Posted On Thursday, October 29th, 2009 By David Veatch
I meant to post about this yesterday, but I got busy right when I got home, and then when the busy wore off, I got relaxed on the couch in front of the television. To set the scene, as I was riding home yesterday, around the corner of 91st and Lamar, I was part of a long line of traffic caught behind a school bus that had stopped to let off some kiddos. The woman in the car in front of me was reading what looked like business documents. The papers were propped up on her steering wheel, and she was reading them the entire time I was behind her. Granted, it was very slow moving traffic, and it was stop-and-go while we approached the stop sign, but she was reading while she was driving. She was reading. While she was driving. Nothing is so important that it couldn’t wait until she got to where she was going. I don’t care what it was. Nope. Not even that. It could have waited. Remember the school bus? There were children all around. They were running this way and that on either side of the street. How many of you haven’t seen more »
Posted On Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 By David Veatch
Only $99.99: Keep tabs on your child at all times with this small but sophisticated device that combines GPS and cellular technology to provide you with real-time location updates. The small and lightweight Little Buddy transmitter fits easily into a backpack, lunchbox or other receptacle, making it easy for your child to carry so you can check his or her location at any time using a smartphone or computer. Customizable safety checks allow you to establish specific times and locations where your child is supposed to be — for example, in school — causing the device to alert you with a text message if your child leaves the designated area during that time. Additional real-time alerts let you know when the device’s battery is running low so you can take steps to ensure your monitoring isn’t interrupted. Or… Helicopter parents rejoice! Now you can give up any semblense that you’re raising your child to be his or her own person. With this device, you can establish, without a doubt in your childs mind, that he or she is completely incapable of doing anything on his or her own. Do you want to raise children unable to make decisions on their more »
Posted On Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 By David Veatch
Winter is approaching. It’s snowing in Colorado right now, so my friends tell me. It normally follows that whatever they get, we get here in eastern KS a few days later. We may not get the snow, but I’m sure it’ll get cold again real soon. Maybe not next week, or the week after, but it’s coming. So, it’s time to take stock and make sure I’ve got everything I need in order to weather the cold air on the bike. The Bike It’s a nearly new bike, with only a few hundred miles on it, so there aren’t any major issues, and all the components are in top shape. A Kansas winter will be a good test of it. Knobby tires: Well, sorta. The stock tires on my Kona Dew Drop are Continental CountryRide. They won’t do too well in standing snow, I don’t think, but they’re fine in wet conditions. With any tires, though, it pays to ride very carefully when it’s wet. Fenders: Check. I don’t have the rear fenders on, but the commuter panniers I got from NashBar serve the same purpose. If it’s crazy wet, I’ll bolster their water resistance by lining some plastic on more »
Posted On Friday, October 16th, 2009 By David Veatch
To this day, I very clearly remember the joy and relief I felt when the morning temperatures finally returned to the 40′s and 50′s last year. It was sometime in March, I believe, and it was a blessed relief after a couple months of temperatures below 10°F, and in the teens and twenties. It didn’t stay steady in the 50′s, but it was a wonderful sign of things to come. Now, I know it’s only going to get colder, so I’m enjoying the 40′s while they last. This morning, at 42°F, I was quite comfortable. Some thoughts about my equipment: Feet: Wool socks with plastic bags around my toes for wind breakage. And Shimano MTB shoes.Torso/Arms: A moderately thick wicking layer, a thin wicking layer and a wind breaker.Hands: Salsa N’AGUA™ Gloves.Head: A thin head scarf pulled down over my ears and the standard helmet. If I were to change a thing, it would be to eliminate the thin wicking layer. I got a touch warmish up top. I think it’s time for a new helmet, too. I’ve had my Giro Atmos for a few years now, and I hear it’s a good idea to replace them periodically. With all more »
Posted On Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 By David Veatch
I had no idea that it’d been that long. The last time I rode my bike to work was October 3rd, 2008. Well, unless you count today, that is. I dressed well for the chill 44°F air, and 12mph ENE wind. Naturally, I’m heading SE, so it was a head/side wind. The wind will undoubtedly shift so that it’s a head/side wind this evening. The only thing I’d change is the panniers. The TransIt Garment Bag is a great bag, and I’d recommend it to anyone, though I would stress trying it on for size first. On every back stroke, my heels scraped the front of the bag, and it’s set on the rack about as far back as it’ll go. Were the strap on the front of the bag that ties it to the seat tube a little longer, it might work better. As it is, though, it’s going to scrape. So, tonight I’ll bring clothes for the rest of the week in to work (I have to come back up here anyway – and yes, I’ll drive due to the schedule and the various buildings I have to visit), and try to figure out something to do with more »
Posted On Monday, October 12th, 2009 By David Veatch
I just dropped my car off at the shop to get the ignition looked at. It doesn’t like to start in the cold. Contrary to all previous experience, they were unable to give me a ride home after I dropped the car off. I had a feeling this would be the case, so I’m glad I called to confirm it. Rather than scramble to find a ride, I just used it as a test ride to make sure all was in order for the bike commuting, which I start tomorrow. All was in order with the bike. With me, however… I’m a touch out of shape.
