Trick...
Want to stop or slow robo-calls? "Congraulations! You just won a cruise to the Bahamas."
When you see that strange or non sensical number (for those that have caller ID) pick up but say nothing. It'll disconnect within 5 seconds and so far they haven't called back.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Friday, February 1, 2013
Beware: Windows Computer Center
What a crock of shit this is!
If you get a call from "The Windows Computer Center" and the voice is foreign (like Indian or Pakistani) hang up! It's not from Microsoft. They don't identify themselves as Microsoft.
Read this article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/18/phone-scam-india-call-centres
The joke is on them this morning as I don't use a Windoz based computer.
If you get a call from "The Windows Computer Center" and the voice is foreign (like Indian or Pakistani) hang up! It's not from Microsoft. They don't identify themselves as Microsoft.
Read this article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/18/phone-scam-india-call-centres
The joke is on them this morning as I don't use a Windoz based computer.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Western Canada trip
I can't find anything really interesting to say about this trip. Having done it several times already, it has become ordinary.
Started out on the 29th of December in late afternoon. Didn't go too far due to the weather but got to Pembroke, Ontario around 9 PM. The snow and wind made the roads icy and I only had 11K pounds in the trailer. That's light, for those who are not familiar with transport.
Day 2: Pembroke to Wawa.
Pembroke to the Sault isn't too bad. It's just the roads. Winter has done it's work and frost heaves are the flavour of the day. Traffic's light, roads are fair to middling with occasional icy patches. Nothing too challenging but bears watching nonetheless. However, from the Sault to Wawa, over the lake-head... what a dismal piece of road; rocks, the odd frozen lake, black spruce. The odd habitation or hamlet, like White River, Marathon, Schreibner and finally Nippigon, all far and few between. I dislike this road... really. So I just drive to peel away the miles and rid myself of this area. BTW, There nothing like radio or TV thats worthwhile either when stopped. Cell Service; forget it, nothing until you're about 12 Kms from Thunder Bay.
Oh yah, interest of the day, roadside moose, young female I would guess, no antlers, which I chased back into the forest with my horns blaring and a quick fox that crossed my path.
Day 3: Wawa to the Peg
Breaking free of Ontario, finally, I reach the Manitoba border and even though there is little difference in scenery for several mile to go, there is palpable relief. There's hope. The terrain flattens out slowly and the roads improve. Got to wonder. But its cold out here; -26° C and windy, (windchill = -40 something). Fuel up and hunker down for the night. Oops, onboard heater malfunction, unit screams like a stuck pig. Some bearings have worn out and are preventing the unit from achieving its full speed, thus its heat output. Sh*t. Going to have to run the engine just to stay warm for the rest of the trip 'cause the office doesn't like having these units serviced by outside. Understandable because outside service loves to replace the unit rather than repair to the tune of 2 to 3K. Office is advised and says run the engine 'til you get back. One less worry for me. One less delay in having it serviced on my way out.
Day 4: the Peg to Regina
Just a short hop today as my deliveries start tomorrow in Regina. 2 stops then off to Saskatoon.
Day 5, You got it... Saskatoon.
Overnight here with one delivery near downtown. Ez in, Ez out. Off to Lloydminster on the SK side. Town sits the border of AB and SK. Then off to Edmonton for one final delivery. Finished, now find a place to reset my log and we're fine. Dismay truck stop in Edmonton, name of major brand withheld. Note to any visitors: They don't plough snow much out there. Sand and gravel, good for windshields, not!
Saturday & Sunday, Jan 5, 6
Have a new destination: Storm Lake, Iowa. Shortest route required cause I'm empty.... And really light.
This could be interesting if winds pick any further. So I backtrack all the way to Regina and stop in Estavan, SK. Next day, south to Portal, ND. Zig zag south-east through ND, SD, MN, IA. Finally stop in Watertown, SD. Shower, fuel, shopping to resupply on-board food, truck wash cause everything is dirty.
