In Cisco’s world, time zones are a thing of the past!

Why is this ad stupid? Because China and the USA have around a 12 hour time difference. (Beijing is GMT +8, New York is GMT -4, give or take DST.)

So are these poor Chinese schoolchildren being forced by their Communist government to show up at school after their bedtime in order to have a real-time video chat with their conspicuously small class size American counterparts?

And why is the chick from Juno there?

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ZomBurritoVille?


Burritoville on 23rd St. in May, 2009. Photo taken by BlurA14. (Source: Flickr.)

Is BurritoVille back from the dead?

So, I discovered that the long-shuttered BurritoVille of Chelsea (23rd and 8th) had reopened when I passed by this evening. Talking to the new owner, it had actually been open since last Wednesday. The redesigned and streamlined interior, steps down from the street was reminiscent of a small Chipotle, with the same sort of assembly-line ordering counter. The menuboard had been slimmed down to a small list of options, with most of my favorite names (can you say Bob Marley’s Last Burrito?) missing.

A taste test confirmed my suspicions that the original recipes and employees were long gone. The delicious red salsa of old has been replaced with something more reminiscent of Tostitos brand jarred supermarket salsa. The chips were bland and thin, nothing like the awesome thick corn chips of the old establishment. The spinach and mushrooms of the Lost in Austin (one of the only names that seem to have survived the transition) were overcooked and mushy, and the brown rice had been substituted for some kind of Spanish rice.

All in all, a total disappointment, like a bad remake of your favorite classic film. Unless I hear that recipes have returned to their pre-2009 form, I shan’t return.

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You have reached your destination. A dumpster.

dead_gps

This is apparently what TomTom considers to be a “solved” issue.

TomTom Support Team


from TomTom Support Team <do_not_reply@custhelp.com>
reply-to TomTom Support Team <do_not_reply@custhelp.com>
to ddmnyc@gmail.com
date Tue, Aug 25, 2009 at 9:53 AM
subject ONE 130- will not turn on [Incident:090822-007116]
mailed-by gmail.com
signed-by custhelp.com
hide details 9:53 AM (19 minutes ago)
Response
Dear ,

Thank you for allowing us to be of service to you. We have not heard back from you and the incident is now closed. We’d be happy to continue to service you if you still require assistance. Simply update this incident if you feel your original query has not been resolved or create a new incident if you have a new question.

We can always be reached through our Customer Support line via 1-866-486-6866.

Thank you and Best Regards,
The TomTom Customer Support Team

Question Reference #090822-007116
Product Level 1: Car Navigation
Product Level 2: TomTom ONE 130
Category Level 1: Technical support
Date Created: 08/22/2009 03:41 NM
Last Updated: 08/25/2009 09:53 VM
Status: Solved
Operating system PC:
PC Operating system:
PDA OS version:
PDA model:
PDA manufacturer:
App version:

My reply:

I do not consider this issue “solved”.

Your product completely died on me for no reason under normal (very light) conditions, just over 1 year out of the box. Like normal, I plugged it into the car adapter, and turned it on. The screen flickered and went dark. All attempts to reset the device according to your web site have failed. The power light remains lit until the battery dies, and a full charge still does not allow it to be reset.

Your support representative did not offer any sort of material assistance for what I consider to be a product defect. How about a free upgrade to the iPhone app so I don’t have to rely on your faulty hardware? How about a discount towards a replacement product? You do not behave like a company that desires to keep its customers.

Based on my recent experience I will likely never use a TomTom product again nor would I recommend one to anyone. I will also be blogging about my bad experience with your product and customer support. You are still free to contact me to offer a product exchange, refund or upgrade, though I doubt you will.


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Trying WordPress for iPhone

I just downloaded the WordPress iPhone app. This post is a feature demonstration.

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Adding linkage between my new improved blog, Twitter, Facebook and your cerebral cortex.

If all goes well, this post should be pinging my social network like crazy.

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The original Twitter, circa 1935


This is one of those inventions that was just way ahead of its time.

From the blog Modern Mechanix:

    Robot Messenger Displays Person-to-Person Notes In Public
    TO AID persons who wish to make or cancel appointments or inform friends of their whereabouts, a robot message carrier has been introduced in London, England.

    Known as the “notificator,” the new machine is installed in streets, stores, railroad stations or other public places where individuals may leave messages for friends.

