Being a technology person, I love when I get to play with new gadgets. This November I'll get to try out the new voting machines that have come to Nassau County.
Since the election of 2000, I've watched with some interest in the various technologies in voting that were being developed to avoid the troubles that happened with Florida's paper electronic voting. I was comfortable with New York's old fashioned manual lever machines. I guess, I grew up with them and remember standing on my dad's shoes as he let me in the voting booth with him, flipping the levers. So, patriotism mixed with nostalgia allowed me to believe that our machines were fine.
I knew that one day a new technology would come along. But, I was disappointed when I received my voting notification this past week and saw that we were adopting a paper ballot that would be scanned into the system. Have they forgotten all the controversy ion Florida? People complaining that the paper ballot was too hard to read? That it was too hard to pick the right boxes? Now, we're going to have everyone filling in little circles with number two pencils like an SAT exam?
I can hear the critics complaining now. People complaining that the circles were too big, too small, too confusing. They didn't read the screen. They used the wrong type of pen or pencil. They wrote in the margins, etc. I wonder if the politicians have set up this scenario on purpose in order to create questions so they can contest an outcome that they don't like.
I'm disappointed that they did not choose a more modern and less confusing system. How would I have designed it? Simple, the voting booth would be like an ATM. A person would step into the booth and the screen would show them the choices for each position. In fact, I would go so far to allow each candidate to post a photo and a small statement. This way even a candidate in an obscure local race could help people make a choice. Voters would make their choice on the screen then press complete. A summary screen would display for them to confirm their vote. They press confirm and the vote is entered. Since a paper trail is required, the voting machine would then spit out a paper receipt which could then be placed in a collection box in case a recount is needed. Meanwhile, all the votes are tallied nice and clean with little to no margin for error.
I guess we'll see how everything will run next month. Although, as with anything new I do expect to see a few glitches, I just hope that New York does not become the next Florida.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
LIRR - An Exercise in Patience
I used to commute into the city everyday. I was part of the rat race taking the Railroad to work each day. Spending three hours or more commuting. I may have to do it again some day, but for now I'm safe from the hustle and bustle of the LIRR.
When I did travel through the MTA system, I was always struck by the dehumanizing experience it is. Commuters are often treated as cattle, in fact with the overcrowding of some train, I would dare say worse than cattle. Seriously, if you shoved so many heads of cattle into a railroad car heading to the slaughterhouse, the ASPCA and every other Animal Rights group would be on the case protesting and, rightly so. Therefore my question is why do we recognize these atrocious conditions when forced on animals but accept it when it is forced upon us?
What can we do about it? I realize it is tough. After all, we want to get home on Friday evening after work and don;t want to wait another 90 minutes for the next train. It is understandable. But, why not stand up for ourselves through letter writing, making phone calls of protests, even blogging about it. Why do we accept MTA's treatment of ourselves even when we know it is wrong. Have you ever noticed, that when the Railroad really messes up, is running late and the train is overcrowded, often you will never see the conductor coming through for tickets. They know that tempers are high and really don't want to get into conversations about subjects they can't do anything about. We are upset but as soon as we get home, we shrug the whole incident off as just another day in the rat race.
I would suggest that the next time you're stuck on a delayed train and being treated unfairly, that you get out your Blackberry or Android or iPhone and start writing to the LIRR and MTA and get your voices heard. Why do you think that there are so many trains running on the Port Washington line during rush hour? The commuters on that line have made a very strong campaign and are not afraid to be heard.
Oyster Bay trains are typically an hour apart so when they cancel one of our trains there is a long wait. During a bad day in Penn Station I once saw someone complaining loudly that they canceled his Great Neck train and forcing him to take a Port Washington train instead that was five minutes later. As a rider on the Oyster Bay line, I was totally mystified by the man's outrage. But, my point is that the riders on the Port Washington branch are not afraid to have their voice heard. I would encourage everyone out there to do the same.
Let's stop commuting like sheep and stand up for our own rights. If your train is overcrowded, too hot, too cold, running late or any other bad service, let them know. However, I would also suggest that when they do something good that you also let them know that as well. If a conductor was especially nice (an many of them are) or the train had a good record of being on time, don't be afraid to send a compliment. This gives good managers a chance to praise good employees and hold them up as an example for others to follow. If you're going to criticize the dark side, don't forget to compliment those on the side of good as well.
When I did travel through the MTA system, I was always struck by the dehumanizing experience it is. Commuters are often treated as cattle, in fact with the overcrowding of some train, I would dare say worse than cattle. Seriously, if you shoved so many heads of cattle into a railroad car heading to the slaughterhouse, the ASPCA and every other Animal Rights group would be on the case protesting and, rightly so. Therefore my question is why do we recognize these atrocious conditions when forced on animals but accept it when it is forced upon us?
What can we do about it? I realize it is tough. After all, we want to get home on Friday evening after work and don;t want to wait another 90 minutes for the next train. It is understandable. But, why not stand up for ourselves through letter writing, making phone calls of protests, even blogging about it. Why do we accept MTA's treatment of ourselves even when we know it is wrong. Have you ever noticed, that when the Railroad really messes up, is running late and the train is overcrowded, often you will never see the conductor coming through for tickets. They know that tempers are high and really don't want to get into conversations about subjects they can't do anything about. We are upset but as soon as we get home, we shrug the whole incident off as just another day in the rat race.
I would suggest that the next time you're stuck on a delayed train and being treated unfairly, that you get out your Blackberry or Android or iPhone and start writing to the LIRR and MTA and get your voices heard. Why do you think that there are so many trains running on the Port Washington line during rush hour? The commuters on that line have made a very strong campaign and are not afraid to be heard.
Oyster Bay trains are typically an hour apart so when they cancel one of our trains there is a long wait. During a bad day in Penn Station I once saw someone complaining loudly that they canceled his Great Neck train and forcing him to take a Port Washington train instead that was five minutes later. As a rider on the Oyster Bay line, I was totally mystified by the man's outrage. But, my point is that the riders on the Port Washington branch are not afraid to have their voice heard. I would encourage everyone out there to do the same.
Let's stop commuting like sheep and stand up for our own rights. If your train is overcrowded, too hot, too cold, running late or any other bad service, let them know. However, I would also suggest that when they do something good that you also let them know that as well. If a conductor was especially nice (an many of them are) or the train had a good record of being on time, don't be afraid to send a compliment. This gives good managers a chance to praise good employees and hold them up as an example for others to follow. If you're going to criticize the dark side, don't forget to compliment those on the side of good as well.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Traffic Everywhere
I'm sure you've all heard about the massive jam in China that lasted for 10 days:
China's Massive Traffic Jam: Already Gone?
Reading about this has reminded me of the eternal traffic jam we experience each day on Long Island. Between our dozens of major arteries and hundreds of individual roads, it seems like we are constantly seeing construction zones and traffic backup at all hours of the day and night.
Some years ago the Governor Pataki had signed an executive order that all construction was to take place in the overnight period so as to minimize the effect on traffic. This seemed like the perfect solution. But now, even driving during rush hour and you will see backups due to construction. What happened?
Surely then the roads would be open over night, right? Well, that was proven wrong a few weeks ago when I was returning from Eastern Long Island to find that the entrance to the expressway was closed. OK, no problem I drove the service road expecting to get on the next entrance a few miles up ahead. When I got to the next entrance, it too was closed so was the next three before I could get on. This was at around 11:30pm on a Sunday night. What made it more aggravating was that I could see that the main road was open with traffic zipping along.
I know, now I'm complaining that they are doing night time construction, and you're thinking what the heck do I want? I believe my frustration comes from the fact that there is no clear plan for this construction at least to the driver's perspective. I'm driving on a road, expecting to use an entrance only to find it blocked, with no clear signs of detour or explanation. Construction crews while, they work hard at what they do and I respect them for it, it seems like they do not return that respect to me, as a driver or taxpayer.
They are so intent on their work, that they will close off a road seemingly without any thought of how drivers should get around. I've seen times when both the LIE and Northern State have construction delays at the same time. The North Shore only has these two major highways, why not make sure one stays open?
While our traffic has not reached the 10 day jam in China, nor is it as bad as what I've experienced in Mexico City, I believe that our traffic ranks as some of the worst in the world. It would be really great if the people designing and constructing the roads would better take into account the flow of traffic as they were building and making sure that the traffic continued to flow.
Next on the blog: The LIRR is in trouble again. Fire at a switching station in Jamaica has caused delays for days. So, we can't even escape traffic by taking the train. We'll talk about it!
China's Massive Traffic Jam: Already Gone?
Reading about this has reminded me of the eternal traffic jam we experience each day on Long Island. Between our dozens of major arteries and hundreds of individual roads, it seems like we are constantly seeing construction zones and traffic backup at all hours of the day and night.
Some years ago the Governor Pataki had signed an executive order that all construction was to take place in the overnight period so as to minimize the effect on traffic. This seemed like the perfect solution. But now, even driving during rush hour and you will see backups due to construction. What happened?
Surely then the roads would be open over night, right? Well, that was proven wrong a few weeks ago when I was returning from Eastern Long Island to find that the entrance to the expressway was closed. OK, no problem I drove the service road expecting to get on the next entrance a few miles up ahead. When I got to the next entrance, it too was closed so was the next three before I could get on. This was at around 11:30pm on a Sunday night. What made it more aggravating was that I could see that the main road was open with traffic zipping along.
