Motorcycle Accidents

Before anyone is concerned, I wasn't in an accident.

Two friends of mine have been involved in motorcycle accidents in the last few weeks. Taylor was in a fairly serious accident earlier this month that landed him in the hospital and totaled his bike.

I just got an email from Sonya about an accident that she was a witness to and as a doctor, a first responder. She sent me this little bit from the local paper:

PRESCOTT -- One woman died and another received injuries Thursday night when a car and a motorcycle collided on Montezuma Street just north of Sheldon Street in Prescott, police said.

Police said the driver of the motorcycle was not wearing a helmet.

In spite of this, I'm not about to stop riding. I simply don't have the patience to sit in Bay Area traffic. I take some precautions and do what I can to minimize the risks, but I'm not going to live in a bubble.

Hacking the TiVo

Anyone that has had a TiVo knows that it's the best thing ever. I don't watch a lot of TV to begin with, but it allows me watch the shows that I want when I want. If you don't have one, go get one. I'm not kidding, they're that good.

I used to have a stand alone TiVo when I had basic cable. Shortly after I purchased it, TiVo released version 4.0 which added the "Home Media Option". It allows you to use your DSL connection to download updates as well as play MP3s or view photos over the network. Folders were added to the Now Playing list, which simplified organization for a large playlist. The only problem with the SA TiVo is that it can only record one channel at a time.

When I bought my house, I opted for DirecTV since they offer a TiVo tuner that can record 2 channels at once as well as play a program from the hard disk. The biggest disappointment with the DirecTivo was the small recording capacity (35 hours). Another let down was that it ran the version 3.1.1 software. This version didn't support networking, HMO or folders and felt like a step backwards.

The capacity issue was a simple fix. Following the Hinsdale HOWTO, I replaced the stock drive with a 160gb drive, bringing up the total capacity to about 140 hours.

Recently TiVo and DirecTV released version 6.2. This adds folders to the Now Playing list, and has networking and HMO code, though it's disabled. The kernel also supports LBA48 which will enable the use of a drive larger than 137gb.

Since I already increased the size of the drive in my TiVo, I can't do it again and keep my recordings, which sucks. Since I now have a 400gb drive left over from my failed XBox experiment, I'd love to put it into the TiVo and wind up with 400 hours of capacity. I don't want to lose my recordings, since we still have season 4 of 24 and season 3 of The Shield to watch.

I knew that it was possible to hack the system in such a way that allowed me to copy from the TiVo to the computer and then back to the TiVo later.

After doing some research on the various forums, I can across Gunnyman's "UnGuide" which served as a good resource for enabling the basic networking, HMO and TivoWebPlus hacks. It also disables the CSO encryption so that new recordings can be played back on the computer or on other TiVos. This was a good start, since it allowed me to setup the network and telnet into the TiVo.

The next step was to enable mfs_ftp, followed by installing the Series 2 binaries and new mfs_stream. Then, because 6.2 lacks some system calls from the SA TiVos, you also have to replace the tzoffset.tcl script. At this point, mfs_ftp will run and I can pull shows off.

Next was to get TyTools running. It's almost simple, just download the package and install the tserver binary on the TiVo. Of course, the included tserver doesn't work. A little searching turned up a this collection of binaries that has a newer tserver that works properly.

(Now several days later ...)

I got the decryption part working and have managed to download several shows and make some DVD files. Yay!

I might put more notes on how I got the kernel Monte working later, maybe not.

Working for a psycopath

I just read a blurb on Slashdot about corporate psycopaths and decided I'd try the test that FastCompany.com is posting. The subject is question is Nirav Tolia, the CEO of epinions.com (now shopping.com) while I worked there.

The test scores 2 for a yes, 1 for a maybe, and 0 for a no.

[1] Is he glib and superficially charming?
Yes, most certainly. 2 points.

[2] Does he have a grandiose sense of self-worth?
Again, for certain. 2 points.

[3] Is he a pathological liar?
It's been documented that he forged acceptance papers to Harvard medical school. I'm going to have to go with yes. 2 points.

[4] Is he a con artist or master manipulator?
Given that he ripped of employees and investors when epinions.com was bought out and made away with something like 20 million, I'm going to have to go with yes. 2 points.

[5] When he harms other people, does he feel a lack of remorse or guilt?
I have no idea. Maybe, maybe no. Being generous, I'll say no. 0 points.

[6] Does he have a shallow affect?
He made used car salesmen seem a little less slimey in comparison. 2 points.

[7] Is he callous and lacking in empathy?
Given the way that business was run under him, and that he screwed the other founders of the company, I'm going to have to go with yes. 2 points.

[8] Does he fail to accept responsibility for his own actions?
There's a lawsuit in process dealing with the way that he handled the buyout of epinions and the shopping.com IPO. He took the money and ran, so I'm going to have to go with yes. 2 points.


