Maduko Blog•O•Matic

Mobile Devices: Back to the Future

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 14:58:00 +0000

Remember the Nineties?

Remember Netscape Navigator and Eudora Mail and Compuserve? If you were trying to create web pages back then you'll probably remember dealing with different web browsers and versions and plug-ins. I remember avoiding the use of tables because there were still browsers in use that didn't support tables. Yes, tables. Like rows and columns.

All those heady memories have came rushing back to me as I delved into the wild and wacky world of the mobile web. Also know as WAP (wireless application protocol). Otherwise known as cell phones. With web browsers.

Most people my age can't understand why anyone would voluntarily surf the web using a cell phone. That's another discussion- all I know is what my web stats tell me. And they say people are hitting Places 2 Ride using mobile devices. Which made me wonder, "Just what the hell does it look like?"

Turns out it didn't look like much.

My cell phone, a Motorola C261(far from a high tech piece), displayed certain parts of the site. The majority of it appeared to have slipped off the right side of the screen. Some images were visible, others were not. Columns were shown in a random order, seemingly picked from some celestial wi-fi soup. It needed work if several hundred people were going to insist on looking at it on a two-inch screen.

Anywho, back to the stroll down memory lane.

Turns out that delivering content to these mobile surfers is quite similar to those carefree days back in the Nineties. You're dealing with limited bandwidth, tiny screens and a variety of browsers. Some phones do amazing things, many do very little. Some actually use the same web browser as a desktop computer. You may have a final product. But you don't really know what it looks like to everyone.

Here are some links and tips I have found helpful in my WAP endeavors:

devMobi portion of the dotMobi website with reference, forums and tools for developers- including their handy...
Emulator at dotMobi here's what Places2ride.com supposedly looks like on a Sony/Ericcson K750 cell phone.
Blogger Mobile this article explains how to create a Blogger template that will play for mobile devices and desktop machine alike.
Tips just my own observations...
- Don't mess with WML (wireless markup language). This technology appears to have either never taken off or died prematurely. XHTML is where it's at.
- Learn a scripting lingo, or at least learn how to copy-n-paste it. Find a "browser sniffer" like a PHP or ASP script and use it to identify whether to show your visitor the normal website or the mobile site.
- Minimize. You can't display very much information to mobile users, so you'll need to identify the most basic content and show only that.
- Sign up for Ad Sense. Unless you plan to promote porn or gambling you don't have many options for generating revenue from a mobile site. Google can supply relevant ads based on the content of your pages. When a visitor clicks, you earn revenue.

Need a phone that surfs? Check out Tracfone for the cheapest wireless in America.

Our Nation's Birthday on the Mother Road

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:31:00 +0000

Turned out I had a free morning this Fourth of July. Jackie had most of her morning planned with errands to run, visits to make, etc. I, on the other hand, had not a care in the world.

It had been a while since I rolled out the bike for a solo pleasure cruise. It was a beautiful Oklahoma morning and the weather forecast was favorable, so this seemed like the perfect time. After checking the tire pressure I rolled the BMW out of the garage and saddled up. I honestly had no idea where I was headed as I pulled out of the driveway.

After a few minutes I was rolling down I-44 westbound out of Tulsa. I decided to take a tour down Route 66. I exited to Southwest Boulevard and took the "authentic" pre-1973 route of the Mother Road toward Sapulpa, Oklahoma. Just past Sapulpa there is a very old stretch of 66 that includes a one-lane girder bridge paved with red bricks. I was happy to see the rusty bridge is still there, even if it is looking pretty crusty.

I'd always wondered how old this few miles of the old road really was. Just then I rounded the bend and found my answer in the form of this familiar old railroad underpass. How I overlooked this in previous years is beyond me. The date 1925 on the overpass would indicate the road must be pretty close to that same age!

I bumped along over the aging concrete until it spit me out on the current alignment of 66 near the junction of Oklahoma State Highway 33 outside of Kellyville. I continued on through Bristow and passed a group of baggers outside of Depew. As I approached Stroud I remembered reading there had been a fire at the Rock Cafe. I decided that would make a good place to stretch my legs and have a shot of water while I surveyed the damage.

When I got to Stroud I could see the debris in front of the Rock Cafe from a few blocks away. This was no kitchen fire. As I pulled up I could see the historic 1939 roadhouse was in ruins. The fire had completely destroyed the structure and reinforcements had been erected in an attempt to save the native rock walls. While I was gawking the baggers I had passed earlier came pulling up, also looking wide-eyed. Turns out they had no idea there had been a fire and were stopping at the "Rock" for lunch.

