On the Teleportaloo

The view from King Mountain, Autostitched on iPhone

2010-07-25T08:18:00.001-07:00

The view from King Mountain, Autostitched on iPhone
Originally uploaded by Major Clanger.

This was the steepest hike I think we've ever done! 2000ft in 2.5 miles.

Waiting for an iPad ebook reader

2010-05-08T15:22:00.000-07:00

I've been reading eBooks for years, ever since I had a Handspring Visor in 2000 and got my books from Peanut Press and Fictionwise.com. Peanut Press became eReader.com, and I read their books on my Pocket PC when I got that, I went through two Pocket PCs, in 2005 I got a Dell Axim X50v (still sitting on my desk), and I read many eBooks on that too. Then I got an iPhone. When apps became available it took a while, several months I think, before eReader got their act together to make an iPhone app, so in 2008 I could stop using my Pocket PC. It was great! I read even more books, really long books too, and things were good. Stanza came out which was a better app, and eBooks seemed to be coming into their own. Now *everybody* is doing eBooks. Amazon Kindle, Apple's iBooks, Barns and Noble's Nook, and the venerable eReader still exists. Things started to happen:

Amazon purchased Stanza.
Fictionwise purchased eReader.
Barnes and Noble purchased Fictionwise.
The iPad came out, and Apple started iBooks.

I emailed Fictionwise last week, to find out when they were going to do with the iPad. Other people say that Fictionwise is dead, and that they have no plans to update any eReader software for the iPad. However, this is response that I got:

We have not announced a date for native support of iPad at this time. Look for future announcements in our newsletters.

Calm down people! It took a while for eReader to get their act together to get their reader on the iPhone. I reckon it will take time for Barnes and Noble/Fictionwise/eReader to get their act together to get an eReader for the iPad. I can be patient.

Green Means Go!

2009-09-13T17:16:00.001-07:00

Green Means Go!
Originally uploaded by Major Clanger.

It was fun getting VIP tickets on the first Green Line train. (To get the tickets you just had to go to a store in downtown Portland and say the secret password - "Green Means Go!").

However, I imagined VIP meant champagne and nibbles. Actually it meant we got a seat, which was really great as the train was very full indeed. Very full.

Herne Bay Cat Flap

2009-08-09T17:25:00.001-07:00

Herne Bay Cat Flap
Originally uploaded by Major Clanger.

That is one hell of a high cat flap.

Behind every great man...

2009-07-19T00:21:00.001-07:00

Behind every great man...
Originally uploaded by Major Clanger.

... is a lawyer?

Try missing a few payments

2009-07-19T00:20:00.001-07:00

Try missing a few payments
Originally uploaded by Major Clanger.

It's been a long time since I posted. Maybe it's the twittering and the facebooking....

30th sign on the B-H

2009-02-07T17:31:00.001-08:00

Procrastinate now don't put it off
Originally uploaded by Major Clanger.

This is the 30th different sign I have photographed on the Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway.

Who doesn't love a baby elephant?

2009-01-02T20:17:00.001-08:00

Samudra - Oregon Zoo's Baby Elephant
Originally uploaded by Major Clanger.

The zoo was really empty last week. Lots of building work, but no rain. Samudra, the baby elephant was out playing with some Christmas Tree foliage. So cute!

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree, we need to brush the snow off thee

2008-12-14T10:41:00.001-08:00

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree, we need to brush the snow off thee
Originally uploaded by Major Clanger.

Our Christmas Tree has been delivered...

One year ago today...

2008-11-16T16:57:00.001-08:00

Lover's Cove Panorama
Originally uploaded by Major Clanger.

... we were on an Island on the great barrier reef, snorkeling from a coral beach, lazing around and relaxing.

I remember it well, as it was my 39th birthday and we were in Queensland, Australia, just hanging out.

PDX Bus application & a new blog

2008-09-15T20:10:00.000-07:00

I've written an iPhone app! It needed a support web page, so I gave it its own blog. Here's the blurb from the iPhone app store:

PDX Bus is an application that displays arrival times for public transport in Portland, Oregon.

This little application quickly accesses TriMet's tracking data displaying arrival times perfectly formatted for the iPhone. It allows you to bookmark frequently used stops, displays recently accessed stops, and gives details for arrivals which are en-route.

It also works with Google maps, showing locations of stops, and when available, the last known position of the bus or train.

Route and arrival data provided by permission of TriMet.

Eagles may soar but weasels don't get sucked into jets.

2008-09-11T22:26:00.001-07:00

Eagles may soar...
Originally uploaded by Major Clanger.

The sign is in Portland, Oregon. (On the Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway, between Portland and Beaverton). I have no affiliation - I just drive or ride the bus past the sign most days. The sign is located here (via mapquest).

Oregon State Fair Pictures! Dogs, Piggies, Goats.

2008-08-31T18:12:00.001-07:00

Dog agility at the state fair
Originally uploaded by Major Clanger.

The Oregon State Fair was everything I expected it to be: terrible food, fun animals and scarily maintained fairground rides!

I loved the dog agility trials. I wonder what a Great Dane would make of all the jumps and stuff?

