Dave geeks out

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Originally uploaded by Seattle Dave.

I went to the Emerald City Comic Con today. I showed up just in time for the costume contest and got plenty of pix. But I mostly went to see Gigi Edgley (pictured), who played Chiana on Farscape. I got an autograph and talked to her for about 10 minutes (she wasn't that busy). I also talked to Wayne Pygram (Scorpius on Farcape and Rose's psychic on Lost). I was such a geek that I called Jay and Jack's podcast to report that Wayne wanted to be on Lost again. I also helped out a guy who dropped some $20 bills on the floor and turned in an ATM card that I'd found in the machine.

It's back, mostly

The Dave Locator is back, now at this URL:

http://www.blogthevote.net/locate/

I figured I'd use a different method to put the pushpins on the map since I was rewriting it anyway. So I tried using georss layers, and learned a thing or two. Anyway, enjoy.

Oops

I deleted the Dave Locator website code by accident and didn't have a backup. Fortunately, it wasn't that difficult to create in the first place, so it is just a matter of finding the time to re-create it.

Where am I?

I used to have a "find dave" service that could automatically locate me anytime my cell phone was turned on. Unfortunately, that hasn't worked for a long time, because AT&T turned off their service (oh well, it was free anyway and fun while it lasted). I figured it would be nice for Laurel to be able to keep track of me when I ride my motorcycle, though, so I rigged up a more manual, but workable, solution.

So now I have the Dave Locator website ... this updates my location once a minute, but only when I remember to turn it on (therefore, the "latest" location may not be where I actually am, just the last time I had the setup turned on). The setup is basically a bluetooth GPS unit that my phone detects, and if it can find it, the phone uploads my location to a database, which is what you're seeing on top of Virtual Earth when you pull up my site.

"Open," says me

Today, I installed a Harley-Davidson Remote Control Garage Door Opener Kit. It allows me to open and close the garage door with just a flick of the hi/low headlight switch. This involved cutting and splicing three wires, and it was supposed to involve actually removing the fuel tank to run some wires under it. Instead, I was able to use a cable puller I had from when I ran internet wiring through the house -- the cables pulled right through the proper channels without having to drain, remove, and reinstall the fuel tanks!

Date the palms, sign the Mickey heads

Our big Saturday morning activity today was completing the paperwork for our new "ownership" in the Disney Vacation Club. I've signed plenty of contracts, real estate or otherwise, but have never had to follow the simple instructions of putting the date everywhere you see a palm tree, or signing everywhere you see Mickey Mouse's head. It kind of made a fun little game out of spending 2.5 months' salary!

It also marks the largest purchase I've ever been party to where my involvement and understanding begins and ends with my unreadable signature. I'm sure Laurel will post more details than you could ever want on her blog! I sometimes make the mistake of asking a direct question and hearing a thirty minute explanation that leaves me more confused than when I started out, and I'm not exactly as dumb as I look.

Today, I am a man

I finally sold my Vespa scooter today! It went to a good home, via craigslist.

Cana-nomics

Every red-blooded American knows the rule of Starbucks tipping: When you get your change, you just dump the coin part (aka "the worthless bit") into the tip jar, and at your discretion (i.e. hot barissta) add a $1 bill.

But no matter how many times you've been to Canada, you'll fall for this scheme at least once: Buy a $2 coffee; get back $3 in "change" due to lack of bills smaller than $5; follow Starbucks rule and absent-mindedly dump all $3 into the tip jar.

This is the only reason Canada even allows Starbucks in the country, and is now the cornerstone of the entire Canadian economic system. The $3 of pure profit goes not to Starbucks but straight into a Canadian's pocket, which he then spends on Canadian needs such as back bacon, Rush albums, and soft-wood lumber.

Fire alarm, eh!

I'm sitting here in my hotel room in Toronto ... the fire alarm is currently going off. It's a loud beep every five seconds, and every minute or so a very polite voice comes on and says "Attention, the fire alarm system has been activated." (oh, really?) "Please stand by and listen for further instructions."

Here's the thing, though -- it's so cold here that if the building is on fire, more people would probably rush IN than OUT.

Despite being incredibly annoying, this is the most polite fire alarm I've ever heard -- it's actually just the alarm to let you know that the actual alarm might come (I swear, there is a sign on the door explaining this).