Garmin or Holux - that was the question?

I began thinking of a much needed speedometer for my bike -  let the one I had go when I sold my "Urban Cruzer". Had almost decided to get the Garmin Edge 200 but remembered that I already had a data logger.

A Holux M-241 high performance wireless GPS logger with the following features:

1. Dual interface (Bluetooth + GPS-mouse by USB cable).
2. Compatible with Bluetooth Serial Port Profile (SPP) completely.
3. Powered by one AA battery.
4. LCD display (32mm L x 8.9mm W) to show position information, speed, capable logging memory size, date & time.
5. Capable memory size to record up to 130,000 positions, including longitude, latitude, time, and altitude.
6. Personal settings to select the logging mode by distance or time, unit by Kilometer or mile, and 3 languages (English, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese).

I use to use it all the time - would clip it on my handlebars and just let it run. AND, since it was Bluetooth I could use it with the Android EveryTrail App. Didn't feel like messing with an app though, just wanted to log my ride so I decided to get it out and it was then when I remembered why I liked it.

Its a serial device with a USB cable but for the convenience of USB you need to install a driver. I selected the appropriate USB cable driver and installed it and then download the newest Holuxlogger Utility and I knew from past experience - that's all I needed. You have to install the driver but the Holuxlogger Utility is just an executable, no install.

You connect to the device...

Upload track logs to your PC...

And convert them if needed! Couldn't think of a single reason why I needed the Garmin, especially since I already had the Holux M-241. I had used it previously to connect to my Android EveryTrail  App but this was even simpler.

Hype Curve

Her theory is the basis for a technology companies research on the "Hype Curve".

http://www.slideshare.net/fred.zimny/carlota-perez-growth-after-the-financial-crisis

First Serious Road Bike - Motobecane Mirage 2008

Bought from www.bikesdirect.com - downtube shift levers allowed for easy modification of the handle bar.

Great components at the time - they still have this model but components aren't near as good.

Used original bar tape to wrap the straight bars after cutting to original bar width - used mountain bike brake levers.

Gotta have a computer:-)

Rims not bad...

Tires OK.

Derailleur  was low-end but worked well and precise.

The brakes are no comparison to what there putting on the current model.

Found this seat at my local bike shop - it was real leather and very nice. Haven't been able to find it again.

The bike was light and fast...

Oh yeah - gotta have a kick-stand.

Antivirus Firewall Network Issues

Was having trouble with a Windows Vista computer while uninstalled the subscription service Norton 360. Norton 360 seemed good but wanted to use the Personal Use version of Symantec Endpoint Protection instead. Inititially I unistalled it normally using Windows Uninstall, rebooted and tried the Endpoint version. Had trouble from the very beginning.

The Windows Firewall just wouldn't work right. I would get the security warnings and tried to turn it on but nothing. The cable modem would disconnect and the security warning kept popping up. So I downloaded Norton Removal Tool and decided to start over. I uninstalled the Norton Personal Use that I had installed and ran the Norton Removal Tool. Same thing – trouble turning on the firewall. So I tried to install the Personal Use firewall not Windows and it would not let me turn it on. So now neither firewall would work. Had to do something more drastic – there has to be a fix.

Found the fix on "Microsoft Community" blog posted by "DPTowers" (Link). Seemed simple enough:

"FIXED IT! - For all having this specific problem, please follow these steps!! Open a "run as administrator" command prompt.

Go to "c:\windows\system32\config\TxR" (or the equivalent location on your PC)

- run "attrib –H –S *" to make all hidden files in the directory visible.
- run "del *.blf"
- run "del *.regtrans-ms"
- reboot the machine"

So I unistalled the antivirus software completly – AGAIN:-) and used the Norton Removal Tool and followed the instructions. Went to the Start Button > All Programs > Accessories and right-mouse-clicked on "Command Prompt" and selected "Run as administrator". Followed the instructions just as written and rebooted.

I wanted to see everything work without the anivirus software so I went to the windows Security Center and checked to make sure the Firewall and Defender were on and working. Yeah!!! It seemed to work properly. Now for the final test – install Norton Personal Use without the Norton firewall and see if it worked. TA DA!!!

Verified everything a few times and waited to see if the network connection were stable. So far so good. Thanks "DPTowers"... J

Adversaries

One day all the experts and leaders in various knowledge systems will realize that none of them oppose one another but fulfill each one. The big factor is the distribution of resources but at some point we must take responsibility and acknowledge the most profound resource of all....
Our own humanity.
If I look at the natural system, it is repetitive, changing, and adaptive - so are we. The Church teaches we can know God through his creation, the natural world, and if I observe all of nature in its beauty and all of humanity in its complexity - the only indication of the evil professed  to exist is within ourselves.
Christ did not condemn the knowledge systems of his time but worked within them and parallel to them adjusting our perceptions so that we could become one. His concept was NOT to live in peace but to live together as God intended us to live together - just as he had designed the rest of creation.
There are many animals both vegetarian and carnivorous but none eat more than nature provides. They live simple lives within there God given capacities but no model exists in nature that can teach us about our own humanity - except all of nature itself, all of space itself or all the universe. And there are no animals created by God that exist as adversaries.

Yakima KingJoe Pro 2 and 2007 Mazda 3

For everyone looking for a bike rack to fit their 2007 Mazda 3 with factory spoiler - look no further. It's the Yakima KingJoe Pro 2 - bought mine at RackAttack.com. Also purchased the trunk security strap to go with it. Like it LOTS !!!

Took me a while to decide and looked all over the Web for to see if it would fit but I finally decided - the KingJoe Pro 2. There wasn't just one thing about it that I liked but many. The first thing was it's look and design - the rectangular rail design compared to the round tubing of others won me over. In addition, I liked how the padding on the top and bottom brackets went completely across.

The other thing that impressed me was the complete package of function. I liked the idea of it fitting on many vehicles cause my job has fleet cars - it even comes with straps for mini vans with glass hatch backs. Then to have such an ingenious security strap option - a little dog bone looking thing that has an attached cable embedded in a typical looking nylon strap.

The bottom line is that it looks good too. It has nice paint and an industrial look that looks good even when not carrying my bike. GOOD STUFF!!!

FEMA's Quick 2 version 1

FEMA's Web site lists software authorized for use with its NFIP FIRM mapping  program but although it lists Quick 2 version 1 when the links are navigated you end up at version 2. Both are old programs but their importance is expressed in their name - QUICK!

Quick 2 is the latest but can only be described as finicky on all current Windows platforms. It's also seems more so when loaded on computers with other Corps of Engineers HEC versions. For this reason I began using Quick 2 version 1. Version one is DOS based but is very stable and works with no clitches.

Unfortunately with the upgrade of operating systems to Windows 7 64bit Quick 2 version 1 became obsolete. Seemed a waste of a perfectly good program that did everything it was designed to do except look modern.

With a little research DOSBOX was found -  it is a popular program used to play old DOS games on current systems, including 64bit Windows 7. It took very little effort to get it running and its something you may need can be downloaded here.

If this is something you need just email me..

http://www.fema.gov/software

http://www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program-0/quick-2-version-10

http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=2316