I snapped a few more photos of the devastation before continuing west.

In Davenport a sign touts their historic brick-paved downtown. Apparently the entire stretch through the business district is listed as a historic site. Good thing because there's not much else in downtown Davenport. The Oklahoma sun beat down on block after block of empty storefronts. Rumbling along over the red bricks made me glad we don't pave roads that way any longer.

At this point I decided to continue on to Pop's in Arcadia for lunch and fuel. The rest of the ride was uneventful (except for nearly hitting the biggest snapping turtle I have ever seen). As I lugged my way back toward Tulsa the heat of the day was catching up to me. Puffy clouds floated over the wide open spaces between each small town.

As I came back through Sapulpa I decided to leave 66 and take OK-97 north where I could catch Avery Drive. That seemed like a fitting finale for my ride- Avery Drive is named for the man known as the father of the Mother Road, Cyrus Avery.

It all seemed like the perfect way to spend a Fourth of July morning.

Can't Afford to Drive? Ride.

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:07:00 +0000

It's sad that it takes $5 gas to force most Americans to consider being efficient. As Winston Churchill put it: "Americans will always do the right thing. When they absolutely have to."

Gas is really pretty cheap. But I've always kept the price of gasoline in perspective. Consider the fact that you can walk into most any convenience store in this country and drop a buck on a liter of water. Until recently, gas was cheaper than water.

So with the threat of $5 a gallon looming on our dashboard horizon, we collectively pause to consider the options. Apparently many people are considering two wheels instead of four...

Survey shows gas prices cause more people to consider motorcycles
Powersports Business
Friday June 27, 2008

More than one-quarter of U.S. consumers are considering purchasing a motorcycle or scooter, according to a survey released by Consumer Reports National Research Center.

Eighteen percent are thinking of buying a motorcycle while 14 percent are contemplating motor scooters. The survey also revealed that men are more apt to make the switch with most of them being between the ages of 18-34. In 2007, consumers said they would reduce driving when gas hit $3.50 per gallon. That has proven true as year-to-date 20 billion fewer miles have been traveled compared to the same period last year, stated the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The survey was a random, nationwide telephone survey from June 5-8, 2008. Interviews were conducted with 884 adults, ages 18 years or older, who drive a vehicle and whose household owns at least one vehicle.

This is an excellent time to mention Ride to Work Day is July 16, 2008.

Rex rides his BMW for work and play.Around here motorcycles are typically considered recreational vehicles. But consider the efficiency with which they can move people from point A to point B with no appreciable wear and tear on our roads, using very little fuel and requiring no modification to existing infrastructure. The reduction in traffic congestion alone would seem to have far-reaching economic repercussions. Not to mention less parking space, reduced consumption of foreign oil and fewer carbon emissions.

The practical side of scooters and motorcycles was overlooked while we were filling our SUVs. Maybe now we'll reconsider.

Resources for the potential motorcyclist...

Local Grocery Now Open

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 01:32:00 +0000

Jackie and I finally found time to drop by the Blue Jackalope today. It's a local grocery store near Newblock Park and the brainchild of my friend, Scott Smith. The official opening was May 29th, but we've been busy with this and that, so this was our first chance to see it "in action."

Scott's loaded the shelves with an eclectic mix of local produce, canned goods, cold drinks and Mexican candy. To satisfy those looking for instant gratification there's also high-octane coffee and light fare to nosh on. Future plans include more prepared meals and gospel karaoke on Sunday mornings.

The Blue Jackalope is located at 306 S. Phoenix, which is just west of downtown on Charles Page Boulevard. For hours and more info visit www.bluejackalope.com.

View Larger Map

Food for Thought: Corn

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 20:00:00 +0000

Or, what does ethanol have to do with carpaccio?

Rising fuel prices have focused more attention on ethanol lately. Consumers have discovered the trade-off in power between a gallon of gasoline and a gallon of E85, which essentially balances the price difference. And then there's the corrosion issues the futurists from the Corn Belt neglected to tell us about. Yet government mandates in the Energy Act of 2005 require that a certain portion of our automotive fuel supply be spiked with the stuff. Some experts warn that current production capacity can't even supply these mandated quantities.

