Tag Archives: technology

Antennas

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When we moved into Orange County Ca., we didn’t need much of an antenna. There were a couple of elements in front and two more in back. I am pretty sure all the stations had transmitters on Mt. Wilson. This made aiming the antennas simple. We could actually see the mountain peak from our roof. That gave us channels 2, 4, 5, 7,11, and 13, very clear. At age 7, I had no idea how well that worked out for us.

Most places in the country required large complex antennas. Some areas had no TV reception at all.

However, most populated areas had an an antenna on every house. Some were beginning to complain about them. They were considered an eyesore. Some started looking for ways to rid the skyline of them.

I guess, inadvertently, cable resolved the problem somewhat. Mostly cable sprang up in areas of poor reception at first. Later, as more cable only stations were added, the antennas started disappearing.

At the same time, other antennas started popping up, satellite antennas. They were big round and ugly. However, those who had them were able to get virtually every station in the country. I came really close to getting one but it was just outside of my reach

Almost as quickly, the big antennas disappeared. They were replaced, first by cable, and then by smaller versions, which were aimed but once. They competed with cable.

One of the problems with cable and satellite is expense. Many, such as me, said forget the high prices. At one time, I was paying over $70 a month for basic cable. No telling what it is now.

I have reverted back to the old antenna. The only thing I really miss is Fox News. As near as I can tell, take the sports stations from cable and they just might be looking for another way to take our earnings from us.

Actually, I must admit I do have 1 weakness. I have considered getting cable back, just for a few months at a year. I do really enjoy college baseball and softball.

Still, not that much. I’m waiting for a college only cable network.

Imagine, If You Can

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Again, I say that the mayor of Memphis suggests an organization of “Black mayors.” What I would suggest is one of the mayors becomes a maverick and follows the concept of a conservative and maybe even Republican.

I know I am asking a lot, but just stay with me a moment. The city where he is mayor becomes the city that is safe, clean and the place everyone wants to go. Don’t you think the other mayors would become embarrassed? Don’t you think the other mayors would fall in line and do as the one mayor?

Of course not. The maverick would be ignored, even looked down on. Eventually, he would politically destroyed and villainized in a few short years.

How do I know this? In a way, It has happened. Remember how nice NY, NY was while Mayor Jiuliani was in office. Remember how they ignored, even mocked his methods. Now look at how quickly the dems destroyed the city and the mayor.

By the way, it is easy to see why it is so difficult to imagine the maverick. Seeing what happened to Jiuiani, who would have the courage to step out of line, even a little. The dems are in lockstep and woa to those who forget it for a moment.

Incidentally, why do you suppose the dems want to destroy the Orange man so much. Not only did he step out of line, but also proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the dems hate America and Americans. They want to destroy the nation and her people.

Gravity: Consistant & Reliable

Posted in Christian values, Communism, Israelites, Liberals, News media, Our Legal Systems, Religeon by

Drop something, it “falls,” all things. Moreover, the rate at which it falls is totally predictable. It is based on the mass, the air resistance & so on. You notice I put falls in quotes. That implies the direction it “falls” is always the same, down.

Down, of course is aways defined as toward the earth’s center. Never is it this way or that way. Always down. Perhaps for millenia, mankind have thought about that. In recent history, huge papers have been written on the subject since Issac Newton & Leonardo de Vinci. People have been studying it and we still still know little more than we did, maybe less.

Perhaps, the one thing that amazes me the most is the way it reaches out into the millions of light years and helps control the orbits of orbits.

The average person thinks the astronaut in orbit has escaped gravity, but not so. It just is that he has other has another force acting on him, inertia. Take the inertia away, that big space station will fall like a big piece of metal.

By the way, Inertia is an awfully reliable force too. Then again, there are many laws of science we only pretend to understand. Isn’t it amazing how God put it all together? He did it all without our help.

Then, oddly, there are those who say God doesn’t exist. It all just happened by accident. And all those laws of science just fell in place without anyone setting them in place.

Just what requires more faith, the presence of God, or that it all just happened. I’m putting my faith in God. The gravity that is caused by accident can fail at any time, by accident…as well as well the thousands of other laws we must trust daily. We must, like it or not.

Couldn’t Figure it Out

Posted in Info to pass along by

Ordered a little, I guess you call it a wallet. I call it a credit card holder. When I got it, I couldn’t figure it out. As I put one of my cards in there, I was afraid I’d not get it out again. However, after about 30 minutes, I figured it out. It works great and has for quite a while, I guess about a year now.

I suppose it is designed to fit up to 8, but I never have more than 6, many of those are not credit cards. When I need one of the cards, I push a lever and up pops 3 cards, somewhat separated. Sorry, just cant think of the right word. Nonetheless, if I want my Kroger card, it is easy to separate if from the other 2. If I want one of the other 3 cards, I use the other lever.