I know, now I'm complaining that they are doing night time construction, and you're thinking what the heck do I want? I believe my frustration comes from the fact that there is no clear plan for this construction at least to the driver's perspective. I'm driving on a road, expecting to use an entrance only to find it blocked, with no clear signs of detour or explanation. Construction crews while, they work hard at what they do and I respect them for it, it seems like they do not return that respect to me, as a driver or taxpayer.
They are so intent on their work, that they will close off a road seemingly without any thought of how drivers should get around. I've seen times when both the LIE and Northern State have construction delays at the same time. The North Shore only has these two major highways, why not make sure one stays open?
While our traffic has not reached the 10 day jam in China, nor is it as bad as what I've experienced in Mexico City, I believe that our traffic ranks as some of the worst in the world. It would be really great if the people designing and constructing the roads would better take into account the flow of traffic as they were building and making sure that the traffic continued to flow.
Next on the blog: The LIRR is in trouble again. Fire at a switching station in Jamaica has caused delays for days. So, we can't even escape traffic by taking the train. We'll talk about it!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
The Increasing School Tax and The Declining Enrollment
As all the excitement of Back to School starts taking over parents around Long Island I remember reading a Newsday article on July 17th, "LI children age 9 or younger decrease by 10 percent" by Olivia Winslow (Link).
The US Census data shows a 10 percent drop or 40,500 fewer residents 9 and younger on Long Island since the turn of the century. Overall school enrollment has decreased across Long Island since 2005. So, why then are school budgets still escalating?
Maybe the school officials need to take some math classes because it seems so logical, less students mean less resources needed which equals in lower budgets. I know, I can hear some people already saying "won't someone think of the children?" I know it's not politically correct to challenge the school board after all they are only caring for our children and they are our precious future. Hogwash! The school boards are thinking only of their pockets and precious jobs. In my opinion this just a case of spend all your budget so you can ask for more next year. My local school board was so good with their budget that they were able to afford a neat electronic LED message board to announce their school board meetings on. Gee, thinking of the cost to purchase and install the sign, not to mention the monthly electric bill, do you think they could have used that money for something better? Oh, like buying a couple of extra books, hiring another teacher or maybe paying for some extra-curricular activity that they keep telling us is so important?
Speaking of extra-curricular activities, I find it highly offensive that the community should pay for these this. I'm not opposed to school tax entirely. I think that it is each resident's responsibility to help fund education. I just think it should be reasonable, fair and centered around education. That means paying for teachers, books, administration and maintenance of school property. But, when it comes to activities like sports or after school clubs, I draw the line. These activities are selective and the cost of these should be funded by the students who partake in them and their parents. The school can provide the venue and supervision, but should not foot the bill for supplies or anything else. Let them do a bake sale or car wash to raise money.
It also seems like there is a belief that smaller classes mean a better education. Frankly, I think that is just the Teacher's Unions looking to get more teachers hired. I can't say I blame them as teachers are very under appreciated in our society. However, when I was a kid, growing up in the late 60's, 35-40 children in a classroom was the average. I think the increased pressure drove us to work harder for recognition. During my elementary school career was when the change from the old school (1950's) style of strict education was giving way to the newer, softer, new age education. Even at a young age I noticed the difference when my textbooks were changed and found the newer ones fluffier and easier to get through. I think back on that today and wonder of that was better. Would I have developed different in a more competitive environment?
I have to think yes. In Asia class sizes are huge and yet they consistently produce students that beat our students in academics. I have to think that it is the competition that drives them to do better.
In my opinion our current classroom structure and concepts about budgets were created in the 1950's during a time of prosperity and population explosion. We need to rethink our education system and how we fund it. In truth, I stopped voting on my school budget because I believe it is a farce especially in New York State. This became apparent a few years ago when the school budget was voted down, twice and the school board overrode the vote because there was money that needed to be paid. How can they do that? I felt cheated and I still do. There is only one line of candidates to vote for and if anyone tries to challenge that line, they are ostracized by the current school board members. If you vote against the budget, they pull out the kids with puppy dog eyes crying to save their school.
Then if it gets voted down again, New York State grants them a contingency increase. In all fairness, this was the first year in my recollection that the contingency budget was a 0% increase. However, in past years the contingency was 3% or 4% even more. In my opinion, if the budget is voted down, the school budget should be the same as the previous year. Afterall, that was the last approved budget. I mean, imagine walking into your boss's office and asking for a 7% raise. Then you're turned down and you say, "Well since taxes went up and the kids need to pay for tuition, so I'll just take a 4% raise instead, Thanks." Do you think you'd be successful? Of course not! You continue receiving your current salary and have to make do (assuming your boss didn't fire you for acting so crazy).
My main point is that the school budgets need to get back in line with reality. They need to start thinking of the community as a whole not just the children but, the parents as well. Especially during hard times, and declining enrollment. That is the whole point of the free market system. During these times, families are moving to areas with lower costs and lower taxes. As a result, other areas have a declining population and require less services. So, reduce the cost of our schools, lower our school taxes then our community becomes attractive to families again. They move back, they start paying into the system, generating more revenue so that you can regrow the school system again. Only, with a larger population, the additional costs are more easily shared. It seems like basic economics, and I learned that in school with 35 kids in my class.
The US Census data shows a 10 percent drop or 40,500 fewer residents 9 and younger on Long Island since the turn of the century. Overall school enrollment has decreased across Long Island since 2005. So, why then are school budgets still escalating?
Maybe the school officials need to take some math classes because it seems so logical, less students mean less resources needed which equals in lower budgets. I know, I can hear some people already saying "won't someone think of the children?" I know it's not politically correct to challenge the school board after all they are only caring for our children and they are our precious future. Hogwash! The school boards are thinking only of their pockets and precious jobs. In my opinion this just a case of spend all your budget so you can ask for more next year. My local school board was so good with their budget that they were able to afford a neat electronic LED message board to announce their school board meetings on. Gee, thinking of the cost to purchase and install the sign, not to mention the monthly electric bill, do you think they could have used that money for something better? Oh, like buying a couple of extra books, hiring another teacher or maybe paying for some extra-curricular activity that they keep telling us is so important?
Speaking of extra-curricular activities, I find it highly offensive that the community should pay for these this. I'm not opposed to school tax entirely. I think that it is each resident's responsibility to help fund education. I just think it should be reasonable, fair and centered around education. That means paying for teachers, books, administration and maintenance of school property. But, when it comes to activities like sports or after school clubs, I draw the line. These activities are selective and the cost of these should be funded by the students who partake in them and their parents. The school can provide the venue and supervision, but should not foot the bill for supplies or anything else. Let them do a bake sale or car wash to raise money.
It also seems like there is a belief that smaller classes mean a better education. Frankly, I think that is just the Teacher's Unions looking to get more teachers hired. I can't say I blame them as teachers are very under appreciated in our society. However, when I was a kid, growing up in the late 60's, 35-40 children in a classroom was the average. I think the increased pressure drove us to work harder for recognition. During my elementary school career was when the change from the old school (1950's) style of strict education was giving way to the newer, softer, new age education. Even at a young age I noticed the difference when my textbooks were changed and found the newer ones fluffier and easier to get through. I think back on that today and wonder of that was better. Would I have developed different in a more competitive environment?
I have to think yes. In Asia class sizes are huge and yet they consistently produce students that beat our students in academics. I have to think that it is the competition that drives them to do better.
In my opinion our current classroom structure and concepts about budgets were created in the 1950's during a time of prosperity and population explosion. We need to rethink our education system and how we fund it. In truth, I stopped voting on my school budget because I believe it is a farce especially in New York State. This became apparent a few years ago when the school budget was voted down, twice and the school board overrode the vote because there was money that needed to be paid. How can they do that? I felt cheated and I still do. There is only one line of candidates to vote for and if anyone tries to challenge that line, they are ostracized by the current school board members. If you vote against the budget, they pull out the kids with puppy dog eyes crying to save their school.
Then if it gets voted down again, New York State grants them a contingency increase. In all fairness, this was the first year in my recollection that the contingency budget was a 0% increase. However, in past years the contingency was 3% or 4% even more. In my opinion, if the budget is voted down, the school budget should be the same as the previous year. Afterall, that was the last approved budget. I mean, imagine walking into your boss's office and asking for a 7% raise. Then you're turned down and you say, "Well since taxes went up and the kids need to pay for tuition, so I'll just take a 4% raise instead, Thanks." Do you think you'd be successful? Of course not! You continue receiving your current salary and have to make do (assuming your boss didn't fire you for acting so crazy).
My main point is that the school budgets need to get back in line with reality. They need to start thinking of the community as a whole not just the children but, the parents as well. Especially during hard times, and declining enrollment. That is the whole point of the free market system. During these times, families are moving to areas with lower costs and lower taxes. As a result, other areas have a declining population and require less services. So, reduce the cost of our schools, lower our school taxes then our community becomes attractive to families again. They move back, they start paying into the system, generating more revenue so that you can regrow the school system again. Only, with a larger population, the additional costs are more easily shared. It seems like basic economics, and I learned that in school with 35 kids in my class.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam!
When Monty Python first sang that song, little did they know that their humorous ditty would inspire the name of the most prolific scourge of the early 21st century. But Spam, originally known as an inexpensive luncheon meat has become synonymous with electronic junk mail. It carries messages of impotence cures, sure-fire diets as well as messages from far away royalty who need the help of an ordinary honest person to unlock their wealth.
