I more often than not first only see “Stan” when the name “Satan” is shown in print. Something about my brain causes a skip over the first A.

Random cool discovery, some office in my building has an open wireless router. I can compose mail and surf all over South Florida now.. walking up and down Las Olas I found no less than a dozen hot spots, most were passworded, but several let me just surf away.

Best location is Picasso Joe’s… sit down, have a milkshake or whatnot, people watch, and still have your internet morphine on a handy-dandy mobile IV. The open ones are usually default linksys, MSHOME or whatever comes with the package they invested in. Surfing for free beats paying $.10 a minute with a big, blunt object.

I did notice that constantly scanning for connections burned about 20% of my battery in about half an hour, otherwise, the new gizmo is pretty fuel-efficient. A nice thing about the browser is that I can download and cache stuff for reading later… so even if I did do a by the minute plan, I could log on, slurp down my friends page in LJ, as well as a few news locations I hit daily (all as an automated macro, not manually, unless I wanted to) and have stuff to read offline for a long while. I’m very impressed with how nice my lj and homepage look on the browser. It runs flash and java well, and cookies aren’t a problem. wireless tech has improved a great deal since I last fooled with it on a PDA.

First Pictures taken with the new palm… uploaded from there directly to photobucket, via the browser my digi-cam is far superior, but this will do in a pinch. I’ll still take the bulky one on walks, but not to work.

typical, and a surprise, seen on my walk!

Still drained after going over to the Mother’s house yesterday, to visit her, W, and Bro.

Just being around M&W saps my strength and patience. We got along ok, but after a certain point, it’s like the slow, steady erosion of water along the grand canyon building up to a large gorilla rubbing an eraser against my forehead, trying to remove the tattoo of a perfectly square black box that his brother put there only twenty minutes prior.

I wonder how long it’ll take for bro to get fed up with his wireless leash and blow his stack? I fear for him living on his own, but I can’t imagine he can keep his cool for too long in captivity with those guys close by.

I don’t know.. maybe the comparison shopping between where he is now, and where he was a week ago will be incentive enough.

Upside, I can research getting my bail collateral back now…

Best ways to bring me back up: Think about loved ones. Hug the Newt until we fall asleep.

Random Scotto Factoid: I think toe socks are cute.

They got a call from Sandra (Bro’s officer) Mom had to call the phone company and take off the special features, they can have DSL and answering, but the phone needs to be set to answer on 3rd ring. Bro has to work with Wilton and can not leave the house even to go to the pool clubhouse or laundry room. He is only allowed 4 hrs a week for special needs,haircut,dr appt,laundry,etc. no beach,movies,etc, but I can visit him whenever I like… He should be released by noon, M & W are on call to pick him up.

Well, little brain’s internal battery finally wouldn’t hold a charge, so it was time to either spend the entire pda’s value replacing the battery, or to upgrade. I opted for upgrading, because I’ve had a hankering for some features my little device didn’t have. I picked up a Clie’ TH-55, because it was inexpensive, has wifi capacity, and will run all of my old palm software (including stuff I’ve developed for myself. WinCE lives up to the name it spells out. “Wince.”

In addition to wifi, there’s some other goodies built in… the package I got included a 256 meg memory stick, which will hold a **lot** of e-books, or a decent amount of mp3s (I figure 4 hours of regular cd music, up to 24 hours of old-time radio / audio books, depending on the recording quality. Room for more pictures, too. I still have a gallery in there that I’ve built over time. Pictures of Hala, Newtie, and other assorted goodness. I’m also glad I can still doodle, and that this one has a built in camera…camera wasn’t a real selling point, but if it’s good enough, I’ll use it.. if not, I’ll stick with my chunky, junky Olympus… big in my pocket, but takes decent photos.

The device is much sleeker than my old visor, though I still didn’t opt for the cell phone/pda combo because I have an irrational dislike for cell phones, and have a work-related cell I have to carry with me everywhere, anyway.

Side note… are public pay phones becoming scarcer, now that such a large chunk of the population has personal devices? I wonder if they’ll vanish completely over then next decade or two.

In other news, I haven’t seen my landlord for a long time. I was supposed to give him my rent on the last day of the month, and he still hasn’t been around. I’ve been taking in the front house’s mail, and noticed that there are two envelopes from the gas company. I hope he hasn’t gone on vacation or something, and that my hot water will be turned off as a result. I’d also like to pay my bills on time. The check’s made out, just waiting for him to claim it. I never did get a contact phone number for him, and he’s not listed in the book. We’ll see what the future brings… I’m still continuing on my quest for a condo.

Well, I’ve got to get rolling. Until later, dear journal.

Got to play a little CoH with Whims last night.. I wish schedules allowed for Sammy to join in more often, but he suffers from Pacific Rim Syndrome. I need to put him in a time-phase shift condenser for about 2 hours a day, just to hang out.

Fort Lauderdale Beach, right before sunset

Called Mother and the Grandmother yesterday… Gram sounds a lot more scattered since her trip to the hospital.

Have to swing by the ortho after work… a flexion test. I’m pretty bendy, so I think I’ll do well. [update: did just fine, going back in next Monday to see progress]

Big Kahuna cut me more slack yesterday, as well as Saturday.. tossed me another 4 hours to do what I will. I took the opportunity to go on walkabout and just enjoy the outside for a bit.

On-call should be pretty gentle this week. ADP on M,Tu,Th, MA on W,F,Sa. I just have Su. With any luck, maybe I can spend some time with ol’ Danny this week.

planty piccies from my reprieve walk on Sunday

http://home.bellsouth.net/csbellsouth/s/s.dll?spage=cg/Sys/111.htm&only=y&ck=&ac=http://consumer.bellsouth.net/system/main.asp?AirportCode%3dFLL

or, Bah, It’s been down since 6:30am… I think my report is what got them to sniff it out.

