We bought the boat yesterday. Now we’ve got to figure out how to own it. There is a lot to learn. Fortunately, there is a boater safety course given at the end of the month. Kelly and I hope to attend.
NC DOJ Alerts Veterans To Their Privacy Rights
I got this in my inbox from North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper. Looks legit.
—
A few months ago, we learned the staggering news that 26.5 million
veterans, military personnel and their families were at risk of identity
theft because their personal information was stolen from the federal
government. Although they don’t believe this personal information has
been misused, we have no way of knowing for sure.
The brave men and women whose information was stolen deserve added
protection from identity thieves who would tarnish their credit and
their good names. That’s why I pushed through a new law to allow North
Carolina military personnel, veterans and their families to freeze their
credit for free.
Here is a letter to North Carolina veterans, members of US Armed
Forces and members of the NC National Guard explaining their right to a
security freeze and a tip sheet with step-by-step instructions for
placing a security freeze on their credit. Also available is a sample
letter that can be used to request a free security freeze. I hope you
will take advantage of this opportunity and also share this information
widely with each member of your organization or association. For more
information, please visit my website at www.ncdoj.com
Sincerely,
Roy Cooper
Now Everyone Knows He’s A Loser
I’ve never liked Joe Lieberman. He’s needed a good smacking for a while now (and no, not the George W. Bush kind of smack).
Last night Ned Lamont did the real smacking. Here’s hoping its the end of Holy Joe’s political career.
Plensa Art
After last night’s demonstration of Plensa’s art for Fayetteville Street (or “F Street” for the hip), I have to admit that I’m starting to warm up to the idea. I’m not gung-ho for it, but I’m not as resistant as I was. Call me neutral. There are plenty of issues still to be worked out, but I think they’ll be ironed out to everyone’s satisfaction. If local community icon Jim Goodman still wants to bankroll most of the cost, I suppose I can keep an open mind about it. He’s putting an awful lot of money where his mouth is.
Today the city council voted to send the project through the Arts Commission. I took this as a supportive sign for the project, as I believe a vote by the council itself likely would’ve been negative at this stage.
I think Plensa needs to take a look at the finished F Street and see how much it differs from his earlier view of it. If he can bring his vision in line with ours on our new main street, I believe we may have something to really be proud about.
Do It Yourself Meter Reading
I wonder if the new electric meter that we got is hackable? Not to adjust the power readings or anything illegal, but to remotely read the power load at any time?
Progress Energy provides a handy graph with each power bill, showing power use on a monthly basis. I’d like to monitor the load on a hourly basis (or better) by querying the power meter from my computer.
Anyone know of anything that does this?
Product Warning Message Of The Year
I’m looking to replace the backlight in one of my laptops. JKL Components makes replacement backlights.
I got a kick out of what they say on their warning page:
The inverter is a high voltage electrical source and will give you a substantial shock, which could be dangerous if you have a pacemaker or are in any other way cybernetically modified.
Heh.
Landis Aftermath
Sunday brought the news that Tour De France winner Floyd Landis had been dreading: his B-sample test came back positive for testosterone. The lab that did the testing is not without suspicion itself, having claimed unsuccessfully that Lance Armstrong was doping. If it were a case of Landis alone triggering doping allegations, I might be inclined to believe he cheated. However, this same lab went round and round with Lance in what could very well be called a smear campaign. Suspicions are raised about the lab’s motives when it blatantly leaks (ha!) testing information to the press before the backup sample has even been tested. The athlete confidentiality rules somehow have gone out the window.
The climb Landis has to regain his credibility is taller than any peak he’s faced in the Alps. Yet he may be telling the truth. From what I understand about testosterone doping, he would have had to have done it far longer than one stage alone in order to gain any benefit from it. He was tested multiple times before Stage 17 and multiple times afterward yet only one sample tested positive. If he was doping it should have been readily apparent long before the first allegation. He’s either telling the truth or he’s incredibly inept at doping. Frankly, I have a harder time believing he could be that stupid.
In spite of this week’s sanctions against Landis, and until he says it himself, I’m still not ready to call him a cheat.