Importing ethanol is not an option because of protectionist tariffs. So the net result has been an increase in commodity prices as the demand for corn increases. Biofuel makers bid against food suppliers and drive up the price. Food or fuel, the critics ask. But using corn as a fuel is not a new idea- we've been doing it for years with cows. And they don't run on the stuff much better than our cars do.

Gas, Grass or ..
About a zillion years ago cows grazed in pastures and ate grass. Then came McDonald's and everyone decided it was a good idea to eat hamburgers four times a day. This increased demand for beef required a factory approach to raising cattle. And grazing in picturesque pastures had nothing to do with it.

Ranchers found that feeding cattle a corn diet caused them to fatten up more quickly and gave the beef a marbled appearance. Since they aren't built to eat corn they convert the sugars to fat, and it also gives them gas. Now if your child was eating a diet that had such an effect we would call him... well, an average American, but we'd also consider it unhealthy. And the same goes for the cows- it's not good for them.

This factory farming approach requires huge amounts of antibiotics to fight disease- 70% of all the antibiotics our country consumes is used on cows. Fear of raw or undercooked meat has not been exaggerated. The incidence of foodborn disease, such as E.colli or Campylobacter, in feedlot beef is 300 times more likely than in pasture-fed beef. Add to this the practice of grinding up beef from hundreds of cows at one time for hamburger and it pretty much guarantees you a bacterium-laden burger.

Fuel for Thought
Ironically, it takes someone threatening our cars to wake up many Americans. If the price of gas continues to rise, and the use of ethanol remains fashionable, the food-or-fuel or fuel-for-food debate will rage on. Eventually the beef industry will weigh in with a Toby Keith song playing in the background. But maybe there's another way.

Instead of raising corn to feed to cows, maybe we could raise corn and feed it to people? And maybe the cows could eat grass like they used to? Sure, we would see the end of 59 cent hamburgers. But imagine ordering a steak cooked "rare." Imagine buying a pound of hamburger that came from one cow. Maybe even one day saying, "Pass the carpaccio, please."

Ref: Wikipedia- Cattle Feeding

Reclamation Party

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Sat, 24 May 2008 14:02:00 +0000

Last week the demolition of homes along Skelly Drive began in earnest. These were the first houses in the Patrick Henry area to come down to make way for I-44's expansion. Each evening a hardy few gather to glean plants, fixtures and lumber from the area. It all has an uncanny party atmosphere about it.

Wandering around the rubble I was struck by the sheer waste. With copper and aluminum prices soaring, the valuable scrap being hauled to the landfill was the first thing that caught my attention. Copper wiring, plumbing and air conditioner units had barely been touched. There is literally tons of building materials, doors, windows and fixtures, well worth salvaging, being wasted.

Most of these are duplexes that appear to have been abandoned in a Pompeian manner. Many still had various artifacts of life still present- cookware, cleaning supplies, even furniture. Some yards are well manicured and landscaped. We rescued several loads of plants.

A neighbor stopped by while we were digging up some particularly lush monkey grass. He had asked the workers if he could salvage a ceiling fan from a house soon to be razed. Not no, but hell no was their response. The foreman explained the Oklahoma Department of Transportation requires anyone on the premises to have insurance. So the ceiling fan left in a dump truck with the wood, bricks and porcelain that had once been a home.

The heavy machinery is parked for Memorial Day weekend, so I bet the reclamation party will continue. Party on.

Places 2 Ride, meet NY Times. NY Times...

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Mon, 19 May 2008 21:43:00 +0000

My website, Places 2 Ride, was mentioned in the New York Times last week. In a strange turn of events involving luxury scooters, proselytizing bikers and clowns.

Turns out the Times has a blog called Wheels that occasionally does a roundup of headlines and blog rants from across the Internet. Last Thursday's involved motorcycles, and they happened to pick up a review on riding jeans I had just published.

Scariest of All? Clowns on Motorcycles: Read All About It

It's the second bullet point. Just in case you overlook it. See... there, right before the Popular Science thing.

Pennytech: Laptop Workstation

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Mon, 12 May 2008 14:27:00 +0000

During our recent ice storm trauma Jackie and I spent a good deal of our mornings soaking up coffee and wi-fi at the nearest Panera. This went on for the entire eight days our power was out.