When I started working, email hadn't caught on yet. Oh, how I miss the days when I was an outcast because I had an email address. At work we thought we were advanced because we could send email to other offices. Of course we only had one networked computer that could do email and it was at the end of the hall. But, that was OK since if we received one email a week, that was a lot. Then the internet came and businesses figured out how to exploit this new tool. Unfortunately so did the cheap businesses as well as the criminals.
As a business owner, I am opposed to spamming and I have to apologize that I did notice an ad on this very page for an email marketing company. Well, at least this time, they're paying me for the intrusion and you dear reader, well you get to read this column. :-) OK, so it's not a fair trade but let's get back to the subject at hand, how can you avoid spam?
Don't Give Out Your Email Address
Simple enough, right? Problem solved, Good night everyone!
OK, it's not quite that simple, if you don't give out your email address, what's the point in having it? But, that doesn't mean you can't be selective in who gets your address. I've been around a while, I have many email addresses. But for the average person I suggest having at least three. Yes, that's right and with the price of email addresses costing $0, what do you have to loose?
Your ISP probably offers you one however, I don't recommend using them because what happens if you move to another area or change providers, then you have to scramble to give all your friends your new address. That's why I recommend getting an email address from Microsoft, Google, Yahoo, Netzero or 100's of other places that offer free email addresses. Most of them are advertiser driven so you'll want to pick one that's not too obnoxious about the ads. Personally I like Microsoft Hotmail and Google GMail because I found their spam filters were very effective.
The first email address is your primary address. That is the one you use most often, it has your most comfortable interface and the one that you will guard the most. That means only giving this to your best friends and trusted family members and when you provide it, let them know that they are getting your direct email and not to share it with anyone, for any reason. Especially not to include this address on any joke emails that they're going to share with 100 of the best friends. So, guard this email like the jewel that it is.
The second email is your public email. This is the one you will be more generous with. So, you can use this for your more trusted relationships. For example, email alerts from your bank, mailing lists that you want to hear from (like update notices from that Long Island Life Blog), basically where you're fairly certain your information will not be shared but, just in case.
The third email account is your Spam account. This is for entering that bogus contest at the local MiniMart or if your taking a walk on the scary side of the web and signing into a website that you're not too sure about. For my spam account, I check it at lease once a month, to clean it out. Most free email services will require you to check in from time to time to make sure the account doesn't go dormant. Check your the terms of each service you use for the specifics as to how often you need to check in.
There are a few more strategies that you can use. One is if you purchase a domain name, most registrars will give you an email address or two as well as a few forwarding addresses. My favorite registrar is GoDaddy (http://www.godaddy.com) because when you purchase a domain you get one full email account plus 100 forwarding email addresses. A forwarding email address is an alias address that forwards to another email. Small businesses use this to make them look much bigger than they are. The customer will see a dozen email addresses for everyone from the Janitor to the President. Little do they know that they all funnel to the same Hotmail address.
As the owner of the domain you can create an email address for each mailing list you join. So, you can have one address as bank@mydomain.com for your bank, facebook@mydomain.com for your Facebook account etc. This way if one of your addresses leak to a spammer, you know who sold out your address. Then you can rectify it easily, just cancel that address.
Finally, there is one more email service which I recommend for use when you are sure your email is going to be spammed. Maybe you're signing up for a contest or someone just keeps bugging you for an email and you really do not want to hear from them, EVER. Making sure that you are not going to receive any personal information you can use Mailinator (http://www.mailinator.com/). You can create a disposable email address on the spot like forgetme@mailinator.com or nobodyhome@binkmail.com or who@suremail.info. As long as you use one of their domains in the address, you can create any name and Mailinator will receive the email and hold it for a few hours. You can view what comes in from their website. There is no need to sign up or sign on. There is no password. So, have caution in your use of this tool because anyone with the address, can access the email.
So, we've I think we've covered Spam with enough mustard for today. I can't stress the point to be diligent with your email address because once it gets out, there's no way to put it back in. Even cancelling an email address for a while does not help. I shut down one of my emails that got spammed for three years. I figured toreinstate it at one point but, the spam started filling my box instantly. The internet never forgets.
Next up on the blog, I'll finally get to that rant about the ever increasing school tax on Long Island. I'll get my soapbox ready!
When I started working, email hadn't caught on yet. Oh, how I miss the days when I was an outcast because I had an email address. At work we thought we were advanced because we could send email to other offices. Of course we only had one networked computer that could do email and it was at the end of the hall. But, that was OK since if we received one email a week, that was a lot. Then the internet came and businesses figured out how to exploit this new tool. Unfortunately so did the cheap businesses as well as the criminals.
As a business owner, I am opposed to spamming and I have to apologize that I did notice an ad on this very page for an email marketing company. Well, at least this time, they're paying me for the intrusion and you dear reader, well you get to read this column. :-) OK, so it's not a fair trade but let's get back to the subject at hand, how can you avoid spam?
Don't Give Out Your Email Address
Simple enough, right? Problem solved, Good night everyone!
OK, it's not quite that simple, if you don't give out your email address, what's the point in having it? But, that doesn't mean you can't be selective in who gets your address. I've been around a while, I have many email addresses. But for the average person I suggest having at least three. Yes, that's right and with the price of email addresses costing $0, what do you have to loose?
Your ISP probably offers you one however, I don't recommend using them because what happens if you move to another area or change providers, then you have to scramble to give all your friends your new address. That's why I recommend getting an email address from Microsoft, Google, Yahoo, Netzero or 100's of other places that offer free email addresses. Most of them are advertiser driven so you'll want to pick one that's not too obnoxious about the ads. Personally I like Microsoft Hotmail and Google GMail because I found their spam filters were very effective.
The first email address is your primary address. That is the one you use most often, it has your most comfortable interface and the one that you will guard the most. That means only giving this to your best friends and trusted family members and when you provide it, let them know that they are getting your direct email and not to share it with anyone, for any reason. Especially not to include this address on any joke emails that they're going to share with 100 of the best friends. So, guard this email like the jewel that it is.
The second email is your public email. This is the one you will be more generous with. So, you can use this for your more trusted relationships. For example, email alerts from your bank, mailing lists that you want to hear from (like update notices from that Long Island Life Blog), basically where you're fairly certain your information will not be shared but, just in case.
The third email account is your Spam account. This is for entering that bogus contest at the local MiniMart or if your taking a walk on the scary side of the web and signing into a website that you're not too sure about. For my spam account, I check it at lease once a month, to clean it out. Most free email services will require you to check in from time to time to make sure the account doesn't go dormant. Check your the terms of each service you use for the specifics as to how often you need to check in.
There are a few more strategies that you can use. One is if you purchase a domain name, most registrars will give you an email address or two as well as a few forwarding addresses. My favorite registrar is GoDaddy (http://www.godaddy.com) because when you purchase a domain you get one full email account plus 100 forwarding email addresses. A forwarding email address is an alias address that forwards to another email. Small businesses use this to make them look much bigger than they are. The customer will see a dozen email addresses for everyone from the Janitor to the President. Little do they know that they all funnel to the same Hotmail address.
As the owner of the domain you can create an email address for each mailing list you join. So, you can have one address as bank@mydomain.com for your bank, facebook@mydomain.com for your Facebook account etc. This way if one of your addresses leak to a spammer, you know who sold out your address. Then you can rectify it easily, just cancel that address.
Finally, there is one more email service which I recommend for use when you are sure your email is going to be spammed. Maybe you're signing up for a contest or someone just keeps bugging you for an email and you really do not want to hear from them, EVER. Making sure that you are not going to receive any personal information you can use Mailinator (http://www.mailinator.com/). You can create a disposable email address on the spot like forgetme@mailinator.com or nobodyhome@binkmail.com or who@suremail.info. As long as you use one of their domains in the address, you can create any name and Mailinator will receive the email and hold it for a few hours. You can view what comes in from their website. There is no need to sign up or sign on. There is no password. So, have caution in your use of this tool because anyone with the address, can access the email.
So, we've I think we've covered Spam with enough mustard for today. I can't stress the point to be diligent with your email address because once it gets out, there's no way to put it back in. Even cancelling an email address for a while does not help. I shut down one of my emails that got spammed for three years. I figured toreinstate it at one point but, the spam started filling my box instantly. The internet never forgets.
Next up on the blog, I'll finally get to that rant about the ever increasing school tax on Long Island. I'll get my soapbox ready!
Monday, August 16, 2010
I Hate Junk Mail
What's even more frustrating than finding bills in your mailbox when you come home? To me it's finding your mailbox filled with junk mail. Junk mail has gotten out of control. My recycle bin is filled each week with more Pennysavers, credit card apps, catalogs and charity solicitations than I have household trash.
I realize that junk mail has it's purpose. It keeps the postage rates down by bringing much needed revenue into the post office, much like the advertisements on the side of my blog does for me. Junk mail also keeps the recycling industry humming by providing an endless supply of raw materials.
I'm not saying they should stop junk mail entirely, just cut back. When I was younger we would get one Pennysaver a week. That was fine, my family would actually look at it and maybe even do the crossword that they sometimes included. But now, we get one or two of them a day! This is no exaggeration. As if we don't get enough through the mail, Newsday even includes a Pennysaver in their Sunday edition. Some of them are dressed up with fancy names like "North Shore Today" some are printed on stock paper like a magazine. But, they are all the same, an intrusion to my mailbox, information that I did not ask for. I even wrote a letter to these companies, asking to be removed from their mailing list. I didn't even as much as a letter back from them. But the Pennysavers keep on coming.