Monday, final leg before reloading; half day of driving. Tuesday is reload day but it takes from 11 am to 4 PM to get load inspected and paperwork issued. (sheesh!) Finally released, 1280 miles to go! Can do in 2 days. Delivery: Thursday. Drive, drive, drive. Arrive at clients place, no one is there though I have an early appointment, they're closed. Advise office, wait until 08h00 they say. I go back to bed. A couple of hours later they arrive, knock on my door. They don't understand why I'm there, they didn't record the appt. Someone screwed up but no problem, We'll take you anyway.
Back at the terminal, pack my gear into the car and go home for breakfast.
Next day, Friday, Norovirus! Fun.
Started out on the 29th of December in late afternoon. Didn't go too far due to the weather but got to Pembroke, Ontario around 9 PM. The snow and wind made the roads icy and I only had 11K pounds in the trailer. That's light, for those who are not familiar with transport.
Day 2: Pembroke to Wawa.
Pembroke to the Sault isn't too bad. It's just the roads. Winter has done it's work and frost heaves are the flavour of the day. Traffic's light, roads are fair to middling with occasional icy patches. Nothing too challenging but bears watching nonetheless. However, from the Sault to Wawa, over the lake-head... what a dismal piece of road; rocks, the odd frozen lake, black spruce. The odd habitation or hamlet, like White River, Marathon, Schreibner and finally Nippigon, all far and few between. I dislike this road... really. So I just drive to peel away the miles and rid myself of this area. BTW, There nothing like radio or TV thats worthwhile either when stopped. Cell Service; forget it, nothing until you're about 12 Kms from Thunder Bay.
Oh yah, interest of the day, roadside moose, young female I would guess, no antlers, which I chased back into the forest with my horns blaring and a quick fox that crossed my path.
Day 3: Wawa to the Peg
Breaking free of Ontario, finally, I reach the Manitoba border and even though there is little difference in scenery for several mile to go, there is palpable relief. There's hope. The terrain flattens out slowly and the roads improve. Got to wonder. But its cold out here; -26° C and windy, (windchill = -40 something). Fuel up and hunker down for the night. Oops, onboard heater malfunction, unit screams like a stuck pig. Some bearings have worn out and are preventing the unit from achieving its full speed, thus its heat output. Sh*t. Going to have to run the engine just to stay warm for the rest of the trip 'cause the office doesn't like having these units serviced by outside. Understandable because outside service loves to replace the unit rather than repair to the tune of 2 to 3K. Office is advised and says run the engine 'til you get back. One less worry for me. One less delay in having it serviced on my way out.
Day 4: the Peg to Regina
Just a short hop today as my deliveries start tomorrow in Regina. 2 stops then off to Saskatoon.
Day 5, You got it... Saskatoon.
Overnight here with one delivery near downtown. Ez in, Ez out. Off to Lloydminster on the SK side. Town sits the border of AB and SK. Then off to Edmonton for one final delivery. Finished, now find a place to reset my log and we're fine. Dismay truck stop in Edmonton, name of major brand withheld. Note to any visitors: They don't plough snow much out there. Sand and gravel, good for windshields, not!
Saturday & Sunday, Jan 5, 6
Have a new destination: Storm Lake, Iowa. Shortest route required cause I'm empty.... And really light.
This could be interesting if winds pick any further. So I backtrack all the way to Regina and stop in Estavan, SK. Next day, south to Portal, ND. Zig zag south-east through ND, SD, MN, IA. Finally stop in Watertown, SD. Shower, fuel, shopping to resupply on-board food, truck wash cause everything is dirty.
Monday, final leg before reloading; half day of driving. Tuesday is reload day but it takes from 11 am to 4 PM to get load inspected and paperwork issued. (sheesh!) Finally released, 1280 miles to go! Can do in 2 days. Delivery: Thursday. Drive, drive, drive. Arrive at clients place, no one is there though I have an early appointment, they're closed. Advise office, wait until 08h00 they say. I go back to bed. A couple of hours later they arrive, knock on my door. They don't understand why I'm there, they didn't record the appt. Someone screwed up but no problem, We'll take you anyway.
Back at the terminal, pack my gear into the car and go home for breakfast.
Next day, Friday, Norovirus! Fun.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
2-1/2weeks and 11145 kms
No it's not a typo. 11145 kilometers.
23 drops from Minnesota to Port Angeles, Washington state in one week.