System Status: FL, Ft. Lauderdale

Subject: Fort Lauderdale, FL – FastAccess Outage

——————————————————————————–

Problem: What? Some customers may be unable to connect to the Internet or surf at this time.

Who? FastAccess customers are affected by this outage.

When? The outage began at 7:36 a.m. EDT on Monday, May 10, 2004.

Where? Fort Lauderdale, FL

Why? We are experiencing a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexor outage. The estimated time of resolution is currently undetermined. We will update you when service has been restored.

Additional Comments: Additionally, FastAccess customers that have downloaded our Connection Manager Tool may see a yellow diagonal line, or a red X through the tool. The yellow line indicates which system is affected by the maintenance, and the red X indicates that the customer has no connection.

We apologize for any inconvenience, and we thank you for choosing BellSouth Internet Services.
Status: Open — Updated: 5/10/2004 7:36:06 AM
[update] –

Resolution: Service was successfully restored at 9:13 a.m. EDT on Monday May 10, 2004.
Status: Closed — Updated: 5/10/2004 9:12:22 AM

http://home.bellsouth.net/csbellsouth/s/s.dll?spage=cg/Sys/111.htm&only=y&ck=&ac=http://consumer.bellsouth.net/system/main.asp?AirportCode%3dFLL

or, Bah, It’s been down since 6:30am… I think my report is what got them to sniff it out.

System Status: FL, Ft. Lauderdale

Subject: Fort Lauderdale, FL – FastAccess Outage

——————————————————————————–

Problem: What? Some customers may be unable to connect to the Internet or surf at this time.

Who? FastAccess customers are affected by this outage.

When? The outage began at 7:36 a.m. EDT on Monday, May 10, 2004.

Where? Fort Lauderdale, FL

Why? We are experiencing a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexor outage. The estimated time of resolution is currently undetermined. We will update you when service has been restored.

Additional Comments: Additionally, FastAccess customers that have downloaded our Connection Manager Tool may see a yellow diagonal line, or a red X through the tool. The yellow line indicates which system is affected by the maintenance, and the red X indicates that the customer has no connection.

We apologize for any inconvenience, and we thank you for choosing BellSouth Internet Services.
Status: Open — Updated: 5/10/2004 7:36:06 AM
[update] –

Resolution: Service was successfully restored at 9:13 a.m. EDT on Monday May 10, 2004.
Status: Closed — Updated: 5/10/2004 9:12:22 AM

To everyone who has acted as a caregiver and nurtured a living thing. Thanks! Guten Muttertag!

I always get gilbert.

To everyone who has acted as a caregiver and nurtured a living thing. Thanks! Guten Muttertag!

I always get gilbert.

Today’s been quite the hectic one for missing kids… fortunately, the majority of them have been recovered right away. (one 15 year old who got into an argument with his grandparents is still out and about, but from the description given, he’s not going to be messed with, or a danger to himself or others.)

Big Kahuna was kind enough to take call from 4:30-9pm, giving me at least a little window of freedom this weekend. I celebrated by going to cheeburger cheeburger, getting a chocolate malted and a grilled portobello sammich, no fries, and enjoying a little fresh air.

The pleasure was welcome, because once I got home, I had another couple of calls smack me all at once, including 3 missing kids with a babysitter in Tombs County Georgia… those folks are sweet as pie, but the accent is *very thick* and I had trouble with the dispatcher girl’s descriptions. While on the phone with her, a Hialeah call came in., so i got to multitask as best I could. Not too bad, but it was moderately stressful at the time. I don’t think ADP could’ve handled it at all, though MA would have dealt with it well enough, I think. I plopped into the website and made a few adjustments for time constraints that I think will make working the system even more automated than it already is.

People are still asking me questions about rules regarding inmate visits from entries I made nearly four years ago (back when Suzy was put in the clink). Since that person was asking from Santa Clara, CA, I could only give a limited answer about Broward, Florida.

Disneyland photo tour from the 50s and 60s. I’m glad that the parks went to all-day passes, rather than Lettered tickets.

Hmm.. ravenblack changed the way links work in the vampire game… I’m glad my daughter managed to help me get to thievery 3 before that point!

Naked Mole Rap Lyrics, for my own ref later.

and I wear the laser belt.

Best Bumper sticker seen lately :

In my mind, it’s recited with a emphasis on the *Ahhl KEEL JOO*

Friday was mostly nice. Spent a chunk of the afternoon working with VS and CB, while the hen party took place in CC’s office.

I got a 3:30 am call from Comanche County, (Oklahoma), thus the early morning entry.

MadTV on in the background… Robert Smith sounds as good as he ever did, but spinning around to look, age has taken a bit of a toll on him. Now I know what Jerry Garcia would look like if you shaved and gothificated him.

Quiz of Dooooooooooom!

and I wear the laser belt.

Best Bumper sticker seen lately :

In my mind, it’s recited with a emphasis on the *Ahhl KEEL JOO*

Friday was mostly nice. Spent a chunk of the afternoon working with VS and CB, while the hen party took place in CC’s office.

I got a 3:30 am call from Comanche County, (Oklahoma), thus the early morning entry.

MadTV on in the background… Robert Smith sounds as good as he ever did, but spinning around to look, age has taken a bit of a toll on him. Now I know what Jerry Garcia would look like if you shaved and gothificated him.

Quiz of Dooooooooooom!

From the Sun-Sentinel:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-cbeating07may07,0,4464869.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines

A group of guards at the Broward County Main Jail kicked and stomped on a handcuffed, naked inmate Wednesday night until he was unconscious, according to several inmates who said they witnessed the beating. Continue reading 6643 – Not Just In Iraq →