Trey's Tirades

Computer Repair In Tallahassee

This weekend, my travels took me to the city of Tallahassee for the first time. It is much like all the other cities that I have been to, except hotter. The humidity here makes me feel as if I am drowning in a sea of sweat and saliva - ugh.

As a college football fan, I always enjoyed my visits to these college towns. The atmosphere is usually very appealing: bars, music, arts, sports, and politics are all in abundance. I only wish that I had come for a better weekend football game than this one. Florida State University was simply too much for Syracus and the game was not the least bit interesting. 

On a more sinister note, While I was out on the town this weekend, grabbing a burger, a truely horrible thing occurred - my computer crashed. Now, I knew that it was coming because I have been nursing my old Macbook along for years now, just knowing that it was going to fail sooner or later. But, even knowing this, my last backup was over three months ago! So I went to work, trying to find a place to repair my mahine. 

I quickly discovered that there is no Apple store in Tallahassee. But I think I can see why - the town is just too sprawled out. Even though there are two colleges within a stones' throw and many college students are switching to Apple products apparently, I still do not think a full-fledged Apple store would be successful. 

After much searhing and gnashing of teeth, I did discover some excellent techs over at MacPro Services. They were friendly and helpful enough that I thought they were worth mentioning in case anyone else found themselves in need of a computer repair in Tallahassee. The thing that really made my whole day was that they came and picked up my machine, recovered the data, installed a new hard drive, transferred my data, set up the whole thing for me and then delievered it back to me! Laziness at its finest. Now, I just need to find someone to do that for all of my other basic needs, and I'll be all set. I knowt that I really need a new computer, these guys also told me that before 'operating' - but I'm a road warrior, and I don't want an expensive machine to get lost, stolen or broken.

Why is it that I can not seem to simply take care of these simple life thigns. If MacPro Services had not essentially done EVERYTHING for me, it would not have gotten done for weeks. I would have dusted off my old typewritter or something. I think that I am just too busy these days that even my Macintosh gets that shaft. I am not even going to go into how long it has been since I have mowed my lawn or washed my dog, poor fella'.

Speaking of computers, if you haven't upgraded to the newest operating system, Mavericks then do so. It is pretty great. My favorite feature is the new Maps application. Specifically, I like the "Send to Trey's iPhone" option. Nice for when I am in a new city and do not know where to eat or fix a broken computer and need to do some research for a location. 

 

PS4 versus Xbox One

Whenever a brand new games console is released, there’s a large quantity of cash that goes into promoting the hardware as well as a push to urge it on to store shelves in as many markets as attainable. There’s a pretty good reason for that: you would like as massive a user base as attainable, as quickly as possible, to recoup the prices of developing the new machine and begin creating a profit.
For this new generation of hardware Sony looks to possibly get that right, whereas Microsoft is at risk of getting it awfully wrong. The reason? Accessibility.
Back in June at E3, Microsoft declared that it meant to release the Xbox One in 21 countries come  launch day. However, by August that statement had been revised to merely thirteen countries. The remaining 8 countries — together with Europe, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Russia, and Sweden — currently must wait till 2014.

That was a blow for gamers in those countries, however additionally for Microsoft, as a result of the PS4 would gain a bonus just by being accessible in those markets. However how long would gamers be left looking forward to the Xbox One in these countries?
Although not formally confirmed nonetheless, it's thought that Microsoft has delayed the launch till the third-quarter of 2014. So, at the earliest, some or all of these countries won’t get the Xbox One till July, however it may be as late as the following year.
When Microsoft originally declared the very fact the it would only launch in thirteen countries this year, the explanation given was to confirm “customers get the simplest Xbox One expertise the primary day it's accessible.” It looks unlikely that continues to be the explanation they might delay a launch 8-10 months.
The situation appearance worse if you furthermore mght think about Asia. Microsoft has already confirmed it won’t be emotional the Xbox One in urban center, India, Singapore, Asian country, and Taiwan till late 2014. Japan additionally doesn’t have a unharness date. In total, that’s fourteen markets wherever Microsoft isn’t giving any competition for Sony for many of consequent year.
PS4 on Xbox One
The Xbox One doesn't use any innovative school on the far side the revised Kinect hardware. In fact, the internals of the PS4 and Xbox One area unit terribly similar. There ought to be no problems producing the Xbox, therefore you have got to seem to Microsoft’s organization to check why launches area unit being delayed and staggered months apart. Was this merely not planned well enough?
When the sales figures appear at the tip of 2014, it looks inevitable that the PS4 can have a large lead over the Xbox One. we have a tendency to may be talking numerous consoles here. and also the reason is one amongst accessibility. If your competition is creating its product accessible in fourteen a lot of markets than you're, and supported launch sales, matching you within the markets wherever your console is offered, you merely can’t “win.”
And could this case get any worse? Quite simply, yes. A year from now Sony is also in a position to lower the price of the PS4, which means Microsoft would be launching the Xbox One in some countries with an even larger cost differential than the present $100 gap. Of course, Microsoft may additionally lower the cpst of the Xbox One, however that’s plenty of profit being thrown away, particularly after you think about the extra prices of selling so close to a launch in a new market.