Starting on Monday, by Friday I still had 7 drops to go and with only 3 hours left in my 70 hour week and 4 drops left to go, I had to stop and find a truck stop to do my reset. Unfortunately, Monday was labour day... everywhere, so that meant spending Friday to Tuesday morning. Spending 4 days in a dump of a truck stop (name withheld) wasn't the highlight of my week. So Tuesday, I finished up the remaining drops only to find myself sitting dockside in Port Angeles just a stones throw from Victoria, BC. Had to overnight right on the dock with no truck stop for hundreds of miles around. By Wednesday, I was back on the road to Olympia, WA, to a real truck stop to forward some paperwork to the office, then off to Wentachee, WA. less than 200 miles to do my pick up. My appointment was for Thursday 08h00. Just as I get there, the office sents me a new message saying that the appt has been moved to 17h00. More waiting time and another day wasted. To top things off, the one pick up turns into 2, at different locations. By 8 pm, I've got my first pick up, the second is supposed to be at 22h00 but finalizes at 3 am Friday. Pears and apples. So the entire week is pooched. So Friday at 3 am, I start back. Delivery, Tuesday 11th of September at 11 am.
So guess what... I get to the drop in Boucherville, on time and waited for 5 hours as they unloaded. 20 skids in 5 hours. That's the unions for you.
Fortunately, I'm on vacation for the next few weeks. North Carolina to the Outer Banks in a little town called Duck in a little beach house, ocean side with some dear friends that Sue and I have known for over 2 decades. Last year was in the same location, just a few miles north of Duck. So a little R&R will do just fine.
23 drops from Minnesota to Port Angeles, Washington state in one week.
Starting on Monday, by Friday I still had 7 drops to go and with only 3 hours left in my 70 hour week and 4 drops left to go, I had to stop and find a truck stop to do my reset. Unfortunately, Monday was labour day... everywhere, so that meant spending Friday to Tuesday morning. Spending 4 days in a dump of a truck stop (name withheld) wasn't the highlight of my week. So Tuesday, I finished up the remaining drops only to find myself sitting dockside in Port Angeles just a stones throw from Victoria, BC. Had to overnight right on the dock with no truck stop for hundreds of miles around. By Wednesday, I was back on the road to Olympia, WA, to a real truck stop to forward some paperwork to the office, then off to Wentachee, WA. less than 200 miles to do my pick up. My appointment was for Thursday 08h00. Just as I get there, the office sents me a new message saying that the appt has been moved to 17h00. More waiting time and another day wasted. To top things off, the one pick up turns into 2, at different locations. By 8 pm, I've got my first pick up, the second is supposed to be at 22h00 but finalizes at 3 am Friday. Pears and apples. So the entire week is pooched. So Friday at 3 am, I start back. Delivery, Tuesday 11th of September at 11 am.
So guess what... I get to the drop in Boucherville, on time and waited for 5 hours as they unloaded. 20 skids in 5 hours. That's the unions for you.
Fortunately, I'm on vacation for the next few weeks. North Carolina to the Outer Banks in a little town called Duck in a little beach house, ocean side with some dear friends that Sue and I have known for over 2 decades. Last year was in the same location, just a few miles north of Duck. So a little R&R will do just fine.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Questionable Logic
There's a Weight Station on Autoroute 15 just south of Montreal as you enter Canada from the States using I-87. It is usually open during the day but there is no set timetable so it can be open at 4 AM, too. It has recently been rebuilt with the last technologies, one being; Dynamic Weighing, which means that as you roll across those two steel plates on the roadbed, your per-axle weight is automatically sent to the weight station computer. It is operated in tandem using two roadside "Surprise" signs that are normally dark and pop on as you drive past. It will either remain dark if your weight is correct or pop on if the agents want to see you. Also in the States, there is a system call Pre-Pass also known as Best-Pass. These look like lamp standards that overhang the right lane and have transponders instead of lights and are located just before the weight station. As your weight is read by the roadbed sensors, the overhead transponders also reads a vehicle transponder located on the windshield. This identifies the vehicle and associates the weight and the vehicle. If there are no changes from a previous weight station, the vehicle operator gets a signal from a second overhead transponder to by-pass the station.
