Hoegaarden Serving Tip

I love a lot of different beers.  Mostly Ales, but I enjoy a tasty Stout, Pilsner, or Lager as well as a few others.  But one beer I *never* tire of is Hoegaarden.  Never.  I can drink it in the hazy, hot, and humid days of Summer, as well as the crisp, dry, cold nights of Winter.  It’s a unique Ale of the Heffeweizen variety, but unfiltered, so it’s cloudy.  But the difference is not only the cloudy pale amber color, it’s the blend of spices and natural stabilization.

The bottle label has a simple 3-step picture-guide on how to serve it best:  Pour 2/3 bottle into a cold glass.  Shake the remainder in the bottle.  Pour the remainder in to make the head form.

Hoegaarden rates an average 3.91 (B+) on BeerAdvocate.com

Hoegaarden began in 1445 (based on their label and web site history) but actually, as a brand, went dormant for many years.  In 1987, the brewery management was taken over by Interbrew (now called Anheuser-Busch InBev).  Thankfully, ABI hasn’t tried to re-define the product into some watered-down tasteless crap that they sell to most Americans.

Here’s my tip.  Using an iced full-size beer glass: Pour 1/2 the bottle in vigorously.  Stir the remainder vigorously, and pour it in fast.  This forms a better head and also stirs the spices more evenly (they settle at the bottom usually).  Also, from time to time, I will swirl the glass to blend the spices again.  You can see them swimming in the brew from the side of the glass.  Mmmmm.  I’m on my second glass right now.  Cheers!

Apple TV 3.0.1 Critical Update Released

Per e-mail received this afternoon…

Dear Customer,

If you've installed the Apple TV 3.0 software update, you should immediately update to version 3.0.1. This prevents content from temporarily disappearing until it is resynced.

To update your Apple TV software:

1. Reboot your Apple TV (unplug the power cord and plug it back in)
2. Select Settings > General from the main menu
3. Select Update Software
4. Select Download and Install

Note: Your Apple TV will conduct a restart, which is followed by the Apple logo and a status bar.

For more information, please refer to this article:
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3116

If you need further assistance with your Apple TV, contact AppleCare.

Sincerely,
Apple TV Team

What Was “New” for Me This Past Week

• Paint.NET 3.5 was finally released (download) – I really love it!
• Testing SkyDriveExplorer.  Some (very) minor quirks, but nice (http://www.skydriveexplorer.com/)
• Updated my AppleTV to 3.0.  Finally!
• Updated my Blackberry 8830 to firmware 4.5.  Finally!
• Adjusted my Twitter-Admin setup (control my home computers via Twitter from the Blackberry, and monitor events as well)
• Posted updates to ASP and VBScript syntax definitions for TextPad (download)
• Installed Tigo-Tago to manage IDv3 tags on my AVI library (download)
• Got the family (only) van repaired.  Power steering pump and hoses, and water pump both failed.  Runs great now.
• Caught up on podcasts: Adam Carolla Show, No Agenda, CarCast, and Tech5
• Rode the bike for only 5 miles though.  Sucky.

Follow-Up on my Autodesk Rant

Soon after posting my rant about Autodesk products and their relationship with (at least certain) “Enterprise” customers, I received a TON of feedback.  Probably the most since I resuscitated my blog some time ago.  All of the feedback was appreciated (except for the rude comments by a few dickheads and spammers) and were overwhelmingly supportive and in agreement. 

But the most important response, for me, came from Eric Stover at Autodesk.  Not that it contained anything tangibly immediate, but that it even happened.  We had voiced our frustrations with our sales/customer rep for months and were basically placated with pats on the back, a tissue, maybe a lullaby to get us back to sleep.  But this was like someone opening a dungeon door and letting in sunlight for the first time in, well, forever.

As of today, we are scheduled for a phone conference with Eric and his staff with myself and my co-workers next week.  It would have been today, but I had vehicle “issues” and missed work running errands to get it fixed.