Almost as bad but even more dangerous are the credit card offers. If you have fairly decent credit, they'll bombard you with so many offers that you know which bank and what card it is by the envelope. What makes these banks think that if I declined their offer the first five times, that I'll accept it on the sixth time, or the sixtieth? I mean save that money and give your existing customers lower rates.
Even when you have an account with one of these credit cards, then the checks start pouring in. Unfortunately, these are not checks from some long lost uncle. These are checks that allow you to take an advance against your credit line. But the way the letter is written, you'd think your ship just came in.
Unfortunately, credit card offers and these checks are letters that I need to open for security. Where as the Pennysavers, ValPacks, Coupon Books etc. go straight from mailbox to trash. The credit card mailings should be shredded before placing them into a recycling bin. I'm not just saying that to entice you to click on the ad to the right, thieves have been known to go dumpster diving for just such treasure. Yes, I know the checks come with assurances of security, but if someone gets a hold of one of these checks, it's up to you to correct the situation with the bank. This will take time and can be a hassle. Be safe and nip the problem at the start, shred all credit card correspondence that has your name on it.
Well, I can go on about junk mail, unfortunately I know it won't stop. On the bright side it means an endless supply or raw materials for recycled paper products and lower postal rates. At least advertisers are paying to get their message to you and I appreciate that. My point is that the volume of junk mail drowns out their message, frustrates the intended audience who ends up like me, just shutting them off. So, all I'm asking from direct mail advertisers is moderation!
Next time on the blog I'll look at the lowest form of advertiser, the Spammer who bombards our emails with medical cures, money scams and other junk. Luckily, spammers can be stopped and we'll look at some of the ways to stop these messages from getting through.
Even when you have an account with one of these credit cards, then the checks start pouring in. Unfortunately, these are not checks from some long lost uncle. These are checks that allow you to take an advance against your credit line. But the way the letter is written, you'd think your ship just came in.
Unfortunately, credit card offers and these checks are letters that I need to open for security. Where as the Pennysavers, ValPacks, Coupon Books etc. go straight from mailbox to trash. The credit card mailings should be shredded before placing them into a recycling bin. I'm not just saying that to entice you to click on the ad to the right, thieves have been known to go dumpster diving for just such treasure. Yes, I know the checks come with assurances of security, but if someone gets a hold of one of these checks, it's up to you to correct the situation with the bank. This will take time and can be a hassle. Be safe and nip the problem at the start, shred all credit card correspondence that has your name on it.
Well, I can go on about junk mail, unfortunately I know it won't stop. On the bright side it means an endless supply or raw materials for recycled paper products and lower postal rates. At least advertisers are paying to get their message to you and I appreciate that. My point is that the volume of junk mail drowns out their message, frustrates the intended audience who ends up like me, just shutting them off. So, all I'm asking from direct mail advertisers is moderation!
Next time on the blog I'll look at the lowest form of advertiser, the Spammer who bombards our emails with medical cures, money scams and other junk. Luckily, spammers can be stopped and we'll look at some of the ways to stop these messages from getting through.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Communication Alternatives: Skype and MagicJack
Today let's look at two communication alternatives. While there are a number of people who use these services as alternatives to their home phone service, I believe that most people are using these options for different means.
Magic Jack
First, let me talk about MagicJack. You've probably seen the infomercial ads about this miracle device in the form of a USB dongle that creates a phone with unlimited national calling for under $30 a year. I bought this device about two years ago, when it as still in beta. The device works as advertised and has provided reliable service for myself and my wife while we travel.
It is very simple and easy to set up, just plug it in and connect either a telephone to the built in jack or use your computer headset. Then to dial, you can use the softphone application that opens on your computer or, if you did connect a telephone, pick up the headset and dial like normal. The downside of the MagicJack is that it does tie up the sound card of your computer so, everything goes through the same channel whether it be your phone call or the latest video on YouTube.
Our main reason for purchasing the MagicJack was for use when traveling. I feel that it is a poor substitute for a home phone service because it requires the use of a computer to run. However, when you are on a business trip far from home, MagicJack is the perfect companion providing a US phone number so that you can call anyone in the USA and they can call you even though you're in South Africa. By the way, I didn't pick that location arbitrarily, my wife does travel extensively and has used it to call home from Africa, Asia, South America as well as from within the USA. As long as her internet connection was fairly solid, the audio quality of our calls were very good. There were some locations that it didn't work at all but, we can't be sure if it were the venue or the general internet quality of that country. As a device to use when traveling, MagicJack is well worth the price.
Skype
Another of my favorite services is Skype. Skype too offers calls throughout the world calls which are free between Skype users who can communicate via their computers using text, voice and even video. Users can also purchase a WiFi enabled phone like the one advertised to the right which allows you to use Skype like a regular phone, minus the computer.
However, to make calls to non-Skype users, you will need to subscribe to one of Skype's Calling Plans. You can choose to pay as you go, however if you're going to make frequent calls, you can choose an unlimited plan for as low as $2.99/month for the USA & Canada up to $13.99/month for the world (or a good number of places in the world).
These subscriptions only provide you with outgoing calls. For in coming calls, that will cost another $18.00 for three months and comes with Voicemail and Call Forwarding. Not a bad price, in fact you can even purchase phone numbers in another country. This works great when you have family in any of the over 25 countries where numbers are available. You can give your relatives a local phone number that they can call you and with Call Forwarding the call can be directed to your home or cell phone or both. My wife and I have used this service for family in Mexico. They call the number which is local and their call is automatically forwarded to our home and cell phone numbers. Whichever phone picks up the phone first, gets the call.
One other helpful service that Skype offers is called "Skype to Go." This free service comes with any purchase of credit or calling subscription. With this service you get a local number in the US or any of 17 other countries. Calling this number gives you access to up to 10 speed dial numbers and allows you to call them or any other phone number in the world and either utilize your Skype calling credits or access your subscription. This is great to call people oversees from your cell phone or even home phone and save money.
Well, it's Friday so that's it for this week. Coming up next week, I'm going to rant about junk mail and school budgets on Long Island as well as some more cool techie things. Have a great weekend!
Magic Jack
First, let me talk about MagicJack. You've probably seen the infomercial ads about this miracle device in the form of a USB dongle that creates a phone with unlimited national calling for under $30 a year. I bought this device about two years ago, when it as still in beta. The device works as advertised and has provided reliable service for myself and my wife while we travel.
It is very simple and easy to set up, just plug it in and connect either a telephone to the built in jack or use your computer headset. Then to dial, you can use the softphone application that opens on your computer or, if you did connect a telephone, pick up the headset and dial like normal. The downside of the MagicJack is that it does tie up the sound card of your computer so, everything goes through the same channel whether it be your phone call or the latest video on YouTube.
Our main reason for purchasing the MagicJack was for use when traveling. I feel that it is a poor substitute for a home phone service because it requires the use of a computer to run. However, when you are on a business trip far from home, MagicJack is the perfect companion providing a US phone number so that you can call anyone in the USA and they can call you even though you're in South Africa. By the way, I didn't pick that location arbitrarily, my wife does travel extensively and has used it to call home from Africa, Asia, South America as well as from within the USA. As long as her internet connection was fairly solid, the audio quality of our calls were very good. There were some locations that it didn't work at all but, we can't be sure if it were the venue or the general internet quality of that country. As a device to use when traveling, MagicJack is well worth the price.
Skype
Another of my favorite services is Skype. Skype too offers calls throughout the world calls which are free between Skype users who can communicate via their computers using text, voice and even video. Users can also purchase a WiFi enabled phone like the one advertised to the right which allows you to use Skype like a regular phone, minus the computer.
However, to make calls to non-Skype users, you will need to subscribe to one of Skype's Calling Plans. You can choose to pay as you go, however if you're going to make frequent calls, you can choose an unlimited plan for as low as $2.99/month for the USA & Canada up to $13.99/month for the world (or a good number of places in the world).
These subscriptions only provide you with outgoing calls. For in coming calls, that will cost another $18.00 for three months and comes with Voicemail and Call Forwarding. Not a bad price, in fact you can even purchase phone numbers in another country. This works great when you have family in any of the over 25 countries where numbers are available. You can give your relatives a local phone number that they can call you and with Call Forwarding the call can be directed to your home or cell phone or both. My wife and I have used this service for family in Mexico. They call the number which is local and their call is automatically forwarded to our home and cell phone numbers. Whichever phone picks up the phone first, gets the call.
One other helpful service that Skype offers is called "Skype to Go." This free service comes with any purchase of credit or calling subscription. With this service you get a local number in the US or any of 17 other countries. Calling this number gives you access to up to 10 speed dial numbers and allows you to call them or any other phone number in the world and either utilize your Skype calling credits or access your subscription. This is great to call people oversees from your cell phone or even home phone and save money.
Well, it's Friday so that's it for this week. Coming up next week, I'm going to rant about junk mail and school budgets on Long Island as well as some more cool techie things. Have a great weekend!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Communications and VoIP
Ever since the Bell System was broken up in the 1980's Americans have been looking for quality phone service. Oh, I know monopolies are evil and sure it was a good thing that Ma Bell was broken up. But, face it since then we have not seen consistent quality in our phone service whether we're talking on our cell phones, a land line or an internet based phone.
The breakup of the Bell System also gave birth to the one company who has given me the most grief in all my life, the company that would eventually evolve into Verizon. I could fill multiple columns describing the conflicts that I have had with this company, but I will save you from that. I bring this up because my venture into VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) was prompted because the quality of my traditional land line Verizon phone has become so bad, that I could not make a phone call. This was around 2002, Cablevision had yet to introduce their telephone product and I signed up with AT&T CallVantage. I immediately experienced excellent phone service at a much cheaper price. That's how I operated until 2008 when AT&T decided to leave the stand alone VoIP market and I had to look for a new provider.
