Geer Farmhouse http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com Blogging from the heart of Durham, NC posterous.com Tue, 16 Aug 2011 09:15:19 -0700 Help find Cecilia the dog - $500 reward http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/help-find-cecilia-the-dog-500-reward http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/help-find-cecilia-the-dog-500-reward
Back when I volunteered at the Animal Protection Society of Durham over a year ago I remember frequently walking this dog. She is very sweet, if a bit shy around people. I'm glad to hear that she has a forever home, but saddened to see that she has escaped.

If you live or drive near the Grove Park area of Durham please keep an eye out for this sweet dog. 

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]]> http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/3sINHQZxR6Ip Steve Graff Steve Steve Graff Tue, 05 Jul 2011 21:00:00 -0700 Six years to the day http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/six-years-to-the-day http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/six-years-to-the-day

This seems like as good a time to breath some life back into this blog as any.

Six years ago to the day Susan and I arrived in Durham. We drove from CA to Las Vegas, stayed there for a few days with Susan's parents, then continued on our journey across country to our new home. Susan's Jeep was packed to the gills with whatever belongings did not get packed into the ABF U-Pack trailer. Despite this, we left a lot of stuff behind in the storage closet of our old townhome.

We carved a little spot in the back of the Jeep right behind the front seats with just enough space for a dog bed for our pup Snickers. We had only adopted him a year ago from a local animal rescue - C.A.R.E. - in San Jose. Despite this, he was having nothing of it. He either sat on the passengers lap, or flopped across the center console. It didn't seem comfortable to me, but he seemed content.

California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, then finally North Carolina. I found that the states that had the worst reputation for being backwards - i.e. the Southern states - were the ones that I liked the best. Basically from the right half of Oklahoma onward.

I've come to the conclusion that New Mexico is cursed. While we were driving across NM we got a call from our realtor. He called to tell us that somebody had stolen the air conditioner condenser form our house - most likely to sell for the small amount of copper contained within. Four months later I flew back to CA and drove my car across my country with my dad. Again, while in NM we got a call from Susan, who stayed behind, who told us that our lawn caught fire! I had been letting the lawn die so that I could till and ammend the soil and plant a new lawn. Some fool apparently tossed a cigarette out of their car, which caught the dry grass on fire and burned about a third of our dry, dead lawn.

I never expected to experience what we have experienced since moving to Durham. Drug addicts and prostitutes walking through the neighborhood. Drug house down the road doing more business than an In-n-Out on a summer Friday night, stolen van running through our back fence, neighbors getting shot in an apparent drug deal gone bad, stray dogs all over, back yard breeders, betrayal, intimidation. And that's what just comes to mind right now. So much more has gone on.

Sometimes I think that I should write a book.

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]]> http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/3sINHQZxR6Ip Steve Graff Steve Steve Graff Wed, 06 Apr 2011 13:06:00 -0700 NC Senate to vote on increasing fines for speeders in school zones http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/nc-senate-to-vote-on-increasing-fines-for-spe http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/nc-senate-to-vote-on-increasing-fines-for-spe
RALEIGH, N.C. --

Lawmakers will make the final vote on whether to make drivers pay a higher fine for speeding in school zones on Wednesday. The bill could have drivers paying up to 10 times more for speeding in school zones.

Traffic officers say they hear all kinds of excuses when it comes to speeding in schools zones, but parents say no excuse is good enough.

"It is horrible," said parent David Daniels. "They come flying down without any regard for the fact that kids are coming out at this time."

If the measure passes, the fine will increase from $25 to a $250.

"If we have a $250 fine for a construction zone, we feel like children in a school zone during school hours - they are just as valuable as a construction zone," said bill sponsor Sen. Austin Allran, R-Catawba.

Officers believe if drivers feel the pain in their pocket when speeding in school zones, it might encourage them to take their foot off the gas.

"I think it is a very good deterrent, and it also helps us promote traffic safety and safe roads,"  said Officer W.T. Allen with the Apex Police Department.

Parents agree.

"I think a higher penalty would encourage people to slow down and I think that is safer for our children," said parent P.J. Stembridge.

If the bill passes in the Senate it will head to Gov. Bev Perdue's desk. If the Governor signs it, the law would go into effect in August.

via www2.nbc17.com

I hope that along with increasing the fines we can also increase the effort to enforcing speed limits. An un-enforced law is worthless...

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]]> http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/3sINHQZxR6Ip Steve Graff Steve Steve Graff Fri, 01 Apr 2011 09:15:30 -0700 DPN News Alternative http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/dpn-news-alternative http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/dpn-news-alternative Happy Friday! Here's a little something that will either make you laugh or cry - or both!

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B09oCdsz3l...

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]]> http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/3sINHQZxR6Ip Steve Graff Steve Steve Graff Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:35:21 -0700 $2500 Reward for Stolen Dog - Spread the Word! http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/2500-reward-for-stolen-dog-spread-the-word http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/2500-reward-for-stolen-dog-spread-the-word This is just heart breaking! Someone broke into a home and stole a dog along with it's crate and vet records. Please be on the lookout for this dog and contact the owner if you think you see her.