I wanted to keep this topic “alive”, so as not to give the impression all is resolved and we can already move on.  That hasn’t happened yet.  But I am (we are) hopeful that our upcoming meeting will be positive and productive.  I think Autodesk understands the value and importance, now more than ever, of keeping their customers happy and interested in their products and services.  The economy is putting a fire under all of the players in this industry, and they’re all stepping up to eat each other’s lunch.  So, if you have a relationship with a particular software vendor and you feel they aren’t stepping up to the plate for your needs, AND if you’re paying for support or maintenance, now is the time to bend some arms.  As you can see, it does get a response if you remain honest and focused.  Don’t let emotion overshadow the crux of what you’re concerns are.  Let the concerns speak for themselves.

Proof That We Are Doomed

Since Monday of this week, and it’s Thursday today, I have seen:

• 2 “mothers” place their baby carrier (with a real baby) on the street, on the driver’s side, in the path of passing traffic, while reaching back to get more things from their vehicles.
• 5 people open their driver’s side door as cars pass by, forcing them to swirve to avoid hitting the door (I want to take one off myself)
• 2 dozen red Ford Mustangs
• 2 dozen red Dodge Chargers
• 2 dozen red Dodge Challengers
• 4 people ordering from Starbucks asking for a “mack-ee-ah-tee” (think of a Boston accent, but they’re not from anywhere near Boston)
• Same 4 asked for a “small”.  When the lady said “you mean ‘tall’” they disagreed.
• Philly’s fans cheering on TV when A-Rod was hit for the third time (game 5)
• The week’s not over yet…

Awesome Trampoline Acrobatics

WARNING: The music embedded in this video contains some language that may be offensive to some folks.  If you don’t like Rap lingo, turn the sound down.  The video is worth the effort.

Just When You Felt Sorry for Your Life

Watched it yet?  No?  Watch it.  Then STFU.

What’s Wrong with Hampton Roads Transit (HRT)

Having been a regular bus rider for quite some time, I have intimate experience with what works and what does not, when it comes to our “mass transit” bus services. 

The list of what’s wrong far outweighs the positive aspects at this point, but I’m hopeful that over time it will improve.  The positive aspects are that it’s (a) relatively cheap to use and (b) not usually crowded.

This is with regards to the “Max” service, which is intended to provide express service between major population zones and across city boundaries.  I seriously doubt it will improve in the next five (5) years, but maybe Elvis is still alive and will help them out.

1. Routes are incomplete and inefficient
   You cannot take a bus between many of the most densely populated areas to other densely populated areas without driving in a car to get to at least one of the endpoints.  If you want to take a bus from middle Virginia Beach to Newport News get ready for 2-1/2 to 3 hours of riding and multiple stops and at least one route change (a wait at a stop for another bus).  Some major stations have no direct links or even shuttles to connect them (e.g. Silverleaf and Indian River).
2. Routes are Not Tiered
   This might seem like a repeat of the above, but actually it’s synergistic (don’t you love that word!?).  The route structure should be based on a rigorous, reliable skeleton or “core” route service that runs independent of feeder routes.  The timing of the feeder routes should be carefully coordinated so that it jibes with the core system without making riders wait more than 15 minutes at most.  In other words, you should be able to hop on a feeder bus in Pungo or Poquoson, get off at a stop and catch a core system bus to get across the water to another city, hop on another feeder bus and at no point in the middle wait more than 10-15 minutes for the next bus.  You cannot do that right now.  Other cities have been doing this for years.
3. Stop Locations are poorly planned
   Most of the Max stops, other than “transit centers” are in shopping center parking lots or on main streets, located in such a way as to require the drivers to maneuver tricky and tight turns to loop around and park appropriately to allow riders to load and unload.  Stops should be positioned to avoid positioning maneuvers and U-turns as a top priority.  If the bus has to make an awkward turn-around at a stop to continue on the route, the stop should be moved.
4. Paper Fare Cards.  No Reuse
   It’s 2009.  Someone didn’t get the memo about being “green” and “eco-friendly”.  Daily-use, throw-away paper fare cards are a slap in the face of this entire mindset.  Not very smart of their marketing department (if they even have a marketing department).  How about a plastic, re-usable fare card?  Maybe one that can be reloaded everywhere you currently purchase the paper cards.  Maybe even a reason to go to their crappy web site and reload (might actually increase traffic and give reason to sell advertising space on the site!  Imagine that!)
5. Poorly Maintained Equipment
   While standing around at the “transit centers” I often see the drivers get out, walk around, and crawl under their bus looking for whatever is making a strange noise.  At least once per week, when stopping mid-route, the engine will die and the driver will have to restart it.  Not very reassuring.  Often the marquee is wrong and the driver can do nothing to correct it (wrong route number usually).
6. Merged Traffic
   Technically, this is technically not HRT’s fault.  It’s the fault of city traffic planners and VDOT.  Putting buses in the same horrific mess as all the moronic car “drivers” (using the term loosely here) does nothing to make the bus more efficient.  It simply offers riders the chance to take a nap and save on gas money (depending upon the price of gas and their vehicle MPG rating).  At least on the main arteries like I-64, I-264, I-664, etc. they should add a dedicated bus lane.
7. Wasted Marketing Potential
   No “specials” or incentive discounts are offered beyond the same-old tired senior citizen and military/student discounts.  How about special deals where they partner with shopping centers to cross promote?  This is not new.  Been around for decades and it works VERY well.  I believe the phrase used for this is “a win-win”.  If I have to explain this, forget it.
8. Single Purpose Stops are Dumb
   Partner with fast food and quick-shop businesses to surround your stops with something for people to do (buy) while they wait.  Maybe these could be the same businesses you cross market with (see number 7) for cross-incentive marketing.  “Shop here, get $1 off your next ride.  Buy a 10 pack of tickets, get $5 off your next purchase at __”.  Duh?
9. Diversify
   Forget waiting on the cities to pull their thumbs out of their asses.  By the time they make a decision about true “mass transit” solutions, they will have spent all their budgets consultants and studies and nothing will ever be constructed.  Municipalities are bound by federal, state and local restrictions that private businesses often can circumvent.  Not always, but more than otherwise.  Just buy up property, build the stupid light-rail/mono-rail/whatever-rail between all the key points in the region (not just within a single city) and enlist the participation of retail and food merchants to make the system profitable.  It can be done.  It’s called “vision”.  Stop asking everyone for consensus.  If they asked everyone how to build the Interstate system, it wouldn’t exist today.