I began my search on the internet of course and found an excellent discussion board DSL Reports. I found out that the VoIP industry had grown in the six years since I first went to VoIP. There were a number of failures as well as a number of successes. I read through the reviews of the various VoIP providers and found PhonePower to be a great value and had an excellent reputation for service.
I signed up for the two-year special which was a great deal. For $199 (plus applicable taxes about $235 total) I got unlimited calling nationwide and Canada, 1 hour international calling, a 2nd "cloned line." plus tons of other features. The cloned line is a second phone line with the same number that allows you to have two separate calls going on at the same time. You also get a free softphone application that allows you to take your phone with you as you travel by way of your laptop computer. If you use the shameless Amazon advertisement to the right, you would also get a nifty "zippy" USB attachment which allows you to use any computer to make and receive calls from your home phone. Don't worry, you get back the $79.99 as a scredit towards your phone service so, you're not paying a premium to use the link. How cool is that? We've used the softphone application from Mexico and the quality was equal to calling from our home in Long Island.
One of the other services that we've looked at was the Optimum Voice by Cablevision. I signed my Dad up for this service and I do recommend it for those looking for a basic service and not too much into the features. Not that Optimum Voice is short on features. It does offer a full service Voicemail system, an excellent web interface, features such as Call Forwarding, 3-Way Calling, and Caller ID. It will even display the caller ID on your Television while your watching the program! Actually, for me that's a deterrent since I usually watch my shows time delayed through Tivo so I can skip the commercials. But for my Dad this works great! The price is a good value as well especially if you get the Triple Play. For my Dad it only cost $1/month more once all the discounts were added in. Although, you have to remember to call them back each year to ask them to renew the special promotion.
Optimum Voice didn't meet my needs in two specific areas. First International Calling. While they will be very happy to sell you an International Plan at competitive rates, the calls have to be made through a special number, like a calling card. My wife and I are frequent international dialers. So, this was a deal breaker even though we will sometimes use Skype to make our calls, we didn't want our home service to be so cumbersome. The other area was features. PhonePower offers so many more features for the money including one feature that AT&T had that I really liked. That was a Call Block List. This way based on the Caller ID of the incoming call, I can send the caller straight to Voicemail or to a bug-off message. This works great on telemarketers and politicians around election time.
So depending on your needs, I think both PhonePower and Optimum both offer a great service at a great value. They are both dependable and have provided good, reliable service for us these past two years. One thing that many people worry about with VoIP is what happens in a power outage. Yes, the phone switching equipment is in your house and if the power goes down so does your equipment. For me this wasn't an issue since my Verizon landline didn't work on a nice day with the power on. But two things can help in a power outage.
The breakup of the Bell System also gave birth to the one company who has given me the most grief in all my life, the company that would eventually evolve into Verizon. I could fill multiple columns describing the conflicts that I have had with this company, but I will save you from that. I bring this up because my venture into VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) was prompted because the quality of my traditional land line Verizon phone has become so bad, that I could not make a phone call. This was around 2002, Cablevision had yet to introduce their telephone product and I signed up with AT&T CallVantage. I immediately experienced excellent phone service at a much cheaper price. That's how I operated until 2008 when AT&T decided to leave the stand alone VoIP market and I had to look for a new provider.
I began my search on the internet of course and found an excellent discussion board DSL Reports. I found out that the VoIP industry had grown in the six years since I first went to VoIP. There were a number of failures as well as a number of successes. I read through the reviews of the various VoIP providers and found PhonePower to be a great value and had an excellent reputation for service.
I signed up for the two-year special which was a great deal. For $199 (plus applicable taxes about $235 total) I got unlimited calling nationwide and Canada, 1 hour international calling, a 2nd "cloned line." plus tons of other features. The cloned line is a second phone line with the same number that allows you to have two separate calls going on at the same time. You also get a free softphone application that allows you to take your phone with you as you travel by way of your laptop computer. If you use the shameless Amazon advertisement to the right, you would also get a nifty "zippy" USB attachment which allows you to use any computer to make and receive calls from your home phone. Don't worry, you get back the $79.99 as a scredit towards your phone service so, you're not paying a premium to use the link. How cool is that? We've used the softphone application from Mexico and the quality was equal to calling from our home in Long Island.
One of the other services that we've looked at was the Optimum Voice by Cablevision. I signed my Dad up for this service and I do recommend it for those looking for a basic service and not too much into the features. Not that Optimum Voice is short on features. It does offer a full service Voicemail system, an excellent web interface, features such as Call Forwarding, 3-Way Calling, and Caller ID. It will even display the caller ID on your Television while your watching the program! Actually, for me that's a deterrent since I usually watch my shows time delayed through Tivo so I can skip the commercials. But for my Dad this works great! The price is a good value as well especially if you get the Triple Play. For my Dad it only cost $1/month more once all the discounts were added in. Although, you have to remember to call them back each year to ask them to renew the special promotion.
Optimum Voice didn't meet my needs in two specific areas. First International Calling. While they will be very happy to sell you an International Plan at competitive rates, the calls have to be made through a special number, like a calling card. My wife and I are frequent international dialers. So, this was a deal breaker even though we will sometimes use Skype to make our calls, we didn't want our home service to be so cumbersome. The other area was features. PhonePower offers so many more features for the money including one feature that AT&T had that I really liked. That was a Call Block List. This way based on the Caller ID of the incoming call, I can send the caller straight to Voicemail or to a bug-off message. This works great on telemarketers and politicians around election time.
So depending on your needs, I think both PhonePower and Optimum both offer a great service at a great value. They are both dependable and have provided good, reliable service for us these past two years. One thing that many people worry about with VoIP is what happens in a power outage. Yes, the phone switching equipment is in your house and if the power goes down so does your equipment. For me this wasn't an issue since my Verizon landline didn't work on a nice day with the power on. But two things can help in a power outage.
- PhonePower lets you designate a roll-over number. Should your network go down, the calls are automatically routed to this number which could be your cell phone or any other number.
- Purchase and use a power backup similar to the one pictured in the advertisement to the right. (Yes, I know another shameless plug). I have my phone adapter, my cable modem, router and a cordless phone base plugged in to a power backup. This way, should power go down I have about five hours of power to keep me going. Yes, even when the power goes out in your area, in my experience over the past 8 years the Cablevision signal is still running on the Coax Cable. You just need power for the equipment.
So, I hope this helps some of you looking into VoIP as a home phone alternative. If you're still not sure, drop by the DSL Reports website and check out the reviews about all the companies. I still post there, especially in the PhonePower forum, you'll find a lot of good people there with good advice.
Next up on the blog: I'll look at some alternative communication programs like Skype and MagicJack.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Restaurant Recommendations
Well, the last couple of columns were kind of heavy so, I thought I would lighten things up with some local restaurant recommendations. My wife and I travel frequently and we appreciate good food when we find it. So, I thought I'd start off with two of our favorites.
Smoke House BBQ Pizza Bar (Formerly "Patsy's")
407 Jericho Turnpike, Syosset, NY
516-802-4125
Web: http://www.dlsmokehouse.com
For us this restaurant has a special meaning. Two weeks before our wedding in 2008, we realized that we needed to plan a rehearsal dinner. Several guests were staying at a nearby hotel and we started driving up Jericho Turnpike for a nice venue. We stopped at a few restaurants that wanted to charge as much as we were paying for our reception, that's not what we had in mind. When Patsy's appeared on the horizon it was a shining destination. We found the managers and staff to be friendly, helpful and the prices were reasonable. Needless to say the rehearsal dinner was a big success and we have returned to dine there on a fairly regular basis.
Recently, they went through a change in decor and an expansion of their menu. Now known as Smoke House BBQ Pizza Bar, thankfully, all the great Italian dishes and pizzas are still very much there. They've added some Barbecue items as well as burgers, sandwiches and a few specialty items. One item I tried was a BBQ Sushi Roll of Buffalo Chicken. An interesting reconstruction of the classic Buffalo Chicken. All the ingredients are there, the chicken (minus the bones), the hot sauce, blue cheese and celery all wrapped in rice and crisp seaweed. It tasted great and I didn't have to worry about messy hands. It's an excellent appetizer!
They still make our favorite salad, the Pear Salad. The salad is prepared with a nice selection of greens, sliced pears, almonds, fresh blue cheese with a healthy drizzling of raspberry vinaigrette dressing. Another delicious dish! It's great to see that even after their makeover, Smoke House kept all the quality and great food that made them such a special place.
Puerto Vallarta
48 Cedar Swamp Rd, Glen Cove, NY
516-277-2900
We recently discovered this little gem. My wife is from Mexico so, when we find authentic food so close to home we celebrate! The restaurant is nicely designed with ample seating on two floors. The sounds of Spanish music and decor work to create a really nice ambiance perfect for any type of party from a family fiesta to a romantic dinner for two.
The menu is filled with authentic Mexican cuisine made and served quickly by a friendly wait staff that is very knowledgeable in what they are serving. I can recommend the Chicken Enchilada Mole. For those not familiar it is chicken meat wrapped in flour tortillas covered with a mole sauce and topped with creme. The mole sauce is actually a spicy type of chocolate but, without the sweetness of sugar. It may be hard to explain but, take it from this Gringo, it is nothing like a Hershey bar, it has a very unique and pleasant taste. The dish is served with some refried beans and a small salad. In terms of price, very reasonable.