Liat_reward_poster

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]]> http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/3sINHQZxR6Ip Steve Graff Steve Steve Graff Mon, 07 Mar 2011 16:07:28 -0800 Winning! http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/winning http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/winning This is brilliant! If you haven't seen it yet, watch it now.

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]]> http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/3sINHQZxR6Ip Steve Graff Steve Steve Graff Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:06:00 -0800 Wanna be a pimp? There's a business plan for that! http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/wanna-be-a-pimp-theres-a-business-plan-for-th http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/wanna-be-a-pimp-theres-a-business-plan-for-th

So you say you wanna be a pimp? There's a business plan for that! Seriously! Go read it now.

If you have difficulty reading the scan of the hand-written note, they have conveniently provided a transcript here. Maybe Palo Alto software can add this as a template to Business Plan Pro.

The questions still remains, however: is pimpin' easy?

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]]> http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/3sINHQZxR6Ip Steve Graff Steve Steve Graff Tue, 25 Jan 2011 07:20:25 -0800 Study on the economics of the drug trade http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/study-on-the-economics-of-the-drug-trade http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/study-on-the-economics-of-the-drug-trade Doing a little web surfing last night I came across a study at Carnegie Melon University about the drug trade, specifically about the costs of being a low-level drug dealer in New York City. It also discusses some of the different roles that people play in the drug trade - from entrepreneur, consigner, touter, runner, doorman, etc. It also provides some interesting info about the process of converting powder cocaine to crack, and the dramatic increase in street value that is realized with only a small amount of readily available materials and a little effort. The study can be found here.

I imagine that a lot of this study's findings apply to Durham. It seems sometimes that you can't go a block in my neighborhood without running into a drug dealer or addict.

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]]> http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/3sINHQZxR6Ip Steve Graff Steve Steve Graff Mon, 10 Jan 2011 17:16:39 -0800 Help find lost dog Chloe http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/help-find-lost-dog-chloe http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/help-find-lost-dog-chloe
Chloe is lost.doc Download this file

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]]> http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/3sINHQZxR6Ip Steve Graff Steve Steve Graff Tue, 16 Nov 2010 08:20:00 -0800 They took our jobs! http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/they-took-our-jobs http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/they-took-our-jobs

You've just gotta love the quotes from those opposed to the Durham City Council vote to allow the Durham Police Department to accept the Matricula Consular ID as an accepted form of identification. Here is one from Durham's own Victoria Peterson from an article in the Independent Weekly:

"We’re asking folks to come in this community, stay here, work and get services, and they are breaking the law. And that is wrong," said Victoria Peterson, an outspoken resident and director of a nonprofit vocational program. "A lot of the illegal folks in this community are taking our jobs," she added.

They took our jobs!!! Seems to me that South Park has covered this issue quite adequately.

Southpark_-_goobacks
But the real great quotes are from people who don't even live in Durham who then go on to insult Durham in their emails to city council. Here are two from an article in the Herald Sun:

"I live in Garner, N.C., and would love for more illegals to live in Durham," said an e-mailer who identified himself as Bruce Bell. "Eventually, they will become so [much of the] populace that you will be voted out and replaced with Mexican drug lords. Durham is already worthless. This act would just be more of the same."

"I honestly cannot even believe you are considering this," said another e-mailer, who gave his name as Quinten Adams. "Then again, this is Durham we are talking about. The city is a dump as it stands now; might as well take it to hell in a hand basket."

I've got three words for you two gentlemen. Go fuck yourselves!

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]]> http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/3sINHQZxR6Ip Steve Graff Steve Steve Graff Thu, 11 Nov 2010 14:40:00 -0800 Durham Pace Car rises like Lazarus! http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/durham-pace-car-rises-like-lazarus http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/durham-pace-car-rises-like-lazarus
If you haven't read the news already, the Durham Pace Car program is back baby! Not only that, but the city has committed to putting these magnetic bumper stickers on every non-emergency vehicle in the city fleet. We'll have to wait and see how effective this is in reducing city employee speeds through neighborhoods, but I think that it's a good first step.

Look for Durham Pace Car magnets to show up all over Durham.

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]]> http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/3sINHQZxR6Ip Steve Graff Steve Steve Graff Wed, 10 Nov 2010 10:46:45 -0800 How to fight slumlords http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/how-to-fight-slumlords http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/how-to-fight-slumlords I recently found this good resource about how to fight slumlords from a community in Milwaukee. Seems like Durham could use it's own version of this....

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]]> http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/3sINHQZxR6Ip Steve Graff Steve Steve Graff Thu, 04 Nov 2010 16:54:24 -0700 What's up with all the spark plugs? http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/whats-up-with-all-the-spark-plugs http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/whats-up-with-all-the-spark-plugs On occasion I grab my litter grabber and a big trash bag and walk around the neighborhood picking up trash. One item that I have found frequently (no, I'm not referring to used condoms or dirty diapers) are spark plugs. I didn't think that spark plugs were either a) falling out of cars engine compartments as they drive down the road, or b) being thrown out the window by drivers (though this wouldn't surprise me).