Total: 14

If your boss scores:
13-16 | Be very afraid

Exercise & Fitness

I managed to get up and go running again this morning, another 2 miles. I'd like to do it at least 5 days a week and then start upping my mileage to about 4 miles. I was able to do finish a 4 mile run in about 35 minutes a few months back, oh how I've lost progress.

Still, I think if I can do 20+ miles a week it's a good start. Maybe throw in a 8+ mile run on the weekends, or do some hill running.

I need new running shoes. My über expensive New Balance 1221 shoes are the first ones to not give me blisters in a while, but the lining in the heal cup has worn and I'm starting to get blisters again. I'm not sure what I can do to prevent the same wear in my next pair. These only have a few hundred miles on them, probably less than 1000, and at $130 a pair I don't want to replace them too often.

Of course, this probably means a trip to the NB store in SF to make sure that the fitment is right. Hopefully my current pair can be salvaged. I hope I won't need a different size or if my shoes are just worn out. Because I'm an impatient bastard, I'll probably buy the new pair there at a premium.

Going to the store will give me a good opportunity to buy some trail running shoes too. Ambo has wanted to do more hiking lately. I can get in a run while she hikes with Sibrina.

I'm trying to get back into the gym more, but I'm just not feeling that motivated. Part of it is having met my goal last year, part of it is having fallen head over heals, and part of it is just feeling worn down when I get home from work. I think I'm going to start going in the mornings (which is typically a bad time for me to work out) because I won't have an excuse not to go later.

I also need a new but reasonable goal. I've accepted the fact that I'll never have a lot of sheer muscle mass; it's just not my body type. My goal last time was to have a 6-pack stomach by the New Year. (It's still kinda there, but not quite as pronounced due to my slacking and Warcraft.)

My new goal is to get my body fat percentage down to about 8-9%. It shouldn't be that hard, I'm around 11-12% now so it really just comes down to losing about 5-7 pounds and maintaining (or adding to) my current muscle.

A more long-term goal is to do a marathon next year. I said I would do it this year, but knee problems kinda killed that hope. I'm also going to (finally) do the Bay to Breakers. Hopefully Sonya will come out and run it with me; we've only been talking about doing it for 10 years.

Running

I just got back from the first run I've taken in a while. Only 2 miles, but it was enough to feel good yet still hurt a little. I need run more often... I got out of the habit after my knees started bothering me back in November.

Breaking the Law?

Foster City is a dull and boring place, which is why I live there. Part of that is the somewhat zealous police force.

A stretch of my commute through Foster City takes me down a 3-lane boulevard. Driving along this bit of road this morning I was behind someone who was going slower than I preferred to. I changed lanes from the #1 (far left) lane to the #2 lane (middle) and accelerated to pass, reaching a mind bending 50-ish MPH in a 40 zone. While I was doing this, I noticed a police cruiser in the left turn lane. I slowed down to a more reasonable 35-40 before passing him.

After I passed, the cruiser drove straight across the intersection and changed to the #3 (far right) lane, accelerated and pulled along side me long enough to throw the stink eye. He passed me then changed lanes back to the #1 lane[1] (throwing another stink eye in his mirror while in front of me) and slowed. I'm sure that, had I been going straight at that light, I would have been lit up after the intersection. The section of road leading up to the light didn't have a shoulder, so there wouldn't have been anywhere to pull me over. I'm sure that's what kept me out of the road side disco.

[1] Why is it that cops drive like total asses, but gleefully pull us over for the same behavior? Oh yeah, because most of them are pricks. (I don't feel this way about the CHP and most sheriff departments; I reserve my ire for municipal police.)

Weekend Aftermath

Saturday started out with a list of chores[1], some of them household and some of them wedding related. We actually made a list. First stop - Costco. I should have stopped after that.

Like most men I know, I need to organize the garage. The first order of business is to get rid of Steve's gas-powered scooter and its box. The second is to get some shelves so that I can reclaim a small portion of space and keep more than a few boxes and motorcycles. After his accident, Steve doesn't really want the scooter any more, and he'd left the receipt from Costco and box at my house when he moved. Costco has a pretty good prices on some sturdy metal shelves and it's nearby, so it was the first destination.

I'm not sure what it is about shopping that makes people stick their collective head up their ass, but Costco seems to encourage it. It could be that I haven't looked closely enough, but there may be a gigantic tube of lube just inside the door to aid with insertion. In any case, I was pushing around one of the large palette carts with 150lbs of shelving on it, and people kept jumping in front of me and stopping. After a while, I lost the will to stop. Only my dislike of dealing with people kept me from breaking someone off at the ankles and dealing with the subsequent drama.

Disaster narrowly diverted, we returned home, unloaded and reloaded the car, and departed once again. Destination: REI.

