My real iPad stylus

I heard a story on NPR a while back about tablesaw injuries.  Apparently, there's been safety technology in place for years that can prevent fingers from being cut off.  The cool thing is it's been throughly tested on a hot dog, for this purpose, very much like a finger.  

After this story, I got the brilliant idea to see if a Slim Jim too had similar properties to a finger and tried one to write on my spiffy iPad (writing with one's finger isn't the best).  Quite a leap of logic there, eh?  The Slim Jim worked, but the Slim Jim can take its toll on one's system.  I kept searching for a stylus.  I stumbled on MakeZine's attempt at making a stylus.  I bought some conductive foam on Ebay and voilá, my version of their idea.  Works pretty well.  

How did people survive without chat transactions?

Welcome to AT&T. My name is Patrick. How may I help you today?

Patrick: I will be happy to answer your questions regarding AT&T services. I specialize in setting up new High Speed Internet service and New DirecTV service. To start, could you please tell me what city and state you are located in?

you: I have a wireless acct and landline, how do I bundle them?

Patrick: Let me thank you for being a loyal AT&T customer.

Patrick: You can always call our local business office to combine all AT&T services.

Patrick: I'll be happy to provide you the direct number for your concern.

Patrick: To assist you with the direct number, could you please tell me what city and state you are located in?

columbus oh: columbus oh

Patrick: Thank you for this information.

Patrick: Please contact our customer service team in Ohio at 1-888-274-9056.

Patrick: Customer Service is available from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. CST, Monday through Friday. On Saturday, they are available from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Patrick: Do you have long distance service with AT&T?

columbus oh: No, local.

Patrick: Do you use less than 30 minutes of long distance every month?

columbus oh: Yes.

columbus oh: Can you bundle these services?

columbus oh: Actually, I don't use any minutes, I hate speaking on the phone, it's for my wife.

Patrick: Based on what you've told me I'd like to recommend you subscribe to the One Rate Online Basic.

Patrick: I understand your concern, but our online chat department only has the ability to assist customers while they navigate through the online order flow. For this reason, we do not have access to any internal AT&T systems that will allow us to look up your account or make any changes in your account.

Patrick: Only our local customer care department has privilege access to make changes in your account.

Patrick: AT&T ONE RATE Online Basic is a calling plan that allows you to make domestic direct-dialed long distance calls for 12 cents per minute from home to anywhere in-state and out-of-state, with no monthly fee.

Patrick: There is no monthly charge for this plan.

Patrick: How does that sounds to you?

columbus oh: Sounds great.

columbus oh: Is that for my home phone INSTEAD of my landline bill?

Patrick: Let's go ahead and add this plan online now.

columbus oh: No, answer the question first.

Patrick: It is for your land line service.

columbus oh: So, instead of my $16 dollar landline, I get a pay as you go plan?

Patrick: Yes, you are correct. This plan will help you to save your money, as you will be paying Pay per use with this plan.

columbus oh: That sounds good, but how long will it take. Can I call somewhere and get this plan AND take care of the bundling at once?

Patrick: You can add this plan online now and then you will just need to call on the above number to bundled up your services.

Patrick: Let me help you with a link to add this Pay per use plan.

Patrick: Click here to add a long distance plan

Patrick: Please click on the above link.

Patrick: Were you able to access that link?

columbus oh: Yes, but I'm not convinced my current $16 dollar plan will be substituted.

Patrick: Once you order this plan online now then your currently plan will be replaced by this new one.

Patrick: Were you able to access that link?

columbus oh: Yes, cool.

columbus oh: But they're unable to process the order. Tech problems.

Patrick: I apologize for the difficulties you are experiencing. Your patience and efforts are appreciated.

Patrick: Please go back to 2-3 pages OR refresh the page and then try to proceed.

Patrick: Let me know once you are on the "Options for AT&T ONE RATE." page.

columbus oh: ok, I'm there.

columbus oh: I don't have a long distance carrier.

Patrick: Please select AT&T as your long distance carrier.

Patrick: Select "Not at this time. " under the "Available International Plans ".

Patrick: Select "Yes, please add to my order " under the "Local Toll ".

columbus oh: that it?

Patrick: Once you done with this selections then click on the "Continue" button.

columbus oh: That works!

Patrick: That's good to know!

columbus oh: Now, I have to call somewhere to take care of bundling?

Patrick: Yes, as you are valued AT&T customer, so that to combine your all services manually, our customer care representative will do it in online system when you call them.

Patrick: Let me know once you are on the Checkout page.

columbus oh: I'm currently verifying Account Information

Patrick: Great! Please fill in all the information marked with an asterisk (*) and continue ahead.

