I’ve done enough hiking, mountain biking, and bicycle touring to be able to get a GPS signal on my iPhone 3G (OS 3.1.2), but no map showing my position due to a lack of a cellular connection. While an iPhone is no substitute for a “real” GPS, it would still be nice to have the maps stored offline for more “casual” outings. This procedure will only work on a jailbroken phone, if you don’t have one, or don’t even know what that means, don’t read any further! Continue reading →
Using Two Routers with One Internet Connection
This new project all started when I bought an internet capable Blu-ray player for the downstairs TV. Rather than get a player with a wireless internet connection, I saved money by getting one with a wired connection.
So how to get the ethernet cable to the player? My DSL modem is in the garage, and I have a network cable going upstairs to my wireless router. Running a new wire from the upstairs router to the player would have meant too many holes in the walls. Continue reading →
New TV, Blu-ray Player(s), and Netflix!
Regular readers of this space know I’m not a big TV watcher. In fact, when I was home alone for a week, the TV didn’t even get turned on once! So I’ve been able to keep my TV/landline/internet monthly payments to a minimum. At home the network channels come in crystal clear with a digital TV antenna, so we pay about $55/month for landline/internet. Over the air TV reception is impossible at our mountain rental cabin, but we only pay $11/month for network channels and a few others through an unadvertised Dish network package. But the bigger cost savings (as described in a previous post) is the $15/month for DSL without needing to get landline service! Continue reading →
Tour of California 2010, Stage 6 Photos and Videos
Here are some photos and videos of the Stage 6 of the Tour of California as it passed through Wrightwood earlier today.
I laughed when I read this after the race: “The field has made a right hand turn onto the hump between Wrightwood and the descent. It’s a very steep ramp lined by what appears to be the entire population of the town.”
What did the kiddo like best about the race? The packet of jelly beans tossed out the window by the Jelly Belly team support car! Continue reading →
WP Plugin for Sending Blog Posts to Facebook
Previously, I had imported blog posts into my Facebook notes. The problem was that Facebook would take a really long time to repost the blog entry as a note. So now this post is to test the FT FacePress II WordPress plugin. This should put a link to my blog post in my status, rather than reposting it as a note. If a link to this post shows up on my Facebook page on Wednesday morning, then the plugin worked as expected! Continue reading →
Landline Phone Service – Long Term Plans
My landline doesn’t get much use anymore, and so it is really hard to justify paying the monthly fee – especially when I have to deal with billing issues as described in the last couple of posts. But I’ve had the same number for well over ten years and don’t want to lose it. Continue reading →
Local Toll Call Overcharging – Update
Here’s a brief recap of my situation I discussed in my previous post. Up until about a year ago, I was paying five cents per minute through MCI for local toll calls (calls over 20 miles away, but still in Southern California), while my long distance calls were being handled by AT&T. I then called AT&T to switch to a plan to consolidate my local toll and long distance under one plan, dropping MCI in the process. Somehow the switch never happened, but MCI then started charging $1.19 per minute for local toll calls! So in the past year I’ve been billed about $300 for calls that should have only cost about $30. Continue reading →
Local Toll Call Overcharging?
Back in February 2009, we decided to take a closer look at the local and long distance services on our landline. We had AT&T for local and long distance service, but MCI for our “local toll” service (for calls outside a 20 mile radius from home, but still in Southern California). So we called AT&T to switch from the “Value Plus Flat Rate” plan, which only covered long distance, to the “One Rate 5 Cents” plan, which covers both long distance and local toll calling. This would drop MCI and consolidate all of our landline services under AT&T. Continue reading →
VW Tail/Brake Light Replacement Fiasco
Not too long ago I noticed that the two left tail/brake light bulbs on the Volkswagen Passat were burned out. I went to the auto parts store and popped out the burned out bulb to look for some identifying markings. They were Phillips bulbs, but the auto parts store had only Sylvania bulbs. So after looking up the car’s make and model in the parts book, I bought a pair of 7528LL bulbs.
I spent quite some time in the parking lot trying to twist and turn the bulbs to get them in Continue reading →
Route 66 Bicycle Tour – Recap
Here are some closing thoughts on the five day, approximately 400 mile bicycle tour I just completed from Flagstaff, AZ to Barstow, CA - mostly expanding on logistical items I mentioned earlier, in case some readers may be considering a similar ride. Daily writeups (now with photos!) are in earlier blog entries – check out the Track My Tour website for an overall map and short tweets/photos at various stops along the way! Continue reading →