Next up on the blog, I'll get back into tech and talk about long distance communication and VoIP!
Smoke House BBQ Pizza Bar (Formerly "Patsy's")
407 Jericho Turnpike, Syosset, NY
516-802-4125
Web: http://www.dlsmokehouse.com
For us this restaurant has a special meaning. Two weeks before our wedding in 2008, we realized that we needed to plan a rehearsal dinner. Several guests were staying at a nearby hotel and we started driving up Jericho Turnpike for a nice venue. We stopped at a few restaurants that wanted to charge as much as we were paying for our reception, that's not what we had in mind. When Patsy's appeared on the horizon it was a shining destination. We found the managers and staff to be friendly, helpful and the prices were reasonable. Needless to say the rehearsal dinner was a big success and we have returned to dine there on a fairly regular basis.
Recently, they went through a change in decor and an expansion of their menu. Now known as Smoke House BBQ Pizza Bar, thankfully, all the great Italian dishes and pizzas are still very much there. They've added some Barbecue items as well as burgers, sandwiches and a few specialty items. One item I tried was a BBQ Sushi Roll of Buffalo Chicken. An interesting reconstruction of the classic Buffalo Chicken. All the ingredients are there, the chicken (minus the bones), the hot sauce, blue cheese and celery all wrapped in rice and crisp seaweed. It tasted great and I didn't have to worry about messy hands. It's an excellent appetizer!
They still make our favorite salad, the Pear Salad. The salad is prepared with a nice selection of greens, sliced pears, almonds, fresh blue cheese with a healthy drizzling of raspberry vinaigrette dressing. Another delicious dish! It's great to see that even after their makeover, Smoke House kept all the quality and great food that made them such a special place.
Puerto Vallarta
48 Cedar Swamp Rd, Glen Cove, NY
516-277-2900
We recently discovered this little gem. My wife is from Mexico so, when we find authentic food so close to home we celebrate! The restaurant is nicely designed with ample seating on two floors. The sounds of Spanish music and decor work to create a really nice ambiance perfect for any type of party from a family fiesta to a romantic dinner for two.
The menu is filled with authentic Mexican cuisine made and served quickly by a friendly wait staff that is very knowledgeable in what they are serving. I can recommend the Chicken Enchilada Mole. For those not familiar it is chicken meat wrapped in flour tortillas covered with a mole sauce and topped with creme. The mole sauce is actually a spicy type of chocolate but, without the sweetness of sugar. It may be hard to explain but, take it from this Gringo, it is nothing like a Hershey bar, it has a very unique and pleasant taste. The dish is served with some refried beans and a small salad. In terms of price, very reasonable.
Next up on the blog, I'll get back into tech and talk about long distance communication and VoIP!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
MTA: Going Their Way
I commuted from Long Island to Manhattan for about 10 years and, although I don't need to currently, I will most likely return to a daily commute very soon. Luckily for me, Glen Cove is serviced by Long Island Transit buses so, I will not need to use the MTA's Long Island Railroad nor subway. But, many of our fellow Long Islanders are forced to suffer the painful change at Jamaica and the underground tunnel at Penn Station.
In my opinion, the MTA has lost it's way long before I moved to the island in 2000. The agency was founded in 1965 initially responsible for regulating and subsidizing the commuter railroads, including the LIRR. Later it grew to include the NYC subways, buses and bridges. Why does government always think monopolies are good things when it pertains to themselves? This daunting agency now pretty much controls all the public transportation in downstate New York. Talk about totalitarian control!
The agency is governed by a 17 member board made up of members appointed by the Governor of New York and recommended by the Mayor of New York City, and the County Executives of Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester Counties. The NYC Mayor gets to recommend 4 members while County Execs only get to choose one each. Hmm, no wonder they always fight to save the subway fare while the LIRR fares always climb disproportionately higher. The Executives of Dutchess, Orange, Putnam and Rockland counties each get to appoint a member as well, however they only get one collective vote. All members must be ratified by the State Senate.
I get so upset with this agency as I see them as an unresponsive and arrogant group. They collect tax money from more sources then you can imagine and still cry for more money. They were caught with two sets of books just a few years ago and still nobody questions when they claim that they have a budget crisis. I want to know what the other set of books say.
What really baffles me is that when challenged they immediately start talking about service cuts, even cutting out certain lines and services. Then in the same breath they take pride in telling you how they are building the tunnel to Grand Central Station or building the Second Avenue Subway or moving Penn Station to the old Post Office site. My question is:
If they can't take care of the stations, tracks and routes that they have now, how can they even think about adding more to their load??
I mean, think about it. If I were in financial stress and couldn't afford to take care of 3 rooms in my house, would I be thinking of building an addition to the house? You would say that I was crazy and being financially irresponsible. You would tell me to first take care of the rooms that I have, get my finances together, save and then consider my addition. Wouldn't you? Why doesn't the MTA take all those billions being spent on these construction projects and put it to keeping essential services? Later, when the financial crunch is past, then we can start building new tracks.
Just take a look at Jamaica Station and you can see how money is wasted in construction. Now, I was at the old Jamaica Station and I will admit that for the most part, the new station is a vast improvement. However, visit the Mezzanine on a brisk winter morning and you will see or feel the joke. The area was meant as a respite for travelers waiting for their train. Yet, the top portion of the area is wide open allowing, wind, rain and snow to flood the area. Didn't anyone think about closing this area up? Then there is the moving sidewalk to nowhere that cuts the whole area in half. Besides being of no real use to travelers since it is awkwardly placed for subway riders, it blocks also LIRR commuters moving from the west to east stairwells. The money for this little toy would have been better used if they had put escalators on the east side stairwells.
I guess the real message of my rant, is that I believe that the MTA Board is out of touch with the commuters. I would bet that most of them have never been inside a subway or bus in years. In my opinion this agency was created to protect the politicians (like the Governor, NYC Mayor and County Execs) from public outcry over increased fares and taxes. I understand that hard measures need to be taken at times, but the MTA board needs to be held accountable. So, I suggest that the members become elected by the regions they represent and that each region get only one member (sorry NYC). Let the MTA budget be approved by the voters just like school board budgets are. Let the MTA members be held responsible to answer to the public for their actions.
In my opinion, the MTA has lost it's way long before I moved to the island in 2000. The agency was founded in 1965 initially responsible for regulating and subsidizing the commuter railroads, including the LIRR. Later it grew to include the NYC subways, buses and bridges. Why does government always think monopolies are good things when it pertains to themselves? This daunting agency now pretty much controls all the public transportation in downstate New York. Talk about totalitarian control!
The agency is governed by a 17 member board made up of members appointed by the Governor of New York and recommended by the Mayor of New York City, and the County Executives of Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester Counties. The NYC Mayor gets to recommend 4 members while County Execs only get to choose one each. Hmm, no wonder they always fight to save the subway fare while the LIRR fares always climb disproportionately higher. The Executives of Dutchess, Orange, Putnam and Rockland counties each get to appoint a member as well, however they only get one collective vote. All members must be ratified by the State Senate.
I get so upset with this agency as I see them as an unresponsive and arrogant group. They collect tax money from more sources then you can imagine and still cry for more money. They were caught with two sets of books just a few years ago and still nobody questions when they claim that they have a budget crisis. I want to know what the other set of books say.
What really baffles me is that when challenged they immediately start talking about service cuts, even cutting out certain lines and services. Then in the same breath they take pride in telling you how they are building the tunnel to Grand Central Station or building the Second Avenue Subway or moving Penn Station to the old Post Office site. My question is:
If they can't take care of the stations, tracks and routes that they have now, how can they even think about adding more to their load??
I mean, think about it. If I were in financial stress and couldn't afford to take care of 3 rooms in my house, would I be thinking of building an addition to the house? You would say that I was crazy and being financially irresponsible. You would tell me to first take care of the rooms that I have, get my finances together, save and then consider my addition. Wouldn't you? Why doesn't the MTA take all those billions being spent on these construction projects and put it to keeping essential services? Later, when the financial crunch is past, then we can start building new tracks.
Just take a look at Jamaica Station and you can see how money is wasted in construction. Now, I was at the old Jamaica Station and I will admit that for the most part, the new station is a vast improvement. However, visit the Mezzanine on a brisk winter morning and you will see or feel the joke. The area was meant as a respite for travelers waiting for their train. Yet, the top portion of the area is wide open allowing, wind, rain and snow to flood the area. Didn't anyone think about closing this area up? Then there is the moving sidewalk to nowhere that cuts the whole area in half. Besides being of no real use to travelers since it is awkwardly placed for subway riders, it blocks also LIRR commuters moving from the west to east stairwells. The money for this little toy would have been better used if they had put escalators on the east side stairwells.
I guess the real message of my rant, is that I believe that the MTA Board is out of touch with the commuters. I would bet that most of them have never been inside a subway or bus in years. In my opinion this agency was created to protect the politicians (like the Governor, NYC Mayor and County Execs) from public outcry over increased fares and taxes. I understand that hard measures need to be taken at times, but the MTA board needs to be held accountable. So, I suggest that the members become elected by the regions they represent and that each region get only one member (sorry NYC). Let the MTA budget be approved by the voters just like school board budgets are. Let the MTA members be held responsible to answer to the public for their actions.
Blackberry Browsing and Voicemail
When I first started using mobile devices with internet access, I was excited. I was thinking of all the great websites that I can finally see on my commute and no longer be tethered to my desktop computer or have to lug a laptop with me. Boy, was I wrong.
