My excellent Cable TV Adventure

Thursday, I get a postcard from Comcast, my cable company informing me that my 10 years old analog cable box will have to be replaced by June 1st. I call the Comcast 800 number and ask if I can exchange the box for a new one at the local office. Yes, I can.

Off to the local office with the old box. A good omen when I arrive. There's NO LINE.

OK, there's ALWAYS A LINE at the local Comcast office. Swapping the box went very quickly. The nice man behind the counter said I'd have everything I have on the old box, "and a few more channels".

Holy Crap! I've got TCM, Science Channel, National Geographic, BBC America (Benny Hill! Avengers!), IFC, Sundance, several WGHB (Boston PBS) channels, a bunch of Encore channels,History International, G4, etc, etc, etc!

Just about 160 channels. Some of which I'll never watch, like Golf Channel, any country music or rap/hip-hop channel, practically all of the GodBotherer channels.

I would have had this a couple of years ago if Comcast had made it clear that for what I was paying for 80 analog channels would get me 160 digital channels.

Happy Happy Joy Joy!

The Game Is Afoot

It looks like I may have a "new" Macintosh sooner rather than later.

1.25 Ghz MDD (Mirrored Door Drive) Power Macintosh.

Life in Boston

Wednesday, it was 70 degrees (F) here in Boston.

Today, Friday, it's 25 degrees (F) and snowing.

Tonight, it'll be in the 30s and raining.

Right now, I'm having a "Lone Gunmen" marathon.

This weekend, I'll likely finish off the "Ghost in The Shell: Stand Alone Complex" box set. (Thanks, Keith!)

Some progress with the All In One.

Successfully (so far!) changed out the 266 Mhz CPU with the 450 Mhz CPU from the dead Blue and White.

Due to the nature of the AIO logic board/jumper settings, the CPU is running at 466 Mhz. I can kick it up to 500 Mhz, but for the time being, this is fast enough for me. If it's stable over the next few days at 466, I'll kick it up to 500 Mhz.

If/When I am able to get the G4 I want, this All In One will be properly reconfigured as the backup machine. If possible, I'll have it backing up the Eudora address book and mail folders on the G4 once a day, along with the browser bookmark file.

I can run OS X, 10.2 on this machine. 10.2 at 500 Mhz, with sutiable versions of Eudora, FireFox and Graphic Converter would go a long way towards making this a suitable long term backup machine in the event the G4 craps out.

Another option is to add this AIO to the local network and use it as the printer and scanner interface/Photoshop machine. I've a Wacom graphics tablet that isn't supported under OS X, but works wonderfully well under OS 9. A CD/RW would also go well installed in the AIO.

I am SO going to need a bigger desk if I do this.

Aout the only really annoying thing is that I can't download pictures from my camera via the USB cable. I need to get a memory card reader. Looks like I'm off to Micro Center to get the cheapest one they have that'll read SD cards.

In other news, I picked up a used and working FIreWire USB hard drive enclosure, complete with 70 GB hard drive. Works fine. I think this'll be the system backup drive.

Getting by via the All In One

I have a working browser and email, and enough bookmarks and addresses to suffice for the time being.

Installed the RAM from the dead Mac to this All In One, so I've now got 512 MB in place. No more out of memory complaints from THIS computer.

I'll install the OS 9 harddrive soemtime this weekend and if I can find the details, I'll change out the 266 stock CPU with the 450 Mhz CPU.

I'm waiting to hear back on the 1 Ghz G4 machine.

If I can get that, I'll be doing the happy monkey dance all OVER the place!

Massive Hardware Malfunction

My Macintosh G3 Blue and White, running OS X 10.3.9 died tonight.

So, things are going to be hectic around here for a while.

I'm currently using my old Macintosh All In One. I'll be transplanting the hard drives from the Blue and White into the All In One later tonight. That'll give me access to my email address book and my browser bookmarks.

Needless to say, I am very annoyed. I'm going to see if I can get a replacement logic board and hope that it's just the original logic board that went bad.

A hypothetical question

"It had a very sinister appearance,"

So does Dick Cheney.

[Massachusetts Attorney General Martha] Coakley told reporters. "It had a battery behind it, and wires."

So does Dick Cheney's heart.

Does this mean that we can get the Boston Bomb Squad to blow up Dick Cheney?

Boston has the best trash

It's a Pentium III, running XP Pro. I have yet to get past the login screen, but then, I only tried for a few moments.

Addendum. I just finished cleaning all the gunk off the outside. Dust and dirt and whoknows whatall. Looks much better.

Still reeks of stale cigarette smoke, though. I'll tackle cleaning the inside sometime this weekend.

The keyboard, a Packard Bell P.O.S. will be disposed of shortly. It's filthy, the keys are sticky and there appears to be dried cough syrup on it. ICK!

I'll be scouring the usual thrift stores for a proper IBM Model "M" keyboard. Until I find one, I'll just grab something compatible and clean from the pile at the Goodwill in Davis Square.

For all I know, this thing might just wind up in the corner, running the MATRIX screensaver. Or, it might actually be useful in some hitherto unforeseeable fashion.

What a bargain

Cozy studio in the trendy Ashmont neighborhood. Lots of light. Just steps from the Red Line! Intercom system. Shopping and dining nearby. Needs a little work. Asking $100k. No pets!

Dear Ms. Coulter:

"Well, THERE'S your problem!"

Urban Decay

An old mural at the MBTA subway stop in Ashmont.
Rust conquers all, it seems.

Well, THERE'S your problem!

The Boston Police Department's Bomb Squad apparently employs Snorks.