So here's the rub...
As a rule all legal weights in the States limit the maximum gross vehicle weight to 80,000 pounds. This is substantially less than the legal limit here in Quebec which limits weight to 97,000. (No wonder we have bad roads). So if the agents are not checking the vehicle itself or log books or tire condition, as does Ontario, and the legal weight is correct, why have stop the truck to be re-weighed on the full scale. Is it that the dynamic scale doesn't work properly? If so, what a monumental waste.
In this age of fuel conservation, why have me stop only to wave me through after reweighing. Factor in the brake wear along with the fuel to regain highway speeds and multiple that with the thousands of trucks per day and you have an important expense.
So don't ask why your watermelon costs over $8 in July!
The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has limits.
So here's the rub...
As a rule all legal weights in the States limit the maximum gross vehicle weight to 80,000 pounds. This is substantially less than the legal limit here in Quebec which limits weight to 97,000. (No wonder we have bad roads). So if the agents are not checking the vehicle itself or log books or tire condition, as does Ontario, and the legal weight is correct, why have stop the truck to be re-weighed on the full scale. Is it that the dynamic scale doesn't work properly? If so, what a monumental waste.
In this age of fuel conservation, why have me stop only to wave me through after reweighing. Factor in the brake wear along with the fuel to regain highway speeds and multiple that with the thousands of trucks per day and you have an important expense.
So don't ask why your watermelon costs over $8 in July!
The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has limits.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Bev Oda Resigns... finally!
Statement
“As the Minister for International Co-operation, I have had the opportunity to witness the hardships of the world’s most vulnerable peoples and have witnessed the great compassion of Canadians for those in need,” Oda said.
It's about time. Even though it wasn't her departments mandate, Canada's record on the treatment of the country's aboriginal peoples is abysmal. Talk about witnessing hardships, look north at home. I see little compassion for our own people.
“As the Minister for International Co-operation, I have had the opportunity to witness the hardships of the world’s most vulnerable peoples and have witnessed the great compassion of Canadians for those in need,” Oda said.
It's about time. Even though it wasn't her departments mandate, Canada's record on the treatment of the country's aboriginal peoples is abysmal. Talk about witnessing hardships, look north at home. I see little compassion for our own people.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Hotter than hell!
Last week, I got a really nice run! I left on Tuesday with 9 deliveries starting in Binghamton, NY on Wednesday going down south ending in Tucker GA on Friday.
On Wednesday morning, at my first drop, signs that things weren't going to go so smoothly started to appear. My air temperature control had jammed in the hot position. No amount of air conditioning would compensate. So I called the garage back at the terminal and spoke to the head mechanic to see if, one, I could resolve the problem myself or two, get to a local service center and have the problem fixed. We danced around the issue but to no avail, the back of the dash board is too complex and I am not comfortable dismantling it without the appropriate tools. But he won't authorize a service outside of the shop because it's "doesn't put the vehicle out of service or stop it".
I do have a couple of options though. There is a a/c unit under the bunk so I turn that on. To do so requires that the air flow control in front to be on, pushing heated air into the front. So I turn that down as low as it can go, turn the air flow setting to recirculate instead of taking air from the outside (this keeps the air pressure from outside from pushing in) and turn the bunk air up to its' fullest. The second option is that in addition to the bunk a/c there is a third unit that runs on accessory batteries. This is used went the engine isn't running so as to conserve fuel. Normally these are charged by the alternator.
So far so good. It's livable and working. Wednesday morning goes on without further hitches. The accessory a/c quits during the night Wednesday; the little display says LB for Low Battery. This is normal so I figure I'll let the accessory recharge and we'll continue. The nights cool down enough to be comfortable. By Thursday noon however things go south figuratively, like my route.
It gets no better because now the power coming off the alternator has dropped below 11 volts and automatically cuts off the accessory batteries from charging. Not a big problem as long as there is some power above 10 volts. By Thursday night, there isn't enough power to drive the bunk a/c and it quits too. I start cutting back on using the on board fridge and my electronic cooler. The microwave won't function due to lack of sufficient power. All my food is scrap. (I avoid restaurants on my trips)
Meanwhile, I have a dog on board. Harrison is not doing well. I soak him down with water several times an hour and put a fan next to him so he has some relief, but not much.