    The user walks up on a small platform in front of the machine, writes a brief message on a continuous strip of paper and drops a coin in the slot. The inscription moves up behind a glass panel where it remains in public view for at least two hours so that the person for whom it is intended may have sufficient time to observe the note at the appointed place. The machine is similar in appearance to a candy-vending device.

Thanks to my buddy Dens for the awesome link.

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I live this

As a kid, I was a huge Lego addict. I invented whole planets, societies, space colonies. I never used the kits. There were always those people who could make a life size representation of the statue of liberty or a Corvette Shelby, and I was in awe of their ability.

But just as the painstaking accuracy of these giant creations were impressive, so is this minimalist set created by Christoph Neimann.

And he doesn’t even live in New York City.

I LEGO N.Y.

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Bush brackets administration by screwing working people

Remember way back in early 2001? You know, before our country was attacked by cavemen and we were thrown into a perpetual war from which we may never emerge?

Well, George W. Bush had just taken office, and was hard at work during his first 100 days destroying any pieces of Clinton’s legacy he could get his hands on.

One of the ones that stuck out for me was the OSHA workplace ergonomics rules. You know, the ones that would have cut down on repetitive stress injuries which would have improved productivity and reduced medical costs? Well, it was deemed “too expensive” for businesses and simply thrown out, baby, bathwater and all.

Now, in his final days as The Decider, Bush is making sure to cement his legacy as the most evil president in American history by enacting new rules to deny everyone possible badly-needed protection from the health effects of toxic substances, some of which are known causes of cancer (or worse) such as: asbestos, benzene, cotton dust, formaldehyde, lead, silica, beryllium, diacetylvinyl chloride and blood-borne pathogens, including the virus that causes AIDS.

No crony left behind.

2001:
Bush signs repeal of ergonomic rules into law

    WASHINGTON — President Bush signed into law Tuesday a repeal of Clinton administration regulations that set new workplace ergonomic rules to combat repetitive stress injuries.

2008:
Bush Aides Rush to Enact a Rule Obama Opposes

    WASHINGTON — The Labor Department is racing to complete a new rule, strenuously opposed by President-elect Barack Obama, that would make it much harder for the government to regulate toxic substances and hazardous chemicals to which workers are exposed on the job.
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I’m willing to take that risk

Democracy

On election day, I compiled a list of some of the most common reasons I’ve been emailed by people in the past few weeks as to why I shouldn’t vote for Barack Obama. I could sit here and refute the charges line by line, but I’d rather not dignify some of them with a response. So I’ve come up with a answer that I will apply to all of them.

Barack Obama doesn’t have any international experience.
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama doesn’t understand economics.
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama favors the Geneva Convention for suspected terrorists.
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama has a name that sounds like Osama bin Laden.
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama has a relationship with Acorn, a group accused of encouraging “voter fraud.”
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama has gotten a free pass by the “liberal” media.
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama has the middle name Hussein, so he must be allied with terrorists.
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama is a “pro-abortion” extremist.
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama is a cult of personality.
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama is a target for assassination.
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama is against a border fence with Mexico.
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama is against all offshore drilling.
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama is an intellectual elitist who doesn’t understand “middle America.”
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama is more popular in Europe than he is in the United States.
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama is the most liberal senator in congress.
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama is weak on support for Israel.
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama is willing to meet with foreign dictators without preconditions.
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama lacks the experience to be president.
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama looks down on people who “cling to guns and religion.”
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama served on a community board with William Ayers.
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama supports “socialized” medicine.
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama supports gay marriage and adoption.
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama wants to “spread the wealth around.”
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama wants to downsize the military.
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama wants to end the Iraq war and admit “defeat.”
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama wants to take guns away from Americans.
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama will increase the Federal deficit.
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama will spend taxpayer money on social programs.
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama’s former pastor is an anti-American racist.
I’m willing to take that risk.

Barack Obama’s wife is unpatriotic.
I’m willing to take that risk.

I’m sure there are plenty of other reasons not listed here to not vote for Barack Obama, but if choosing change is risky, keeping the status quo would be a disaster.

It’s been said the greater the risk, the greater the reward. So I’m willing to take that risk.

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Undecided is un-American

Undecided is un-American

Just imagine what it would be like if we ever had 100% voter turnout in the United States. Can you picture it?

Now get out and vote!

This design idea didn’t come to me in time to make a t-shirt before the election, but I think it’s still worth posting here.

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