Each morning we would pack up the Dell laptop I use at work. It's a reliable, if not exactly light, Inspiron 5500 that has served us well. Jackie doesn't use laptops very often and had trouble negotiating the glidepoint pad and found it difficult to type with the laptop flat on the table. I solved the glidepoint problem next time by bringing along a mouse. The solution to positioning the keyboard at an angle was her idea...

Most dollar stores sell rubber door stops in a package of 4 or 6 or more. Placing two of them under the laptop sets it up at an angle and makes it easier to type.

Now I keep a pair of doorstops in the laptop bag to use whenever I travel or need to use the Dell on a table top.

Our Leisure Time in the Internet Age

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Tue, 06 May 2008 12:14:00 +0000

I love trolling through Craigslist.

Don't get me wrong, it's not an obsession. I don't spend every waking moment there. But when I have a few minutes to kill that's one of the bookmarks I occasionally visit.

You never know what you'll find. This morning under motorcycles/scooters I spotted "Large gas powered train holds 5 people" located in Kansas, OK. How could I resist? You just have to click on this stuff. The train cars are made from 55 gallon drums.

Or last week I came across a jar of dirt. It was free.

The free stuff is sometimes a little crazy. Almost creepy. Like today's post for "Fun random things," that sounds a little scary to me. What sort of serial random murderer might be lurking behind that randomized email address?

A couple of months ago I saw a vintage BMW motorcycle. I sent it to a friend half-jokingly. Last week he called me up to tell me he'd just bought it. Which proves you must be very careful how you use this powerful tool. You can quickly put yourself, or a friend, in the poor house!

So remember- the 'List has great power. Use it only for good, not for evil.

tulsa.craigslist.org

The best of Craigslist....

The Supersonic Kiwis

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Fri, 02 May 2008 20:54:00 +0000

I'm still laughing my ass off to Flight of the Conchords.

A friend sent me a link to one of their music videos on YouTube a few weeks ago. I recognized Jemaine Clement from the offbeat film Eagle vs Shark. But I had no idea the musical pair actually did a television show about their digi-folk duo. A few minutes later it was in our Netflix queue!

The first season of the HBO series is now out on DVD and well worth your time. I recommend watching it with the subtitles turned on. Not because their Australian accents are hard to understand. Oops... I mean New Zealand.... But you'll want to catch the lyrics, it's subtle humor at it's best.

Very funny stuff. I dare say it's some of the best TV since Mr. Show.

Here's that video I mentioned earlier...

Snap Happy Digital Camera: Olympus E-410

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 01:07:00 +0000

A couple of weeks ago my interest in owning a "real" camera was renewed. A fellow BMW rider had posted some beautiful photos of his Spring ride in Northern California (R1150R.org). I decided to shop around for a digital SLR (single lens reflex) camera. I soon discovered there are some great bargains out there, but as usual, let the buyer beware!

It had been years since I sold my old Nikon F body. The difference between that 1964-vintage piece and today's digital SLRs is vast and there are hundreds of choices. But I found a great resource in Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com). After a little digging I read a review for the Olympus E-410. It was highly rated, got high marks in all categories and was reasonably priced.

Helpful Links...

Look for "factory demo" or Refurbished in the selling options!

The E-410 had several bells and whistles that were missing from competitors in this price range. It's typically packaged with a 14mm-42mm zoom lens (the equivalent of 28-85 if it were on a 35mm camera). It's light, compact and accepts third-party lenses. The only downside I could find was the media format (digital film, if you will). Olympus uses Fuji's XD memory cards instead of the more common SD format. But this camera also can store your pictures on Compact Flash cards or the tiny micro drives so you do have a choice. Suffice to say- any of these modern SLR cameras will produce much better results than your typical point-and-shoot cameras.

Prices vary widely- which surprised me. I found several eBay listings offering this camera for $50 to $100 below the usual price. My skepticism kicked in when I noticed "factory demo" in the description. But after a little research I wasn't quite so skeptical. These can also be found on Amazon, click the Used or View All option and you'll see a Refurbished tab. Eventually I ordered one of these factory refurbished camera rigs. It's literally like new, the only clue I had was a rubber band around one of the cords (instead of the customary wire tie and/or bag).

But before you jump in and order one let me offer a little advice.

Manufacturers demo their cameras at trade shows and press soirées. Sometimes they're selling you one that was returned by a consumer. Reputable dealers do not bury this fact in their fine print- but they also stand behind these units. The most important part is what warranty does the seller provide. The factory warranty on these is usually different from a new, sealed box camera- 90 days instead of one year in the case of Olympus. But some sellers extend this and offer their own warranty, so in my case I still have a one year warranty. Since it came from an authorized Olympus dealer, I felt comfortable with this.