Home for Christmas

So, after a lot of travelling about, I have finally returned home for the holidays. This morning, we went out and picked out a tree as well as built our own little fireplace.

It is nice to be home. Glad for good friends and a wonderful family! 

The Name of the Wind

So, I am on the road alot. I probably drive somewhere between 5-7 hours a day every single weekday. This means that I have two options:

1. Listen to Miley Cyrus' newest hit pop single 3x every hour or
2. Listen to an audio book 

I have chosen the latter. Lately, I have been on quite the fiction kick. In the past five months, I've made my way through seven Harry Potters, five Dexter novels, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Did I mention that I drive alot?

So up until now, I've kept it fairly comfortable mostly books that I've read in the past - my latest edition, however, was a step outside of my go-to choices. It is a book entitled "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss. This book follows the life of Kvothe, pronouced almost nearly the same as 'quothe.' Here's a little excerpt from the book of Kvothe describing himself: 

I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep. 

I'm still in the process of listening to this book, but, in short, it is the tale of the truth behind a legend. It has elements of magic and schooling reminicent of Harry Potter. It has a historical setting in the same fashion as Tolkien, yet is such a far cry from Middle Earth most might miss this conenction. No, Kvothe's land is much more modern - imagine if the entire Lord of the Rings took place in Gondor. Finally, The "Name of the Wind" has the mystery of a good Dexter novel. In short, it has ended up a precise mix of everything that I love about fiction.  I'm almost done - I'll be finished in another 200 or so miles, but I can already highly recommend this great peice of fiction.

 

Fumblerooski

I, like many other responsible insured Americans, received a formal letter from my insurance company thanking me for my many years of timely payments (and good health) while kindly informing me that I would no longer have coverage starting in as litte as 3 months.

I'll be honest - I'm not quite sure WHAT to think about this. In one sense, I'm upset on sheer principle. After all, I seem to remember my president promising on multiple occations that that "people who liked their insurance plans can keep them." Well, I liked my plan - alot. So did my doctors and pediatriatians.

On the other hand, if I end up saving money with a government-sposored insurance plan and some big insurance company happens to take a hit in the process - wonderful! But that has not taken place yet. Thus, I am left with a bitter my-girlfriend-just-dumped-me sort of feeling in the pit of my stomach.

So now I have to find that plan and that happiness, myself! Only 186k or so people have signed up for insurance in the first month, with fewer than 27,000 of them going through the federal healthcare.gov site, which is handling enrollment for 36 states (source). This is mostly due to the horrible state of affairs on the web portal used for signing up for insurance. Unfortunatly, I STILL can't look to see if I will be a happy person or a very dissappointed person.

I wish that Obama had thought this through a bit more. For being the first technilogically-savvy president - YouTuve addresses, email campaigns, Twitter, etc - one would be led to believe that he would have had this well in hand.

Obama is quoted as saying, "We fumbled the roll out on this health care law." Yeah, I'd say so. And frankly, I  don't blame Republicans for picking it up and running the other way with it. Until I can (a) feel comfortable that I am going to be insured by January 1st; (b) have said healthcare be affordable; (c) have said healthcare be as GOOD as mine - or at least comparable; and (d) have the whole process vastly improve, then my attitude will remain somewhat bitter and my vote for Obama with a little less excited behind it.

Hopefully, the year extension that he is suggesting will not only apply to my health insurance provider, but also be approved by the state commissioners. I'd love a little time to decide on the best health care option for me, my wife, and my two girls. As I understand it, I have until December 15th to be signed up and paid up with a healthcare selection in order to not have a gap in my coverate. That is, in order for the government-sponsored healthcare to pick up on January 1st - the day that my current health provider is leaving me for, no doubt, some more healthy candidate.

Obama said the website healthcare.gov will see "marked and noticeable" improvement. I can only hope that is the case. Until then, I will keep refreshing my browser and crossing my fingers.

The World Reacts to the Crisis in Syria

This particular article from the amazingly funny The Oatmeal struck home all too close. I am in my late 30s and feel like I've been hearing about Syria my ENTIRE life, but certainly in the past four years.

The same can be said now of the crisis in the Philipeans. By Thursday morning, the official death toll had climbed to 2,357. Another 3,853 people are injured and 77 people still missing (source). This is amazing that a natural disaster could leave such devastation! I just take for granted how lucky I am - if I need medicine, I go to CVS. If there's a hurricane coming, I drive out of town.