The first generation of mobile browsers barely understood html (Hyper Text Markup Language, the code behind internet pages), not to mention fancy languages like Flash, Ajax or any of the other common languages. As phone companies jockeyed for position, specialized languages were created for mobile devices however many of them were specific to the model and pages needed to be written differently for different phones.
The current version of the Blackberry browser does a better job at resolving regular websites. However, unless the site you’re looking at was designed with the mobile market in mind, chances are most of the plug-ins will not work and the page may be unreadable.
Opera Mini
Enter Opera Mini (http://m.opera.com/) . this little browser does a better job of resolving regular webpages on the Blackberry. It sometimes shifts elements around to make it easier to browse and it still may have a problem with a plugin or two. However, it can work on many more full webpages than the built in Blackberry browser.
It also brings in features such as the option to create a profile and save your bookmarks off the device. This way they can be easily restored should your phone loose its memory or you upgrade to a new phone. The opera browser also uses a special streamlined rendering engine with server side compression that can help the page appear much quicker. Best of all, the opera mini browser is free.
Google Voice
After several years being known as Grand Central, Google bought out the start up about two years ago, changed the name to Google Voice and has finally released it into the wild (http://www.google.com/voice). What makes Google Voice so special?
When you sign up for Google Voice (GV), they offer you your own phone number in any of the available area codes. Live in New York and want an Los Angeles number? Not a problem! Want a local number? Not a problem either! Why would you want another number? Well, this is the number you can give out to those pesky contests that you know will be harassing you with sales calls. Or, this is the number you can give out to that annoying guy or girl that keeps asking you out. Or, this can be the number that you use for your business and even your family. This number can do it all! How does it work?
When someone calls your GV number, the service checks their Caller ID against your list of friends, business associates, enemies and even, telemarketers. Based on which category the number falls, the call can be forwarded to your home, cell, and/or work numbers to and find you. The call can be sent to Voicemail or, in the case of telemarketers, the system will let you play possum and will sound a disconnect notice when they call. This way your personal number can remain personal while providing contact information to the people you’re not too sure of. Also, should you decide to change your personal phone numbers, GV can be easily reprogrammed with new numbers.
But wait, there’s more! GV now allows you to set it up as your Cell Phone’s Voicemail. Thus providing premium voicemail features such as Voicemail to Text. When someone leaves you a voicemail, the system converts it to text and sends it to you in an SMS message (standard message rates apply). Depending on how clearly your caller speaks, it does an adequate job transcribing. At least enough that you can figure out what is being said (only works for English though). If your caller is recognized and have forwarding numbers set up, GV will also try to forward the call to those numbers as well.
How much would you expect to pay for such a premium voicemail system? Twenty dollars a month? Thirty dollars a month? Much more? Well, Google offers this service for the nominal sum of Free! That’s right $0! How great is that?
Well, that’s it for today. Next time on the blog… I’m not sure yet. So come on back and see!
The first generation of mobile browsers barely understood html (Hyper Text Markup Language, the code behind internet pages), not to mention fancy languages like Flash, Ajax or any of the other common languages. As phone companies jockeyed for position, specialized languages were created for mobile devices however many of them were specific to the model and pages needed to be written differently for different phones.
The current version of the Blackberry browser does a better job at resolving regular websites. However, unless the site you’re looking at was designed with the mobile market in mind, chances are most of the plug-ins will not work and the page may be unreadable.
Opera Mini
Enter Opera Mini (http://m.opera.com/) . this little browser does a better job of resolving regular webpages on the Blackberry. It sometimes shifts elements around to make it easier to browse and it still may have a problem with a plugin or two. However, it can work on many more full webpages than the built in Blackberry browser.
It also brings in features such as the option to create a profile and save your bookmarks off the device. This way they can be easily restored should your phone loose its memory or you upgrade to a new phone. The opera browser also uses a special streamlined rendering engine with server side compression that can help the page appear much quicker. Best of all, the opera mini browser is free.
Google Voice
After several years being known as Grand Central, Google bought out the start up about two years ago, changed the name to Google Voice and has finally released it into the wild (http://www.google.com/voice). What makes Google Voice so special?
When you sign up for Google Voice (GV), they offer you your own phone number in any of the available area codes. Live in New York and want an Los Angeles number? Not a problem! Want a local number? Not a problem either! Why would you want another number? Well, this is the number you can give out to those pesky contests that you know will be harassing you with sales calls. Or, this is the number you can give out to that annoying guy or girl that keeps asking you out. Or, this can be the number that you use for your business and even your family. This number can do it all! How does it work?
When someone calls your GV number, the service checks their Caller ID against your list of friends, business associates, enemies and even, telemarketers. Based on which category the number falls, the call can be forwarded to your home, cell, and/or work numbers to and find you. The call can be sent to Voicemail or, in the case of telemarketers, the system will let you play possum and will sound a disconnect notice when they call. This way your personal number can remain personal while providing contact information to the people you’re not too sure of. Also, should you decide to change your personal phone numbers, GV can be easily reprogrammed with new numbers.
But wait, there’s more! GV now allows you to set it up as your Cell Phone’s Voicemail. Thus providing premium voicemail features such as Voicemail to Text. When someone leaves you a voicemail, the system converts it to text and sends it to you in an SMS message (standard message rates apply). Depending on how clearly your caller speaks, it does an adequate job transcribing. At least enough that you can figure out what is being said (only works for English though). If your caller is recognized and have forwarding numbers set up, GV will also try to forward the call to those numbers as well.
How much would you expect to pay for such a premium voicemail system? Twenty dollars a month? Thirty dollars a month? Much more? Well, Google offers this service for the nominal sum of Free! That’s right $0! How great is that?
Well, that’s it for today. Next time on the blog… I’m not sure yet. So come on back and see!
Friday, August 6, 2010
Chatting on the Blackberry
Ask my wife, I am a gadget maniac and I love to customize my gadgets with as many apps as possible. If a gadget claims it can do something, I want to see it do it. As I begin this post, I am writing it on my Blackberry Bold 9000. I've had the unit for little over a year and happy to say it has worked very well for me. I have added a number of features which have enhanced my experience. Even better many of these apps are free!
Blackberry Messenger (BBM)
This feature comes with your Blackberry and many people aren't aware. What it does is allow you to text back and forth with other BBM users.
Why would you want to use this? The main reason is that the messaging is included with you Blackberry Internet service and texts sent through this do not count against your SMS quota (if you have one). What I like best is that BBM indicates when a message is received by the recipient and when they've read it. This alleviates the nagging question if your message got there.
The drawback is that the app only works for Blackberry to Blackberry. So, if you have a friend that has a shiny new iPhone, you need to stick to SMS or regular email. The other challenge is that it uses a unique Blackberry PIN code to identify users. Often users have trouble finding this information however it can be easily received by typing "mypin" in any message and the Blackberry with automatically change it to your PIN code.
If you’ve installed the updayed BBM application, a new feature was added, individual and group barcodes. Using this feature, a user can scan the bar code off of their friend’s Blackberry using the smartphone’s camera. Instantly the two friends will be hooked up as buddies bypassing the usual approval process. One little known feature is that the BBM can read any QR Barcode. You may have seen these codes on the bottom of advertising or in magazines. Scanning one of these codes will send the user to a web page, add a contact or create an SMS message.
Here is an example of a QR Barcode. It contains a link back to this blog. A great site for information about QR Codes and to create one of your own is here: http://qrcode.kaywa.com/ (plus it is free!).
CrunchSMS
So what about communicating with the non-Blackberry users? Well, Blackberries do have a built in SMS application however, it sorts on date and makes it hard to use SMS as a quick back and forth communicator.
Enter CrunchSMS (http://www.crunchsms.com/). This application can be used as a replacement SMS application. Just follow the directions to deactivate the Blackberry SMS app. Using this application organizes your SMS messages by contact. So, you can easily follow the thread of your conversations. It stores the history of your conversations for as long as you like. It displays the photo of your contacts and displays the messages as color coded bubbles so you know what you said and what they said as well as the time you said it.
Best of all the application is free. Of course there is a small space reserved for advertising and for a small fee (less than $5) you can support the developers and have the advertising removed. Personally, I think it is well worth it, not that the advertising is intrusive (it is not) but to help support innovation and individual programmers.
Wow, this entry is getting long and I’ve only covered two of my favorite apps. So let me sign off for today and next time we’ll look at a internet browser options as well as my favorite voicemail system.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Glen Cove Ferry a Good Idea?
I’m very happy to live in Glen Cove Long Island . We have three local beaches, about a dozen parks and even our own municipal golf course. I feel very privileged to live in this area despite the hour plus commute to Manhattan
I agree that commuting to Manhattan Glen Cove Port Washington in order to take express trains.
Recently, an express bus line began operating in Glen Cove , providing transportation between Glen Cove , Manhasset and Manhattan
Recently, Glen Cove Mayor, Ralph Suozzi broke ground on a Ferry Terminal (Glen Cove Manhattan
Now the vision of a new ferry that will revitalize downtown is once again being built. Only, in my opinion this project is doomed to the same fate as the last ferry project. I don’t believe that there are enough commuters that want to pay extra for a boat ride into Manhattan
What is my idea? Instead of a commuter ferry to Manhattan as the base for this venture, why not make a vehicular ferry to Connecticut Westchester . Plus, it’s a nice break in the road trip. If we had the option to do that from our hometown, we would jump on it.