Patrick: Let me know once you are on the Submit order page.

columbus oh: Now, I'm at the summary of charges page (I failed at checkout)

columbus oh: I'm exhausted, will this end soon?

Patrick: Please click on the Checkout Now button and proceed.

Patrick: Can you be more specific with the last question so that I can better understand your concern?

columbus oh: I'm at the Acct info page, anything special here?

Patrick: There will be no special on your account information page. Enter the require information and proceed.

Patrick: Please select "Yes" under the "May we use your e-mail address to send you information about your order?".

columbus oh: Do I have to?

Patrick: Please select "Yes" under the "*May we use your e-mail address to send you information about new products and services from the AT&T family of companies?".

Patrick: If you passed that page, then you will not require to do it again.

Patrick: Please click on the Submit order button on the Order Verification page.

columbus oh: I'm at Checkout, anything special, this is where it crapped out last time.

Patrick: There will be nothing special on checkout page.

Patrick: Let me know once you click on the Submit order button.

columbus oh: When will my suffering end? I just want this to end.

Patrick: Your order is not completed till you click on the Submit order button.

columbus oh: It worked, dear god it worked!!

Patrick: Congratulations! Your order is now complete.

columbus oh: Now, who do I call to get my wireless and home service bundled?

Patrick: Please contact our customer service team in Ohio at 1-888-274-9056 to bundled up wireless and Home phone services.

columbus oh: Thanks Patrick!

Patrick: You are welcome.

Patrick: Can you think of any additional information you might need, or any questions I can answer about AT&T services?

Patrick: We have not heard from you in a while. Do you wish to continue this chat?

Patrick: Since I have not heard from you for some time, I will now end this chat. Please do not hesitate to chat with us again if we can be of further assistance.

Thank you for chatting with AT&T today. Have a great day.

No, YOU have a great Patrick.

Comments? Please, no.


Obituaries.  Fun reading indeed.  There are the big people; so big, their obits are likely a dynamic tribute that evolve throughout their life waiting for the inevitable.

Then there are average Joes.  These are my favorite.  They were born, lived, grew up, lived more, worked and died.  They were us.  They are who I find most interesting.

Best  place to find average Joes?  No better than Petoskey, MI.  I have no idea how I found these, but I come to the Petoskey News obits at least once a week.  Some time ago, however, I noticed they added a comment section beneath the obituary.  This isn't good.  There is content on the web in which comments add to the discussion - and, there are situations where a reader should respectfully shut up.  An obit is one. I don't think I'm alone in my view.  I haven't seen a single remembrance with a comment.  I can't even imagine what one would say.

hmmm...

I'm wondering if I should give in now and get tix to Justin Bieber at the Schott or wait until she asks me? Going to one of these things is something I feared about 5 years before she was born.

iPad Stylus


I'm making a stylus for my iPad to have fun with goofy "art." But, in the meantime, it's fun to see what will work.

Insecticide marketing


Buying toilet paper this morning, I noticed the aptly juxtaposed display of insecticides.  One one side of the cardboard display were soothing pastel green Earth Options insecticide.  A mixture of pyrethrins and other ingredients that, for some reason, always add up to 100%.  From the looks of the rounded, green container, I think this spray coats the insect with a fuzzy green blanket allowing it to float gently to the ground, and - when it awakes, rested and less angry, it flies away into a field of butterflies and swaddled babies.  I think it's endorsed by the BlogHer network too. 

On the other side of the display was a more deadly formulation containing permethrin and tetramethrin. It was a black aerosol can with big angry looking bugs on it.  I didn't have to read the can to know this stuff doesn't just kill bugs, it tortures them as they launch a blood-curdling death scream on contact.  I think it also silences whiny children at checkout.

I happen to know names on labels - any labels - better than most anyone in the world.  Long story.  Permethrin and tetramethrin are pyrethrins.  Synthetic forms of the naturally occuring pyrethrins.  It hurts me to write the expression "naturally occuring." It's most frequently associated with harmlessness and not frequently enough associated with mercury and poop..

Anyway, in the last couple years the difference in toxicity, largely in the veterinary literature, isn't trivial to find on the different pyrethrins.  Floating to the surface on Google Scholar is  this search.  Evaluation of the results of these studies is beyond the scope of this entry.  The point is, the active substance in both cases is pretty toxic, but similar and more  importantly, it's an insulting campaign based on how few people will read these two products.  I'm guessing the green plastic bottle outsells the black can hands down.

Guess who

The wife and I were doodling on the ipad.