Hey, have you tried out Google+ yet?
1 month ago
by Burnspot
in General Crap
If you can’t pull yourself away from your Facebook farm or whatever you have going on over there, then I suppose this post isn’t for you, but if you’re interested in great conversations and following interesting people, then you need to check out Google+! In many ways, Google+ is similar to Facebook, but there’s a different air to it…I can’t exactly put my finger on what it is about it, but Google+ just feels more open, easier to work with, and it’s a bit less creepy than Facebook (privacy issues). If you have any sort of Google account like Gmail or Picasa, that’s all you need, so there’s no excuse to not at least have a look.
Yes, you can follow family and all of that, but more importantly, you can easily find folks relevant to what you do and what you’re interested in, follow them, and easily interact with them. It’s a lot harder to get this done in Facebook. Additionally, Google+’s circling method (the way you organize who you follow) is very easy to work with, plus it’s not quite as obtrusive as Facebook’s invite system. Really, Google+ is like Twitter, but without the 140 character posting limit and a few more options.
I’ve been involved with Google+ since it was a private More >
All’s Quiet On The Eastern Front
1 month ago
by Burnspot
in General Crap
If you’re a WordPress user, WordPress just released their 3.3 “Sonny” update, which I just put into use here…so far, nothing’s blown up, so I guess it’s all good. Other than than, things are pretty quiet around here. The weather’s getting colder, the wife’s wanting a divorce because life in Eastern NC sucks, and I’ve yet to do any Christmas shopping…what more could a guy ask for right?
The Shoei RF-1100 Helmet – A Real World Test
4 months ago
by Burnspot
in Motorcycling
The Shoei RF-1100
So last week I faced a dilemma. The annual FJR EOM event in Cumberland Falls, KY was coming up at the end of the week (I’ll post later on that) and I was into my gear preparations. My good ole Shoei X-11′s liner needed a wash in a really bad way, so I removed the liner, filled the sink with some warm water mixed with shampoo, and dunked the liner in….it literally came apart in my hands! Well, that wasn’t good…it was only 2 days until kickstand up time and I wasn’t about to do a 500+ mile trip in a helmet with a deteriorated liner. The reality was that my X-11 was nearly 7 years old, the furthest extent of the warranty, and it was probably not the safest helmet at that age. A liner could have probably been had from an online retailer with ultra-expensive overnight shipping, but it didn’t make much sense given the helmet’s age. So I decided to bite the bullet and get a new helmet.
I had originally been thinking about getting a Shoei Qwest, mainly due to the good reviews and glowing reports from fellow riders, but when I arrived at Cycle Gear the next night after wok, my choices were limited. I was intent on getting a Shoei since my head seems perfect for their More >
So I had a leaky roof…
4 months ago
by Burnspot
in General Crap
Earlier this week, I noticed some water stains showing up in the ceiling. We just went through Hurricane Irene here and the town was hit particularly hard, so I figured perhaps there was some damage that I had missed during my inspection a couple of weeks ago. Upon inspecting the attic and roof, I found no visible holes…I chalked it up to hurricane force winds forcing water into spots it doesn’t normally go.
Fast forward to last night, we had a rain storm. I decided that, to be sure, I’d go into the attic and see if there’s any visible leakage. The attic is like a cathedral, so walking around and inspecting things isn’t so hard; I found no leakage over or around the area where the water stains were (yes, I know water travels too). From there, I decided to inspect the entire roof from the attic, just to be sure there were no unnoticed problems. When I reached the front portion of the attic, it caught my eye….the steady stream of water pouring in as if someone had partially opened a faucet. Luckily, the leak looked like it was over the soffet area and didn’t pose an immediate risk; there wasn’t much I could do about it anyway since it was pouring rain outside.
Today, I decided to More >
I Found A Way To Love FSX Again
I’ve always been a MS Flight Simulator user, going all the way back to it’s beginnings when SubLogic owned the franchise and it ran on an Apple IIc. I’ve “played” it off and on throughout the years and currently run FSX, the latest version from around 2006. Last month, after what seemed like years in the making, PMDG released their 737NGX in the 800-900 variants, with and without winglets. Other variants will be released later on. They already had a 737 in the stable; however, it was for Flight Simulator 9; the NGX is a ground-up rebuild, with the help of Boeing, and it is one fantastic bird!
I should first point out that I’m NOT a pilot and I haven’t stayed at any Holiday Inn Express’ lately, but I’ve had a lifelong interest in aviation. I was fortunate to feed that interest during my years in the Marine Corps, when I was a plane captain for A-6E’s and F/A-18′s, but these days, I’m firmly on the ground and flying my bike, lol. The 737NGX from PMDG encompasses just about everything the real aircraft has to offer; every switch, knob, and dial is exactly as it is in the real jet and they all do what they’re supposed to do. This is not really a review as I don’t comprehensively cover More >
So There I Was…
4 months ago
So there I was, working diligently on a client’s website, another WordPress site, when I needed to refer to my own site (this one) for a plugin I wanted to use…I noticed my site was horribly out of date (imagine that). Okay, the latest post I had was back in June, so yes, that was out of date, but really, it was the plugins on the site that were out of date. In WordPress, this is usually not a big deal…you just hit the update button and Presto! it’s all done. Then I noticed one new update popped up after the plugins…the theme (queue dramatic music). I HATE updating themes because the process usually ends up killing any custom things I did to the theme in the past. Anyway, I said “what the hell” and hit the update button….blammo…the site went kablooey. I kind of expected that. Long, well not so long, story short, there’s a few screwballey things I’m still working out. I kinda like the new updates…they almost make me want to invest more time here…no, really! Guess we’ll see if a mountain moves…
By the way, my website uses the Mystique theme, from Digitalnature.eu in case you were wondering. Oh, and look, the site’s posts are now up to More >
WTF? No May Update?
7 months ago
Yes, apparently I blew off putting up any May updates…no worries, I’m absolutely sure that no one died from the worry. The month of May was actually a bit of fun as it involved FJR camping on one weekend and a car trip down to Austin, TX the next. In both instances, I survived, although there were a few times were I pushed too hard during the camping trip and nearly saw someone about buying a farm…if you know what I mean. I guess that’s what happens when one tries experimenting with various cornering techniques on the twisty roads lacing the Smokey Mountains. Anyway, I managed to tally a bit over 1500 miles on that trip and completely wear out my front tire…a sign of a good time.
The FJR Farkling Continues
9 months ago
by Burnspot
in Motorcycling
Just added some new updates to my FJR1300 page if you’re interested. Just got done sticking antlers on it.
The Weather Gods Conspire Against Us
10 months ago
by Burnspot
in General Crap
Well, it figures. For the previous week and a half, we’ve enjoyed spring/summer type weather with temps in the 70′s and 80′s, but now it looks like the weather gods have decided that we need to revert back to late winter for a bit, lol. We’re currently saddled with temps in the 30′s and 40′s, rain, and some snow just north of us. On top of that, my phone just buzzed with a freeze warning tonight and possible snow! REALLY? REALLY?…wonderful! Guess it’ll be a cold week of commuting this week as things don’t look to be improving too much as the week wears on.
At least Formula 1 and Indy have provided some decent television for the weekend.
Ride to Work!
10 months ago
by Burnspot
in Motorcycling
June 20th, 2011 is Ride to Work Day!
June 20th is the annual Ride to Work Day! Show your support for the cause! You know riding to work saves gas, parking spaces, and saves you from the boredom of the daily doldrums of driving the cage to work. Get out and show your support, and have some fun doing it.
