priate technical safeguards for use in carrying out the sec-
5 tions referred to in subsection (a) and the security stand-
6 ards in subpart C of part 164 of title 45, Code of Federal
7 Regulations, as such provisions are in effect as of the date
8 before the enactment of this Act.
9 SEC. 13402. NOTIFICATION IN THE CASE OF BREACH.
10 (a) IN GENERAL.—A covered entity that accesses,
11 maintains, retains, modifies, records, stores, destroys, or
12 otherwise holds, uses, or discloses unsecured protected
13 health information (as defined in subsection (h)(1)) shall,
14 in the case of a breach of such information that is discov-
15 ered by the covered entity, notify each individual whose
16 unsecured protected health information has been, or is
17 reasonably believed by the covered entity to have been,
18 accessed, acquired, or disclosed as a result of such breach.

At least the airport had money for window and floor stickers for the Steelers Superbowl visit...

Posted via LiveJournal.app.

I document this travel day because I think it will never happen again. I had a day with a very tight schedule; no margin for error; residual effects from the inauguration; yet everything went in sync.

My schedule for the day:

3:00am wake up
6:10am-7:00am United Airlines from PIT->IAD
9:30am-11:30am Meeting in my DC office in Arlington, VA
1:00pm-3:00pm meeting in Linthicum, MD (near BWI airport)
5:01pm-5:50pm United Airlines from IAD->PIT
7:30pm fire company meeting in Pittsburgh

The day started with me waking up before my alarm went off at 3am. That rarely happens. I depart early at 3:50am. I arrive at the airport early at 4:25am. A prime space in the parking garage two cars from the closest door to the security line is open. No security line. The subway is waiting when I arrive (rare these days since they shut one down). At gate by 4:45. Read email.

Board plane; upgraded to first class; plane leaves on time and arrives at IAD on time. Plane arrives at IAD directly across from the moon rover for the "D" gates. Never arrived at that gate from Pittsburgh before. Make it to the rental car place and actually did NOT have to wait for a car and no line at exit. Never had that happen in recent times at IAD.

Take the Dulles toll road to I-66E to our office, no traffic delays. Plenty of time to go to Starbucks.

Depart my office at 11:30 for Baltimore. Worried that inauguration traffic will get me. I take my secret route which avoids the beltways and downtown DC. While there were clearly more clueless drivers than normal, I make the trip in 40 minutes; fastest time ever. Actually have time to grab a quick lunch at Wendy's. Explain 3 times I want ketchup, pickle onion, mustard on my single. No mayo. No lettuce. No cheese. They still screw it up.

Go to meeting. Meeting ends at 2:50. Depart for IAD. Take secret route in reverse. Any delay would have screwed me. Travel over the beltway and see all lanes stopped in both directions. Secret route is moving the whole time except for a smaller slowdown than usual on I-66 W at Arlington. Arrive at car rental place at 4:10. Shuttle bus leaving stops for me and a few other people. Arrive at terminal. The TSA "expert line" is longer than I have ever seen it. The employee line is longer than I have ever seen it. I walk up to the FlyClear line. No one in line. The Flyclear line cuts me into the front of the employee line. It pays for itself today. I absolutely will renew it now. Slight delay at the x-ray because a fight crew member shoves an oversized shopping bag into the x-ray machine sideways and it got hung up. Aren't these people supposed to know better?

My flight leaves at gate A-1. Exit security and go to the moon rovers. One for terminal A is boarding. Arrive at terminal A. Walk to the end of the terminal and my flight is boarding. I am in first class. Flight leaves on time at 5:01pm and arrives on time.

Walk through the Pittsburgh airport to the subway. The subway is waiting when I arrive (rare these days since they shut one down). Subway goes to landside. I walk out right to my car. Drive car out. WIth "GoFastPass" I exit right out of the parking lot.

No traffic delays on Parkway West or Parkway North. Made it to the fire company by 6:50pm.

Thanks to my "Droopy Hot 100 pop/rock" ipod playlist for helping me keep battle rhythm today.

( The playlist )

I have finally uploaded the pictures from my trip to Los Angeles to visit Bart and take a vacation. The pictures are available on Flickr at: http://tinyurl.com/8j7tur .

While we were driving around Los Angeles a couple of weeks ago, we saw these text message board everywhere that said not to text message while driving. A little ironic that they distract drivers attention with a text message to tell people not to text message.

So, I said in this post: http://droopydog500.livejournal.com/111507.html that United does not love me anymore. I found out that out when I called United on an issue and they advised me that I did not qualify for 1K or Global Services in 2009. Since the qualification criteria for Global Services is a secret, you have no way of knowing whether you met it or not. But, since my international business class travel was significantly less in 2008, I was not surprised.

But, I was a little surprised when I got email from United Airlines today telling me I did qualify for Global Services for 2009... They still love me after all?

Bart at sunset on Malibu beach.

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My first California quake. I was on the couch and it felt like it was moving. Then I looked up and said to Bart that the water in the Britta pitcher was moving back and forth. Bart did not feel anything...

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

> From: ens@usgs.gov (USGS ENS)
> Date: January 8, 2009 8:00:23 PM PST
> To: Droopy
> Subject: 2009-01-09 03:49:46 (Ml 4.9) GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA, > CALIF. 34.1 -117.3
> Reply-To: <ens@usgs.gov>
>

> == PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE REPORT ==
>
>
>
> Region: GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA, CALIF.
> Geographic coordinates: 34.113N, 117.294W
> Magnitude: 4.9 Ml
> Depth: 13 km
> Universal Time (UTC): 9 Jan 2009 03:49:46
> Time near the Epicenter: 8 Jan 2009 19:49:46
> Local standard time in your area: 9 Jan 2009 03:49:46
>
> Location with respect to nearby cities:
> 2 km (1 miles) S (182 degrees) of San Bernardino, CA
> 6 km (4 miles) NNE (25 degrees) of Colton, CA
> 8 km (5 miles) E (89 degrees) of Rialto, CA
> 88 km (55 miles) E (86 degrees) of Los Angeles Civic Center, CA
>
>
> ADDITIONAL EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS
> ________________________________
> event ID : CI 10370141
>
> This is a computer-generated message and has not yet been reviewed > by a
> seismologist.
> For subsequent updates, maps, and technical information, see:
> http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsus/Quakes/ci10370141.php
> or
> http://earthquake.usgs.gov/
>
> CISN Southern California Management Center
> Caltech Seismological Laboratory
> U.S. Geological Survey
>
> http://www.cisn.org/scmc.html
> DISCLAIMER: https://sslearthquake.usgs.gov/ens/help.html?page=help#disclaimer
>
> This email was sent to Droopy
>
> You requested mail for events within the 'United States mainland' > region
> for M4.5 at all times.
>
>
> To change your parameters or unsubscribe, go to:
> https://sslearthquake.usgs.gov/ens