If you were following the weather news from the states, you would have heard the the southern states were experiencing historic heat records. In Athens, Georgia, temperatures hit 106° F. (41° C) breaking all past records.The temp reading on my outdoor mirror says 44° or 111°. Inside, it's about the same. Shit it's hot! It's like sitting in an oven.
Friday isn't as hot but not by much, maybe a degree or two less. No a/c whatsoever and the alternator is dying; we're down below 10 volts, more like 9.01V. Fortunately, a diesel engine doesn't need as much electrical power to work. It just chugs away by compression. The important thing is to NOT let it stop because it won't start with less than 10 volts. Here's the kicker, there's an Idle Shutdown program that shuts the engine off after 5 minutes of idle/no movement. There is a warning light that lets you know when it is about to kick in. There is also an Idle Shutdown Override and you have to wait until the warning light goes on in order to activate it.
Finally, on Friday night, I call back the terminal garage and talk to someone with a bit more sense than the first mechanic. He authorizes the alternator repair. That puts the bunk a/c back on line and I make it back to the terminal on Sunday night.
On Wednesday morning, at my first drop, signs that things weren't going to go so smoothly started to appear. My air temperature control had jammed in the hot position. No amount of air conditioning would compensate. So I called the garage back at the terminal and spoke to the head mechanic to see if, one, I could resolve the problem myself or two, get to a local service center and have the problem fixed. We danced around the issue but to no avail, the back of the dash board is too complex and I am not comfortable dismantling it without the appropriate tools. But he won't authorize a service outside of the shop because it's "doesn't put the vehicle out of service or stop it".
I do have a couple of options though. There is a a/c unit under the bunk so I turn that on. To do so requires that the air flow control in front to be on, pushing heated air into the front. So I turn that down as low as it can go, turn the air flow setting to recirculate instead of taking air from the outside (this keeps the air pressure from outside from pushing in) and turn the bunk air up to its' fullest. The second option is that in addition to the bunk a/c there is a third unit that runs on accessory batteries. This is used went the engine isn't running so as to conserve fuel. Normally these are charged by the alternator.
So far so good. It's livable and working. Wednesday morning goes on without further hitches. The accessory a/c quits during the night Wednesday; the little display says LB for Low Battery. This is normal so I figure I'll let the accessory recharge and we'll continue. The nights cool down enough to be comfortable. By Thursday noon however things go south figuratively, like my route.
It gets no better because now the power coming off the alternator has dropped below 11 volts and automatically cuts off the accessory batteries from charging. Not a big problem as long as there is some power above 10 volts. By Thursday night, there isn't enough power to drive the bunk a/c and it quits too. I start cutting back on using the on board fridge and my electronic cooler. The microwave won't function due to lack of sufficient power. All my food is scrap. (I avoid restaurants on my trips)
Meanwhile, I have a dog on board. Harrison is not doing well. I soak him down with water several times an hour and put a fan next to him so he has some relief, but not much.
If you were following the weather news from the states, you would have heard the the southern states were experiencing historic heat records. In Athens, Georgia, temperatures hit 106° F. (41° C) breaking all past records.The temp reading on my outdoor mirror says 44° or 111°. Inside, it's about the same. Shit it's hot! It's like sitting in an oven.
Friday isn't as hot but not by much, maybe a degree or two less. No a/c whatsoever and the alternator is dying; we're down below 10 volts, more like 9.01V. Fortunately, a diesel engine doesn't need as much electrical power to work. It just chugs away by compression. The important thing is to NOT let it stop because it won't start with less than 10 volts. Here's the kicker, there's an Idle Shutdown program that shuts the engine off after 5 minutes of idle/no movement. There is a warning light that lets you know when it is about to kick in. There is also an Idle Shutdown Override and you have to wait until the warning light goes on in order to activate it.
Finally, on Friday night, I call back the terminal garage and talk to someone with a bit more sense than the first mechanic. He authorizes the alternator repair. That puts the bunk a/c back on line and I make it back to the terminal on Sunday night.
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