Posted On Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 By David Veatch
I really do miss the daily riding. Every day I see one or two people riding their bikes to work. Ironically, I see more people riding bikes now that I’m driving, than I saw while I was riding. They look like well seasoned and responsible riders too. No wrong-way bike ninjas, these. They’re sporting all the requisite lights, panniers, layers and neon wind breakers. I think one of them even has the new 2010 Kona Dew Drop. It probably has more miles on it already than my ’09 model. Sigh. It wasn’t all fun and games. I know there was pain. I know that there were days when my fingers and toes hurt so bad from the cold and wind I could barely stand it, and honestly wondered if I’d arrive to find frostbite setting in. I know there was frustration. It was sometimes burdensome having to plan so carefully for weather that goes by barely noticed from inside my car. Wearing winter clothing on the way to work, and summer clothing on the way home was tough to plan for. I got used to it, and learned my temperature comfort thresholds, but I had to get used to. While more »
Posted On Tuesday, October 6th, 2009 By David Veatch
Microsoft has confirmed that thousands of Windows Live accounts have been compromised with their passwords posted online. Mainstream media such as the BBC are also carrying the story. Some information is posted here. Some password tips for your safety goodness: Change your passwords on a regular basis (every few months at the latest, every couple of months is better) Whenever possible, use long complex passphrases rather than passwords. They’re easy to type, easy to remember, and difficult to crack. If ever you notice anything suspicious with your accounts, change all your passwords immediately… especially those guarding sensitive information such as financial sites, online e’mail, online storage, etc. Learn how to combat identity theft. Use a firewall. Use two firewalls, a software firewall, and a hardware port-forwarding firewall if possible. Never click links in emails. Ever. Try not to use the same password at multiple sites. If you must, then at least use passphrases. Not that you ever must. Never share your password with anyone. Ever. Always ensure that anytime you sign in to a website where sensitive information is stored, that you’re signing into the correct and legitimate website, and that the connection is secure. If you don’t see a more »
Posted On Friday, October 2nd, 2009 By David Veatch
I’ve recently started up something I hope will eventually take on a life of it’s own. I’ve pulled together a few people from where I work to get together informally on the first Friday of every month to talk about… well… things. It was spawned from the desire to learn more about the other side of banking. I’ve been in the financial sector for over 10 years now, but it’s always been in the technology and security side. I know next to nothing, even after all of these years, about the business of actual banking. My interest is more professional and out of a sense of responsibility than it is passionate, but I am interested nonetheless. What I would like to see happen, that is to say, my vision, is that it become a slightly more formal, if generous and forgiving, discussion where a given topic is chosen and presented, then discussed, each month. The goal is to learn. It’s really that simple. I was part of something very short lived and similar to this years ago in college. I vaguely remember it being inspired by yet another similar undertaking by one of the Founding Fathers, though I cannot, for more »