Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in RKOV's LiveJournal:

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Monday, May 14th, 2012
6:18 pm	OK, so I'm a printer geek ... Not sure if this is useful or just a toy but ... I finally snagged an HP 680N (wireless JetDirect card) on Ebay for a semi-reasonable price.  It appears the HP List Price is about $1200.  The going web price seems to be about $250-$270.   I paid about 1/4 of that on Ebay.  Of course, I didn't get the manuals etc. This would be useful to install a printer some place by itself were there is no other network connection.   For example, in my basement I have a HP CLJ 8550 with nothing except a LinkSys WET11 to talk WiFi for it.   This would let me get rid of the LinkSys WET11 in places like that.  Also, given the LinkSys WET11's are no longer manufactured and getting harder to find (and cost about $50 on Ebay themselves) and are sometimes flakey, the HP 680N would be a good replacement for the LinkSys WET11 especially as more of the HP 680N hit the Ebay Market.    Plus, there isn't a separate box to fall off, get banged around, and / or break. ("Unfortunately" in my garage I have 3 printers and a NAS box, so this really doesn't help there.   Also, in my living room / library I have 3 printers, really only 1 of which is used.   The WET11 I'm using there has definitely been the weak link in printing to my default printer - an HP 5000.  I currently have the HP 680N on that printer.   And yes, although the HP specs say the HP 680N doesn't work with the HP 5000 or a bunch of other printers, I suspect it will without problem.  A JetDirect card is pretty much a JetDirect card, and if one works, they all should.) ( Specs from HP's website ... ) Ah, and setting it up actually makes use of AdHoc mode in wireless netwowrking.  I think this is the first time I've ever actually used AdHoc wireless mode. Current Mood: accomplished (8 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, April 19th, 2012
7:31 pm	One of those days ... So, here I am at the Memphis airport waiting for my flight and watching The Last Waltz which I just happened to have on my laptop.  Courtesy of a Google search which wound up at the Rolling Stones 100 Best Singers of All Time, thinking of those done too soon ... Levon Helm (of course), Rick Danko, Freddie Mercury (number 18 WTF?), John Lennon, Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, etc. Current Mood: contemplative (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Sunday, April 1st, 2012
11:03 am	Privacy Failure I received an email from Walgreen's which includes the following: There's still time to print your prescription records Your 2011 prescription records are now available online and can be printed. Log into your Walgreens.com account to view and print your prescriptions records from the past year. Take your records to your tax preparer or use the IRS website for details about deducting prescription costs on your tax return. Except I don't have a Walgreen's Pharmacy account. So, I created one.  Using only public information and answering three questions from other public information about places I've lived and my car (like how secret is it that it is a 1999?), I created an account and got access to my pharmacy records.  ANYONE could have done this. I need to think about this.  I think there is something I need to do.  I'm not sure if it is a) complain to Walgreens b) lodge a legal complaint c) never use Walgreens again d) move to a dessert island e) something else (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, February 1st, 2012
4:59 pm	Too much of a good thing ... Received this in the (e)mail today ... Welcome to a very exclusive group — SPG Lifetime™ Gold. Since joining the program, you've stayed with us at least 250 eligible nights and had at least five years of elite status. That's an accomplishment that calls for a serious reward. So from now on, you'll never go below Gold status, even if you have a light travel year. Actually my status online says "Since 1999, you have a total of 290 stays and 440 nights".    I wonder if something happens at 500 nights. Yes, since 1999, in about 13 years I have spent over a year in Starwood hotels.   I've probably spent at list a similar number in Hilton properties but they don't make it easy to figure out. (7 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, January 18th, 2012
2:25 pm	Back from Arisia Finally got home from Arisia at about midnight last night after unloading the second truck, (dinner), and returning the truck.   Slept 8 hours for the first time in ages.   It will probably will take me a while to catch up with things.  So, if anything happened in the last week (since about last Monday) and it was important, let me know by email or something. (Comment on this)
Saturday, December 24th, 2011
4:09 am	#First World Problems For the last several days, my flight from GRU-DFW (AA 962) has been arriving in D and my flight from DFW-BOS (AA 674) has been leaving from D.   Not so on the 25th, the day I am flying.  AA 962 is still scheduled to arrive in D (I suspect all international arrivals at DFW are in D or maybe E), but AA 674 is scheduled to leave from A.   So, if the flight is on time (and it has been 15-30 minutes late over the last week, although that seems to have improved lately), I have about 1:45 to clear passport control, get my luggage, clear customs, recheck my bag, clear security again, and get from D to A (or get from D to A and then clear security again; but I suspect air-side will be faster unless there is a long line for security).  At least I'm "up front" on both flights so that I can be one of the first people off when we land at DFW and there should be room for my bags in the overheads on the flight to BOS.  So, Christmas morning when you are all sitting down to open your gifts, think of my rushing through the Dallas airport. Still, I'm looking forward to getting home and seeing A&A and all the friends.  (As amusing as the friend alphabet soup would be, I'm going to stop making trouble now.   It was pointed out to me that last time L was ambiguous.) (5 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, December 23rd, 2011