Boated Most Popular
Savvy MT.Net readers might have noticed a few nautically-themed pictures in the gallery. There was also this post of lyrics to a sailing-themed song. Putting two and two together might lead you to guess that we’ve been looking at buying a boat. And you’d be right. On our “date day” two weekends ago, Kelly and I drove down Leesville Road from the stables to Lake Crabtree for some sailing. We passed this boat with a “for sale” sign on it and decided to have a closer look at it once we were done sailing. While Kelly waited in the car, I spent 5 minutes walking around it taking pictures.
The next day I called the owner, who proceeded to talk my ear off about the boat. He was sailing it because his family was growing to three kids and could no longer fit on it. I made arrangements for Ralph, my sailing mate, to take a look at it with me, which he did tonight. Soon after returning home and discussing it with Kelly, we made the decision to buy it.
It’s a 1985 Spindrift 22, similar to this one. It has a trailer, plenty of room for the family, sink, stove, motor, marine radio, and cd player. And its in great shape. Ralph was really impressed with its condition, which gave me comfort.
I’ve been sailing for sixteen years but this is the first boat I’ve ever owned. Things are a bit different when you’re the owner. Kelly and I both have a lot to learn about its care and feeding, though the sailing part should be a cinch.
We’re imagining a future where we spend weekends with the kids sailing around. I think early exposure to sailing will open up whole worlds for our kids. Hallie is excited about it and I know Travis will love it, too.
Once we’ve got it ready to go I’ll be happy to take MT.Net readers out for a cruise. Ahoy!
City Manager Passes on Plensa Art Project
Amen to Raleigh City Manager Russell Allen for speaking out against the Plensa-designed art project for downtown Fayetteville Street. I love the idea of public art but this particular art doesn’t make any sense.
I can’t help but think that stringing up wires with LEDs is going to attract pigeons, which will then add their own, uh, “artwork” to the wires and anyone foolish enough to be under them. The LEDs likely won’t be bright enough to be seen during the daytime, especially if they’re viewed with the sky in the background (i.e., from the ground). And what happens when it snows or ices? Boom, the whole thing comes down in an expensive, tangled mess.
I’m all for world-class, signature art. I really am. I just don’t think bird-magnet LED netting is the message we want to send to the world. If Plensa wants to take a second swing at this, let’s let him come up with something bold. Bold but fitting, too. Let’s work towards having the PR this thing generates be good PR and do it right the first time.
Let’s pull the plug on the LEDs. Please.
Sailing Takes Me (And Hallie) Away
We spent Sunday with the Naylors at their Lake Gaston lakehouse. As always, it was great to see them as well as David, Anna, and Wesley; Hallie and Travis’s new cousin. We visited a bit before having lunch. Kelly dressed the kids in life vests and sunscreen and then we brought them down to the edge of the lake. It was so hot and muggy that Travis practically fell alseep standing up. I was holding his hand on the dock and he was actually flopping around. I think the tight vest, sun, and heat made him sleepy.
Kelly took Hallie out on the rowboat before lunch for a quick ride. After she put Travis down for his nap, it was my turn to take Hallie out – this time on a sailboat. She joined Ralph, Matthew, and me for a rather show and unexciting sail around the lake. She was a great sport and loved it when the wind would gust. The heat eventually got to her, though, and she declared she was sleepy. I asked her if she’d like to take a nap and she replied “but I have to wave to the boats!” That was the “job” I gave her and she was so dedicated she didn’t want to miss a boat!
Once we came in, we enjoyed a great game of UNO, with Kelly, me, Hallie and Suzzanne playing. Hallie really enjoyed playing, until it became apparent the game was going to go on forever. Then she excused herself and Kelly, Suzzanne, and I played for a good 30-45 minutes more. Smart girl, that Hallie.
We relaxed for the rest of the afternoon, said our goodbyes, and headed home, rolling in around 7:30. We put the kids to bed and spent the rest of the evening catching up on things. It was a very fun, relaxing day.
See Kelly’s account on the Hallie and Travis page.