Some less helpful sellers offer only 30 days or no warranty on factory demos. Also steer clear of these unscrupulous "drop ship houses" that are notorious for playing the classic bait-and-switch. In the end I felt it was well worth the research because I saved almost $100. Happy shopping, and next time I'll let you know how I like the new camera!

This Recorder IS Handy: Zoom H2

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:28:00 +0000

Handy Recorder might be a silly name, but the Zoom H2 digital audio recorder is anything but.

I was looking for a way to record audio on the go, mostly with video in mind. The most common options are wireless microphones. But a really good one is expensive. And since we would be using it around machinery (ie; spark plugs) I worried about interference with the radio signal.

Then one afternoon I picked up a copy of Event DV magazine and saw an article about the Zoom H2. The specs rolled off like a wish list: built-in mic, external line or mic input, USB interface, no tape, no moving parts, weighs like... nothing. It even has a guitar tuner! What's not to like?

We ordered one up. When it arrived I put a new battery in my trusty clip-on mic from Radio Shack and we were ready to go.
Synch

To record audio on the Zoom while recording video on our camcorder, requires us to synchronize the two for our final product. This is really pretty easy to do with computer video editing software. It's a similar process to synching a two-camera shoot.

To simplify this feat we use a $2 clicker from the local pet store (you've seen them before- like they use to train Border Collies). The click makes a huge spike that's easily visible on the two audio tracks. Move them so the spikes match up and your sound is synchronized. Once we're rich and famous maybe we'll get one of those cool clapboards like the Big Boys use!

The sound is great, it can store days of audio and uses AA batteries. For under two hundred bucks we've got a fully portable audio system that can be used standalone or with a clip-on lapel mic. So far it's worked out great for our nascent video productions, and we're coming up with new uses almost every day.

I'm planning to use one at work to record conferences. Last week a buddy told me he attended a concert at the Cain's Ballroom. A guy down in front was holding a Zoom recorder over his head to catch all the action.

This darn thing really is pretty handy.

Video Project to Feature Oklahoma Motorcycling

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:08:00 +0000

Several months ago Brad and I decided to start documenting our motorbike journeys more thoroughly. Whenever we set off on a ride we made sure to include a digital camera and/or the video camcorder.

The initial intent was to spruce up the rides listed on Places2ride.com with photos and video clips. After editing a few of the videos (samples are available on You Tube at www.youtube.com/places2ride) we began wondering what would happen if we added in more history, some interviews and maybe a tech tip or two along the way. It all sounded like a TV show we might actually watch!

This is when the idea for Two Wheel Oklahoma was born.

Right now we're working on a pilot episode for a half-hour television program about motorcycling in and around Oklahoma. The premise is to cover a particular area or road by visiting points of interest along the route. This first show focuses on Oklahoma State Highway 20. We're also in the process of writing three more that include the Talimena Drive and Route 66.

Once this first one is completed we're going to work on selling the idea to someone who can get it on the air. In the meantime we're also looking for more content from other riders who shoot video of their rides in and around Oklahoma, or clubs that have an upcoming event.

We've set up a new website where you can find more information and stay up to date with our progress and submit info: www.twowheeloklahoma.com

Drop by and sign up for our email updates while you're there!

How Big are Your Buttons? Cells for Senoirs

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 21:58:00 +0000

Motorola W370 Good Choice for Senoirs
I'm constantly surprised by the lack of marketing savvy at Corporate America. Despite the millions poured into market research there are still huge segments ignored by the corporate marketing machine. The list is huge, but I'm particularly surprised by the lack of cell phones suitable for older folks.

I was reminded of this most recently when Dad decided he wanted a cell phone. Some of you may be astounded to learn that some humans do not already own a cell phone. He is 85 and never felt the urgent need to have a cell phone until recently.

After trying to use one he was doubting whether he really needed one after all. It wasn't just a matter of understanding the technology, the physical dimensions make it challenging for the less dexterous. Pushing the standard number buttons was challenging for him, but possible. Navigating with the little gimbal-ring thingy was almost impossible.

I researched online and found a couple of phones, but couldn't find anyone carrying them locally and their calling plans were limited. We looked at several phones, but did not find many that would qualify as senior citizen-approved.

