Hey there,
I'm one of those patsies that moved away from the city so I could buy a nicer house on some land. of COURSE the good job is now 55 miles away, and consists of one of the very worst commutes in these United States: the I95/395 North corridor from Virginia into Washington DC.
On the best day the commute from my house to work by car is 1.5 hours to, and another 1.5 hours home. An average day is 2.5 hours one-way. The worst day I have ever had it took 8.5 hours to get home. Granted, that was during a snow storm in which 105 people managed to tangle their cars together, killing 2, because they thought it was OK to drive 65mph on an icy highway.
Guess what it was like on 9/11? OK - don't.
Still, I am a typical American, who loves the freedom that driving my own car brings. But even the most individualistic among us has limits. When gasoline reached $3 per gallon, I realized that even driving a Honda (well, a minivan, but still a Honda) was costing me $120 per week just for gas, never mind the miles and maintenance. Even a Honda breaks if you drive it almost 800 miles per week.
So I tried car pooling. In a word...ugh. Unreliable. Unfriendly after the first week's "honeymoon". Inconvenient. There are days when I or other poolers simply have to go home early for some urgency or other. It is a major pain in the patootie to have to call and say either: "I have to catch a bus" or "Can everybody leave early today?". It's the same frustration to get a call from the others: "Carl has to go home - can you be ready to go at noon?"
Then I checked out van pools and the bus. Very expensive. Very clique-ish. Try taking a seat that someone else thinks belongs to them. Whew-boy.
So I finally decided to try the train. $76 for ten one-way trips. That's cool. $76 per week instead of $120. Oops. The train goes to Union Station. I need to go to 16th and M. Add $16.50 for 10 metrorail rides. Oh. The closest metro station to my work is 4 blocks away. DC blocks can be pretty large. So on bad weather days, it is a pain. The train one-way is...1.5 hours. Well, at least I am not driving.
Next: what in the Sam Hill is WRONG with train designers? Did they go to school with Al-Qaeda? These cars are a disaster. I am 5'6", and not "large". The seats are too small for me. I pity the average 5'10" guy with a few extra pounds, and I think those over 6' qualify for federal disaster aid if they try to ride the train. There are no arm rests. Try a 1.5 hour ride where you have no place to put your arms. Try it. You will call Amnesty International. 6 cars. 1 bathroom. Guess which car fills first?
Next: The trains have the worst on-time rate of any system I have ever seen. Whether the cause is mechanical breakdown, "switching problems", or right-of-way delays (commuter trains have to give way to every other rail transport, including hand-cars, it seems), the Virginia Rail Express seems to arrive at my destination on time about 50 percent of the time. I know, airlines aren't much better, but how often do I fly?
There are benefits:
1) I can use my laptop. Sort of. I have an air card from Verizon. I just have to "reconnect" about 1,000 times along the way. Seems there are a lot of dead spots.
2) I can sleep...if you call dozing for 1 minute 60 times sleeping. Remember how comfortable the seats are?
3) I don't have to pay parking. Oh, wait. Yes I do. I pay my work for an underground space at my building. It took me 12 years to get that space as I waitied for people to retire. I am not giving it up just because I ride a train. What if I want to drive in? It happens.
4) My car is lasting longer. Good thing. I put 190K miles on it in 5 years. It's a Honda so it should go at least 300K before I have to get rid of it, not because it doesn't run, but just because I am so sick of driving it (hey - topic for another blog!).
5) There is scenery - the train travels North along the Potomac River - many beautiful sights.
I long for the day when someone learns how to make a comfortable train car. I long for the day when mass transit in the United states is as reliable as, say, the Soviet Union in 1935. I long for the day when I can ride an enclosed, elevated, moving walk-way all the way from the train station to the front door of my job. In other words, I am dreaming.
It's a long way from perfect. Heck, it's a long way from better-than-acceptable. But it's what we have, and it's what I will put up with since the environmental whack jobs refuse to let us: a) find new oil, b) burn coal, c) drill for oil, d) build nuclear power plants, e) build refineries, or f) basically become energy independent. As long as these loonies drive our politicians, we are at the mercy of the OPECS and the Chavezes of the world. So:
Happy training to me,
happy training to me.
happy #$!!$#**#%& training to me,
happy training to meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Monday, February 25, 2008
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Satellite Broadband (Not)
Live in a rural area with bad phone lines and no cable or DSL? Desparate for high-speed internet? Considering satellite?
I wouldn't take the plunge if I were you. Speaking from experience, I have both satellite and wireless (cell phone) internet access because I fall into the category listed above. My services are Verizon National Access (non-broadband) and Hughes Satellite Service (Broadband, or so they say).
The Verizon service costs me $60/month for unlimited access, and Hughes costs me $70/month for the medium plan of projected 1MB download and 200KB upload speeds.
So I pay $130/month for internet access. What do I get for this money?