We dropped Ambo's bike off at the on-site bike shop and debated with the counter guy about just what kind of service it needed.[2] We also bought a bike rack for the garage and new tires and tubes for my sadly neglected bike. Ok, so that bit was boring. The only thing of note was the parking lot. This particular REI has a very small lot. The difference in distance from really far and really close is all of 50 feet. Yet, when looking for parking, there was a backup because an idiot in a 3-series was waiting for another car to pull out of a close spot. I drove around and found parking 10 feet further from the front door. The Horror.

Since it was down the street, we stopped in downtown San Carlos for some taquerria. Mmm. Afterwards we walked around a bit and went into some jewellers. The first one we walked into didn't really have anything like what we were looking for, and the women behind the counter basically ignored us. The woman at the second shop was much more accomodating and had a ring close to what we want. She had some titanium mens' rings as well, but recommended that we purchase mine online. I can't decide between an anodized titanium ring and a tungsten and platinum ring.

We passed an antique store on the way back to the car, which we went into.[3] We stopped at a Hallmark and bought Leia slave girl and Darth Vader Christmas ornaments.

One of the last things on the list was to get (or at least look at) a tuxedo for me. First, we had to stop at BevMo and get some booze.

I was pertty certain that there was a Men's Wearhouse at the local mall (there isn't) so we stopped by. The mall was truly the last straw. You could hear my will snap and my sanity run out like so much water. We made a quick exit[4] and headed to finish the last of the chores at Michael's. We passed the Men's Wearhouse on our way out.[5]

After Michael's (nothing of interest happened there) I made myself a drink and played World of Warcraft for too long. I deserved it -- We'd completed almost everything on the list other than the laundry, and even then we made a pretty big dent in the piles of dirty laundry.

Sunday was less interesting ... and I need to actually do some work now, so maybe later.

[1] Actually, it started with me waking up and making some pancakes and coffee.

[2] The answer, quite clearly, is a lot.

[3] It was my idea, even. I am not very smart.

[4] Well as quick as one can make when leaving the mall. I managed to block an intersection while I was at it and get yelled at by some old guy in a minivan, too. Hot.

[5] We also passed a guy who looked very hard-core rocker, other than the Mervyn's bag in his hand. I would have expected Hot Topic at least.

More from last night

A few more random thoughts...

We spent some time walking around the Mission last night looking for food. There's lots of stuff happening down there on a Friday night, far more than my suburban mind could grasp. It would be cool to live in a place like the Mission, but it would almost require a lifestyle change for me. Ignoring that I couldn't afford to buy a place there, I've got my toys and my things and I kinda like having them. One of the niceties of suburban life is the ability to acquire stuff.

There was this older woman at the club last night (I'm guessing in her 60s at least) who was stumbling drunk and rocking out to TMODM. It was really sad to see. She was missing a few teeth and just looked haggard. There was a late-middle aged guy there as well, I'm guessing in his 50s, who was also plastered. He wasn't making as much of a scene but still caught my attention. Hooray for substance abuse.

After Jucifer got cancelled[1], we were hanging out by the merch counter, which is where Ambo got her picture with Amber. Amber is pretty cool, she didn't seem too rock star. When Jucifer takes off (I'm sure they will) I hope that doesn't change.

She said that they had played a few cords when setting up earlier that night and it had been much louder than the opener bands. That would have been awesome, but would have gotten things shut down right away. But at least we would have gotten to see them play.

It turns out that the next album is being held up by their label, so of course, they're looking for a new label. Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys, now running the Alternative Tentacle label) was there. Ambo regrets that she didn't just go grab Jello, tell him "Hey, Jucifer is looking for a new label" and pull him over to talk. Sure, his label doesn't push quite what Jucifer is selling, but he's got good contacts with The Melvins, and their label would be a good fit I think.

I'm going to talk to a friend who used to be a roadie for Marilyn Manson, since he might still have contacts with Nothing records. Again, probably not the best fit but it would be close.

[1] Honestly, what kind of douchebag buys a place in the Mission and then complains about noise? I'll bet he also complains about the bums, traffic and all the Mexicans.

San Francisco Sucks

I don't go out to see bands that often, so when I do it's usually pretty memorable. Tonight was different, of course, since I didn't actually get to see that band that I wanted to.

Jucifer, one of Ambo's favorite bands was playing in the Mission at the 12 Galaxies club. They are really good, and I say that even though I'm not really into metal.

The first opener sucked. Don't know the name of the band, don't care.

The second opener Turn Me On Dead Man didn't suck, but wasn't anything special. The lead guitarist / vocals was way too rock star, which I found to be a bit of a turn off. The had a few "Orange" amps, which I only noticed because Chris had been telling me about the Orange and Green amps at the Om show we went to. Towards the end of their set, a SFPD officer was standing near the sound booth with a sound meter.

After the show, the cop was back. Turns out that they had been too loud and the show was getting shut down for the night. Fuck.

Jello Biafra was there (his label had recently signed TMODM) which was interesting.

Ambo got her picture taking with Amber Valentine (yay!), who said that Ambo had cool hair.