We finally found the Motorola W370, it's sort of a Razr without a camera. It's a flip-phone, which Dad liked because it protects the buttons from accidentally calling Moscow if you carry it in your pocket. The W370 is a little longer when opened so it feels more like a "real" phone when in use. I had noticed when Dad was testing my smaller
Motorola C261he had a tendency to hold it near his ear, then move it to his mouth when he spoke.

The W370 is offered by Net 10and TracFone. This worked out fine because a pre-paid plan seemed to fit his needs best. He needs a phone, but doesn't talk on it constantly. We opted for the Tracfone and upon activation discovered the W370 includes double-minutes. I signed him up for their 50 Minute Value Plan which automatically adds 30 days of service and 50 minutes each month for $9.99. But it's really 100 minutes because of the double-minute bonus they threw in!

How does he like the phone? So far so good. After he's lived with for a while I'll post an update and let you know how it's going.

Take a Left at Albuquerque

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:58:00 +0000

I've been to New Mexico a couple of times and always enjoyed those visits, but we'd never spent any time in her largest city. Earlier this week Jackie and I had a chance to explore Albuquerque.

We flew on Express Jet, now offering non-stop service from Tulsa. I didn't realize this until searching flights on Orbitz (my personal preference for booking travel). We were very happy with their service- they actually offered us food. It wasn't a full dinner, but much more substantial than a bag of peanuts. The plane was a Embraer ERJ, which is a small jet but pretty comfortable. They also have XM radio piped into every seat and provide free earbuds.

Our visit was actually for business but left us time to explore. The weather was the first surprise, and not a pleasant one! When our flight left Tulsa the temperature in both cities was exactly the same. Cold.

I always think of New Mexico and "desert" is the next word that comes to mind. But this area is high desert, in fact Albuquerque is at a higher elevation than Denver. For most of our visit the temperature hovered in the twenties and thirties and one night saw wind gusts of 60 mph. Youch.

The flight was great, had a fun time in Albuquerque and saw some neat sites- here's a few highlights...

When we arrived on Sunday a large portion of downtown was blocked off for a film crew. A local told us the film was called The Game. Crunched cars lined the street so maybe it's a post-apocalyptic thriller? Turns out Albuquerque is becoming quite a hot spot for motion pictures.
A free bus called the D-Ride makes a loop around downtown and is a great way to get around. In fact, their city bus service in general was remarkably easy to use.
We found a top notch local chain of eateries called Flying Star Cafe. Their downtown location is in the former headquarters of an oil and gas company- it's worth a visit even if you're not hungry. If you are- I highly recommend the mac-and-cheese dish, Mama Mac, and Jackie had high praise for their Veggie Burger.
The area known as Nob Hill has some of the coolest roadside architecture I've ever seen in one place. Lots of streamline Deco and modern buildings from the Forties and Fifties. We also noticed a great deal of operational neon signs!
Model Pharmacy is also well worth a visit. In addition to salves and tinctures you'll find toothpastes from around the world. And you can have lunch too! Their malts kick ass.
We dropped by Sandia BMW to see their collection of vintage BMW motorcycles. The dealership is quite impressive with BMW cars, bikes and Minis all on one site.

Albuquerque initiated a rebirth of their central business district a few years ago. One of their mandates in the targeted area was "no chains" and all the businesses are locally owned. They expect 100% occupancy by 2009.
The ABQ airport seems tiny for a city this size. I was amazed to see a small display with a model of an unusual Italian flying boat, the Savoia Marchetti S.55. Turns out the Italians stopped in New Mexico during an ill-fated attempt at circling the globe in 1927. The high altitude thwarted their takeoff and required them to ditch anything that wasn't bolted down- including a spare wooden propeller. It now hangs in the Albuquerque airport terminal.
The balloon museum was much more fun than either of us expected. The building itself is worth examining. They also have a great airship display with beautiful models of German, American and British zeppelins.
If you were confused about the spelling you're not alone. It was name after some Spanish guy and originally spelled Alburquerque. But the first "R" was dropped (as the legend goes) because it wouldn't fit on the sign at the train station. Sounds a little fishy to me.

And here's a little New Mexican architecture...

The church in the Old Town area.

A wacky house near the Model Pharmacy.

JUST STOP, DAMMIT!

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 16:24:00 +0000

Over the last couple of years I've noticed a weird trend in daily traffic. Drivers pull it up to a traffic light and stop several feet away from the car ahead of them. A friend of mine calls it "pre-stopping." I call it aggravating.