A quick Google search revealed that burglars use spark plugs to break the door glass of cars to gain entry. Why spark plugs? Because the ceramic used in spark plugs is harder than glass. Here is a Youtube video that demonstrates it, and shows how little noise the shattering glass makes.

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]]> http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/3sINHQZxR6Ip Steve Graff Steve Steve Graff Thu, 04 Nov 2010 16:15:01 -0700 What the...?!?! http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/what-the http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/what-the
This is what I found when I went to move my garbage can back from the curb yesterday after trash pickup day. All that was there are the wheels. Where the hell is the can? My best guess is that it fell into the garbage truck and the driver just continued along his route... Time to file a Durham One Call ticket to get a new garbage can I guess.

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]]> http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/3sINHQZxR6Ip Steve Graff Steve Steve Graff Tue, 02 Nov 2010 09:00:00 -0700 Vote! http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/vote http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/vote

Today is the day! Go out and vote! Not sure where your polling place is? Look here. Not sure what you'll be voting on? Look over there where you can find a sample ballot.

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]]> http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/3sINHQZxR6Ip Steve Graff Steve Steve Graff Tue, 02 Nov 2010 07:31:11 -0700 Choices, choices... http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/choices-choices http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/choices-choices Here's a video to get you all de-motivated for going to the polls...

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]]> http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/3sINHQZxR6Ip Steve Graff Steve Steve Graff Thu, 21 Oct 2010 10:32:32 -0700 Going to the State Fair? There's an app for that! http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/going-to-the-state-fair-theres-an-app-for-tha http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/going-to-the-state-fair-theres-an-app-for-tha While looking at the NC State Fair web site I noticed that they have apps for the iPhone and Android phones. I downloaded it for my DROID to take a look at it. It includes a interactive map where you can view the food vendors and rides, as well as an events listing. This should help us to navigate to the food stand selling a Krispy Kreme hamburger I keep hearing about!

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]]> http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/3sINHQZxR6Ip Steve Graff Steve Steve Graff Thu, 21 Oct 2010 10:26:52 -0700 Big banks suck! http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/big-banks-suck http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/big-banks-suck This week I received a call from a research firm called Sykes (a call center outsource vendor). I had seen that this phone number had made several attempts to call me this week, but never left a message.

The rep explained that they are conducting research about checking account overdraft options, and my opinions about them. They talked about theoretical checking overdraft services that would charge a $15 overdraft fee for ATM/POS (Point of Sale) transactions and $35 for recurring transactions, or $10 for transactions under $50 and $50 for transactions over $50. 

I replied that I would not use such a service. When asked why, I replied that there are better options. The rep said that that was an interesting response that she had never heard before. The better option that I refer to are other banks that allow you to setup free overdraft protection using a savings account. In my case, I am in the process of switching to USAA banking. They allow me to setup automatic overdraft protection of my checking account from my savings account. There is no fee to set this up, and no fee is charged whenever this service is used. It's the way banking ought to be.

Clearly the big banks are scrambling after the changes that require them to get customer consent to charge abusive overdraft fees for ATM and POS transactions. My opinion on all of this? Screw em! Big banks received massive government bailout. Some of those same banks, banks too big to fail mind you, then got bigger by buying other banks (*cough* Wells Fargo *cough* Wachovia).

It's my opinion that some of these banks are too big to succeed. Nimble, customer focused banks, like USAA or the banking startup BankSimple will always be able to out-maneuver these behemoths. I also like to support the underdog, not only because they are fighting against bigger foes, but because they really do try harder to attract and retain customers.

If your bank is screwing you over, then change banks - there are better banks out there.

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]]> http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/3sINHQZxR6Ip Steve Graff Steve Steve Graff Tue, 12 Oct 2010 07:37:45 -0700 Hot Time in the City http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/hot-time-in-the-city http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/hot-time-in-the-city Here it is, second week of October and we are forecast to hit 89 degrees. It also got a bit hot last night too. Here's a video to celebrate what I'm hoping is the last hot day this year - the fall can't come quick enough.

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]]> http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/3sINHQZxR6Ip Steve Graff Steve Steve Graff Wed, 29 Sep 2010 09:04:00 -0700 PEDS and Police conduct crosswalk enforcement http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/peds-and-police-conduct-crosswalk-enforcement http://geerfarmhouse.posterous.com/peds-and-police-conduct-crosswalk-enforcement

PEDS in Atlanta (Pedestrians Educating Drivers on Safety) and the Georgia State Police worked together to identify and educate drivers about the rights of pedestrians in crosswalks.

This is something that i'd love to see occur in Durham. A large proportion of the drivers here are self-absorbed fools who only care about three people: my, myself and I.

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]]> http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/3sINHQZxR6Ip Steve Graff Steve Steve Graff