Month: October 2023

Gold Shirts or Red Shirts? Halloween Costume Decisions

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Last year my Halloween costume was a Star Trek the Original Series (TOS, yes I use the short codes to denote the different versions) Gold Command shirt. It was all I could get at short short notice. I would have preferred the Next Generation Red command shirt. They did not have it in stock.

This year I again wanted to get a next generation style shirt. The big question was what color to get? Do I get Red for command? Or Gold for Security? If I used my real world job to sort me I am in Security so Gold. Yet I am in and have been in leadership positions for a while so Red for command? I was torn at what to do. Availability or lack of the red command. Shirts dictated that I purchased one of the gold security shirts. That means I can be either an original series commander or next generation security.

This year I will go with the Next Generation Security Gold. After that I am not sure what I will do. Do I go get a Red command shirt or keep the Gold Security? Or go Gold command from the original series.

Questions like that and Bounty vs Kit Kat are going through my mind at the moment.

If you are reading this and don’t know Star Trek very well, you might’ve noticed that I mentioned the original series, gold command and next generation red command colors. In the original series, it was gold for command, red for security and engineering, and blue for medical. In the next generation and all other series, after that they change the colours where red was command and gold was security and engineering.

Maybe I have a Hoarding Problem

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So saving one or maybe 3 of something “just in case” is ok. Having 15 micro SD to SD card adapters is likely past the point of being considered a hoarder.

If having 15 was borderline hoarder then realizing I did not even have a slot on my computer to use the SD card adapters most likely put me over the top.

Classic Text to Speech Voices

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Siri

I do not know why I find it funny every time I hear the automated announcements from Amtrak or the LIRR for that matter too. It’s 2023 (almost 2024). In the age of Siri and Google Assistant sounding almost like real people, Amtrak is sticking with a voice that reminds me of (because it’s the exact voice) a text to speech voice used in bad (and good) YouTube video voice overs from 2009.

London or all of England Train announcements are made by real people or pre recorded by people. Amtrak is at least trying to be modern with a full text to speech system. Or cheap, since they don’t have to hire voice actors. I think this particular voice was so widely used because it was free.

So what sounds more modern the old school person recordings or the synthetic one that is literally used in cheap cartoons?

Why Do We Always Have to Choose Between Convenience and Privacy?

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It was a bit disturbing how fast using Global Entry got me through Passport Control at JFK today. I did not show my passport at all. I just had my picture taken and then walked by a guy at a terminal and he said my name as I walked by saying I was good to go. Entire process was maybe 2 minutes including the one minute for a kiosk to open up to let me take my photo.

In one way that entire process was right out of several movies. So cool us. On the other hand is having a US government agency have my facial recognition profile on file for a few minutes quicker passport control? I am struggling to answer that after looking at the passport control line as I walked briskly to the exit.

Spoilers, I am in New York for 3 days this weekend. Surprise everyone I did not mention that to. That is not the focus of this post but kind of a tip off that I am in the states going through Global Entry. This trip may spawn some other posts especially since I may have time to write while further traveling.

40 Year Old Ice Cream Anyone?

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The title says it all. This is a bag of 40 year old astronaut ice cream I got when we went to Cape Kennedy around 1983. Recently I did notice that bag is not vacuum sealed like it was when purchased. I am thinking it needs to go into a hermetically sealed container. I am afraid of the world ending bacteria that may be in it after 40 years.

Still it is a piece of my childhood so I did not toss it out. Yet….

W Sisters Short on Cleaning Up

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paddington Bear 2 traveling

I was checking with M about when/if the girls were going to put their bikes away. They were in our entry hallway and it was a bit crowded. Her response was that if the girls clean their room they would be able to go biking later when the rain stopped. Thus the bikes were still out and not in the shed. M continued that the girls previously said they cleaned their room. She mentioned she would go check in a bit.

A heard M say that from the other room. A then stops what she’s doing and said “I need to go up to my room for a minute to check on something.” I am pretty sure that was slightly transparent code for let me finish tidying up some books.

Full disclosure I find this funnier since I wrote it circa 2019 and never published it. Still funny though.

Tube Etiquette Question

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London Underground

If someone thinks it is ok to play loud videos on the train without headphones, is it ok to talk about said people as if they are not there? They are ignoring everyone else is around, can’t we in discussing their rudeness ignore that they are around? It doesn’t violate the first rule of tube travel, never make eye contact so I am not sure if it is an acceptable fix for that situation…

Let The Waiting For The Raspberry Pi 5 Begin…

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So of course I pre-ordered the Raspberry Pi 5 (8gb) after I saw that it was announced. Sadly I missed the announcement by a day or two. I then saw the guidance that by the time I pre-ordered it would have to wait till sometime in early 2024 to receive it.

I also saw even after the launch if you subscribed to either of two Pi magazines you could get yours straight away. Yes I almost subscribed, but i am proud of myself for not doing it and waiting patiently. Or am I?