It's especially so if you drive a manual transmission car. Or a bike. Drivers stop several feet before they should, then roll up like they're stalking the preceding vehicle. The cars ahead of me keep crawling forward instead of just pulling up to the stop light and- well, stopping. Busy intersections nowadays are more like pausing... to creep forward... every few... seconds.

At first I blamed this on small people piloting huge vehicles. The acreage your common SUV covers makes it challenging for the average driver to negotiate their expansive property line. How can we expect mom to see over the hood of that Tot Rod when she can barely see over the dash?

But when I began observing their techniques this theory seemed to evaporate like fuel from a Ford Expedition's gas tank. I noticed the vehicles the "pre-stoppists" drive are not always huge. Or not by American standards anyway. Sure, you'll see plenty of Hummers leaving a full car length or more ahead of themselves- but you'll also see Camrys and Subarus sneaking up to the light.

So if the vehicle isn't the common thread, maybe it's the drivers? I started watching what people in the car were doing when stopping short. It didn't surprise me there were a lot of cell phones visible. But I'm not so sure there is any higher proportion of conversations inside those cars waiting blocks away from the stop light. In fact, the scariest realization for me was everyone in traffic seems to be yakking on their cell phone!

So for now we'll just wait and wonder. But please wait several feet behind me.

Ice Storm T-Shirts

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 21:27:00 +0000

Our harrowing experience of last week inspired me to make a commemorative t-shirt for the Oklahoma Centennial Blackout. At the bottom it reads "I survived the 2007 ice storm." Wear it proudly!

And of course- it's not available in any store!

> Buy Now

The Lights Are On! The Lights Are On!

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 03:09:00 +0000

Finally!

The lights are on after 7 days and 21 hours. Yet the drone of our neighbor's generator continues.

Giant logs are all that remain of the 40 year-old oak tree from our front courtyard.

Still Shivering in the Dark

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:28:00 +0000

It's been over a week now and still no electricity.

The total outage is now below 50,000 from a peak of nearly a quarter million. I guess we're just one of the unlucky ones.

Our block is dark while all around us the lights are on. The din of generators drone 24/7 while we wonder why the hell our neighbor leaves it on all night. Somehow calling the police to complain about noise seems so menial. Work crews can be seen everywhere, but none ever stop on our street. Last week we cheered the white trucks with blinking yellow lights as if they were liberating Paris. Now we just grumble and wish they'd get over to our block.

We're making the best of it and learning to deal with life in the dark. Hot showers are the only source of heat so we enjoy a little morning sauna in my bathroom to start the day. Sleeping has been pretty comfortable– after the initial cold shock wears off– since we piled on about 40 pounds of blankets and two cats. Just don't forget to have everything in place because you do not want to get back out of bed!

The good news is the weather forecast is for warmer weather and we've got a crew taking care of the tree situation. As a matter of fact the big oak that pummeled our roof is probably about gone as I type this. The pile of wood in the yard hides the house and it's a real shame seeing all that beautiful oak wood that's going to go to waste. Getting the trees taken care of for a reasonable price was a big relief because there were some very large branches dangling over the roof. One branch fell on the garage Saturday when the north wind picked up during the brief snowstorm.

At least we still have a roof over our heads.

Honorable Mentioned

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 22:21:00 +0000

In between all the bad news, rotten weather and lack of electricity this week there were a few bits of good news.

PSO claims our power will be back on this evening.
Tulsa Overground selected one of my films.
My blog was mentioned in a national newsletter.

Hopefully our juice will be on soon, before we spend a sixth night without lights or heat. The neighborhood has been awash in work trucks and linemen as power is slowly being restored. Last night the temperature finally dropped to the point we had to give up and spend the night with friends.

This year I submitted a few short films to the Tulsa Overground Film Festival. Since this is their 10th year I hoped they might find one of my entries worthwhile. In 2005 they selected Zen and the Art of Lawn Maintenance and What Happens in Tunica. This year they chose the spoof commercial Because We're Dix. All of these are available online from the films page at maduko.com.

Last but not least, the latest newsletter from the Recent Past Preservation Network had a brief mention of my Oklahoma Modern blog. They included a photo of the concrete turret house near Sand Springs.

But I still wish our lights were on.

Chin Up!

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 16:01:00 +0000

Happy holidays from war-torn Tulsa!