I would be willing to bet that the ferry would also entice a large number of people making the trek to New England from Queens, Nassau all the way to Western Suffolk , wne the drive to Port Jeff begins to be closer. In think this would drive tourist traffic through Glen Cove New England and even on their way back. A service like this might even be able to help subsidize a Manhattan
Well, that’s my idea. What do you think? Let me know with your comments!
Next on the blog: Cool Apps for the Blackberry!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
iPhone vs Blackberry
Well, having read my previous posts, you’ll probably not be surprised that I never got into the whole iProduct
fad. I never owned an iPod nor ever wanted to. I find it funny how everyone thinks Apple invented the mp3 device, when that credit actually goes to the Rio . They were the mp3 device when the concept of digital music was new.
I do give Apple credit for making digital music commercially viable. Although there methodology is heavy handed, they did get the music industry to embrace the technology even if it was done with a lot of skepticism (on the music industry’s part) that lingers even today.
When the iPhone was introduced, Apple thought they were doing the same for the cell phone industry that they did for mp3 players. But two factors have prevented them from fulfilling that goal.
First the cell phone industry is already diverse with many players and many products. Unlike the mp3 industry at the time the iPod was introduced. The wireless industry is already mature with they’re own players and fan favorites. People know what features they want and expect. So, if the iPhone is missing them, it is noticed.
The second factor is greed. Yep, Apple’s greed finally caught up with them. They signed exclusive deals with specific carriers around the world in order to squeeze out the money. Even devotees are balking at this because of service problems brought about because of network overload. That plus their stranglehold on the software, makes it hard to personalize. Thankfully, the courts have stated that it is legal for people to “jailbreak” or alter their devices. This is a great victory for the average person.
This is not to say that the iPhone has not been successful. One cannot deny the marketing machine that Apple controls besides the legion of Apple Kool Aid drinkers that buy anything Apple. They may have tons of apps but when it comes down to the basics, the phone lacks some key features that the Blackberry blows them away.
Form Factor
When it comes to cell phones, my true love is the flip phone. I grew up on Star Trek and can’t help but imagine myself as Captain Kirk, flipping open the communicator saying, “Beam me up Scotty!” So my move to a candy bar form, was traumatic for me when I got my first Blackberry. However, the Blackberry wins on form because it has a tactile keyboard. I’m sorry, I’ve had Palm Pilots and Windows Mobile devices and was very good at graffiti. But, as soon as I had a full QWERTY keyboard on my mobile, I was happy. I have big fingers, I need the feel of the keys to know what I’m tapping. Even then I often make mistakes. So, since the iPhone lacks a keyboard, there’s one strike against it.
Functionality
Next is functionality. I will admit that the iPhone had a sexy interface. Dragging your finger across the screen, reminds me of my days with a Palm PDA. I do find the Blackberry a little clunky at times and wish that they would combine a touch screen to the unit however, I have no issues with the trackball in the middle. I have not tried the new touch pad design yet and I admit to being skeptical but, I’m sure it will be OK. I like the ability to create folders although I wish it were easier to remove some of the bloatware that the carriers add. Some of these apps, my only option is to hide the app since removing it may interfere with other functions. So, in this category I’m going to give a slight lead to the iPhone since in terms of ease of use and even video quality I have to admit they have a lead.
Applications
As far as applications go, they both have tons of them. You can find an app for virtually anything you want to do with either the iPhone or the Blackberry. However, iPhone looses this category because of their stranglehold on creativity and forcing all applications to go through their website. Yes, you can jailbreak the device, however it is my opinion that you should not have to void your warranty just to add some application that you want.
Network
This category is an easy win for Blackberry. Even iPhone advocates complain about the overloaded network. The funny thing is my Blackberry is on the same network as the iPhone and I have no troubles and I don’t need a silicone jacket to make sure my antenna is clear. Maybe it’s not the network it’s the hardware. But. Also the ability to select your network gives this round decively to Blackberry.
Overall
The Blackberry wins over the iPhone. In terms of functionality, they are really equal however, iPhone’s control over the device makes it less fun to use than the Blackberry. They both make phone calls, they both play music, take photos, send messages, surf the web and much more. However, I don’t like to be tethered to only one source for my software. So, Game, set and match to Blackberry.
Next time on the blog, let’s talk about Long Island Life. Our local mayor is building a ferry terminal for commuters. Is that a good idea? Stay Tuned!
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Apple vs Microsoft
Let me start off by admitting that I do not drink the Apple Kool Aid, I find the taste to be quite bitter. I began my computer career with Microsoft products. I have always found their architecture to be more open and inviting for the hobbyist. Through events and generous giveaways to the academic field, I always had all the legitimate Microsoft software and support that I wanted. Apple, on the other hand, has always had a snobbish attitude. Sort of, “We know what’s best for you kid. Just hand over your computer and we’ll fix it for you for a fee.” They never like to admit mistakes and write off their failures as if they never happened (Apple TV, The Newton, etc.) They got lucky with the iPod and have been reliving that suceess for the past 10 years.One day an iPod killer will appear in the market, it may not be made by Microsoft, but everyone will realize that Emperor Jobs is not wearing any clothes.
I admit Microsoft products have flaws, however once they are discovered, workaroundws and fixes are quickly made available. In fact, thanks to the design of Widnows, it is easy for the average person to get behind the scenes and make the fix. But, why is Microsoft seemingly plagued by flaws? In my opinion it ois because they try to be the OS for everyone. They try to accompdate a wider range of applications, programming languages, hardware, software and peripherals. Unlike Apple’s monopolistic practices, Microsoft does not seek to control the whole environment. Anyone can build, sell and distribute Windows compatible software or hardware. While one can pay to have their creation certified by Microsoft, this is not required.
However, Apple keeps tight control on anything that one wants to sell for their products. Is that a good thing? Maybe as far as avoiding computer problems. However, didn’t all the government entities get after Microsoft for trying to exercise such control? Why was Microsoft persecuted while Apple gets a free pass? I’m sure that it has to do with the fact that to this day, 95% of all desktops are Windows based and Microsoft has deeper pockets and that’s what the lawyers went after.
I mean look at all the controversy about the Apple Store. If you purchase an iProduct, all your content needs to be approved by and bought through Apple’s portal. Doesn’t that just scream of the giant corporation crushing individual inspiration? I enjoy the recent story about the 15year old who outsmarted Apple by creating a tethering program for the iPod (something disallowed by the TOS). It got past the Apple censors by labeling it as a flashlight application. Once they realized the deception, Apple quickly shut the program down. Talk about killing innovation.
Many Apple Devotees point at PC Enthusiasts and talk about “Apple Envy.” For some reason they think that the rest of the world is envious of their gadget. That we want to make our PC’s look like a Mac. If anything I find the opposite to be true. Afterall, it is the Apple world that created Parallels, a program to allow Apples to run Windows. Envious of a closed platform, of a system where the hardware is still owned by the manufacturer and I am only leasing it’s use? No thanks, I’m very happy to be a PC.
Next controversy that I tackle will be Blackberry vs iPhone.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Welcome! Just Getting Started
Greetings all!
We're just getting started. Please come back and check us out once we're up and running in our new digs.
What will we be talking about on this site? I'm going to continue the tradition I started on my previous blog, discussing the issues, events and technologies that make life on Long Island unique. I have been a computer hobbyist for over 20 years and have been lucky enough to make a career out of it. So, I'm going to try and take a direct look at what is happening in the world and Long Island. I have some definite opinions and will probably raise an eyebrow or two. But sometimes, you just have to say what you think.
My favorite part of Long Island is Glen Cove. I came here to go to college and really fell in love with the area. I've been lucky enough to by a home and live here. This area has a lot of great places to eat and visit. But it is not without issues such as commuting, traffic, technology, construction and much more. In the days and weeks to come I'll explore some of these topics. BTW: (shameless plug) I also have a small online gift shop celebrating Glen Cove and invite you to visit is at: http://www.glencovegifts.com (end shameless plug). Don't worry, besides all the wonderful advertising links around the page, I promise not to plug my retail site all that often.
Also, if you would like more information about Glen Cove, please visit the official website at: http://www.glencove-li.com/ .
Coming Next: We start with the big technology debate of our time, Apple vs Microsoft. Many people have their preference, let me pontificate about mine!
Thanks!
We're just getting started. Please come back and check us out once we're up and running in our new digs.
What will we be talking about on this site? I'm going to continue the tradition I started on my previous blog, discussing the issues, events and technologies that make life on Long Island unique. I have been a computer hobbyist for over 20 years and have been lucky enough to make a career out of it. So, I'm going to try and take a direct look at what is happening in the world and Long Island. I have some definite opinions and will probably raise an eyebrow or two. But sometimes, you just have to say what you think.
My favorite part of Long Island is Glen Cove. I came here to go to college and really fell in love with the area. I've been lucky enough to by a home and live here. This area has a lot of great places to eat and visit. But it is not without issues such as commuting, traffic, technology, construction and much more. In the days and weeks to come I'll explore some of these topics. BTW: (shameless plug) I also have a small online gift shop celebrating Glen Cove and invite you to visit is at: http://www.glencovegifts.com (end shameless plug). Don't worry, besides all the wonderful advertising links around the page, I promise not to plug my retail site all that often.
Also, if you would like more information about Glen Cove, please visit the official website at: http://www.glencove-li.com/ .
Coming Next: We start with the big technology debate of our time, Apple vs Microsoft. Many people have their preference, let me pontificate about mine!
Thanks!
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