2:50 pm	That was fast, hopefully it will make Customs fast too ... I applied for Global Entry (expedited entry to the US by air this morning) *.   The application was more complex than a passport or either of the visas I've applied for.  Less complex than the security clearance though.  This only went back five years.  They wanted to know all the countries I've visited in the last five years (and all the places I lived and worked, but that was simple).  I think I got them all (Australia, Belgium, Brazil, France, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, UK).   India has fallen off the five year list as I haven't been there since 1/2006 and I *think* Ireland also fell off the list. A couple of hours later, I got an email that my application was approved pending an interview and fingerprinting (I've already been fingerprinted for the security clearance).  So, I have an appointment next Wednesday (12/28) at Logan for the interview and fingerprinting. * It's normally $100 but Amex sent me a thing offering to reimburse the fee. (Comment on this)
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011
9:10 pm	Blood Donations I was pleased to find out that my travel to Sao Paulo does not require a 12-month blood donation deferral because it is not in an at-risk Malaria area.   So, I've scheduled a donation appointment (#129 I think) for Friday 12/30! (Comment on this)
7:10 am	Adrift in time ... I'm usually pretty good about knowing the day of the week and date.   This trip has been different.  Perhaps because all the days are the same and there are few anchors (well, I was off Sunday), I'm having trouble remembering the day of the week and the date. Back home, the days are pretty much all different:  Monday is Barflies, Tuesday is sometimes movie night, Wednesday is Scotch tasting, etc. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
6:57 am	And in other news ... Apparently turn signals are outlawed in Brazil or at least in Sao Paulo. Just saying. I'm surprised there aren't more accidents. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
6:56 am	Brazilian optimization noted. The typical Italian Easter dinner is antipasto, followed by some sort of pasta or lasagna followed by ham. No one eats the ham. Brazilian lasagna (at least the one time I had it) was made with ham. ISYN. It was a layer of pasta, a slice of ham, cheese (perhaps a slice), a layer of pasta, a slice of ham, cheese, a layer of pasta, and more cheese. How brilliant to combine two courses into one! ;) (Comment on this)
Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011
10:08 am	post Originally posted by kylecassidy at post Via Citykitties: A good samaritan found this cat today in a gutter by Clark Park, half dead. He is now at the Cat Doctor with a body temperature of 90 (normal is 102) and blood PCV of 8. The Cat Doctor housecat, Diamond, is currently donating blood to save his life. During the exam, the vet found that this cat has a microchip. When called, his "owners" reported that he was acting sick, so they put him outside. If this makes you as angry as it makes us, please channel your anger in one of two ways: visit our website at www.citykitties.org and make a donation to help us pay for his care, or share this post and encourage others to do so. Click to donate. Add me: [LiveJournal] [Facebook] [Twitter] [Google+] [Tumblr] (Comment on this)
Tuesday, November 1st, 2011
10:12 am	Car Update ... My car (Victor), a 1999 Volvo V70 T5M, hit 210k miles on the way home last night just about when I was pulling into the driveway. Now to figure out what the 210k service (including timing belt) is going to cost me.   I probably need to get that done in the next month before I go to NJ for Thanksgiving. And only 28,857 miles more to the moon! (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, September 28th, 2011
9:12 am	And the score is ... Power Steering Rack 2, Rick 0 Less than 2 months and 4,000 miles after being replaced @ 203k miles, the Volvo's Power Steering Rack suffered a catastrophic leak last night.   It sprung a leak while pulling into a parking space and basically lost all the fluid by the time we could get out and look at it.   The car was still driveable and the problem was not really noticable on most of Route 128, but the Victor was not up to taking the ramp from 128 South to 9 East at his usual speed. At least this one is covered by warantee. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Tuesday, September 20th, 2011
12:41 am	10 miles ... For some strange reason, I walked from State Street to Faneuil Hall to home tonight (by way of Max Brenner's, Pour House, Sal's Pizza (?), Sunset Cantina, and Applebee's) (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, September 19th, 2011
12:38 pm	The weekend that was ... Yesterday (and all weekend) was a great wedding surrounded by friends. Best wedding I've been to in ... maybe forever. (I wonder who I just dissed ... Actually don't take it personally ... A lot has to do with the company present or not present ...) (Comment on this)
Friday, September 9th, 2011
10:24 am	Power tool maintanence ... I managed to get the chipper started this morning. Which is good, since it probably hadn't been started in at least 3 or 4 years. Sears did make some good stuff. (Actually it think it is a Briggs and Stratton engine. Hopefully this means I can get the rest of the tree that came down in Hurricane Irene cleaned up tomorrow. But, first, today, work ... I really need to remember to start the power tools on a regular basis. The mower and snowblower(s) probably need to be started once in the middle of the off season. The chipper could use to be started at the same time. The chainsaw (a 20-25 year old McCulloch) really needs to be started monthly. No one wants to work on McCulloch any more and getting parts is getting ridiculous. I really need to add a new chainsaw to my list of upcoming purchases. Current Mood: accomplished (Comment on this)
Tuesday, August 30th, 2011
2:08 pm	Irene's calling card I meant to post this yesterday ... At least this one missed the house. But, it was good there were no cars in the driveway when this happened.  I think parking on that side of the house is off limits until I figure out what to do about this.  Because this is the second time in about a year this happened (and last time it did land on the roof of the addition). ( Read more... ) (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, August 5th, 2011
2:50 pm	Arthur I finally figured out who Arthur reminded me of.  He looks remarkably like the cat in Ruth Sanderson's painting "Home Is Where The Cat Is" ... http://www.goldenwoodstudio.com/uploads/images/catalog_src/home-is-where-the-cat-is_src_1.jpg (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011
9:22 am	Fannish Express (NJ to MA) Any of my peeps in the Edison NJ area driving to the Boston MA area in the near future (next month)? I'm trying to get fannish express on my niece's laptop so I can try to fix it. Alternatively if you are going to Worldcon in Reno and have spare luggage space (hah). I probably don't need any of the accessories just the laptop since I have Dell power adapters and stuff already. (Comment on this)