Verizon gives me an "air card" that works on one computer at a time, or that can be plugged into a Kyocera router to create a wireless network. The speeds are good, but not broadband - typically around 100KB, which is better than the 18K my miserable phone lines allow with dialup. The router is at home, so I can use it there for all my PC's to access the wireless network, but when I take the card with me, my house is without internet. Verizon has no plans to change this.
So I fell for the Hughesnet ads, which are very attractive, with happily grinning people using their "broadband" from the high desert or a mountaintop, or an ocean island. This would be my home high-speed connection, and I would use my Verizon on the road.
The reality? I use my Verizon card at home almost as much as my Hughesnet.
Let's talk about Hughesnet Satellite:
1 - The speed at the practical end - my computer browser - is comparable to good dialup. Browser refreshes are moderate, and downloads are occasionally fast, but generally marginal. Visitors that check their email or other web sites at my house ask me "Don't you have broadband?"
2 - Storms, whether local or remote, can cause satellite failure. So the weather often causes loss of connection
3 - Multiple use in the house over the wireless connection causes the speed to vary dramatically. When my daughter is downloading songs and videos, I often have to ask her to stop so I can get my work done.
4 - Frequent browser refresh slowdowns are met with only one response from Hughesnet technical support: "run a satellite speed test". If the speed indicated by the test falls within the acceptable range (about 800K for 1MB service), they say "we can't do anything for you".
** note that I am semi-literate about PC's, and know how to clear cache, remove temporary files, and set cache sizes for optimal performance. I can also ensure that no wireless devices are interfering with the router. So why would 800K satellite speed appear as 24K dialup speed on my browser, and if there is an explanation, why can't Hughenet clue me in?
5 - There is a nasty little piece of Hughesnet policy called "fair use". This limits your downloads within short periods of time, say with network delivered movies like those provided by NetFlix. The first time we tried this service we made it 3/4 way through a good movie when we lost service. Nothing I tried worked, so the next day I called Hughesnet. It seems when I access movies I am "hogging" the shared bandwidth, so after 350MB Hughesnet "limits" my account for 24 hours. They will not reset it for any reason.
So there in a nutshell I have listed 5 reasons that I would not sign up for Hughesnet again if given the chance, knowing what I now do. Since I am on a 2-year contract with 1 year to go, I have no option but to pay my $70/month for another year.
Talking with other satellite users I have deteremined that my experience is not uncommon for satellite, regardless of the provider.
Therefore, I recommend that if you really need internet access because you have no cable or DSL and your dialup is useless, that you consider Verizon or another wireless provider, and skip the satellite for now.
My prediction is that you will hate satellite as I do. Not dislike it. Hate it.
If you experience what I have, you will get:
1 - dial up-like browser refreshes for the most part, regardless of indicated satellite "speed"
2 - interruption from storms or even cloudy skies
3 - slow response when others in your house access the internet at the same time as you
4 - low or no satisfaction from your technical "support" team
5 - hard limits on the amount of data you can download, jeopardizing attempts to watch videos or use "movies from your PC" services such as those offered by NetFlix.
If you choose to take the risk and sign up for satellite service, please feel free to commiserate with me by email or blog response after you have had a few weeks to experience internet access HELL
I wouldn't take the plunge if I were you. Speaking from experience, I have both satellite and wireless (cell phone) internet access because I fall into the category listed above. My services are Verizon National Access (non-broadband) and Hughes Satellite Service (Broadband, or so they say).
The Verizon service costs me $60/month for unlimited access, and Hughes costs me $70/month for the medium plan of projected 1MB download and 200KB upload speeds.
So I pay $130/month for internet access. What do I get for this money?
Verizon gives me an "air card" that works on one computer at a time, or that can be plugged into a Kyocera router to create a wireless network. The speeds are good, but not broadband - typically around 100KB, which is better than the 18K my miserable phone lines allow with dialup. The router is at home, so I can use it there for all my PC's to access the wireless network, but when I take the card with me, my house is without internet. Verizon has no plans to change this.
So I fell for the Hughesnet ads, which are very attractive, with happily grinning people using their "broadband" from the high desert or a mountaintop, or an ocean island. This would be my home high-speed connection, and I would use my Verizon on the road.
The reality? I use my Verizon card at home almost as much as my Hughesnet.
Let's talk about Hughesnet Satellite:
1 - The speed at the practical end - my computer browser - is comparable to good dialup. Browser refreshes are moderate, and downloads are occasionally fast, but generally marginal. Visitors that check their email or other web sites at my house ask me "Don't you have broadband?"
2 - Storms, whether local or remote, can cause satellite failure. So the weather often causes loss of connection
3 - Multiple use in the house over the wireless connection causes the speed to vary dramatically. When my daughter is downloading songs and videos, I often have to ask her to stop so I can get my work done.
4 - Frequent browser refresh slowdowns are met with only one response from Hughesnet technical support: "run a satellite speed test". If the speed indicated by the test falls within the acceptable range (about 800K for 1MB service), they say "we can't do anything for you".
