Back in Business

Finally managed to get a new battery into my quad this weekend. I went over to the yard for a bit and yanked the old battery. Craig showed up and helped me get the new battery in. Unfortunately, the quad still wouldn't start. So we dumped the old gas from the gas tank and tore apart the machine so we could get to the spark plug. Turns out the plug was bad - completely fouled and not giving off a spark at all. If there's one thing I dislike about the Cannondale machines, it's the frequency with which they foul plugs. I've had to tear apart my machine at least three times to replace plugs, and it's no fun. It involves taking almost all the plastic off, the seat and the gas tank. Then you have to disconnect the linkage to the rear shock just to be able to get at the plug. From there, it's not too bad. Since we had done this many times already, it wasn't too big a deal, but it still does take a couple hours to tear it apart and put it back together. I can see fouling plugs on a two-stroke, but this is a four-stroke motor and there's no reason why I should be getting these nasty carbon deposits on my plugs with a fuel-injected four-stroke. And there's no reason the plug should be buried so deep in the machine that it takes as long as it does to get to it.

With the new battery and new plug installed, though, the machine fired right up. No time to drop the oil or the tranny fluid before dark, so we just took a quick 20-minute ride around Split Rock.

Next weekend, I'll change all the fluids and take care of the chain (lube, plus take up the slack).

But the machine runs now, which is good news if we get another snow storm.

iPod As Defensive Weapon

The Gauntlet outside Penn Station is becoming tougher and tougher to safely navigate every day. Seems you can't get through there without having to dodge the Falun Gong people distributing literature, the crappy newspapers giving their product away, the folks bumming cigarettes, etc. Hey, I'm sympathetic to the plight of the Falun Gong people, but hey - folks have to get to work. And it's not like they haven't been there every day for three months passing out the same pamphlet.

I've found that your closest ally in these situations is your iPod. Simply insert headphones, crank up the tunes, and blow past anyone trying to stuff literature in your face. If anyone blocks your path, deliver your best "Sorry, can't hear you" understanding smile and keep moving. That's the key - keep moving. Don't stop and don't look back. If you do, you'll be stuck listening to the speech for a half hour.

It also works on crazies on the subway, Jehovah's Witnesses and candidates running for office.

You See, There's This Button Called "On/Off"

What is it about people who file complaints about television content that makes them forget they can change the channel or turn their televisions off? You'd think that those who file lawsuits and complaints with the FCC were bungee-corded into stiff-backed chairs, facing their televisions with toothpicks propping their eyes open. Oh, and the remote must be out of reach as well.

A common thread I've noticed about folks who file complaints about stuff they see on TV is that they all seem to act like the content is being injected directly into their brains and they just...can't...stop...it.

That aside, Fear Factor makes my stomach do somersaults, too. But you don't see me filing a $2.5 million lawsuit against a network, do you?

Update on Laser Bullshit

From CNN...

The FBI investigation into recent incidents involving laser beams aimed at aircraft has found no link to terrorism, the Department of Homeland Security's transportation security chief said Monday.

...

"In certain circumstances, if laser weapons adversely affect the eyesight of both pilot and co-pilot during a non-instrument approach, there is a risk of airliner crash," the bulletin said.

In other words, this is just more law enforcement chest-puffery - an overblown, oversensationalized non-event designed to scare the crap out of people. Somewhere along the Afghanistan/Pakistan border, there's a cave full of Al Qaeda terrorists watching CNN and going, "Laser pointers? Get the fuck outta here! We never would have thought of that..."

Meanwhile, there's this guy in New Jersey...

A man who initially claimed his daughter aimed a laser at a helicopter was charged after he told federal agents that he pointed the light beam at two aircraft, authorities said Tuesday.

Awright, so this guy might not be the brightest bulb in the chandelier, deciding to point his laser pointer at a plane and a helicopter with all this controversy going on and all. But let's face it, he probably didn't intend to bring a plane down. Not that he really could have, unless he managed to simultaneously hit the pilot and the co-pilot in the eyes and they were landing or taking off and their instruments happened to be down.

Welcome to the War on Terror. Your tax dollars will be used to put the local "Laser Pink Floyd" show out of business, and maybe screw with some people who use annoying laser pointers.