Gas Is Cheap

Relatively speaking, of course.

New York Times columnist David Pogue has a great blog write up. In it, he examines the cost of several popular liquids.

Were it sold by the gallon, Gatorade would run a whopping $10.17. Evian water's even worse ($21.19 per gallon).

The real kicker? HP 02 Black Ink. How much a gallon?

$100?

Nope.

$200?

Not even close. Try $4,294.58 per gallon.

Dell Free Upgrade Only $57!

Don't get me wrong, Dell makes some quality equipment, but every now and then their systems give me a laugh. Here's a perfect example. Free 19" monitor upgrade, only $57!

Uh, that's not free.

Particularly upsetting is I could have chosen the 19" upgrade for only another nine dollars and fifty cents, but choosing the "free" option would have added another $57 to the bill!

Enjoying Another "Staycation"

My family's long known the joys of a "staycation," the trendy new nickname media outlets are now giving stay-at-home vacations in light of obscene gas prices.

For years my family's strung together consecutive days of lazing around the house, reading on the deck porch swing, hitting the local ice cream establishment, visiting the zoo, swinging by the library and enjoying other spots of local interest. That's just what we're doing this long holiday weekend.

I recommend you do the same.

Joey Porter's Catching Up

I called for it a few weeks ago, and now the Pittsburgh Steelers' All Pro defender Joey Porter agrees. It's time to give all the New England Patriots titles an asterisk. No doubt about it.

Driving While Distracted

A new survey reveals that 40% of American mobile phone users (between the ages of 16 and 30) admit to composing and sending text messages while driving. I think the other 60% are lying (as does sports talk show host Jim Rome, too, for that matter).

This behavior must stop.

Driving requires concentration. That's why my official rule is to always be safely parked (with the transmission in P) in an off-street parking lot whenever I use my laptop to send/receive email messages (my phone is no longer Internet-enabled) in the car.

Why Are Microwave Oven Standards Permitted To Change?

For the second time in eight years, I own a home in which the over-the-range microwave oven has failed. No big deal, right? Nothing a quick stop to Sears can't fix. Well, not so fast.

Just like eight years ago, when the desire to replace the failed microwave oven triggered a $9,000 kitchen remodel (due to available replacement-sizing issues), I'm again in the same boat. I cannot believe it. I am, in fact, incensed.

Here's the deal. The GE Spacemaker microwave in the home we purchased last year just died. The Louisville-built appliance fails to cook food properly and its vent (used to exhaust steam from the oven cooktop) often cannot be turned off.

So today I purchased a nice white GE Spacemaker replacement at a local appliance store. I brought it home and unboxed it. And what did my wife and I find? The new microwave is more than two inches taller than the old unit (which itself sits only 14inches above the oven's cooking surface).

Were I to install the new microwave, there'd be only 12 inches of clearance between the microwave and the cooktop. In addition to not meeting code (which to my understanding requires 18 inches), there'd simply be no room to use pots on the stove's back burners.

Here's the worst part. One can no longer purchase an over-the-range microwave that's less than 16 inches tall. So now my only choice is to move or replace cabinetry, relocate two electrical outlets and redo the entire backsplash tiling. I'm looking at a minimum of $2,000, in all likelihood, if not more just to replace the microwave.

Why don't microwave manufacturers, when they settle on a standard size over-the-range unit (the failed microwave is only 14.75 inches or so tall), continue manufacturing units of the same size? And, why didn't my home inspector catch the fact that the microwave oven wasn't positioned according to code?

Is This Why Mayo Chose USC Over Louisville?

Apparently USC has more recruiting violations to worry about. I'm glad Louisville avoided this sorry saga. I'd much rather be an also-ran that competes legally than a flash-in-the-pan wannabe that fades from memory quicker than this kid completed his college career.

Computer Troubleshooters Lou Recommends Delaying XP SP3 Installs

Following on-the-job experiences, my Computer Troubleshooters office now recommends clients delay Windows XP Service Pack 3 deployments. Numerous unforeseen issues are arising, as documented by Information Week.

In my personal experience, I'm 1-2. One system updated fine; a second (a brand-new, literally just out-of-the-box Dell) required Dial-A-Fix repairs before Windows could return to normal operation after installing Windows XP Service Pack 3.

For that reason alone I am now recommending clients delay loading Windows XP Service Pack 3 on their workstations.

Pats Fans: Welcome To Asterisk-Land!

Everything the New England Patriots ever accomplished should now be questioned. From conference championships to Super Bowl victories, every New England Patriots accomplishment now carries an asterisk.

Cheating's one thing. But when you're caught red-handed, as the Pats and Belichik were last season, and you still try weasling out, well that's embarrassing. At least be man enough to step up and own the infraction. It's clear, after all, that this sign-spying behavior was persistent and repeated.

Rest assured the NFL, meanwhile, knew this was a massive issue. That's why the league attempted to destroy all the evidence.

Well, if failed. And now Asterisk-Land will result.

Update: Here comes the U.S. Congress!

Cuba Joins Computer Age

Beginning yesterday, for the first time ever, Cubans can purchase home computers.

The QTECH units, which (like all goods) must be purchased at government-run stores, feature obsolete CRTs and dated Intel Celerons. The computers sell for $780.

Ironically (as MSNBC was founded as a joint Microsoft-NBC venture), the MSNBC story states the QTECH computers boast "80 gigabytes of memory and 512 RAM." MSNBC likely meant to report the computers possess 80 gigabytes of hard disk space, as no Windows desktop OS is capable of recognizing or using 80GB of memory.

But the systems do run Windows XP. And that's a problem, as it's a violation of US export restrictions.

Nevertheless, one child saved his allowance for two years to purchase the Celeron-powered system. Why'd he save up for so long? "It's good for playing games."

Wait until he gets his first taste of a liquid-cooled Quad-Core system boasting an ATI Radeon HD board! At the rate Cuba's progressing that kid should have a shot at one sometime in 2030.

CPK Is 280

Polymyositis patients know the pain and tribulations of a high CPK enzyme level. In late winter I felt mine climbing again. It looks to have peaked this time around 440 or so (most normal folks have a CPK level somewhere around 100).

After successfully campaigning for more methotrexate, I increased my weekly treatment to eight tablets (from six) roughly five weeks ago.

The increase appears to be working. The latest CPK test came back at 280.

I'll take it, especially as my hands are killing me. I feared the polymyositis wasn't responding, as a result. But I knew I felt better overall, as my energy levels have increased somewhat. The situation was confusing, to say the least.

According to the rheumatologist, the debilitation I'm experiencing in my hands is due to arthritis (a common side effect of polymyositis).

I can deal with that. Still, it's a weird sensation to not be able to tear open packaging (such as the shrinkwrap that envelopes a magazine) or strong arm nuts and bolts, as I had to do two weeks ago when attaching a wheel kit to the riding mower. But that's why God made power and pneumatic tools!

Krispus Kremus

My friend Ron Cordrey filmed a pretty nifty video at Krispy Kreme. It's worth checking out. Give it a look!