American Stupidity: 0.1

So, it’s perfectly legal to plaster bumper stickers all across the back of your car that say “Fuck you!!!” in bold letters.  Covering the entire trunk and rear-facing portions of your vehicle. In such position as to be unavoidable to the drivers behind you in traffic.  Unavoidable to anyone regardless of their age, gender or religious views.  Unavoidable to anyone who isn’t blind.

It is perfectly legal.  I know.  I checked.  In fact, it’s not just the rear portion of your vehicle.  It’s anywhere on your vehicle, as long as it doesn’t obstruct your view or violate vehicle safety regulations.

However, you cannot say the F-word on TV, on the radio, in a newspaper, or a newstand magazine (unless it’s labeled for sale only to adults).  And we’re all just fine with that.  It is as it should be, according to the views of most Americans.  Otherwise, they would have lobbeyed their congressmen and senators to change that.

I had WAY too much time on my hands

This was something I did quite some time ago, but last weekend I went back and neatened it up a bit.  What is it?  Good question:

It’s a draft of what a rail-system (aka light rail) would likely have to resemble in order to be remotely useful to the people in Hampton Roads, Virginia.  If you don’t know what Hampton Roads is, or live anywhere near it, don’t bother.  It wouldn’t make any sense to you.  But if you do…

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=106594082281787636274.0004759a491ba30be0478&ct=onebox&cd=20&cad=docsearch,cid:4241414345656300890&geocode=FSg2MQId1X53-w

All of this is moot anyway.  The concept of a rail system connecting more than even two cities, in the next 20 years, is about as likely as me shitting out a cruise missile with Goofy and Mickey hanging onto it.  This area HATES mass transit.  They want cars and crappy roads and bottlenecks, because it gives everyone something to constantly bitch about.  I used to believe people here really wanted a better way to get around.  Scratch that: just a way to get around, period.  Rather than sitting still on backed-up bridges and tunnels and merge lanes and exit ramps, every morning, every evening, even holiday, weekend, lunch hour, and sprinkle or flake dropping.

I was wrong.  Apparently, surveys have shown that very few care about this situation.  Most believe it is as it should be and that it should not be changed, because change is bad.  The slogan here is “yes, we can, but no we won’t”.  If you’re looking for common sense here, keep moving on.  Nothing to see here.