I created a Flickr set of my favorite pictures.

Portland sign has letters stolen! Bettr Return 'Em

2008-08-10T15:54:00.001-07:00

Stolen Letters! Bettr Return 'Em
Originally uploaded by Major Clanger.

Someone stole some letters from the Courtesy Autocare Sign. Please bring them back. We like the sign! I like the BETTR Internet contraction. Maybe they didn't have enough Es left?

The sign is in Portland, Oregon. (On the Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway,
between Portland and Beaverton). I have no affiliation - I just drive
or ride the bus past the sign most days. The sign is located here (via mapquest).

Here is a cool link to Flash Earth which gives a satellite image of the sign!

Two rays of sunshine attract a cat each

2008-07-26T23:48:00.001-07:00

Two rays of sunshine attract a cat each
Originally uploaded by Major Clanger.

What can I say? They likes a ray of sunshine.

Sign offering a free ride in a police car...

2008-07-19T20:09:00.001-07:00

Free Ride in a Police Car
Originally uploaded by Major Clanger.

... but only if you shoplift. Pity the store was shut as this seems like a great offer!

Sped up video of 4 mile long bridge

2008-07-14T19:48:00.001-07:00

Astoria-Megler Bridge
Originally uploaded by Major Clanger

Another speeded up video. This one is of driving along the Astoria Bridge. It really does look 4 miles long when you get to the top and look down!

Dismal Nitch Sign

2008-07-13T20:44:00.001-07:00

Dismal Nitch
Originally uploaded by Major Clanger.

This place is actually quite nice - shady with good views of the Astoria bridge.

Funny name.

Part of the Lewis and Clark National Park. This site is in Washington.

Today's Sad iPhone Story

2008-07-11T20:39:00.001-07:00

Guard iPhone
Originally uploaded by Major Clanger.

Today I left home at 6:30 and got in line at the Apple store for a 3G iPhone. I was there at 6:45, listening to my old phone and ready to wait (no coffee!). I was excited; I don't usually do this sort of thing, I thought it would be fun to be part of the moment (especially as I had been there when Steve Jobs announced it).

At 7:54 they opened the doors and the first people went in. We watched and waited... and waited.. at 8:45 some of them came out, it was taking 45 minutes to activate the phones! Wow. At this point several people left the line, including some people in front of me. The Apple staff were very friendly, told us what was happening and saying they hoped it would get better.

It got better. By 9:30 I was in! The Apple employee who helped me had purple hair and sparkly purple boots, he seemed as happy as I was. I picked my phone and additional stuff (Apple Care etc). Then I tried to pay.

The computer said no.

The computer said that I had a corporate discount so I needed to go to an AT&T store to buy a phone. Nooooo! I used to have a corporate discount but it didn't apply to the iPhone so I wasn't using it. So they gave me a phone to call AT&T, who said they had taken off the discount. Still no joy. They called AT&T. They put them on to me. It was not possible to activate at the Apple store period. They put me on hold and called around. The local AT&T stores were already out of phones. They had no process for me to buy a phone at the Apple store but activate it at the AT&T store. I was not allowed an iPhone.

So I left the Apple store and went to the AT&T store. I waited another 30 minutes to pre-order an iPhone which will take 10 days to arrive. (I didn't want to wait again and AT&T stores have so little stock).

Maybe one day I will have a new iPhone... I'll think twice about waiting in line again. I blame AT&T. Interestingly the Apple people did not blame anyone - the AT&T people blamed Apple. I blame AT&T's crazy processes.

Little video of my first spore creature!

2008-07-04T13:43:00.001-07:00

My first spore creature
Originally uploaded by Major Clanger

Isn't he sweet? www.spore.com.

Yet another funny portland sign, "A word to the wise..."

2008-06-29T00:04:00.001-07:00

A word to the wise...
Originally uploaded by Major Clanger.

"A word to the wise is not necessary the stupid ones need it"

Latest sign on the Beaverton-Hillsdale highway.

The sign is in Portland, Oregon. (On the Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway,
between Portland and Beaverton). I have no affiliation - I just drive
or ride the bus past the sign most days. The sign is located here (via mapquest).

Here is a cool link to Flash Earth which gives a satellite image of the sign!

Charging station at Sacremento Airport

2008-06-22T10:58:00.001-07:00

Charging station at Sacremento Airport
Originally uploaded by Major Clanger.

Lots of different plugs and wires for the dedperate gadget lover!

Sea Lions look like Sea Dogs to me!

2008-06-20T22:38:00.001-07:00

Sea World: Another Sea Lion
Originally uploaded by Major Clanger.

Here is a picture of a Sea Lion I took at Sea World. They look so much like dogs!

(A few other pics from Sea World here).

Morning View in SD

2008-06-20T07:50:00.001-07:00

Morning View in SD
Originally uploaded by Major Clanger.

Not too shabby. But what is that strange tower exactly?

Pixs of Amazing Blown Glass, San Francisco

2008-06-16T22:53:00.000-07:00

In San Francisco I took some pictures of the totally amazing Chihuly glass exhibition. Here is a Flickr Slide Show of the best pictures. The exhibition was awesome!