** note that I am semi-literate about PC's, and know how to clear cache, remove temporary files, and set cache sizes for optimal performance. I can also ensure that no wireless devices are interfering with the router. So why would 800K satellite speed appear as 24K dialup speed on my browser, and if there is an explanation, why can't Hughenet clue me in?
5 - There is a nasty little piece of Hughesnet policy called "fair use". This limits your downloads within short periods of time, say with network delivered movies like those provided by NetFlix. The first time we tried this service we made it 3/4 way through a good movie when we lost service. Nothing I tried worked, so the next day I called Hughesnet. It seems when I access movies I am "hogging" the shared bandwidth, so after 350MB Hughesnet "limits" my account for 24 hours. They will not reset it for any reason.
So there in a nutshell I have listed 5 reasons that I would not sign up for Hughesnet again if given the chance, knowing what I now do. Since I am on a 2-year contract with 1 year to go, I have no option but to pay my $70/month for another year.
Talking with other satellite users I have deteremined that my experience is not uncommon for satellite, regardless of the provider.
Therefore, I recommend that if you really need internet access because you have no cable or DSL and your dialup is useless, that you consider Verizon or another wireless provider, and skip the satellite for now.
My prediction is that you will hate satellite as I do. Not dislike it. Hate it.
If you experience what I have, you will get:
1 - dial up-like browser refreshes for the most part, regardless of indicated satellite "speed"
2 - interruption from storms or even cloudy skies
3 - slow response when others in your house access the internet at the same time as you
4 - low or no satisfaction from your technical "support" team
5 - hard limits on the amount of data you can download, jeopardizing attempts to watch videos or use "movies from your PC" services such as those offered by NetFlix.
If you choose to take the risk and sign up for satellite service, please feel free to commiserate with me by email or blog response after you have had a few weeks to experience internet access HELL
Thursday, February 7, 2008
You know what? "NO".
Now I'm being asked to let bygones be bygones and support McCain.
You know what? "NO".
In 1991 President Bush raised taxes. He participated in, at that time, the largest single tax increase in U.S. history. I joined many other conservative republicans and issued a protest vote for Ross Perot. We killed ourselves. We gave us Clinton. Good God almighty we wrecked things for everyone for 8 years.
You know what? I don't care. I am fixin' to do it again. Democrats have no integrity. They can do or say whatever they want. They own that MO. We don't need to join them. When principles are at stake, they need to be stood up for. Bush 41 did not, and he suffered the wrath of his party.
Now it is McCain's turn. He has spit on conservative principles and on conservatives far too many times to be forgiven just because he is the nominee. Screw that. He is not a conservative. He does not have integrity. From Amnesty to taxes, abortion to Swift Boaters, and judges to marriage. He is on the wrong side of every issue. Not only that, but he has used stealth and subtrefuge to block honest conservative efforts in all areas, to compromise with the opposition (Democrats), and to disparage and discourage conservatives everywhere all during Bush 43's two terms in office.
I for one will not forgive McCain. I for one will not support McCain. And if I contribute to submitting the country to the disaster of Democrat rule for the next 4 years, so be it. If a liberal is going to be in office, it should at least be a liberal in both function and label. Not a liberal dishonestly masking himself as a conservative to get power.
If McCain becomes president I will only hope and pray that the office will make the man. It has happened before, and I wouldn't rule out the chance. But I will not lift a finger to help him get there.
For the first presidential election in my life since I have been able to vote, I choose to stay home.
You know what? "NO".
In 1991 President Bush raised taxes. He participated in, at that time, the largest single tax increase in U.S. history. I joined many other conservative republicans and issued a protest vote for Ross Perot. We killed ourselves. We gave us Clinton. Good God almighty we wrecked things for everyone for 8 years.
You know what? I don't care. I am fixin' to do it again. Democrats have no integrity. They can do or say whatever they want. They own that MO. We don't need to join them. When principles are at stake, they need to be stood up for. Bush 41 did not, and he suffered the wrath of his party.
Now it is McCain's turn. He has spit on conservative principles and on conservatives far too many times to be forgiven just because he is the nominee. Screw that. He is not a conservative. He does not have integrity. From Amnesty to taxes, abortion to Swift Boaters, and judges to marriage. He is on the wrong side of every issue. Not only that, but he has used stealth and subtrefuge to block honest conservative efforts in all areas, to compromise with the opposition (Democrats), and to disparage and discourage conservatives everywhere all during Bush 43's two terms in office.
I for one will not forgive McCain. I for one will not support McCain. And if I contribute to submitting the country to the disaster of Democrat rule for the next 4 years, so be it. If a liberal is going to be in office, it should at least be a liberal in both function and label. Not a liberal dishonestly masking himself as a conservative to get power.
If McCain becomes president I will only hope and pray that the office will make the man. It has happened before, and I wouldn't rule out the chance. But I will not lift a finger to help him get there.
For the first presidential election in my life since I have been able to vote, I choose to stay home.
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