It actually works faster than the wallet I was using and the other wallet was cracking and breaking the cards. The card easily goes back into the place designed for it. Once I figured it out, it works far better than I expected. Moreover, I have gotten a number of complements on it. Someone sees me get a card out and they say something like, “Wow. That’s neat.” I think maybe I should keep the name of web site handy for the next person that asks about it.

It has some side benefits. The cards are safe from hacking and I would suppose, they do provide some anti-theft advantages.

Just thought I’d pass it on to someone, maybe looking for a solution. Sorry, like all other wallets, it is not large enough for SS cards or Medicare cards. I figure one day, they will either make the cards smaller or the wallets bigger. They just might switch from paper to plastic as well, but not likely in my lifetime.

As mentioned, I got it through Amazon. I looked it up and it appears that they are still sold through Amazon and VM Fashion also has its own site. I don’t know. I might buy another, maybe two. The size is 3.74 x 2.56 x 0.59 inches, not much larger profile than the card itself. Also, as I checked, I noticed they had many other things along the same line. There might be a good gift among them.

Might I remind one and all, I do not get money for this blog site. I am not receiving anything in return for this post. It just is, when I see a good idea, I figure I should pass it on, for whatever good it might serve.

Automated Restaurants

Posted in Customer complaints, Customer No-Service, Drive-throughs, experience, Fast Food, Food, Restaurants by

Those that report the first automatic restaurants must not have had their eyes open. I have seen automation at some level since 1975. You put the the raw burger in one end and it comes out the other fully cooked in less than 3 minutes. I saw them firsthand. This is more than twice the speed as a regular grill because the burger is cooked on both sides at once.

There is a place in Southaven that has done much to automate cooking of pizzas. I also saw on TV a machine that totally automatically pancakes. This was, I guess decades ago.

Here’s the thing. None of the machines I discibed has any real computerization. It would take very little to fully automate them. It is not that new. Building the more automated equipment is simply a matter of an increase in the demand.

As an aside, I remember seeing a McDonald’s with fry machines totally automatic. I remember watching in fastenation. The potatoes went through a peeling station then sliced. There they fell into fryer baskets.

Whenever needed, the baskets were transported to the fryers and into the oil. They were dumped under a warm light and salted. The only thing a person did was bag them.

I have no idea if any McDonald’s still does this, perhaps at busier stores. Even though the machine could take place of a couple of people, I am sure the machine would need cleaning from time to time.

Thing is, right now the automation is possible. The question is, how much business does it take to justify buying machines that must be cleaned and repaired.

Another point that I have noticed, far more important, how much time do the employees stand around talking as apposed to being productive. I guess this is a question to be resolved by management and customers. So far I have seen a significant tolerance by McDonald’s & Wendy’s management. Automated or not, making customers wait 15 to 20 minutes in a store with 2 customers is unsatisfactory from the customer’s point of view. It should not be tolerated by management either.

The Rule Concerning the TV Series

Posted in Memories, Social Media by

Not all TV series are successful. The rules that determine which ones work and which ones don’t are as varied as the ditch digger’s work day is long.

Some that are predicted to be big successes don’t last the season. Then there are the unexpected ones with little known lead actors that take off.

Some who are as old as me remember little lines like, “Missed it by that much.” I suspect a few thought Get Smart would become one of those extra special shows, not only successful, but also highly quoted. I mean, would you believe people would quote and re-quote parts of the show next day around the water cooler. And let’s face it, some watched the silly almost slapstick comedy just so they would be part of the next day’s discussions.

The show was something of a copy of a copy of a spoof. It all started with Goldfinger. Then the copies hit TV. It is the biggest rule in TV. When something works, copy it. Remember the westerns, the private investors, the hard hitting cop shows.

Then, there was CSI, followed by CSI, NY, CSI, Miami. Did they ever have one for LA. I don’t remember. Speaking of alphabet soup, there were a bunch of NCIS shows. I am convinced the only good one was the original. Never cared for any of the others for various reasons.

Law & Order was a good show. I suspect I watched every episode at least 3 times. Don’t watch any of the copies at all.

Thing is…I just really wonder…would TV succeed if it were required to be original. Then again, I suppose copies are what we, the public want, at least sometimes. Sometimes, not so much.

Personally, I’d like it if they would drop all the spin-offs of Law&Order and bring back the original. I really think it’s time to drop the NCIS spin-offs too. They owe all of any of their success to the original and the copies are doomed to drag the the original down.

I’m sure there are a few, very few that would disagree with me, but you have your right to be wrong. Disagree or not, you can’t deny, there is a whole lot of copying going on. Originality is rare.