Snapped this pic last night on the way to dinner. It's good to know there's still a few folks able to maintain their sense of humor.

Our power has now been out for 5 nights. I've been pleasantly surprised that our 1964-vintage home has held its heat quite well. It was 58° on Monday and so far we've lost about a degree a day. But no matter how you look at it- it's getting pretty damn uncomfortable.

Centennial Blackout Continues

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 01:44:00 +0000

The blackout count reached as high as 225,000 according to the radio today. Traffic throughout Tulsa is snarled by downed trees and dark traffic lights. Not only is our power still out, the phone line went dead this evening.

The good news is temps stayed above freezing overnight and most of the day today. Now the heavy load of ice has melted off the trees our nerves are much calmer. Unfortunately there are still some very unstable chunks of oak tree dangling over our house.

My office is still closed– no power or telephone service. I've been trying to conduct some business and post web site updates from the neighborhood Panera. An entire new class of Coffeeshop Warrior now exists at any wi-fi hotspot. Coffee optional.

The Perfect Storm

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 03:36:00 +0000

Freezing rain began falling yesterday and has turned much of Oklahoma into a deep freeze. Broken limbs and fallen trees have blocked roads and snapped power lines. Most of Tulsa is without power– officially described as 200,000 households, which sounds pretty darn close to the whole city to me.

Our bad day started last night when the power blinked off about 10:00 pm. The mist turned to drizzle and the sheen of the trees coated with ice became obvious. Jackie and I turned in for the night (what else is there to do with no light, heat or Internet connection?). But it wasn’t long before the eerie hum of self-destructing transformers and rolling thunder woke us. By 4:00 am the crack of nearby trees relenting to the burden of frozen water played like a symphony. Then a loud crash on our own roof sent us scrambling for our Maglites.

The 40-year old oak trees in our front yard had transformed into sinister mortars in a matter of hours. The sound of a splitting limb would send ice and wood smashing onto the roof. Each time our roof was pounded by a rain of ice and limbs we tensed. Would that be all? Or would another large branch fall and cause the entire house to shudder? All the while we grimaced because the roof was only a year old.

By 6:00 am I was fed up with shock and awe so we made a run for our nearest Panera. We absorbed large amounts of coffee and naively assumed the worst was over. The power was still out but new day promised above-freezing temperatures. We returned home after a couple of hours to find more large limbs had fallen, one poking right through the roof into our kitchen.

Fortunately the puncture was pretty close to the attic access in our garage. I was able to saw off most of the limb where it poked through our roof's decking and put a plastic tub under it to catch any rain that dribbled through. I tried to push it out of the hole but it was much too heavy. Later that day a couple of entrepreneurs stopped by handing out flyers for their tree service. They were looking for future customers, I asked them if they wanted some work right now. They cut off the offending limb and nailed some shingles over the hole.

We'll see how the patch holds up overnight. The forecast for Tuesday is scattered thunderstorms.

Fun at C-Store Trade Show

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 00:54:00 +0000

Time for my annual tongue-in-cheek video tour of the NACS Show. Here's another year's worth of zany products from the huge exposition held by the National Association of Convenience Stores.

Once again the hall was awash in energy drinks. The latest trend is to ditch the espresso-style tiny little cans and go for the gut buster Tall Boy. Yet even more energy. Candy looks to be just as gross as always and the merchandise appears to be fully embracing the China Express, with yet more crap that makes a dollar store look upscale.

Enjoy.

This year I enlisted the help of co-worker Tena Wooldridge, who did an excellent job. The video was shot with my JVC DV-800 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. The exterior scenes were shot on the opening day and we roamed the floor on the third and final day of the trade show.

More of my videos & short films...

Air Control

noreply@blogger.com (Rex Brown) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:31:00 +0000

I installed a new windscreen on the R last week. On long trips and windy days the short sport screen just wasn't cutting it. The wind that is.

The new screen is made by Cee Bailey and mounts to the original brackets BMW supply to fit their sport and touring screens. They offer several styles and this one is the tallest option. Their windshields are made of high quality aircraft-grade plastic (I think they're Lexan).

It's a good deal taller than the sport screen that came with the bike when I bought it– and a good deal more useful too! Some might not agree, but I also think it looks pretty sharp. The "ice blue" tint goes well with the silver bike.

I snapped this photo near Inola during a recent ride up around Spavinaw. The radome caught my eye from Highway 412 and seemed just weird enough to make an interesting background.